Young People And Leadership -By OluwaSemiye Michael

I saw a guy in Lagos recently that I used to know. He had two guys following him. One was carrying his two phones and the other carried his handbag. The way he walked and the manner with which the guys were gumming around him, I was even ashamed to greet him. Do you know why he became like that? He was given a political appointment.

There is this very nice lady who got into a position and suddenly desired to become the goddess of power. What is it with young people and leadership?

I have seen and worked with a few young people that have shown deep leadership character; it is always heartwarming. For some few years now, I have had the rare privilege of leading several project teams, associations, and a growing organisation. I have seen characters. People blame followers as the reason they turn toxic and high-handed. How?

The first person I lead in all my leadership opportunities is myself. I am my own first follower. This is the simple reason it becomes easy for me to teach other followers not to take any rubbish from me because I am one of my own followers and together we will not take shit from me. You might not understand this, but if you have worked closely with me, you will understand. I am a natural rebel against all forms of bad leadership and I help people under bad leadership organize civil disobedience.

I have insisted to be added to all groups created to manage teams I appointed people to manage because I have come to realize that those who enjoy good leadership most times can’t give it. So I want to be with them and see how they treat those they are appointed to lead. And trust me, I come at them full force every time they mismanage their roles.

When you talk about leadership, everything starts and ends with character.

Character is built in how we treat people, how we talk to them, what we think and feel about them, how and what we program for them, and the level of communication we build with them. Leadership has nothing to do with age and you don’t monster leadership just to gain respect. You want to become a masquerade for people to be afraid of you or lick your ass and you want to build a better society? You can’t control your temper, you can’t play with people, you can’t forgive people, you equate yourself to others, you want a clear difference between you and those you lead, you create a class for yourself…….

Become part of those you lead. Represent yourself well. Build yourself a name. Be a Leader and not a Ruler.

OluwaSemiye Michael