There are many kinds of leadership. Everyone knows it.
Leadership at its core is having initiative. Everyone is at the backstage. Everyone is waiting for his turn to be on stage with his part of the drama or comedy. Everyone has to have the initiative to take the stage at the right time on the right cue. No need to wait for anyone to tell you it is your cue. You take the initiative and act you part. Everyone in an excellent dramatics guild is a leader.
Leadership, at times needs something beyond initiative like, for example, vision. If a farmer knows when there is rain and there is no rain, then he gets better harvest. If a farmer does not know when there is rain and there is no rain, then there is a good chance he does not get any harvest at all. Reason why, during Ancient Period, everyone has come to believe that emperors are demigods — they know the future. It did not matter that this has been only on account of their knowledge about calendars. What has mattered has been that they have known how to predict the future.
Leadership with initiative and science is certainly a boon to society.
Leadership with initiative and science, however, at times is not enough. Leadership also, on many occasions. require bravery. Again, everyone knows that, no need to explain.
Leadership with bravery is better attained with something else. Not everyone knows this. Leadership with bravery can be better attained through a culture of self sacrifice, the capacity to offer one’s life for others.
Only recently an elderly Italian priest has declined the offer of a community for a respirator. In the process, he has lost his life. This, however, has a happy ending. The respirator has saved someone else, a young patient.
On occasions, leadership demands immediate action. Capacity for self-sacrifice at certain times is highly advantageous.
Fear of reprisal by social circles, fear of reprisal by academic circles, fear of reprisal by superiors, fear of loss of income, or fear of loss things dear to one can certainly be debilitating. Fear of failure. This is understandable. This involves the instinct to survive. Embedded in all.
Some are lucky enough as to be accustomed by culture to make sacrifices for others. By chance. Beginning with seemingly trivial ones. Gradually moving onto very significant ones. On some very special occasions, these lucky individuals are the ones who carry the day.
Not that they always get shot at Luneta or that they die like the Italian priest. Many of them do. Many of them, however, also live to tell their story.
Without fear, they carry the task and deliver. We should be happy we have them around.
These are what we need. Leadership. Initiative. Reliable vision of the future. Bravery. Capacity for self-sacrifice.
Now let us measure everyone on the field at the moment.
Photograph of Father Giuseppe Berardelli (From http://bharatsamacharhub.in/hero-italian-priest-72-dies-from-coronavirus-after-giving-ventilator-to-younger-patient-he-didnt-even-know/)