“The price of greatness is responsibility,” said Winston Churchill. But what does he mean by this? Could it be that we, as citizens of this country, are responsible to the positive and negative outcome that may occur in the future or do the choices we make determine the responsibility that we ought to partake for our future?
Some say that to become responsible, one must learn to realize something important for responsibility is the ability to decide and act well for a better reason, since it is when responsible decisions result to wise actions. Nonetheless, how does being responsible and making good choices effect to good governance? The answer to that is good leadership.
Good leadership is not a question of who, what, where and why? For good leadership does not necessarily require a person must possess an excellent background to become a better leader, because one of the best qualities of a great leader is the ability to be unselfish.
Peter Drucker once said and I quote: The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say “I”. And that’s not because they have trained themselves not to say “I”. They don’t think “I”. They think “We”, they think “Team”. They understand their job to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don’t sidestep it, but “we” gets the credit…This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done!
Thereby, a great leader sets aside his interests for others because a great leader is not measured by his affluence and arrogance but by the strength of his heart.
However, responsibility does not end there. Our leaders are not the only people who can change and decide for our future. We, as citizens, are also responsible. We have the right to choose and elect for a responsible leader. Someone who is passionate, willing to sacrifice, inspires and influences others, strong, but not boorish; kind, but not weak; brave, but not an oppressor; considerate, but not lazy; humble, but not apprehensive; proud, but not conceited; humorous, but without folly.
Call it as it may, but the truth of the matter is—we hold the power to a successful and glorious future! Thus, it’s not enough that we settle for something disdainful because someone has blinded us to be frail. We must not let ourselves be deceived or empowered by anyone. Now is not the time to be vain and egotistic for we are committed, we are responsible for the betterment of our nation.
I maybe youthful; have less experienced and naïve, but I am aware of our nation’s predicament. Yet I am determined, determined to influence each of you to start being responsible for your actions. Likewise, I want to be conscientious. I want to be able to decide responsibly and wisely for my actions. I dream of a great nation, a nation without malice and voracity. Thereby, the choices that you will make will determine my future, our future.
Beloved Citizens, our right to choose must not be painted with gluttony and self-centeredness. Our country needs us. It needs us to be strong, determined, committed and responsible. Let our actions inspire others to do more, become more, learn more and motivate more because it has always been our choice, our choice for a better life, our choice for a better future and our choice for a better nation.
All rights reserved © Shiya Tamasao 2014
