Thought of the Day: What Makes A Great Leader

Everyone has their own opinions on what a great leader is and what makes one. When it comes to great leaders, I believe that it’s not how rich or popular one is, but rather how they reach out to others, how they stand up for what they believe in, and the character they have. For although society often wishes to glorify and put on a pedestal those who have fame, wealth and power, it is often the ordinary, common, every day people they overlook, the underdogs in life so to speak that rise above to become some of the greatest leaders, making some of the most important changes and biggest differences in the world.


It is said that President John F. Kennedy was looked down upon in the 1960’s election because of his being a Catholic. Despite the negativity and opposition he received from people, it is also said that during his campaign he reached out to outsiders. Because of his refusal to give up, because of his strength to continue on and to face his challengers, John F. Kennedy won the hearts of many and did become President. Although some only remember him for things they didn’t approve of that he did in his personal life, JFK did a lot of good for this country. Why do I bring up President John F. Kennedy? Because he was an underdog who overcame adversity, who fought back, and who gave it his all as a leader, proving many wrong about him. A lot of people wanted to dismiss him based on his beliefs and being Catholic but that did not stop this man from being a leader and serving this country the best he knew how as President.


I think we can all learn from President John F. Kennedy. Most of us are common, everyday, ordinary people according to society’s views. Most of us are not rich, well known, popular, and most of us do not have the kind of power that others have who are higher up in authority. But who says you need to have that kind of power that they do in order to make a difference in a person’s life? Most people who are born into power, who are surrounded by all these things, take their lives for granted and have no idea what it’s like to walk the path of the every day, common people. Yet those of us who are not privileged to that lifestyle, who have had to fight every step of the way for what we have and to get where we are today, don’t take any part of our lives for granted because we know what it’s like to lose things in life, to have to start over, to have to get out there and fight for ourselves which lets us appreciate our strength and abilities even more. The experiences we’ve gone through, the trials we’ve endured, the places we’ve traveled, the pain we’ve felt, the struggles we’ve battled, and the challenges we’ve faced give us an insight into others’ lives who are going through similar things because we’ve been there before.


Too many times people are afraid to venture outside of their comfort zones, of their own little worlds, and they seek acceptance and fitting in, losing sight of their dreams, forsaking themselves eventually, and trading in who they are. Some reside in glass houses, looking out and judging those who are different, those who they see as “weak” and “inferior” to them, looking down upon them because of what they view as imperfections and flaws in another person. They judge because they are afraid of getting to know someone for who they are; they point the finger because they truly are not happy with themselves and they want to dictate the lives of those around them. If they can’t be happy then why should others be happy. People band together in their own little cliques while others wear a mask to hide what they are truly feeling so no one can see the real them or their true emotions.


Thus life is one big masquerade where the society tries to give us the script to read off, where they lie and say everything is okay because they are afraid to confront the important issues taking place, where they look the other way and ignore that which they don’t know or aren’t familiar with. Yet a great leader is not afraid to step up and address the concerns of others, to take on those important issues and bring them to light, to speak out and stand for the truth when others won’t, to step outside of that comfort zone and one by one stand up to the challenges and opposition of others. A great leader uses their power not as a way to abuse anyone but uses their strength to help those who have fallen down in life, to reach out to those viewed as outsiders, and who cares more about making a difference then about what they can gain or how they can profit from the things they do. Decisions they make are based not on their own greed but what will be most helpful and beneficial to bringing about important changes that need and should be made to help others and make the world a better place in which we can live.


I believe that in each of us lies leadership qualities. It only takes one person to step up and speak out to ignite change. Think of all the leaders who have helped to shape history in some way such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. People who were not afraid to step up and say what was on their mind, to risk everything they had, to work hard for what they believed in because they had a vision, a goal, and a dream. People who started out from very humble beginnings, some had very little, and some emerged from rough backgrounds but each one became some of the strongest, most courageous, brave, fearless people the world has ever known and left their footprints on society by making a lasting impact that they handed down to the generations after them. In the same way, we can get out there and we can use our experiences to help others who have lost their way. People are able to relate more to those who have been where they are, who have faced opposition, who have struggled and fought battles but have risen above it all by not giving up. That seed of hope we can plant where ever we go by sharing our stories, by showing others compassion and kindness, by taking the time to listen, to show how real we are, to not compromise or sacrifice who we are or our beliefs, but to stand up strong, stand up tall, and say we’ve had enough of the violence, discrimination, and lack of justice going on.


My motto has always been that every story deserves to be told and every voice deserves to be heard. To society you may be just one ordinary person, but to someone else, you are extraordinary in their eyes for everything you’ve survived and in their eyes, you are a hero and a leader for being true to yourself and for making the most of what you have and where you’re at in your life and using it to help you create a better life for yourself. Every one of us is able to help change and shape the future by fighting back, by being a voice for those who gone unheard, by protecting the innocent, by spreading awareness, by speaking out, and doing our part to destroy the ignorance and lies society wants to plant in other people’s minds by daring to expose the truth and stand up for it as we shed light on it. Break the rules of society for who are they to sit there and tell us what is the norm and what is acceptable and what isn’t? Who are they to dictate our lives while keeping secrets about things that go on, things they are too afraid to face because it’s something unknown to them and thus they cover it up, look the other way, and pretend that nothing is wrong. It’s time to stand up for ourselves because if we don’t stand up for ourselves and for those who are lost out there, for those who have all ready been silenced, for those who will never get a chance to share their stories or live to see a brighter day, if we don’t stand up for those who are still victims, who are imprisoned and trapped in silence, screaming out for someone to hear them, for someone to see them because they feel invisible, then who will stand up for them? This is our time, our moment to break the cycle we grew up with, that ravaged our own homes, forced us to grow up earlier then we wanted, and start making new history by teaching, sharing and reaching out to our generation and the next generations to follow us.


In closing I want to leave you with this quote as something to think about: It is when we put aside our differences, when we work together, that the desired change we wish to bring about is made in this world and we begin to see and accept others for who they are instead of judging and being afraid of that which is different from what we know. The barriers and walls of society are torn down when we choose to stand together, unite, and speak out as one voice. -Jenna Kandyce Linch


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