The burden of leadership, it is lonely at the top etc, these are popular quotes you hear all the time and I believe this is mainly because of the responsibility that comes with being a leader. It is especially more difficult if you choose to be an effective, disciplined, and fair leader. This will mean you are constantly weighing your actions on a scale, scrutinizing every word you say to ensure that you are not putting down but building. You are also constantly being judged by others but most times you judge yourself even more harshly than others will judge you and all this can be very overwhelming. Again, this mostly applies to those who have chosen to be good leaders.
Many times, what a lot of individuals see are the perks and rewards that come with leadership or a leadership role without acknowledging all the responsibilities it comes with, like the saying goes “uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”. One of the most significant responsibilities of a leader is the burden of making difficult decisions. Decisions that impact lives or change the course of a business etc, these decisions have opportunity costs and consequences that may not be popular with the larger community but must be made.
Then there is the need to constantly set good examples for those that follow them, a leader is burdened by the responsibility of living above board. They must constantly lead by example, be conscious of their behaviour and its impact on others. They go out of their way to show higher standards of integrity and ethics for their followers. And because of this need to live a seemingly perfect life they are constantly under pressure to maintain this image making it difficult for them to share their pains and struggles with others, as the saying goes “it is lonely at the top”.
Another burden of leadership is the need for a leader to constantly motivate others even when they do not feel motivated themselves. The need for them to be constantly positive and passionate to inspire and motivate their followers towards their shared objectives. This motivation is also required of them in times of crisis.
Leaders must also be effective listeners and communicators if they are to inspire and motivate their followers to buy into their dreams and objectives. They must also be able to give adequate and constructive feedback to their followers to build confidence and understanding. While leaders give feedback to their followers, they hardly get the same constructive criticism and feedback themselves and this makes it difficult for them to grow and do better in their roles as leaders, this also makes them make mistakes that may have been corrected if they had gotten feedback.
They also must take responsibility for the outcome of all decisions good or bad even when not directly made by them. The success or the failure of their group is the responsibility of the leader, and the burden of this responsibility rests on their shoulders. They must be self-starters, improve themselves and bear the burdens of others, personal or otherwise. This can be quite overwhelming and time consuming. I find that those who are effective, objective, and fair followers make for better leaders.
