Not all successful entrepreneur or politicians in Nigeria are leader and knowing how to become an effective leader in Nigeria is a good step in the right direction to inspire and influence people around you. Some people are Naturally born with the Inert abilities and capabilities to lead while some others would practically have to work at it. Either way, this article is made to address the qualities of a leader in Nigeria.
Being a leader is one big responsibility. Leadership is the perceived capacity to be able to guide and conduct! It is supposed to be a reputable process. Sadly, majority of African leaders have given us a debased reflection of its original meaning.
In Nigeria, a leader is a person who is instinctively wise to extort the unwary and the less privileged and still finds a perfect means to convince them on believing he’s right and at the same time trying out tyrannical processes and strategies to maintain his grip of leadership. That’s what is obvious in our system of you’d observe carefully!
A person is qualified to be an effective leader after having passed through certain and several areas of assessment successfully. Effective leadership usually has protocols and specific principles it works with. And this really has nothing to do with age, gender nor ethnicity.
These principles of effective leadership and the vitality of their applications is what I’m basically highlighting today!
How to Become an Effective Leader in Nigeria
9 Qualities of an Effective leader in Nigeria
- Goal oriented
An effective leader is supposed to be goal-oriented. He must have goals and determined means for achievement. Without goals being set and reached, leadership can never be said to be effective or to have been effective. Aims and targets must be optimized. Whether short-termed or long-termed, a leader must have “set goals” to work with and gauge his success with this. Short termed goals, gives you quick evaluations and opportunity for regular but bit-by-bit assessments while long term goals affords you to possibility of being an “active leader” (always working). Set goals, and work with or towards these goals!
- Outspoken
Another principle of effective leadership is the outspokenness required of the leader in position. A leader must be outspoken at all times, not fearing ridicule or apathy, not being afraid to be seen wrong whether you’re right or actually wrong. And this particular quality is possessed by the majority of Nigerian leaders though for the wrong reasons. Because they out-speak lies and deception which, originally shouldn’t be a quality of positively effective leadership. Every leader must be a “public speaker”. A public speaker speaks with authority, commanding attention and in such a way to reach the hearts and minds of his audience at any given time. You must sound convincing whenever you speak or talk!
- Honesty
Effective leadership works hand in hand with truthfulness. As a leader in office, you must be truthful with whatever information you give out to your subordinates for effective leadership because when your subjects realize that a couple of things you told them ended up being lies or things you promised them never got fulfilled and without clear reasons, you’re bound to fail for the reason that you wouldn’t anymore have the needed support to achieve your set goals. Truthfulness is required at all times.
Granted, as a leader it’s all too easy to make exaggerated statements because for one thing, your subjects are meant to be “Oliver Twists”, they’d always expect more and more from you and you’re forced to exaggerate facts or promise the unfeasible but then you need to remember that exaggerating or unnecessary overstatements wouldn’t help your leadership as it would only end up compiling problems.
Sometimes too, you may really try to be sincere enough with facts but due to certain factors beyond your control you may not be able to fulfill or deliver. In such cases, it’s in your best interests to clearly state and explain with reasons to your subjects why such things failed. It gives them a sense of understanding and transparency. It’s really not time to feel superior or claim supremacy! Actually, I deliberately emphasized more on this because it deserves more attention.
- Good deeds
For leadership to reflect effectiveness, a leader must have and keep good records. Even if you have been officially and formally acquitted of a bad deed or bad deeds, you’ll still have a stained record in the minds of your subjects and this in particular, affects their view of you and level of cooperation with you, you wouldn’t blame them either.
Unfortunately in Nigeria, leaders don’t fear bad records, they don’t feel remorse for past bad records and adding to that list is even the order of the day as there are more corrupt leaders as far as the eyes can see. And if you’ll be honest, you’d agree that we don’t willingly want to cooperate with such entities and this is one big reason why we don’t have effective leadership from the many in the Nigerian leadership system.
Bad deeds in this context are not just Political offences and Financial crimes but immoral behaviors are inclusive as they are very sensitive to leadership. Good records are worth keeping and maintaining for the sake of effective leadership!
- Law abiding
A leader must be very conversant with all aspects of the law and “strive” to be Law Abiding at all times. That’s exemplary! At the implementation of a new law, a leader who is law abiding can easily prosecute or caution erring subordinates without fear of being called out. It makes it easy for people to cope with you with ease. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in a governmental leadership position or at a civilian leadership position. No matter what laws you’ll have to work with, sticking to them, gives you an edge. As a leader, you are the custodian of the ethics and tradition around you, so let it reflect on you.
- Persistence
Any leader who wishes to be an effective one, must be the persistent type. When you give orders, you must be persistent with them and when you give assignments, you must be persistent in seeking results. It makes your subordinates to be committed to their services to you and with you. Sometimes, you might come up with a mandate which your subjects might find quite difficult or challenging to get along with but persistence from your side makes them see that it’s really here to stay and they’d rather work towards sticking to whatever it is, thereby aiding the effectiveness of your leadership.
- Courageous
Courage accompanied with vigor gives you excellence. Yes, truly they are exceptionally excelling qualities. Being courageous is a principle that has to be followed for every effective leadership. Courageousness is quite a different character from outspokenness in the sense that courage has to do with being confident at all times, not fearing intimidation but at the same time being considerate to the people around you.
Courageousness is needed at “all times” and in all stances anytime anywhere whilst outspokenness is basically required when you talk or speak to your audience or subjects. An effective Leader must be courageous. It’s not an option but a “necessity”. And remember, A lot of lawless activities happens in Nigeria so courage helps you achieve your Leadership goals undauntedly!
- Optimistic
Optimism is the tendency to always expect the best or at least the favorable. As a leader in Authority, you should always and always expect the best. Let your outlook always reflect to your subjects that your concentration is unwavering and unswerving. Let them know that you’re dedicated to that particular course you’ve created awareness for.
Believe me, when they know that nothing can stop you from reaching that target or your goals, they’d support your administration and every decision you take “at will” because they’re convinced you’re not giving up. It’s alright to sometimes feel like giving up, deep inside you but then never let it out to them. Be optimistic with them at all times, that way you’ll definitely end up an effective leader.
9.Teamwork
For a leader to effectively discharge his/her duties and earn impressive results, they must be able to work comfortably with a team. A team assists you in the sense of delegations. When subordinates have specific quotas to contribute to the out working and actualization of dreams and goals, your leadership role practically becomes easier. You don’t have to stress yourself to do all things. And your ability to work with this team of persons whether they are professionals or non-professionals proves to a reasonable extent that you’re qualified to be a leader with effective leadership skills.
If naturally you’re not a team-spirited type, and you a vying for a leadership position or already in one, because not everyone is, you might have to work on this particular aspect of cooperation because you need all forms of available supports from your subjects and this includes suggestions and ideas from these people. If they aren’t comfortable being around you or with you, they can’t give you what they have so you must have to work and cooperate with them as a team!
Hope you had a nice time reading!
Your comments are sincerely awaited!
