A good leader is made, not born

A really good leader is made not born. If you have the desire and ambition, YOU, can become a great effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience, and so it is with His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.

When the name Ernest Bai Koroma started surfacing in the APC circles in particular and Sierra Leone in general there were several schools of thought.  The school who kept preaching, he is young and inexperienced to rule Sierra Leone.  The other school who believe that if he was able to lead one of the best insurance companies in Sierra Leone he should be allowed to be the leader.  To the students of this school “THANK YOU” for your confidence, and your foresight.  Indeed he has not only proved to be a good leader, he has proved to be a leader who cares for the people of his country.   

To understand more about being a leader, let me define leadership. Leadership is a complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or objective and directs the organization/country in a way that makes it more unified. This is exactly what President Koroma is doing. His focus is to develop the country and put Sierra Leone on the map. A person carries out this process by applying their leadership attributes (beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills). Leadership makes people want to achieve high goals and objectives. And knowing His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma he aims for the moon and if it is not possible, he will surely get to the stars. 

For the last few weeks President Koroma has being crisscrossing the country inspecting hospitals from the Southern Province where he covered Moyamba, Bo, Kenema, Pujehun, Kailahun, Bonthe and Kono, before coming back to the Northern Province where he inspected Makene, Port Loko, Tonkolili, Kambia and Kabala.  His tour was meant to prepare the nation’s government hospitals for the implementation of the new health care directive which goes into effect April 27, 2010.  Again, when the President started talking about his health care plan the school with the PHD’s (PULL HIM/HER DOWN) syndrome where of the view that it was just talk.  YOU GOT IT WRONG!! Today he has achieved his objective.  BRAVO MR PRESIDENT!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

Bernard Bass’ theory of leadership states that there are three basics ways to explain how people become leaders. The first two explain the leadership development for a small number or people. These theories are: The Trait Theory says that some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles; The Great Events Theory states that a person or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary leadership qualities in ordinary people; The Transformational Theory states that people can choose to become leaders. They can learn leadership skills.  I am going to let you figure out which theory is His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma

When a person is deciding if he or she respects you, they do not think about your attributes. They observe what you do so they can know the real you. They use this observation to determine if you are an honorable and trustworthy leader or a self-fulfilling person.  Sierra Leoneans have proved that President Koroma is a man of his word.  He is an honorable, trustworthy leader, and self-fulfilling person worthy of emulation.

The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your cause. People see your leadership as everything you do to affect the cause or organization’s well being. What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those that respect and who have clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. The people of Sierra Leone respect President Koroma and that’s why they are singing his praises.

Nanette Thomas, President, APC Texas Chapter

A friend of mine told me I have never seen a leader who is so determined to move his country forward.  He is trying to weed the country off corruption.  He is constructing the roads.  The light is on. His agenda for change is a household word.    Today it is health care.  I can’t wait to see what next he is going to embark on.  The people of Sierra Leone should be thankful for President Koroma. 

President Koroma has the POWER of deciding definitely and firmly. Determination is Power…  the power to overcome the obstacles in your path…the power to complete the task… vanquish the foe… finish the job… reach the mountaintop… whatever the task before you may be. His focus is to get it done and make sure it is done well.  

Today I am going to add his name to the list of some people in history that we would describe as persons of determination.

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  • Sir Edmond Hilary reached the peak of Mt Everest on his 2nd try…not his first.
  • Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times before producing a viable light bulb.
  • Christopher Columbus spent YEARS trying to find a financial backer for his voyage to the western hemisphere…
  • After surrendering the Philippines, General McArthur spent two and a half years battling the Japanese before he could come back to the Philippines, wade ashore, and proudly declare, “People of the Philippines, I have returned.”
  • Richard Nixon ran for the White House twice before he won…
  • Bill Clinton lost a race for the U.S. House, and then won a race for Arkansas state attorney general. He won the governor’s race, then lost the re-election bid, but he was re-elected governor, and stayed there until he was elected to the presidency….quite a yoyo political career…but he had the last laugh….and he certainly had determination.
  • Think of Lance Armstrong, one of the most successful cyclists in history, determining to overcome a cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain before being detected and returning to win the Tour D France for a record breaking 5 times.
  • King David of the ancient Israelites was determined to knock the giant’s head off; and he did it.
  • President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma brought health care for all maternal women and children in Sierra Leone.

The list goes on and on…………

In my own life, I look to my mother who was a woman of determination.  Who would always say to her six children “Let nothing stop you from doing what you are supposed to do.  Make sure you follow your heart”. 

When I was a young student my music teacher had a favorite poem she often quoted, and required each of her students to memorize…the poem

It Couldn’t Be Done, By Edgar Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it”;

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure;

There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Now at this point, President Koroma may be saying,”Well, that’s all well and good… great positive thinking and all that… but how can I control the forces around me that keep me from achieving my goals? Mr. President I want to let you know that with God by your side the sky is your limit.

Well I want you to see that determination is something YOU can control… it’s internal, not external… it’s mental, not material… spiritual, not physical… it’s making up your mind and not wavering from it… as I said before, determination is power… the power of the made up mind…

Make up your mind to believe that it is the SPIRITUAL that ALWAYS determines the material.

Make up your mind that there is a great power within you… that power is determination.

Mr. PRESIDENT I JUST WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THESE THREE WORDS

DETERMINATION IS POWER

PRESIDENT KOROMA I SALUTE YOU ON THIS 49^TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSAY.  CONGRATULATIONS AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS YOU CONTINUE TO CARE FOR THE MOTHERS AND CHILDREN OF SIERRA LEONE.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS!

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