Leadership: An Incumbent of Faith

By Dr. Moses Haregewoyn

The Millennial and Gen-Z generation finds itself facing a myriad of problems which has led many of them to be directionless, angry, confused, and lost. In times such as these they need a leader more than ever. This book carries the answers to the problem plaguing those who are seeking help. Not only can it inspire one person, but even give a gui

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moses Haregewoyn
• Release date: Jan 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088090022

Dr. Moses Haregewoyn

Dr. Moses Haregewoyn is a well-respected and accomplished businessman and policy developer. He holds a number of academic degrees which include a Ph.D. in organizational behavior, an MBA, a Masters' in Sociology and a Master's in Public Health. A man who deeply enjoys human experiences, Moses has traveled the globe extensively and maintained stays in various countries - immersing himself in personal, emotional, leadership, political and cultural experiences of a variety of locales. A natural born and learned leader in all of these aforementioned areas of life and with a zest to develop and bring forth the best attributes in those he encounters - is the genesis of "Leadership: An Incumbent of Faith."

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Introduction

In my view, every religion, whether it is Buddhism, Islam, or Christianity, teaches humankind some values and principles essential to life. To respect other people, not cause harm to anyone, and live in peace and harmony with your loved ones and community are some of the few and most basic ethics and morals laid down by all kinds of religions. Peace and harmony lie at the core of every religion.

When one follows their religion, in essence, they follow a set of rules. That, in turn, gives birth to another discipline. We all have goals set by our respective religions that we must accomplish and that we have to work towards.

For example, if someone’s goal is to please their God, their maker, then they will stay determined and resolute on their path to a religious commitment to their God and not rest until they have accomplished their goal. That contributes to a person’s ability to become a good team player and a leader side by side.

This is what I would like to show to my readers. I have become successful, and I believe that is so because of my faith. I worked hard and still continue to do so. This is the calling that led me here. I want to do good things. I want to help people who need help the most. In the past, when I had made a commitment with myself and my God to help others, I would fulfill that commitment by using the means that my God provided me to mentor people and to give to the community - to the employees. Not only was I coming to the aid of other people, but also serving God simultaneously.

When you decide to search for the truth - the truth being the acknowledgment of the existence of God and your unwavering belief in him - you automatically start clinging to hope and avoid engaging in any activities that may incur you the wrath or anger of your Lord.

The same principle applies when you want to excel in the worldly domains of life. In order to make any venture successful, you must believe in yourself and your God to safely walk you to your destination.

All the deities that people look up to and worship as their Gods, be it Jesus or Buddha or the various other religious leaders, are all valid examples of doing what they preach. They all lived their lives with the utmost honesty, integrity, and fear of God. They have lived exemplary lives. That’s what I’m trying to show through this book. Leadership through faith. This book will not only teach you how to become a better leader regarding your worldly affairs, say family, friends, and guiding your community, but also how to become a successful leader in the eyes of God.

I also want to mention the role of leadership in working organizations today. Our workplaces play an integral role in our life by giving us a set schedule, discipline, and a sense of community and helping us rise up the ladder. This cannot be done without the help of effective leadership. The managers and supervisors running the show can either bring the best out of us or let us remain the same. This is why enlightened leadership is integral in the workplace.

The kind of people who lead us can inspire in ways we ourselves do not know, but it is important for them to have a vision and sense of direction for others to follow. They need to set an example of how one should behave at the office. This aspect will be heavily explored in the book.

We have an eye-opening example in the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic experienced in the past two years. It was a game-changer for many of us around the world. It affected us without caring for our wealth or anything else for that matter. It was a cruel reminder from God that we must solidify as one community, as one people, regardless of what race or religion we belong to, and help see the innumerable reasons that bind us all together instead of the few numbered differences that we tend to highlight.

It was also the first time in the history of the world wherein people turned to each other for help, and our leaders really did show us the way out of the horrendous situation into which the pandemic had plunged us all. When many of us lost our loved ones and endured immeasurable loss, strangers turned up at our doors to pay their respects and join us in our bereavement.

The world was given a reality check, and many things that were deemed impossible were proven to be probable with the advent of the virus. People were allowed to work from their homes which changed the working dynamics completely. This happened because those who called themselves our ‘leaders’ finally decided to exude leadership qualities.

This even brought a tremendous change in how we work, where we work, and why it can be made better. Technology played a considerable role in keeping the world together and getting work done. It even changed the usual dynamics of working at the office to working from home. This trend has stayed consistent even after the end of the lockdown, and many wonder what else is in store. Yet, in those times, we saw businesses either fall apart or rise in the hard times. This highlights how leaders did their part for better or for worse.

Through this book, I wish to tell people that no task is unachievable, no obstacle is insurmountable, and there is no darkness that cannot be eliminated through light, given we have complete faith in God and His plans for us trust Him to be the best caretaker of our affairs. It takes a lot to believe but only a single moment of despair to throw away all hope and faith and resign yourself to a life of misery and regret. Without believing in the truth, we will only be led astray by those who claim to be ‘leaders’ but are mere phonies and hypocrites.

Chapter One - Leadership and Ethics

A lot of successful people credit their success to one quality: leadership. It is this quality that was common between all of God’s messengers and their disciples. God created them to be leaders because without them possessing leadership qualities, they would not have been able to spread God’s word, despite the demanding challenges they faced.

So, what does it mean to be a true leader? A true leader is one of a kind. They fight the wrong and stand by the right even when the entire world opposes them. A true leader shows faith and hopes even in the toughest of storms and waits for the dark to fade away with remarkable patience.

They have an indomitable spirit and face the cruelties of life with courage. Such people are not only looked up to by members of their families but also by their co-workers and others in their community.

It is the desire of every person who aims to be successful in life to have leadership qualities in them. A leader is self-sufficient and does not rely on depending on anyone else for help or support. They know how to look after themselves and do not hesitate to speak their mind. If we examine closely, each of God’s messengers possessed the same characteristics. They were defenders of the truth, never shying away from introspection, reflecting on their habits and the elements informing their natures. One of these important elements is the morality of the individual, also known as ‘ethical values. ‘

The reason why most companies fail to perform well is that they do not have a set of ethical values in place within their organizational structure. The moral values of an organization govern its behavior and culture. The culture, in turn, sets the tone for the way the employees and employers interact with each other. If the culture of an organization lacks strong ethical values, then the organizational system is sure to collapse.

A working environment free from any kind of toxicity ensures the success of the company as well as intellectual stimulation. When everyone working in a company feels secure and safe, they contribute efficiently to its overall growth and success.

A type of leader that enables others to perform their best is a ‘transformational leader.’ This type of leader helps his or her followers (or team players) to see the best in themselves and recognize their full potential. Thus, not only are the leader’s ambitions and goals met by virtue of everyone on the team putting in their best, but the team players are also left feeling confident with a clear perspective as to how to best enact their roles under the leader’s guidance. If you have a transformational leader in the form of your boss, you will have noticed how much you are willing to sacrifice your own interests to meet your boss's requirements.

Being a transformational leader does not only mean you enable your employees to give their best in the workplace but also allow them to make time for themselves whenever they ask for downtime and be flexible in your approach to carrying out business in order to build a healthy relationship with them. If, as an employee, you feel heard by your employer, then you have a healthy relationship with them based on the latter’s true leadership and strong ethical values.

It is important that we go back to God in our discussion of true leadership and strong morals, as these were the foremost principles laid down by God when he sent his first two human creations to Earth. He taught Adam and Eve to be patient in their tough times and understand each other if they were to have a loving and respectful relationship. These qualities are universal and apply not only to the relationship shared between a husband and a wife but to every relationship that exists today and will exist tomorrow.

We realize that God is everywhere and present in everything that we do. We manifest God without realizing it. We manifest God when we give someone a helping hand or encourage or motivate someone to do better when they feel most dejected and distressed. Again, these are all qualities that are found in true leaders, and true leaders are a rarity in our world today. Thus, if we strive with sincerity in our hearts and ask God to make us the best of humans, then surely, he will guide us and show us the path of the righteous.

So far, we have looked at the emotional qualities that an individual should possess in order to be called a true leader, but now, we will look at some equally important and critical cognitive attributes. The ability to perceive change and adapt to it quickly, the ability to cater to the varying needs of your followers because each individual may have a separate problem that will need to be resolved.

The leader has to be decisive so as to be able to make quick decisions that serve not only them but also their followers. They must be cooperative, persuasive where necessary, and socially skilled so that they can make contacts and, thus, stay updated about the current changes in their field of business.

Another important and necessary skill for a leader is their ability to freely, clearly, and effectively communicate their objectives or message to their followers. The message of the leader must have enough credibility to afford them a happy and satisfied audience. Nobody wants their message to be dismissed by listeners. In order to prevent that from becoming the case, the leader must communicate to his or her followers how their goals will also fulfill the goals of their followers. A give-and-take dynamic needs to be executed with the utmost care if the leader wishes to have dedicated and sincere followers.

Where necessary, leader must often sacrifice their own interests to fulfill those of their followers. This example of leadership is most commonly seen within families where the patriarch or matriarch bends so that the rest of the family members feel heard and safe.

A true leader takes responsibility and charge of the situation and, where necessary, bends the laws or rules of a workplace to accommodate the needs of the followers. It is imperative that true leader makes good and not poor ethical choices if they really wish to succeed and prosper within the circles of their followers. This practice also applies to our political leaders who wish to secure loyal and dedicated followers and party members.

The people's overall interest should be considered if a political leader wishes to secure their position as a true leader. Of course, all of this brings us back to God, who has emphasized honesty and kindness as one of the most important qualities a human being can possess. Both of these qualities must also exist in a true leader.

The leader must also possess the precious quality of foresight and insight. They always plan one step ahead of their goals and objectives.

So, they are always planning ahead, thus making sure that if a crisis happens to befall them, they are in a secure position to make well-informed decisions and ones that do not put their followers’ interests at risk.

Leadership goes a long way for the person who carries its qualities and for the ones who follow a leader; however, ethics must be considered as a key factor for genuine leadership.

We’ve seen many historical figures who displayed leadership traits, but their intentions were not always pure or meant for their people’s benefit.

Some used their charisma to manipulate others, such as Hitler and Stalin, leading to catastrophic results.

It is sometimes difficult for people to resist the charm, which leads them to blindly follow an individual. Charles Manson, an infamous figure that influenced his youthful followers to murder innocents, was known to have likable qualities that he used to