Some people believe that in order to be effective, political leaders mush yield to public opinion and abandon principle for the sake of compromise. Others believe that the most essential quality of an effective leader is the ability to remain consistently committed to particular principles and objectives.
Insightful leaders have to make judgment base on their principles and objectives. The principles and objectives are their compass that will guide them the direction when they lose themselves in various kinds of temptation surrounding. However, if they changes their stance time after time, they are going to lose their credibility to the mass population very soon. Sometime, it may happen when there are no better choice and have to make compromises, but a leader always necessarily scrupulously scrutinizes and evaluates as much as to make comprehensive decisions.
Leaders have to stick on their visions and principles. If their decision making is based on public opinions, then it might happen that they have to change their policy very frequent. People don’t have such effort to check revisions if it keeps changing, and their accumulated anger will result in the resignation of leaders. In addition, it is important for leaders to discern the opinions of the public whether it is out of their need or insatiable desire. Sometimes, to cater to the people, leaders propose a series of policy; however, people change their desire and taste very soon, if leaders just keep satisfying their instant gratification, they might waste their precious time planing a series of short-lived strategy and lose their ultimate goal. Thus, if a leader can’t hold their faith, he or she will either soon lose their trust from the mass crowd or end up making no progress.
Leaders are shaped up by their principles and objectives. They need longanimity to stick on consistency to their ultimate goals and audacity to contradict the majority. If Abraham Lincoln was going to compromise with the South, neither would he lead the America from the very tumultuous period and prevent secession, nor would he rescue the African from the clutches of slavery. Mahatma Gandhi is rendered as “the symbol of peace” - because in no case did he resort to violence. For a leader, vision and dream are their map, consistency and wisdom are their feet, if they keep going shall they find treasures.
Leaders may not be sharp or judicious all the time. They are human beings, where quixotic ideal and obsession and wisdom paucity are inherent. But they are not allowed to make silly decision. Because they are influential, their irremediable temerity might lead to disastrous repercussion for myriads of innocent population. Compromise is necessary in cooperation. Imagine a CEO of a huge company who was never to reconcile and insist that every single detail to be done exactly in his way. Very quickly he would lose the very people in order for a company to survive, people with great ideas, people ready to make advances. Without the ability to work constructively with those who have conflicting ideas, a leader will never be able to strike deals, reach consensus, or keep enterprise on track. But by heeding more advices, he might be able to reach a more comprehensive decision making.
To sum up, it is necessary for leaders to insist on their principles and objectives. If a leader is going to follow the public opinions, he or she might turn out vacillating between countless opinions, and become less effective in making decision. So they shall not fear to irritate the crowd in order to make things right. But that is not saying a leader should act like a dictator. When they find a resolution, it takes their adamant courage to carry out policy, but before that, they have to make a great deal of compromises just in case something could be missing out or beyond consideration.
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