Here is Your Assignment

You were not created to come to this earth and say, “Me too I came to live some.” You were created to make a difference. ­– Israelmore Ayivor (Ghanian blogger) 

You lazily flip through the channels of your TV on a lonely evening and you get to one that features an interview with a popular politician. Out of curiosity you stay on to “hear” a little of what he has to say. The interviewer asks the question: “Why are you in politics? What motivated you?” You keenly listen expecting some high sounding gibberish that may explain his choice of career. What you hear slaps you and makes you wish he had said the gibberish you initially thought he would. He says, “I was enjoying my medical practice and was doing well but the people in my constituency insisted I run for office.” Have you heard that before?

It is easy to desire leadership. When folks place their minds on the possible pomp, authority, respect, and financial benefits that come with it, it is easy to see why many obey the “call” to lead. Unfortunately many leaders aren’t leaders at all. To be a leader you must have a mandate – a clearly defined and outlined assignment – that keeps you on course. Without this you are simply on a lonely stroll and, if unfortunately you have a portfolio, wasting peoples precious time.

A mandate is borne out of a burden to change an unfavorable situation to a favorable one. A mandate for a leader who hates the high poverty rate in her environment might be to create jobs for unskilled labor. Such a person would have a great burden over unemployment. A mandate for a leader who seeks to heal and rehabilitate commercial sex workers that desire a change in life might be to run trainings and empowerment programs for people that fall in that category. Every mandate seeks to change things for the better.

In addition, a mandate is people-focused. You cannot claim to have a mandate when all that concerns you is the condition of your pocket and that of your family and friends. You do not have a mandate when you cannot always see the other person when you carry out your work. A mandate is other-based.