Above all you must be genuine. You must use the personality God gave
you--only use it naturally and with earnest purpose to play the game
fairly. If by nature you are gentle and tactful, thank God, and do not
try to be a bear, because you have seen and admired some big burly man
who was a successful leader. The genuineness and earnestness of your
personal efforts to do the right thing will go further than the best
possible imitation of some other, be he ever so good.
_Self-Control._--You are probably shrinking from the thought of taking
yourself in hand in preparation for leadership. But it is quite natural
that you should thus train yourselves, for self-control is the one
first step toward ability to control others. And you will the more
eagerly accomplish your own self-discipline, as you observe human
nature and note the blessings of the man who is self-disciplined and
the curse both to himself and his fellows of the man who is not. Those
parents who allow a child to grow up to manhood undisciplined put a
great burden upon the community in which he is to move, and above all
a great handicap upon the man himself. Selfish, petulant, flaming into
passion at any opposition, egoism coloring everything in life for him,
he is a poor member of the team in sport or business, and is more
often tolerated by his fellows than heartily welcomed. He has many
hard lessons to learn before he comes to appreciate true values in the
life about him, and thus become a truly worth-while member of society.
Far from being fit to lead others, he is generally the most difficult
problem for the leader, who now has to do the work that the parents
should have done in the man's childhood.
You may assume that you have the requisite native character for
leadership, or you would not be in position to use it. It remains for
you to prove its worth and improve its natural qualities. You will
not do this by any grandstand plays, or even by prayer. You will do
it by continued thoughtfulness in meeting the human problems of your
position, and by a discipline of self which will make and keep you fit
for your duties.
_Consideration for Rights of Others._--It is a good thing for any
citizen to make himself realize that he is part of a community whose
members are entitled to some consideration as well as himself. This
certainly is important for the man who is responsible for the conduct
of others. Everyone hates a hog as a candidate for fellowship in sport,
business or community living. You see him elbowing women and old men
aside as he crowds himself to the front at a ticket window; and so
through a busy day always jamming and trampling others to get the best
for himself. He gains a questionable satisfaction for his swollen ego,
but at the cost of the scorn of his fellows who have thought enough
about life to realize that his type is a curse to community living and
far from desirable as a characteristic of the race.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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