The mark of true leaders FORG GOTTEN BEAUTY

ON May 9, Malaysians will again have the opportunity to choose their federal and state representatives at the 14th General Election. We hope all the successful candidates would strive for good governance of our beloved country.

Good governance and good leadership are significant elements that are inseparable and dependent on one another. Malaysia needs both.

According to former secretary-general of the United Nations Kofi Annan, “Good governance comprises the rule of law, effective state institutions, transparency and accountability in the management of public affairs, respect for human rights, and the participation of all citizens in the decision that affect their lives.”

In general, good governance is defined as “an exercise of political, economic and administrative authority to manage the nation’s affairs.”

There seems to be a general consensus on the factors that contribute towards good governance. These are organisational capacity, technical competence, managerial competence, rule of law, relia- bility, predictability, accountability, transparency, open information system and participation.

Leadership is defined as “the ability to influence individuals or groups towards the achievement of goals.” It is a process that shapes the goals of a group or organisation and motivates behaviour towards the achievement of those goals. It is primarily a process of influence. Leadership generally separates the doers from observers. Professor Dr Moorhead and Professor Dr Ricky W. Griffin define the term leadership more accurately as “both a process and property”. It is a process of motivating, influencing and making others able to contribute to the effectiveness and success of organisations.

D. Quinn Mills in his book How to Lead, How to Live” defines leadership as “a process by which one person influences the thoughts, attitudes and behaviours of others. Leaders set a direction for the rest of us; they let us see what lies ahead; they help us to visualise what we might achieve.”

However, it should be understood from the beginning that leadership is not the same as being in a position of authority. One can be the boss of a big company but is still not a leader. The boss of such an organisation who is not a leader is only an administrator because he lacks the qualities of leadership and will not be able to carry out his responsibilities as a leader.

Good leaders are able to inspire and help others to accomplish organisational objectives. Mahatma Ghandi, Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela had inborn leadership qualities and through their hard work and achievements, they managed to be respected as great leaders.

But good leadership qualities are generally not inborn and can only be acquired through hard work and study. A person can only be an effective leader if he goes through the mill and learned the skills required. Those who are promoted to higher positions due to their political, diplomatic, tact and other soft skills are sometimes simply not effective leaders. These guileful individu- als may be able to fill top positions in organisations and exercise leadership at lower levels but will ultimately be paralysed by greater responsibilities.

Since leadership is about trust, leaders must have “integrity” because people will not follow someone whom they do not trust. Being honest and truthful is key to winning the hearts of those we lead. If we want to be trusted, we have to be trustworthy.

A leader should ensure good governance by inculcating morality, accountability and responsibility. By doing so, he will be able to foster trust with everyone. Good leadership ensures governance that fosters integrity, visibility, honesty and loyalty.

As a small step towards good governance, I would recommend that all successful candidates in GE14 declare their assets and attend an intensive course on integrity conducted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

MOHAMED MOKHTAR AHMAD BAJUNID Seremban

Richard d Koh Fine Art is hosting a solo ex xhibition by Tan Wei Kheng until Ap pril 24 at its gallery, 229, Jalan MMaarof, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsa ar, Kuala Lumpur. “Forgot tten Beauty” is the artist’s second solo exhibition with the gallery aand will present 17 portraitures of f various figures from ethnic villages in Sarawak which the artist had visit ted in the past. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from

0am tto 7pm.