BITTER REALITIES OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AT PARLIAMENTARY, MAYORAL AND COUNCILOR LEVEL
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Authored By Mupishi Jones
In my previous article, I wrote that
“There’s the fullness of time to which great leaders must decide when and how to leave and not occupy too long the grounds on which others have the right to advance and contribute”.
What I meant was that a good dancer must know when to leave the stage because, he’ll surely leave the stage either way.
Time limits are good things. No matter how good a dancer you are, you must leave the stage, and the good time is when the applaud is loudest”.
The bitter reality is that the next general elections will be highly competitive at parliamentary,mayoral and councilor levels.
At Presidential level, it’ll be difficult to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema both at intra and inter party elections because of his impressive general performance.He may not have realized all his campaign promises today,BUT he inspires a lot of hope in many citizens across partisan lines about their future and that of their children.
Secondly,he still got another term to rule.
However,on the lower structures, it’s high time our Members of Parliament,our Mayors and Councilors especially those who have held on to these positions for more than two terms,to start preparing their mindset on the possibility of outcomes that may not favor them.Unfortunately, that’s the other side of democracy.
When I said what I wrote,I did not demean the achievements of our MPs, Mayors and Councilors.
Some of you, your works are loud, your sacrifices for the party,are unmatched.
The journey to get where you are hasn’t been easy. From setting records to surviving political persecutions, you’ve been there from day one, becoming a leader that’s respected and praised from party hierarchy and general membership.
But somewhere along the way, it all started to change. Now your leadership strategy is getting you nowhere, and you can no longer deny that nagging feeling that something’s just not right.
Recognizing that you may not be the best person for the job anymore is incredibly difficult to admit, especially after investing blood, sweat, and tears into the party.
But if that little voice in the back of your head is now shouting at you front and center, it’s a likely scenario that others feel the same way. So if you’re trying to decipher whether your ship has sailed, here are some signs that it may be time to step-down.
As the leader of any organization, passion for the role and the party is a non-negotiable.
While we all have those moments we want to stay in bed a little longer or crave a weekend away, there has to be an underlining fire within that gives you purpose, motivation, and excitement to step into the office each day.
If that passion’s starting to wane and you’re drained on all fronts, then it won’t take long until that trickles into every party structure and members.
Before it spreads like wildfire, you need to either decide on a strategy to reignite that flame, or come to terms that it’s gone for good.
There’s only so long that you can blame those indifferences on the ‘ever ambitious-hopping young generation’ or on oversights by the Hiring of inefficient people surrounding you. If your staff retention or supporters are on a steady decline, it’s time to question your effectiveness as a leader.
While there are a number of reasons why some of your key members are not attending your meetings anymore, it typically comes down to whether they feel supported by your management team and style to grow and develop.
When was the last time you sat down with members of your team and asked for critical feedback? I mean hard and uncomfortable questions?
If you’re drawing a blank, it’s probably a sign that your leadership style doesn’t match the needs of your membership.
Once upon a time, it felt like you couldn’t go longer than an hour without coming up with a new idea, initiative, or campaign strategy.
Your mind was like a tap you couldn’t turn off. The party at local level was leading the trends rather than following them, as inspiration sprung from everywhere and everyone.
Now?
Let’s just say the well has run dry. You have no idea how to improve the party’s culture, who you should be hiring to stay innovative,defend your works and what you need to do to increase membership.
You find yourself resisting change in order to stay comfortable with what you know, and it’s affecting every aspect of the party; frustrating open-minded members, stalling innovation, and impeding growth.
You’ve stopped asking about your team’s mobilisation reports and you haven’t attended local social event in months. And those party issues that used to keep you up at night?
Well, let’s just say you’re sleeping soundly.
It’s okay to admit that you’ve fallen out of love. Life’s too short to stay in a relationship that you no longer care about.
So before you start saying things you don’t mean to and pick meaningless fights with your people, make a departure before it turns ugly.
Leaders who have held their role for a long time often feel irreplaceable, and it’s understandable….
why?
No one knows as much as you, understands the party like you, or has connections to the national leadership like you…or do they?
While stepping into your shoes would be no easy feat, if you’ve been experiencing at least two of the signs above, it’s time to assess the needs of the party rather than your ego.
Part of your job is to recognize promising talent, so while it kills you to admit it, if you can already think of someone who would be much better at the gig, you’re probably right,
I submit
Mupishi Jones