The Portrait of a Lion

"There was a certain old man, who was lord of a very great estate; and had only one child, a son, of whom he was exceeding tender and fond; he was likewise one very apt to be influenced by omens, dreams, and prognostics.

The young Man, his son, was mightily addicted to hunting, and used to be up early every morning to follow the chase. But the father happening to dream, one night, that his son was killed by a Lion, took it so to heart, that he would not suffer him to go into the forest any more.

He built a fine castle for his reception, in which he kept him close confined, lest he should step out privately a hunting, and meet his fate. Yet, as this was purely the effect of his love and fondness for him, he studied to make his confinement as agreeable to him as possible; and, in order to it, furnished the castle with a variety of fine pictures, in which were all sorts of wild beasts, such as the son used to take a delight in hunting; and, among the rest, the portrait of a Lion.

This the young man viewed one day more attentively than ordinary; and, being vexed in his mind at the unreasonable confinement which his father’s dream had occasioned, he broke out into a violent passion, and looking sternly at the Lion, Thou cruel savage, says he, it is to thy grim and terrible form that I owe my imprisonment, if I had a sword in my hand, I would thus run it through thy heart. Saying this, he struck his fist at the Lion’s breast, and unfortunately, tore his hand with a point of a nail which stuck in the wainscot, and was hid under the canvas. The wound festered, and turned to a gangrene; this threw the young man into a fever, and he died. So that the father’s dream was fulfilled by the very caution that he took to prevent it," said Wulansari when she shimered on blue lake, with white herons fly through her light, after saying Basmalah and greeting with Salaam.

"A trusted leader leaves a legacy." Wulansari went on, "but untrusted leader leaves fears for generations to come. Legacy is defined not only by the accomplishments and vision you leave behind but also by how you conduct yourself as a leader and the decisions you make every day. Character, choices, conduct, consistency, confidence and compassion—these six pillars of your leadership legacy can determine how you build, how you create, how you grow, and how you are remembered as a leader.

Those entrusted with leadership duty in any enterprise enter office and/or assume responsibility with three theories in mind: a theory of role, a theory of task, and a theory of effectiveness, says Ernest Grady Bogue. The first theory guides our notion of what we are supposed to do; and the second directs our approaches to motivation, deployment of power and authority, orchestration of conflict, and style of decision. The third theory constitutes a belief model on how leadership success and effectiveness should be assessed. Leadership is not just the responsibility of those holding formal administrative office, but resides in the hearts and minds of everyone holding communities of learning in trust. Leadership flows as much from our passion as our position.

These three theories may not rise to the immediate level of consciousness, but they are surely operative and may be inferred from the actions and behavior of those who lead. Watch the first impulses of newly appointed administrators, whether president or director, and note the priority of their attention and the manner in which they open interactions with their staff and others around them. Imperial and self-serving styles may be easily distinguished from servant and caring dispositions in short order.

Effective leaders will be loving leaders. Effective leaders will love soul, standard, and system. They will care for and develop the promise of those entrusted to their care, and will exemplify civility in their interpersonal relationships. They will exemplify a caring for standards of both excellence and integrity, and bear responsibility for the social and technical systems in which folks do their work. Beyond a concern for soul and standard, loving leaders will recognize that competent and well-intentioned colleagues may labor in flawed systems. Concentrating on what it means to love soul, standard, and system, keeps leaders from the cynical distraction of small issues and minds. It also encourages patience and persistence.

Those holding leadership responsibility in any organization are responsible for both individual and institutional effectiveness, for their own performance and the performance of the unit or organization which they hold in trust.

One of the primary reasons successful leaders leave legacies is because they understand its impact on everyone around them. Their goal is to build relationships and accomplish something memorable that will help the organization, or nation and state, move forward long after they are gone. Creating a leadership legacy is not leaving something for people, it's leaving something 'in' people. Lead from within. Great leaders, therefore, offer order and respect all the time. They make everyone feel valued, and their skills and knowledge required for success for their nation or organization.

But, is it true that every leader wants to leave a legacy? 'We had quite a debate between ourselves about the legacy idea at first, said James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Pozner when they were discussing about the idea 'Every leader wants to leave a legacy.' We weren’t entirely sure every leader wanted to leave a legacy, though we were quite sure leaders left one in spite of themselves.

There’s nothing inherently contradictory about asking leaders to think about their personal legacies and asking them to focus on others’ contributions. There’s nothing inherently selfish in thinking about our legacies, anymore than there’s something inherently selfish in thinking about our visions and values. The people who are clearest about their vision and values are significantly more committed to their organizations than are those who are not clear about their vision and values.

Thinking about our legacies requires us to move beyond short-term definitions of success. Legacies encompass past, present, and future, and when pondering our legacies we’re forced to consider where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we’re going. We’re brought face-to face with questions of who we are and why we’re here. We have to consider more deeply the true value of what was, what is, and what will be. We search our souls for the deeper meaning in our lives. A heartfelt quest to leave a lasting legacy is a journey from success to significance.'

Legacy thinking means dedicating ourselves to making a difference, not just working to achieve fame and fortune. It also means appreciating that others will inherit what we leave behind.

By asking ourselves how we want to be remembered, we plant the seeds for living our lives as if we matter. By living each day as if we matter, we offer up our own unique legacy. By offering up our own unique legacy, we make the world we inhabit a better place than we found it.

When we move on, people do not remember us for what we do for ourselves. They remember us for what we do for them. They are the inheritors of our work. One of the great joys and grave responsibilities of leaders is making sure that those in their care live lives not only of success but also of significance.

Teaching is one way of serving. It’s a way of passing along the lessons learned from experience. The best leaders are teachers. The best teachers are also the best learners. They know that by investing in developing others they are also developing themselves.

Learning requires feedback. When leaders ask, 'How am I doing?' they gain valuable insights into how they affect the performance of others. The trouble is that most leaders don’t ask. It’s one of the most glaring leadership shortcomings, and one that desperately needs to be overcome. The best leaders know they can’t possibly be perfect, so they embrace their 'loving critics'—those people who care so much that they’re willing to tell their leaders the truth.

The late John Gardner, leadership scholar and presidential adviser, once remarked, 'Pity the leader caught between unloving critics and uncritical lovers.' It should be on a poster that hangs over every leader’s desk—or a screen saver on every leader’s computer—and it should be read and contemplated several times a day.

None of us likes to hear the constant screeching of harpies who have only foul things to say. We close our ears to constant complainers who are predictable in their whining. At the same time, we never benefit from, nor truly believe, the sycophants whose flattery is obviously aimed at gaining favor. We know that no one can be that good. To stay honest with ourselves, what we really need are 'loving critics'—people who care deeply enough to give us honest feedback about how we’re doing.

Now you have the two sides of the coin. On the one side, you see the leader fearing exposure. On the other, you see a group of colleagues who fear retribution or hurting someone. If you’re the leader, you’re already dancing naked on the table, so no use pretending you’re wearing clothes.

It seems to us that the better strategy is for all of us to accept the importance of seeking feedback about our performance. Learning to be a better leader requires great self-awareness and it requires making ourselves vulnerable. Make sure you have processes for getting regular feedback. As Dan Mulhern says, 'If you want feedback, you have to work to get it.'

Speaking of the truth, for each individual, the most important leader in any organization is not the CEO or the head honcho; it’s the leader we see most often, the one we turn to when we need guidance and support. Whether your title is manager, team leader, coach, teacher, principal, doctor, director, or parent, you are the most important leader in your organization for the people who look to you.

Even so, in leadership and in life nothing that we accomplish is singular. No one ever got anything extraordinary done alone. A leader’s legacy is the legacy of many, and none of those who contribute to making a difference want to be taken for granted. No one likes to be an assumption. Everyone wants to be significant.

Asking the question about legacy brings forward another central observation: leadership is not solely about producing results. Success in leadership is not measured only in numbers. Being a leader brings with it a responsibility to do something of significance that makes families, communities, work organizations, nations, the environment, and the world better places than they are today. Not all these things can be quantified.

Human history tells us something extremely important about human relationships. It tells us that people want to be free. People want to decide things for themselves. People want to shape their own destiny. People want to be in charge of their own lives. The most enduring leadership legacies are those of leaders who have set their people free.

Leadership is a relationship. It’s a relationship between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow. Whether the relationship is with one or many, leadership requires engaging others. No matter how much formal power and authority our positions give us, we’ll only leave a lasting legacy if others want to be in that relationship with us. Other people decide whether to follow or run away. Others decide whether to cheer or jeer. Others decide whether to remember us or forget us. No discussion of leadership is complete without considering the quality of the leader-constituent relationship. Leadership requires a resonant connection with others over matters of the heart.

A lasting legacy is built on a firm foundation of principles and purpose. That means that leadership development is first and foremost self-development. Becoming a leader begins with an exploration of the inner territory as we search to find our own authentic voice. Leaders must decide on what matters in life, before they can live a life that matters.

Leaders are expected to look into the future, to gaze across the time horizon and communicate to us what they see. It’s not about being prescient or clairvoyant. It’s about being discerning and perceptive. It’s about noticing what’s around the corner.

Yet as much as we want leaders to be forwardlooking, they aren’t. Being forward-looking may differentiate leaders from other credible people, but it’s the skill at which leaders are the most inept. Our future legacies are being taken hostage by our present-centeredness. To leave something meaningful behind we have to devote time to creating something valuable ahead.

Another thing to keep in mind: the future doesn’t belong just to the leaders. It’s not just the leader’s vision that leaders are accountable for enacting. Leadership isn’t about selling your vision; it’s about articulating the people’s vision.

We leave a legacy to others. They are our inheritors. If you’re going to leave a legacy that means something to others, you have to think about what they want and what they aspire to achieve.

Leadership is also not the private property of a few at the top. Leadership is a common area that’s accessible to everyone. The best leaders turn their followers into leaders, realizing that the journey ahead requires many guides. Exemplary leaders also have the confidence to turn themselves into followers, trusting that many others are also eager and competent to make a difference in the world.

Authentic leadership does not come from the outside in. It comes from the inside out. Inside-out leadership means becoming the author of your own story and the maker of your own history.

All serious leadership starts from within. That’s the only way we’ll ever be able to respond to what our constituents most expect and want from us. And what is that? What they most want from us is that we be genuinely who we are.

Indeed, leader must have courage, but in what sense? Leaving a legacy is all about making a difference. We can only make a difference when we take stands. Every one of us is capable of taking stands on things that matter. That’s what it really means to live a courageous life. It takes courage to realize your dreams and to give meaning to your values. If you’re going to leave a legacy of lasting significance, it’ll be the result of acting courageously. You can’t plan to be courageous, but you can choose to act that way. Courage is the virtue that makes all other virtues possible.

For most of us, courage is not a matter of grand heroic acts. Personal courage usually means taking the initiative in moments that matter—moments when our core values are challenged. It’s doing small things, and those small things can make a huge difference. It’s the difference between making a life and just making a living.

Moments of courage are turning points, but we have to be willing to pay a price to earn a return from our lives. Failure is always an option when we want to change the way things are. There is no success without failure, and no learning without mistakes.

Finally, leading is not about what we gain from others but about what others gain from us. Legacies aren’t the result of wishful thinking. They’re the result of determined doing. The legacy you leave is the life you lead. We lead our lives daily. We leave our legacy daily. The people you see, the decisions you make, the actions you take—they are what tell your story. It’s the sum of everything you do that matters, not one large bequest at the end of your tenure. And Allah knows best."

Sunlight scattered in Earth's atmosphere had appeared, it is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise, it is the dawn, the notions of illumination and hope, the beginning of a new day and thus a chance for happiness and improvement. Wulansari was about to leave, she sang,

Bila ingin melihat ikan di dalam kolam

[If you want to see a fish in a pond]

tenangkan dulu airnya sebening kaca

[clear beforehand the water as clear as glass]

Bila mata tertuju pada gadis pendiam

[When the eyes are looking at a shy girl]

caranya tak sama menggoda dara lincah *)

[the way is not the same as teasing an agile girl]

Citations & References:
- Ernest Grady Bogue, Leadership Legacy Moments: Visions and Values for Stewards of Collegiate Mission, 2007, American Council on Education
- James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, A Leader’s Legacy, 2006, John Wiley & Sons
*) "Ikan dalam Kolam" written by Husein Bawafie

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