Leaders

Assalam Alaikom,

Would you like it if I asked you to be a team leader right now ? And whatever the answer, do you think you have leadership material ?!. Those aren’t my questions to whoever is reading this now, god knows I have so little of those to lose to a Fekky impression, those are questions I wish were directed to me, imagine that, sometime ago. Two days ago I was in an interview disguised as a meeting. Do you know how when you first volunteer for a group or a charity project, they assign you to a team and that team’s leader calls for a team meeting that is in fact a group interview where everyone gets to know your weak and strong points if you have any at all ?. It’s that kind of meeting. Usually these things are annoyingly fun that they never serve the purpose intended for them, the weak points and the weaker ones, unless that purpose was to socialize and in which case I’m a bench warmer. This one was different though; it was serious, precise and efficient, thanks to the interviewer who tried his best to be professional despite numerous attempts at gaiety from some of the attendees.

It was going smoothly enough with the interviewer asking each of us in turn several questions most of which were the same, which, I have to admit, might have given me a chance to prepare something if I paid any attention. I happened to be on the last chapter of The Great Gatsby that evening and I wanted to finish it, so I paid him as little attention as I could, steeling looks at the open book under the table whenever I could. But something got my attention; before he would finish with someone he would ask him each of the above mentioned questions. Of all the people he asked, about five members were asked, after that he either forgot or became as depressed as I was, none of them gave him a pleasing answer. Whether they answered the first question positively or otherwise they always answered the second with some sheepish approval. Someone should tell the Leadership Programme they aren’t needed any more, because our table had more leaders than simple folks. In one case a friend of the would be leader went to great lengths on how his friend is a leader at heart but he suppresses himself for the greater good, that I had to look away so no one could see my laugh.

I’m tempted to recite every person’s answers here but it sounds a little cruel. It’s not the answer with ‘yes’ itself that ruins your credibility, although it would help to evade it, it’s how you answer that question. I believe if you didn’t answer it it’s even better. As a general rule most of us humble folk do not like someone who says they can be our leader just like that. No one knew each other at the time, no one knew exactly what will we do or how it’s done but that didn’t factor in their short calculations before they answered. Apparently to people being a leader is a matter of want and will only. They answered the first question based on whether they wanted it or not, and the second based on their will, and everyone on this planet believes he has the will of fire. That’s a Naruto reference, I couldn’t help it.

“What’s the model answer then smart *** ?!”, I hear a distant voice call. I thought you were gone. Welcome back, annoying inside voice. That’s the thing. There isn’t any answer. It’s a wrong question to ask in the first place. And he knew it. He knew we were new to the project, he knew several of us had no previous experience in volunteer work, and he knew people. He meant it. It’s no wonder everyone he asked was someone I thought came to have fun and ‘hang’. He never cared for what you were going to answer with, he only wants to know if you were smart enough to know it. Why else would someone ask a woman to be a leader ?!. (Sneer)

P.S In this article there is a significant amount of self righteousness and opinionatedness, which I have no control over. I’m tempted to say ‘Deal with it’ but I know it isn’t fair, so whatever I said in this article, everyone has a right to click on the comment box, type a fake name and e-mail and call me a moron.