They Touched Us For Good

I have come to believe that life is about leaving an impact, a positive impact at that, on people. It is about making a difference for the good in peoole.

Life should be about spending time and relating with others in such a way that they go away better as a result of their paths having crossed with yours. Leadership should be about influence.

Anyone can exercise authority as a result of the position they occupy or are appointed to. People may feel obliged to take their instructions for the simple reason that doing otherwise may lead to unpleasant consequences.

Such leaders do not leave lasting influences that are favourable and beneficial. Leadership should be about influence.

Influence that is positively impactful, lasting and cross-generational. This has clear implications to those who see leadership from the perspective of influence, and not position, power or authority.

This involves a style of leading and managing people with an eternal viewpoint. It sees leadership a s unique opportunity to mould lives.

It sees leaderhsip as a transgenerational responsibilty to touch lives for good and to help develop responsible men and women of the future. The type of leaderhsip we are discussing does not seek its own interests.

Rather the primary concern is the nurturing of the potential the leader sees in the lives of the people he is responsible for. This book looks at the lives of some of the people i count among the greatest leaders of our times, and times past.

They may not be listed among those who are the subject of case studies in business schools. But they are among the great and real leaders whose styles we should emulate because they touched lives, and are still touching lives, in ways that are boundless, permanent and beneficial.

The world needs more of such leaders. You can become like them as you read this book and make a decision to put into practice the examples they left behind.

Author: Kofi Otutu Adu Labi