The leaders we deserve

In 1984, Alister Mant propounded a leadership theory which, in many ways, was a castigation of the British educational system.

And here in Ghana we inherited the British system of education.

 Mant's caption of that theory was: "The leaders We Deserve;" and that theory is being explained below for the purpose of this section.

According to Alister Mant, there are two main types of leaders.

 One is the "biopod" or "raider".

When placed in a position of leadership, the "raider" would seek to seduce, control and eventually dominate others for the purpose of self-interest and personal survival.

Raiders are therefore selfish and self-seeking.

Raiders' behaviour patterns, according to Mant, lead to self-destruction in their engagement with others in transaction situations.

The questions that are uppermost in the minds of "raiders" are:
a. What is it all about?

b. What are going to be my personal benefits?

c. How am I going to reap those benefits?

Leaders with the "raider" mentality, according to Mant, ought not to be promoted into leadership positions.

 Unfortunately, however, it would seem the "raider" types of leaders are in the majority in our society today.

Mant went on to designate the other type of leaders as "tripods or "builders".

 In Mant's typology, "builders" or "tripods" are the selfless leaders who put the public good first and foremost in their thinking and behaviour and can take personal risks in public interest.

 In dealing with public matters, according to Mant, the questions uppermost in the minds of "builders" would be:

a. What is the purpose of the whole thing?

b. Is it going to be beneficial to the public as a whole?

c. In which ways are we going to benefit together?

Unfortunately, leaders with the "builders" mentality are few or rare in today's society.

Yet, today, and more than ever before, there is a need for the "builder" types of leaders across the broad spectrum of our institutions and establishments.

The "Builders" type of leaders are needed in our political organisations, the bureaucracy, civic organisations, institutions of learning, industries, trade unions, the police service and other organisations in society.

Our current educational system needs to be made holistic to incorporate not only the teaching of skills and knowledge, but also character building which will produce the "builders" type of leaders.

Holistic and human value-based education will facilitate the training of leaders with the "builders" mentality; and those are the LEADERS WE DESERVE.

Most of our current crop of political leaders fall within the category of "raiders" and show their true colours during political campaigns when they seduce and induce prospective voters with all kinds of promises.

But once they get into power and in positions of authority, they simply forget all the promises which, in any way, they never intended to fulfil.

On the other hand, the first generation of political leaders of Africa were the "builder" types.

 Those were selfless leaders who, in their thoughts and actions, put what was good for the public as a whole uppermost in their minds.

Most of those leaders were put in prisons and even risked their lives, all in the interest of public good.

And indeed, those are the types of leaders we need in our present society.

We need "builders", not "raiders"!!

A list of the first generation of African leaders is presented.

And although some of those leaders had dictatorial tendencies, their selfless leadership attributes such as the spirit of nationalism was outstanding.

The writer is a Management and Training Consultant and former Director of Pan African Institute of Development; East and Southern Africa sub-Region.