Missing Piece Of The Leadership Puzzle – A Cross Cultural Perspective

BY KATERINA BRITZOLAKI

Katerina Britzolaki on DUNIA

Have you ever thought about what would define you as a leader? Is it your natural personal skills, your charming character, your commanding nature? Is it your school degrees?

The million dollar question is: What really defines a leader?

I had been wondering about this for quite long, especially when I was asked to answer this question for myself; “What defines me as a leader”. We can all agree that it is a hard question to answer and even more challenging for a young student with no actual leadership experience. We all have claimed at times to have been captain of a team or part of student councils to justify our leadership skills, but how much truth lies in that answer?

I have to be honest and say that I had been claiming the same for some years, until I became part of a big multicultural community, aiming to develop leaders of the future. That is when I found out that youth and leadership can be combined and knowledge is not dependent on your age. Nowadays, I can answer the very same question with ease because I have been a leader for the past 2 years and I don’t intend stopping now that I have started. So I want to share my knowledge with you, hoping that you will get a taste of the big self- discovery I have been through.

There are many examples of leadership around us. However, people tend to see things from different perspectives. Some will think that Barack Obama is a great leader; some others will disagree. Some even might claim that Mother Teresa, Dalai Lama, or Albert Einstein have been more of the right kind of leaders than many modern ones.

So how is a leader truly defined?

For starters, let me say that it is not a matter of preference. There are specific key elements that characterize and shape a leader. It has been taking me quite a while to understand and embody them, but yet they do exist. It is not an urban myth that leadership can be developed through a model.

So what are these key elements and why all the fuzz about them?

A leader starts to be shaped through self-understanding. You need first to discover and accept yourself. In other words to find your true colors; your strengths and weaknesses. Self- awareness is a very powerful tool needed for a leader to thrive. Knowing and accepting who you are and investing in your strong assets will make you an irresistible source of confidence and trust for others. Knowing YOU is the key to start the journey towards the leader-land.

If you know yourself enough to take the next step, you are then able to empower others. Imagine if Albert Einstein wasn’t self-aware enough to understand that he is not good at dancing but is excellent at math and physics. How different would the history of science be if Einstein had chosen to become a professional dancer over becoming a scientist?

Empowering others is not an easy job though. You need to be able to play along with the team and join a cause that is bigger than you. A leader is not commanding; a leader participates as a team player. A successful leader is a person that others look up to; they might not fall in love with you, but they respect you and your practices. They enjoy working with you. Leading by example is the key to be a successfully empowering leader, and believe me when I say that no matter what your age or background is, you can inspire others.

However, being a leader can be a roller-coaster ride. Ups and downs are there to boost the adrenaline and the emotions. Problems are always arising and things inevitably go wrong. When it comes to finding the solution, it is always easy to talk the talk, but how often do you walk the walk? Leadership is more walking and less talking. When a problem appears, immediate action must be taken rather than mourning and crying over spilled milk. So next time you face a flaming problem, when your plans are not even close to realization and things are not going the way you want, instead of asking yourself “what if..?” ask “what now…?”. It is important to be flexible and find alternative solutions. If plan A, B or C don’t work, well don’t worry; there are 26 letters in the alphabet.

Here we are; you are a self-aware, strong- minded individual with an action-oriented mindset that people like working with. Something is missing though; one more key element. What do Barack Obama, Mother Teresa, Dalai Lama and Albert Einstein have in common?

The answer is simpler than you might think. They all have been citizens of this world. That is what they share. Have you asked yourself how much of the current world reality you really know? Take a few moments and ask yourself “What is the greatest world issue?”, “What is my current contribution in solving it?” and lastly “What can I do to contribute from now on?”

A disclaimer at this point is needed. These are hard questions to answer, actually. However, a so called world-class leader should be able to recognize and clearly define an issue and create a master-plan of tackling and solving it. After all, you are a solution and action-oriented individual by now, aren’t you?

So, what is the greatest issue of this world? What makes nations fight and kill each other? What is this one thing missing from human beings that cannot make them live peacefully all together on this planet? Is it the lack of compassion? Is it religion or maybe insufficient education?

Read | Building Bridges of Cultural Understanding: The Architects, Builders & Welders

The answer lies between all these factors and many more but the one and only piece missing from the puzzle, the root of the problem, is the lack of cross-cultural understanding. Ignorance of other cultures, the language barriers and the misinterpretation of religions are all essential components of cross-cultural misunderstanding.

So let me make it simpler for you. Take a few moments and imagine how the world would look like if every person was able to understand others, not only their own cultures, and respect them. What would be the current world situation if people were able to understand and accept the differences, for example between a Muslim, a Christian, an Arab, a European, an African and so forth? How would the world look like if our leaders were closer to being world citizens than power masterminds?

You might be considering by now that this is a utopia and nothing like that could ever happen. What if I told you that it is possible and all it takes is packing up your suitcase?

Yes, packing up your suitcase; that simple. Cultures cannot be understood through internet, no matter how much you google them. Real life travel and experience are the keys to cultural understanding. However, what kind of travel is the one through which we really gain life lessons? It is definitely not the conventional touristic way; not by restraining yourself in some square meters of a luxury hotel for the sake of “safety”.

And here comes my question; How many of you have travelled abroad to study, to work, to volunteer?

Coming from my personal experience, I can assure you that there is no greater lesson of acceptance and eye-opener, than packing up all your stuff and moving to another country to live, study, work and volunteer (yes, I am doing all these at the same time). In the two years I have been living abroad I have learned more than I had learned my entire life (a quarter of a century) at home. I have stepped out of my comfort zone, I took the leap and explored my limits. I have tried to do things that people told me I couldn’t do. I now fit in environments where others considered me as a misfit because of perceived differences. I have challenged myself greatly and still do.

Read | The Advantages of being an International Student with the Erasmus Programme

So if you ask me what defines me as a leader, I would say it is my ongoing process of learning in life, my passion for developing people and ideas, recognizing my flaws but focusing on my strengths and using them to inspire and enable people around me to join a bigger cause, to take ownership of their actions and make an impact in the world.

So, think again and answer this question now; “What kind of a leader do you aspire to become?”

Katerina Britzolaki is a researcher and young leader who believes in making an impact through actions. Originally from Greece, Katerina currently resides in Denmark where she is enrolled as a Master of Science candidate in Biomedicine at University of Southern Denmark. Katerina volunteers and works with AIESEC, a global youth-run organization whose aim is to develop leadership potential in youths. Email: [email protected]. Website: aiesec.org and aiesec.dk

 

Facebook Comments

Related Posts

Comments

Do not miss