---By Dr Sima Barmania, The Independent
So often the archetypal leader that one is accustomed to hearing of are the suited and booted CEOs, heads of states and politicians with the accompanying networks, resources and sphere of influence.
However, according to Malaysian author Alvin Ung, one can lead without extensive resources or power; those that do so are barefoot leaders, those ordinary people who achieve extraordinary results.
Ung expands upon this concept in his latest book -“Barefoot leadership- The art and heart of going that extra mile”. The book is the culmination of two years of extensive research and over 1000 hours in interviews with some of Malaysia’s most successful barefoot leaders.
Those featured include Dr Jemilah Mahmood, founder of the humanitarian organisation MERCY Malaysia, Albert Teo, founder of Borneo Eco tours, human rights activist Irene Fernandez and Idris Jala who turned around Malaysian Airlines, to name but a few.
Speaking with Ung, he recalls that the central inspiration for the book was the realisation that “many of the top leaders lack one or more of the ‘5 C’s’: conviction, character, capacity, compass and a (higher) consciousness”. Furthermore, Ung expresses that in fact many leaders lack several of these attributes and thus, “we don’t find them inspiring”.
Explaining further:
“The leaders I was looking for do not need leather wingtips or four inch killer heels to command a persona of power. They do not need to inherit wealth or be born in blue-blooded families in order to lead. If I removed their shoes and threw away their power tools, these leaders would simply shrug and proceed to lead…even in their bare feet. And I would be willing to remove my shoes and follow them”
Such a shifting praxis of leadership seems to have been particularly pertinent this year in the light of the Arab Spring where there have been many barefoot leaders and those willing to remove their shoes to follow them.
“Barefoot leaders are forged in times of crisis” states Ung
“2011 has been a year of great turmoil in politics, finance and social upheaval. Paradigms of commerce and capitalism that used to work no longer work. There’s a huge amount of ambiguity. And those who hold on to power have lost the trust of their followers”
“Here’s where we discover truly great leaders among the ordinary. It is a powerful thing when we discover people who lead without power.”
Ung also questions the stereotypical perception of power being solely entrenched in positions of authority.
“Corporations still cling on to the notion that leaders hold positions of authority. If you lead a team or if you’re the CEO, you’re the leader. If you’re not, you’re not” he says.
Most inspiring of all is that in a climate where many feel powerless, Ung argues that barefoot leaders do not necessarily need authority to gain power, but instead gain power by building relationships of trust. It’s a poignant concept and can rouse us to develop our capacity to “go bare foot”, perhaps not necessarily to change the world but, in Ung’s words:
“Change the world of one person”.
Picture:Getty Images
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