Leadership is all about self-belief. However, your followers need to believe in you and most importantly, they need to believe in themselves. Perfect Prefect, today, features the Head Prefects of Belvoir College International Bambalapitiya, Gabriel Augustine and Manasi Nahinthan, who know that this is the power of inspiration.
Head Girl Manasi Nahinthan points out that we need strong leaders who are able to inspire their followers, making them believe that together they can accomplish anything; we need to make their followers believe in themselves; we need leaders who can inspire loyalty and devotion in others, and we need leaders who can set an example through their deeds. We see it today in the workplace and we know of such leaders in history.
“The skills of a leader are not confined to a particular person or entity, instead, it has to take roots within the organisation, inspiring others to take up similar roles. This will help them realise their potential. As one collaborative force, the actions of many can change the world,” explained Nahinthan.
Nahinthan quotes a famous writer, Mary Anne, who said ‘As we work to create light for others, we naturally light ourselves’. Nahinthan says that when she makes little sacrifices for others, it really helps her gain self-confidence in what she does. This act of giving, gives her immense satisfaction and it helps her develop a positive outlook in life. She gets what she gives.
She feels that as a leader one should understand that it is not easy to make decisions. Not everyone will agree with you. But making difficult decisions is a part of leadership and you must be brave. She feels that when making these decisions, you need a moral compass, pointing you in the right direction.
“Today the world is in chaos and filled with so much negativity. The energy and vigour which was once a part of our lives is deteriorating rapidly. Therefore, as mentioned before, it is so important to have a positive attitude in life. We need to start looking at practical solutions, so we can identify and solve problems quickly. It is so important to spread positivity through social media and forums in order to revitalise every aspect of our lives.”
Her message to young people is - Never be afraid of anyone, believe that you can overcome challenges in life, always be confident whatever the situation is and do not undermine yourself.
“My calling in life is to be a doctor who practices loving-kindness. Being a doctor is not just a career for me. It gives my life meaning and purpose. It is a part of me. My aim is to provide free medical treatment for people in need. Another cause I am passionate about is helping kids in remote areas when it comes to their education. I really want to be a guiding light for others. So, I would really like to make all of this a reality,” pointed out Nahinthan.
She says that it is important to balance studies and extra-curricular activities. Her interests include classical music and cultural dance. Finally, she wished to thank her, parents, teachers and friends for all their support and encouragement through the good and the bad.
“When it comes to leaders there are many that I admire, but the great leader Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam has been my greatest inspiration. He has proved that education is the key to success and education is growth. Education truly empowers you. Finally, I wish to say, that you should never miss an opportunity in life, because opportunities are the stepping stones to a future filled with happiness and fulfilment,” said Nahinthan.
When asked about success, Head Boy Gabriel Augustine, paraphrased the renowned actor and businessman, Dwayne Douglas Johnson, who said – “It’s about drive, it’s about power, it’s about the desire to be better than you are currently, while putting in the hours to improve. Admittedly, a bit of luck also helps, yet success is mostly in your hands.”
His message to future leaders is that no matter what you are trying to do, always do your best. If you fail, you can always try again. Life never goes exactly how you want it to, and your failures are just opportunities to reconsider your interests and goals, and rebuild yourself.
When Augustine says life never goes exactly how you want it, he certainly chose the right man to paraphrase – Dwayne Douglas Johnson also known as ‘The Rock’. We are told that Johnson was hopeful of making it big as a professional footballer when an injury ended his football ambitions. Though disappointed, he did not let this incident demoralise him and instead decided to become a wrestler. Now he is one of the most famous actors in Hollywood and he was a highly popular wrestler, winning the WWF Championship for the fifth time at King of Ring during 2000 – 2002.
Though Johnson is not a political leader, he has, without doubt, inspired so many people to fight and never give up. Once one door closes, another one opens up. A failure is not the end of life. Life goes on.
When in need never be afraid to ask for help is what he believes. “I believe that you can learn something from everything and everyone. Whenever I’m confused about something I just ask my colleagues. As a leader, you do not have to depend solely on your own intellect, but acknowledge that your colleagues are often smarter than you and bring out the best in your team,” said Augustine.
He believes that a person who is weak in upholding his morals and beliefs will never be a good leader. In his opinion, a leader should be selfless and humble. “I would like to simply promote coexistence and understanding in society. We all are human. We are all just trying to get by in this world. Why should we mistreat each other? Why is there a need to distrust and hate those who are different? Something else I cannot condone is inequality, in other words, those without power being taken advantage of and being severely affected by the greed of those who are in power.”
“In all honesty, lofty ambitions are beyond me. Making sure my family can live a good life is my main concern as I owe a lot to them. Achieving something meaningful along the way is a welcome bonus, yet it’s not my main concern. My parents are my biggest inspiration. They’ve been through a lot, yet I’ve never seen either of them look defeated, they kept pushing on. I would say, surround yourself with good people. Having family and friends that you can trust is vital and knowing that they are never going to give up on you or let you down is central to being able to take risks on the path towards your goal. If you ask me who I admire when it comes to leaders, one leader I admire is President Obama. His tenacity and goodwill sets him apart from most of the other leaders,” he explained.
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