Page 14 - ARUBA TODAY

A14 LOCAL
Wednesday 4 april 2018

Is leadership in the Caribbean missing?

by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert industry shrine, or just being
Or is it not? Many say it is! voted in office. Leader-
The very essence of lead- ship should lead to…? The
ership is having a vision. vision! And what is the vi-
Do you know of any of the sion in the region? Let’s
self-proclaimed or elected just bluntly state that there
leaders in the region who is little to no leadership in
has a vision in the broader the region due to a lack
sense of the word? It means of vision. Absence of vision
creating a vision, articulat- may cause dissatisfaction
ing the vision, passionately and discouragement. Not
promoting the vision, and a good thing, especially
relentlessly driving it to when commoners keep
completion. Especially the asking for change! In some
latter is crucial. Vision is the instances, by absence of
secret to leadership suc- leadership, one might wish
cess. Beware of those who for a savior instead as the
tell fairytales as a surrogate ultimate solution.
for a vision or take a short-
cut version saying that all One of the reasons for the
will be better than before lack of strong vision state-
and enhance it with the ments is the fear of failure
trendy word “resilience” or public ridicule. It takes
to add some magic. It ap- courage to make a blunt
pears that some leaders statement of vision. There
who claim to have the de- are very few who are will- human brain works. The tion that is prove of mak- board of a vessel may de-
sired foresight, may need ing to take that risk and brain tries to maximize its ing a lot happening. One termine the course but it still
to go an eye doctor to get are rather more worried efficiency by taking short- who doesn’t let a stone doesn’t make the engine
prescription eyeglasses to either sound absurd, to cuts in processing informa- unturned to come up with run. That’s where the ad-
with photochromic pro- not be able get the show tion. That’s why, the more novelties and innovation ditional talent of a mover
gressive no-line bifocals to on the road, or to lose often we do a certain task, in leadership in the region comes into action.
be able to see the distinc- friends. And so, most pre- the easier it becomes. For that leads to progress and
tion between fiction and fer to diddle-daddle about the same reason, we get prosperity. Where is the Having a leader of thought
nonfiction. what was achieved in the comfortable in our own leader who actually has on board may already be
past and what the mission surroundings and lose the proven to make unem- useful. Here is how Antoine
Let’s skip the common could be if the sun keeps ability to think beyond it, ployment rates go down, de Saint Exupéry, a French
leadership definitions. Ev- shining. And then there are or thinking outside the box. especially youth unem- author, journalist and pio-
eryone has its own view on those who speak up and It’s no joke that the brain’s ployment? Talking about neering aviator described
it anyway. For one it’s the are able to say nothing like neural circuits of a visionary youth, where is the leader what vision is all about: “If
singer in the group who no one else, and turn the are more active. who is willing to separate you want to build a ship,
stands in front and does the vision into a mystery like the from “old-boys-networks” don’t herd people togeth-
yodeling while the others big rock candy mountain Tremendous research has that care about a comfort- er to collect wood and
behind him are humming where there’re lemonade been done in Neurosci- able retirement, and rather don’t assign them tasks
the chorus, for others it’s the springs and the bluebird ence and Neuroeconom- empower members of the and work, but rather teach
guy who beats the drum sings. ics. The brain’s need for new generation who care them to long for the end-
for the rowers on a galley. energy efficiency works about the future for their less immensity of the sea.”
Some leaders believe it’s A scientific explanation for against imagination, since own young children? If A sure thing is that without
being the protector of the lacking vision is how the imagination involves stron- there is such a leader, let’s a vision, one just keeps do-
ger neural connections and start collecting some mon- ing what everyone else
more focused attention to ey to erect a statue. does and what has been
create deeply imprinted done before.q
Paradise in the Caribbean and detailed visualizations. Let the leader stand up
One of the important at- who has the capacity to
tributes for better percep- translate vision into reality
tion is having a broader by mobilizing all resourc-
view on various develop- es, be it existing or newly
ments inside and outside found ones. What segment
the political or industrial of the society that leader
environment and seeing in comes from is not nearly as
ways most people cannot; important as to where the
a panoramic or even a community will be guid-
three-dimensional view. So, ed. It is better to have just
having a vision is not quite one leader of thought on
what one would popularly board, who has ideas and
call a ‘No-Brainer’. sees opportunities long be-
fore they become obvious
Who are the visionaries in in a boardroom or a parlia-
the Caribbean? One who ment, than three individu-
has the courage to air a vi- als who carry the title of
SALES OFFICE +297 2801005 info@leventaruba.com sion and having created a CEO or Minister. However,
MOBILE +297 5927275 www.leventaruba.com sizeable process or opera- just having a visionary on