Friday, February 05, 2010

The Need for Leadership

Unite 4 human rights in Iran
As the world turns it becomes more and more critical that everyone step up and show leadership. People around the world are showing courage and demonstrating for their rights as they've done in Iran, Venezuela, various other countries, and, to a limited extent, Cuba (see the blog Generation Y in English and BBC Mundo - Cartas desde Cuba in Spanish to get a sense of some of what's going on in Cuba).

Being a leader is hardly ever easy and even more in situations like in the countries above. It's much easier to play along, stay home when there are demonstrations, and let others do the work. But, we get the world we work for and if we are not involved, will we be satisfied with what we get?

Currently most people are focusing on Haiti's situation but have you noticed how the media has turned their focus to the American missionaries and away from the ongoing disaster? Guilty or not, their situation is not as dire as the Haitian citizens. Or, if you read Nicholas Kristof's columns you realize that the situation in the Congo is as bad or worse than Haiti and there it's caused by humans.

But they are all disasters and our role, as leaders, is to pick the ones we can have an impact on and do something about it.

Cheers!