Y Friday, April 4, 2008
Intellect
"We should take care not to make intellect our god. It has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality. It cannot lead, it can only serve." - Albert Einstein.
MARK OF A LEADER 'NOT IN HIS TOP GRADES'
In response to this article found in the home section of The Straits Times a few days back, where the debate on how important academic results are in the selection of a future political leader is sparked off, I truly believe that top grades are somewhat necessary and understandable but not quintessential of a political leader.
While intellect alone neither promises nor encompasses leadership qualities and political concern which are crucial elements of a politician’s make-up, it does have a growing emphasis in a society like ours which is increasingly becoming more educated and intellectual. Thus, we should set higher standards for our potential political leaders, academically as well. In addition, as mentioned by PM Lee, demands of a political leader have extended beyond the usual qualities of having integrity, commitment and good decision-making skills to being able to think critically and creatively.
On the other hand, apart from grades and technical skills, we have to acknowledge other important factors that make a good political leader such as soft skills ( leadership and communication skills), emotional intelligence (the ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of one's self, of others, and of groups) and adversity quotient ( how well and how quickly one bounces back from setbacks in life) as written by Mr Paul Heng in his article in response to this issue.
Summing up, it really is acceptable for academia to be one of the major selection criteria for a potential political leader, but the training and grooming of future political leaders should be based and developed equally on the different aspects mentioned above.
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9:40 AM
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