The Irony of Leadership

Leaders are defined by the people they lead;
Their decisions are admired,
Their ability to make and stand by tough choices,
Their determination to achieve, in spite of adversity;
Yet, no one can be a leader if no one follows.

Leaders are defined by the people they lead;
At first leadership qualities are fresh,
Sharp--exercised daily, maturing adequately
With each new event that presents a challenge;
The inspiration, though many may try to argue,
Is derived from the intimate relationships between
A leader and the people that choose to follow;
People so close that the leader can truly empathize;
So close that the leader is fueled by a mere sigh.

Leaders are defined by the people they lead;
Strangely enough, every great leader faces the
Irony of an inevitable truth...
As time passes, so does a good word, and more and
More followers come because of this good word and
Allow themselves to be lead;
The irony is that the intimate relationships
Between the leader and the followers is jeopardized
By additions to the flock,
Yet a great leader will not turn a genuine heart away,
But the more followers a leader has,
The less the leader knows of his followers.