Leadership involves speaking out when others might keep silent.

Leadership involves speaking out when others might keep silent.

10:15- 10:45

Leadership is an essential part of any society and without it a society will crumble. Leadership comes in many forms and it varies based on the situation. Each situation requires certain knowledge, skills and tact from the leader to be successful. Leaders emerge in most cases to create some form of change for the better or worse. However, sometimes leadership can take two forms, one where a leader speaks out and one who keeps silent.

First consider situation where leadership involves speaking out and not keeping silent. In the early 1920s when Germany lost World War I to the Allied Powers, the German government was required to pay reparations. As a result, these reparations proved to be very expensive and drove the Germany economy down with inflation ad in some cases famine broke out. However, in the midst of this desperation a fire broke it one man’s heart. Young Adolf Hitler was a soldier in World War I for Germnay and remembers the humiliating experiences he had in the battlefield where numerous casualties fell like ants. Hitler was also very disappointed and frustrated with his surroundings and wanted to change his country for the better and put confidence back into the German people. Initially, Hitler spoke up by giving inspiring and powerful speeches in community halls and gathering places to bring attention to the flaws in society. Soon Hitler’s popularity skyrocketed amongst the population and with his eloquent speeches he claimed the office of Chancellor under the 3^rd Reich. Under the 3^rd Reich Hitler established the Nazi Party that was set to be in power for the next thousand years. The SS and Gestapo police were subsets of the Nazi party to remove the Jews who were “responsible” for the economic downfall. As a result, Hitler is an example of a leader who spoke out of indifference and agony of the German situation after World War 1 and transformed Germany.

On the other hand, consider situation where leadership may involve keeping silence. This is especially true when speaking out does not always accomplish the goal of the leader. For example, in Colonial India, Mahatma Gandhi established the Satyagraha movement and non-cooperation movement. Under his leadership he encourage fellow countrymen from not using British manufactured goods and to sow their own clothes from their own cotton fields. However, the most important aspects of Satyagraha was the concept of “Mounravath” where one maintains silence to awaken the inner soul and mind. After so many speeches and rallies, Gandhi often times was seen sitting under neem tree and meditating to gain attention, support for his cause and most importantly wanted people to gain awareness of his movement. Eventually, the British succumbed to his demands and eventually was granted independence. Likewise, in recent memory, a Ghandinian follower, Anna Hazare is also following mounravath in an effort to pass the Lokpal Bill in Indian parliament to stop corruption in society. He is continuing his 78 days act of silence until corruption is wiped out of Indian society. Both Gandhi and Hazare show that silence is golden leadership in cases where speaking out is not successful.

In all, different circumstances require people to speak up or maintain silence as leaders. When a severe change is needed in society a person tries to establish identity and support as a leader from people like Hitler did in World War 2. In contrast, a leader maintains silence as a last resort when speaking out fails.