What is needed to close the gaps that we face as Black people is a few good leaders. Characteristics of leaders are often romanticized, analyzed, and debated. The quick way to find out if a person is a leader is to look at who is following them. Simply put, leaders direct the activities of other people. That is good leaders and bad leaders. They can lead people to excellence, or lead them to destruction. The dynamics are similar.

Here is an interesting poem that looks at the qualities of leaders and followers. Are you a leader? Or follower? Examine these qualities and let me know what you think.

LEADERS VERSUS FOLLOWERS

When leaders make a mistake, they say, "I was wrong."
When followers make mistakes, they say, "It wasn't my fault."

A leader works harder than a follower and has more time;
a follower is always "too busy" to do what is necessary.

A leader goes through a problem;
a follower goes around it and never gets past it.

A leader makes and keeps commitments;
a follower makes and forgets promises.

A leader says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be;"
a follower says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."

Leaders listen;
followers just wait until it's their turn to talk.

Leaders respect those who are superior to them and try to learn something from them;
followers resent those who are superior to them and try to find chinks in their armor.

Leaders feel responsibile for more than their job;
followers say, "I only work here."

A leader says, "There ought to be a better way to do this;"
followers say, "That's the way it's always been done here."

-- Author Unknown --