Honest Leadership

Over the past generation we’ve seen a decline in world leadership. If you think of the great leaders of developed countries of the past generation, we find people of character, strong leaders, people of moral focus. The same is true of great companies and other institutions.

This is true in great part in the Jewish world as well.

What has happened is that the role of leadership has passed from the collective to the individual. In other words, leadership is no longer in the hands of a few select individuals but rather it is in the hands of each and every one of us.

Today you can start a revolution from your home computer or cell phone. The individual can move people to do great things and the individual can cause great harm. All without a following.

And now we see the age of leadership moving to the youth as we saw with the national walk out happen this week. (Disclaimer: I am apolitical in my outreach efforts and as such this isn’t a political comment at all.)

So what is real leadership! One might think that real leadership rests with those who make great decisions all the time. You might think that leadership rests with people who are so smart that they just get the big picture and are always on target.

In this week’s portion the Torah talks about sacrifices that have to be brought by the leaders of the Jewish People. The Torah uses an unusual expression in introducing the sin offering of the leaders – the Nasi. It says “Asher Nasi Yechatah” – that a leader will sin. Or “when a leader will sin”. (The Torah proceeds to describe the sacrifice such a leader will need to bring.)

Our Sages understand the word Asher to be connected with the word Ashrei which means fortunate. They say; “fortunate is the generation who’s leader is willing to acknowledge their sins”.

Leadership does not rest with those who are above making mistakes. Leadership rests with those who are willing to acknowledge their shortcomings and make amends to grow from them.

What kind of leader are you?