What Kind of Student Leadership Does the Philippines Need Today?

First and foremost, what is a leader? According to Merriam Webster definition, a leader

is “a person who leads.” But how can we know if a person is good enough to lead? What is

our criteria to know or say that someone or somebody is a leader?

Throughout history we have known great leaders that made countries prosper and

develop into what they are today. Some are made heroes with statues and institutions built in

their honor. Others are named into towns or cities, all in the glory of their achievements and

contributions to society. But let us not forget what these leaders endured in their lives to

achieve such feat. Say for example, Martin Luther King Jr., an African-American Baptist

minister and activist. He is one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement in

the 1950s. He fought racial inequality for the rights of people with color in the United States

through nonviolence and civil disobedience. During his time, he was spied on, investigated,

threatened, and jailed several times because of his firm beliefs to fight discrimination. Another

example is Queen Elizabeth. A “woman” who ruled United Kingdom for decades. She was

loved by her people and a famous monarchy all around the world. She conquered and ruled

many colonies during her time expanding her reign. On the other hand, there were also

infamous leaders that were well-known because of their tyranny and violence to the people.

They might not be loved by most people but they were once praised and idolized by their

followers.

Now as a student and a citizen of this country, I believe that in order for a person to be

considered a leader, being famous or popular is out of the equation. He or she has to have these

attributes to be considered as a good leader:

 One, INTEGRITY. We have seen and heard so many leaders in our country “talk the

talk” but all broken promises. They are all driven by power and greed that it eventually became

the norm in our society today. As young leaders in our society, we should uphold honesty and

stick to our moral principles.

Second, RESPONSIBLE. He/she should be responsible not only with their actions but

also with their words. Because words spoken are words that cannot be taken back. Words hold

so much weight and power alone that it can influence people to believe and follow. Being

responsible means that you know and you are ready with your role as a leader.

Third, RESPECT. You respect those around you equally. This attribute is already a

given. We should respect everyone without discrimination and prejudice. Respect is crucial to

achieving a harmonious relationship with people.

Fourth, EMPATHY. One should be sensitive and understanding to those around

him/her. Being able to empathize gives us awareness to be able to communicate well with

others. It gives us a sense of understanding in order to connect with people in a much deeper

level.

Fifth, SELF-AWARENESS. I think this attribute is much underrated. But in my opinion,

being self-aware is an important attribute of a great leader. A great leader is not afraid to step

back and assess themselves or to even question themselves because self-awareness improves

decision-making and better leadership skills.

In my opinion, a good leader should not be confined to these attributes alone but merely

a guide to be able to lead better. Because after all, a leader should lead by example. As a student

leader, I think being true to myself is a first step to achieving this. I should lead with my own

capabilities and should not be afraid to seek help when necessary. We should not feel
embarrass to ask for help or be corrected because it shows that we are strong enough to admit

our mistakes and weaknesses because in the end we are all human beings. We are not flawless.

By seeking assistance, we can communicate and collaborate with others. A give and take

relationship. It might not be an easy process because there can be some resistance along the

way but as they say, nothing comes easy in life. We have to take “baby steps”. We should not

be pushy but instead be open-minded. We might not be the same as the great leaders of history

like Martin Luther King Jr. or Queen Elizabeth but we are still young. We have the time to

learn and to experience life. This is our time to build relationships or maybe break them, to

feel and connect with people around us, to travel and experience different cultures and most

importantly the time to build ourselves better.

We have our dreams. The driving force in our lives. We dream because we hope. We

hope because we believe that we can achieve everything. And that is a great motivator in life.

It encourages us to strive hard and gives us purpose in life. We should not discredit our young

dreams because that’s what made great leaders before. They also dreamed when they were

young like us. Some say leaders are born but who says that we can’t be one. What makes them

great leaders? Is it their influence? Their authority? Their appeal to the masses? Their

personalities? Their commanding speech or just the way they talk? We might never know. But

one thing is for sure, anyone can be a leader. We just have to be brave enough to accept the

role.

Jed Allistaire Borcelo