Statement: Choosing our country's leaders

How do we choose our country's leaders? With only two days to go before D-Day, we need to seriously consider and ask that question. The challenge before us is this: Shall we go on with business as usual--where, as our brand of politics for so many years indicate, we are moved to choose and rely on popularity and winnability as our parameters for selection?

I am reminded of the story of David. The David who fought and killed Goliath with a single pebble shot from a sling. Do you know how he was selected and anointed as King by God? Let's look back at his story as written in 1 Samuel 16. Here Samuel, a prophet, was called by God and asked: "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse, the Bethlehemite. For I have provided myself a King among his sons." So the account outlines the presentation of seven of Jesse's sons before Samuel. When Samuel first saw Eliab, he said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him". But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart". After Eliab, other sons were presented, namely Abinadab and Shammah, but Samuel told Jesse, "neither has the Lord chosen them." Four other sons were presented to Samuel and Samuel's reply was the same. Samuel finally asked, "Are all the young men here?" Jesse said there remains the youngest and that he was keeping the sheep. Samuel asked that the youngest be brought before him. There the Lord said and told Samuel, "Arise, anoint him for this is the one."

So how do we recognize a leader? Is looking at looks, picking from the past, choosing from the best campaign jingle, ranking from the hierarchy and status, prioritizing age and tenure, or emphasizing ability, our way? These are mistakes we need to learn from if we are to move from traditional politics and 'nothing-but-the-usual' governance to the era of new politics, transformative leadership, and good governance.

What does David have that the other seven brothers didn't? From the book of Jeremiah, God's main criteria for leadership is for those 'shepherds after His (God's) heart'. According to John Maxwell, they must possess at least four attributes: (1) Leadership Skills - the ability to cast vision, plan strategy, direct teams, and empower others; (2) Equipping Skills - the ability to train and develop others for service; (3) Attitude skills - having a servant's heart, both positive and persistent; and (4) People Skills - the ability to relate to others: communicate, delegate, motivate, confront.

From the RAFI-Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center's own process of identifying and defining the parameters, we have developed the 9 Marks of Genuine Leadership, using as reference results from various sources (the United Nations good governance indicators, results of Dilaab's Circles of Discernment for Elections, John Maxwell, and from our own experience).

The 9 Marks of Genuine Leadership are briefly described as follows:

1) People and Service Oriented: engages people as stakeholders and partners, and serves them, primarily and their needs.

2) Accountable: upholds principles and agreements, establishes management measures, and promotes respect for the rule of law.

3) Open and Transparent: develops and implements mechanisms and processes to declare, manifest, and promote shared information and decisions.

4) Responsive and Decisive: formulates policies, organizes programs, provides services that meet stakeholder needs and respond to the uniqueness of assets.

5) Fair and Impartial: ensures that everyone is heard and that no one is left behind.

6) Competent and Effective: ensures that resources are managed well and that policies, programs, and services are achieving desired results and outcomes.

7) A Model of Integrity and Spirituality: integrates outward action and inner values.

8) Consensus Builder: forges agreements to sustain relationships, initiatives, and efforts.

9) Has Strategic Vision and Creative: holds a long term perspective on governance and development, examines performance, learns from the best, and pioneers efforts.

Evelyn Nacario-Castro

Executive Director

Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center (EADSC)

Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.