I truly have a question that I would like to discuss. It is more of a general question but it does apply now.
What do you expect from Billionaires that are leaders, especially those that grew up in wealthy homes having everything they needed from the get go? Do you expect them to understand the travails, obstacles, hardships, needs of the middle and poor class? Be able to relate empathize to them in a way that is real?
In the case of Trump and of Musk, these are two leaders that were born rich and never had to experience the travails of a poor man or even of the middle class person. Can such a person understand and feel what the poor and middle class person had to go through to pay their bills, take care of their family, make sure there was food on the table, that they had health insurance and that the medical bills got paid? Did they ever have to experience racism, bullying, injustice, and life's pain as they grew up? Ever have to have 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet?
I want to now talk history and about some of the great leaders history has brought us.
Here are 5 that I found on Google
1) Mahatma Gandhi
2) Martin Luther King Jr.
3) Abraham Lincoln
4) Nelson Mandela
5) Winston Churchill
Did any of these people come from wealthy families? were they wealthy themselves? No, they weren't!
On the other side of the coin, here are
4 leaders that were among the richest of all time and see the havoc they wrought on their people
1) Augustus Caesar
2) Cosimo de Medici
3) Mansa Musa
4) Genghis Khan
I am not saying that wealthiness prevents someone from being a great leader, given that JF Kennedy was born to a rich family and was rich himself and was a good president. Nonetheless, there are several things that are
"rarely" taught in rich families that are necessary ingredients that a leader must have. They are:
- Character and Integrity: Great leaders have unwavering character and integrity. They stick to their values and principles even when the decision is tough. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln exemplified this and led their followers with honesty and moral courage.
- Vision and Strategy: A great leader has a clear vision for the future and the strategic thinking to make it happen. Jeff Bezos, for example, has disrupted the retail industry with his long-term view and innovative strategies at Amazon.
- Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Leaders who understand and connect with their followers’ emotions can inspire and motivate like no one else. Martin Luther King Jr.’s empathetic approach and communication skills were key to the civil rights movement.
- Resilience and Perseverance: Great leadership requires the ability to withstand tough times and persevere through adversity. Nelson Mandela’s commitment to justice and equality despite decades of imprisonment shows incredible resilience.
- Impact and Legacy: Ultimately, a leader’s greatness is measured by the impact they have on their organization, community, or the world. The greatest leaders leave a legacy that continues to inspire and influence long after they are gone.
Of these 5 attributes, there are two that neither Trump nor Musk possess and that is Character and Integrity and Empathy and Emotional Intelligence. Without those two, the leader is very limited in what he will be able to accomplish
"for the people"
As such, my view is that these two leaders we now have cannot become great for our nation. Having said that, I want to hear your views but your views need to be based on the fact that both of these men were born to wealthy families and never had to go through what you and I went through. How can they empathize with us without having some personal benefit to themselves as first priority? Have money, fame and power as their top priority?
