AMAECHI AS A MOTIVATIONAL LEADER
– By Kenson Briggs
INTRODUCTION:
The ability to lead depends on understanding what will move people to perform. A true leader is someone who is self-motivated to achieve and able to energize others.
Leadership includes the ability to understand what drives individuals to take specific actions and to create opportunities for them to meet personal and organizational needs at the same time.
MOTIVATION:
Motivation implies action and energy. It can be protection or achievement oriented. Such as doing just enough to keep your job or making an effort to produce at a high level over extended periods of time.
Leaders are identified by the ability to make things happen. If individuals are trying to perform they are motivated.
Action must be present, because wanting to do something does not always result in moving to do so.
Amaechi’s Characteristics as a Motivational Leader:
• Preparation, presence & perceptual ability.
• Preparation – knowledge & skill
• Presence – communication, confidence, commitment & energy
• Perceptual ability – insight
Amaechi’s knowledge and skill comes from preparation in the responsibilities of health care delivery & organizational duty. He has the ability to evaluate the likelihood of success in accomplishing goals, and is able to support or suggest changes.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS:
Amaechi has the ability to convey ideas clearly and in such a way that they can be heard positively. Example of this process is the regular Townhall Meetings he held as Governor of Rivers State, which was set-up in communities to listen and hear the people’s views, needs and complains.
With a knack for saying things as he sees them, Amaechi endeared himself to the people for his approach to governance, which gave the electorate the voice to determine what goes on at the corridors of power.
The result of this was that almost every man on the street knows by heart what was happening in the state, how much the state earned and how much it expended on various projects.
He took the time at intervals to hold accountability forums, address stakeholders’ meeting and town hall meetings with the aim of either informing the people or seeking their opinion on ways to tackle social issues affecting them.
CONFIDENCE:
Amaechi has an internal sense of security that he is competent to make a statement or take action, and that there is a reasonable chance of success in accomplishing something of value.
Amaechi as governor, was secure enough to have a lower need to control and as a result was able to encourage autonomy, participation and the empowerment of the masses in decision-making.
COMMITMENT:
Amaechi forms the internalization of an idea and a resulting drive to accomplish specific goals.
The mere setting of goals does not indicate leadership that motivates. He has the ability to translate the importance of the goal (or purpose) to others and to elicit actions from others that support reaching a goal.
Amaechi in his mission statement as governor of Rivers State, declared fervently that; “he promise to serve the people on the ground of humility, transparency, accountability, integrity and good governance” to improve the human resource and quality of life of the people of Rivers State.
ENERGY:
Amaechi has the energy needed to empower and fire the imagination of others and constantly invent and move ahead toward future events as well as current needs.
As a ‘high energy leader’ who is effective in one situation, he may also be viewed as ‘pushy and aggressive’ in another situation.
INSIGHT INTO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS:
Amaechi has acute awareness of the reason behind events and an ability to anticipate results of actions. He tries to put goals into a form that has real or personal value to each person thereby producing motivation.
Amaechi also has the ability to listen, reserve judgment, give direct and positive feedback, recognize individual value through respect for others, and use humor.
To be continued…
Kenson Briggs writes from Abonnema, Rivers State.
