Latest update August 31st, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 08, 2013 News
Leadership in Guyana could be on the verge of a colossal transformation if the content of a recently unveiled publication “The power of character in leadership” is fully embraced. The book which is set to be officially released next month is authored by Christian Writer, Dr. Myles Munroe.
Astell Colins (right) presents a copy of the pre-released publication to Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips.
The masterpiece was pre-released during Dr Munroe’s Global Leadership Summit in Freeport, Bahamas last month.
It is believed that the event, which is held annually, attracted some 500 delegates from across the globe. They included Ambassadors, former presidents, Chief Executive Officers and other prominent individuals capable of bridging a vast denominational divide.
The Summit focused on a number of leadership areas including Discovering Personal Purpose; Cultivating Passion in Leadership; Corporate Purpose, Mission and Vision, Effective Management Principles and Understanding Corporate Accountability.
In attendance was local leadership advocate, Astell Collins, who together with his twin brother Allister Collins, spearheads the Be the One (BD1) Leadership Development initiative.
According to Astell, who returned with copies of the pre-released publication autographed by Dr. Munroe, “The book is one that speaks to the character of a leader.”
Its quality has been well recognised and underscored by the Whitaker House publishing company. A great number of religious titles are published by Destiny Publishers but according to Astell, “The publisher (Whitaker House) believes that the book is suited for politicians and various other leaders.”
The recent Summit, according to Astell, saw Dr. Munroe deliberating on the notion that the crisis in leadership is nestled in the lost of character. “So the concept of the book suggests that character is the cradle of credibility and without character most of our leaders are failing…Globally our leaders are failing because of the lack of character.”
He presented one of the autographed copies of the book to Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Mark Phillips, who has committed to having senior officers commence a ‘BD1 to manifest the power of character in leadership’ seminar in the New Year.
Even before taking up the reigns of the GDF, Brigadier Phillips had attended one of Astell’s many leadership seminars. He has since sought to implement the learnt leadership principles within the GDF utilising a top-down hierarchical approach.
The Chief of Staff has committed to continued partnership with the Collins brothers’ ambitious leadership endeavours, which entails them travelling the country and even the world to expound on the leadership qualities required to improve the lives of citizens, nations and by extension the world.
Other copies of the leadership publication, which is being readily embraced by the Collins brothers, are intended for the Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman and Caricom Secretary General, Irwin LaRocque.
Ahead of returning to Guyana after the Summit in the Bahamas, Astell was tasked with conducting a few of his leadership sessions in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. There he presented a copy of the publication to the Fort Lauderdale Mayor, John P. “Jack” Seiler.
“I am passionate about the content of the book because it speaks of character, and character preserves your legacy as a leader,” asserted Astell during an interview upon his return to Guyana.
According to him during Dr. Munroe’s Summit, “He challenged us to not prepare sermons but prepare your life. He said that the character with which you live your life gives your words weight…it’s like the content is given credibility by your degree of character; so it doesn’t matter how well you can orate or how well you can express managerial skills if your character is not intact.”
It is the view of Dr. Munroe that the foundation of successful leadership is to address one’s character, Astell noted.
The call at the Summit therefore was to “live your life in such a way that even your silence has weight…some people just by being around them you can draw substance from them, they don’t even have to speak…their lives speak so loudly.”
As such Dr. Munroe challenged the participants to ensure that their characters are so intact that persons wouldn’t approach them to indulge in acts of corruption. In fact he emphasised that it is an indictment on a leader if “somebody approaches you to do something underhand. If you are approached to do wrong you have already failed because your character is so silent that people believe you could be corrupted.”
“One must live in such a way that people will say don’t even approach him, I know him,” was the pronouncement of Dr. Munroe, disclosed Astell who added that “one thing he wrote in my book was to be predictable…Character is predictable and fix like the characters of the alphabet or like the weather.”
And even as he continues his leadership mission in the New Year, Astell said that he plans to implement the principles related to the Power of Character and Leadership.
His leadership sessions, are so much in demand that the young leader is scheduled to visit a number of territories in the Caribbean, North America and South African to disseminate his informative leadership strategies when 2014 dawns.
Already he has conducted numerous sessions here in Guyana with a focus on taking participants on a journey of self discovery with a view of helping them to redefine what leadership is and to appropriate same where it is necessary.
Mineral and oil rich country borrowing to feed, clothe and house its citizens.
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