Searching for a visionary leader

Searching for a visionary leader

Elwin Tobing, Iowa, U.S.

In his speech accepting his nomination as the U.S. Democratic
Party's 1992 presidential candidate, Bill Clinton said, "Where
there is no vision, the people perish." This is true for
individuals, corporations and so too for nations. Certainly,
Indonesia is no exception. In this election season, Clinton's
words are a timely reminder.

As the presidential election heats up, Indonesians need to
ask: What are the qualities that the nation's future leader must
possess?

The leader we are searching for must be one who is capable of
leading a multiethnic developing country. Our nation is facing
enormous tasks in achieving development, from improving economic
and social welfare to building national unity.

Many leaders preach about problems but few advance creative
solutions. An ideal leader is a problem-solver -- leadership is
about having the insight to understand problems and to seek
solutions.

With a population of 220 million people, Indonesia is the
fourth-largest nation on earth. But quantity does not always
reflect quality in leadership.

The nation's development agenda must be a thorough and
purposeful plan. To equip the nation in the competitive 21st
century, the development plan could include the target of
ensuring 40 percent of the labor force had at least 12 years of
schooling 15 years from now. We need to promote a learning
society -- a society which values and is hungry for knowledge and
which is willing to pursue it through a life-time learning
process.

Other problems facing the country range from poverty,
unemployment to massive corruption and injustice. All of these
problems have been around for decades and have culminated during
the past five years. There have been a few steps forward but
there have been dozens of failures too, including the failure to
combat corruption.

While the list might look gloomy, leadership is not about
succumbing to frustration and despair. It is about offering a
vision and a way forward. And people don't want excuses for a
lack of progress from their leader. They want ideas for moving
forward.

A true leader must posses a vision that will provide them with
a sense of purpose and a sense of duty. Without a vision, a
leader might think of their position as an opportunity to
accumulate private wealth. The leader will lack a sense of duty
to promote a better nation. If the leader does not have a vision,
how can they lead a nation and inspire the people to work hard to
achieve a better nation? When people sense a deep purpose and
personal commitment in their leader, they are more than willing
to be led.

How should good leaders formulate their visions? The best
visions are generated through discussion and debate. During the
preparation for an independent Indonesia in the 1940s for
instance, the founding fathers debated seriously and intensely
the kinds of basic principles upon which the future state would
be founded.

They had sharp differences on the basis and the territory of
the future nation. One group proposed Islam as the basis, while
other groups favored a secular state. In the end, they came up
with a visionary consensus: A united Indonesia based upon the
Principle of Pancasila. Two among them who were particularly
visionary were Sukarno and Hatta, who then led the nation into
independence.

Just like the founding fathers who understood the defining
characteristics of Indonesia, so too today's leaders should build
their visions by examining the realities of modern-day Indonesia.

Having comprehended these realities, a visionary leader then
consults with groups of people, reassesses their vision and
communicates it the public. This should be the whole purpose --
and process -- of the presidential campaigns and election.

The vision must also not conflict with the nation's
Constitution, indeed, it must be directly linked to it. According
to the Constitution, among the basic aims of the state is to
protect the Indonesian people and the land, advance public
welfare and develop the intellectual life of the nation.

The first task of true leaders is to formulate their visions
in line with the state's basic aims. Only after that, plans and
political considerations can follow. Politics must come after
vision and policies, not the other way around.

Joel Arthur Baker said, "Vision without action is merely a
dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with
action can change the world."

The leader's role is not simply to describe the vision.
Visionary leaders create meaning for people, giving them a reason
why they should work for a better nation.

They do this by formulating and communicating a meaningful
vision of the future and encouraging the people to realize this
dream.

The writer, founder of The Indonesian Institute, can be
reached at elwin@theindonesianinstitute.org