Leadership is earned, not demanded

President John F. Kennedy reports to the nation on the status of the Cuban crisis from Washington, D.C. on Nov. 2, 1962. (AP Photo)

Some days it’s easier to be a leader than others, and sometimes being a leader is a tough job. People look to you for answers, and they want to know that you can provide direction, even if you are clueless on what choice to make. Leadership is earned, not demanded. Of course, there are sycophantic types that would follow anyone off the nearest cliff to their demise no matter what.

Those individuals are sheep — occasionally not too smart, and not interested in standing alone. And, likely those folks enjoy being part of the crowd right or wrong. They love being around power. It intoxicates them. Instead of standing apart, they choose to follow the herd. Political parties are a lot like that. Ideologues invoke a blind allegiance; and then their minions fall in behind their fearless leader and tow the party line, usually not because they believe the new mantra all that much, but because their leader says so.