Of all the qualifications of a leader, how should we rank honesty?

[vipvip68]

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***excerpts from the book of Alexander Lacson*** a very young and promising politician.


Let me share with you the story of the late President Chung Hee Park of South Korea. After the Korean war in 1954, South Korea became one of the worlds poorest, with so much political instability. Then in 1961, a military sstaged a coup d'etat and installed Army General Park Chung Hee as president.

As president, he tried to borrow money from other countries, but was always rejected because of his country's very bad economic situation. so Park sent many mine laborers, railway workers and nurses to Germany so they could work and send money back to Korea to help its economy. In 1964, Park visited Germany to borrow money. Several hundreds of Koreans came to welcome him at the airport in Germany, and they cried when they saw him. They told him of their hard work, low pay and of the ill treatment they were getting from the Germans. Park cried with them, openly, in front of the press and the public. The German Chancellor was moved by the incident, and Germany became the first country to give a loan to Korea. Park used the loaned money to build factories in South Korea.

When park became president in 1961, Korea had less than 200 university graduates and only a handful with PhDs. The country did not have economists of high caliber, foreign trained or home-grown. Park himself did not have superlative credentials. But he was honest, both in real life and in the eyes of the public. At the time of his death in 1981, he remained a poor man. His nation was pleasantly shocked to discover that he owned only one property, an old apartment which he bought and used for his family before he became president. But in 1981, South Korea had already become an emerging tiger in Asia. Its economy almost 5 times better than the Philippines.

Half a century ago, the Philippines had a taste of that kind of leader - in Ramon Magsaysay. Unlike the first 5 presidents before him - Quezon, Laurel, Osmena, Roxas and Quirino (all bar topnotchers and brilliant lawyers) - Ramon Magsaysay did not have the superlative credentials. He finished his BS Commerce "without distinction" from Jose Rizal College. But like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington and Park Chung Hee, Magsaysay was fiercely honest and humble. At the time of his death on 17 March 1957, he had only P2,000 to leave to his family. Despite the many years he stayed in Manila as congressman, Secretary of National Defense and later as President, he never owned a house for his family in Manila. His friends and sympathizers had to pitch in to buy a home for his widow and children after his death.

Magsaysay was a leader truly adored and followed in spirit by almost everyone in the land. The Filipino had faith in him. As a result, he was able to make the Filipinos work for a common dream, even Hukbalahap leader Luis Taruc. In 3 years that he was president, the country's annual GNP rate averaged 7.3%, the second highest in our nation's history. This happened because Magsaysay had the support of practically all sectors of society, except the opposition. Seeing their president as honest, most government men performed honestly. Seeing this, businessmen and people started paying taxes properly. Unfortunately, death snatched him away from the nation.

Honesty, more than a master's or doctorate degree, is what gives credibility. It is also the one that sustains it. And credibility is essential, because it is every leader's link to the people. It is what makes the people look to one direction, follow a common vision, and perform a uniform act. In short, credibility is what makes people follow the leader.

Honesty more than anything, is what makes a good leader. It is the solid core of the character of every great leader in history. It is the core of one's character, says George Washington. Remove honesty, and the man has no character.

Lao Tzu, a famous Chinese philosopher, said - "In choosing a leader, character is the most important quality. Intelligence and skills come second in importance." Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest leaders mankind has ever produced, had something similar to say - "power is best used by a leader who has character". Plato said "he who does not seek power is the most qualified to hold it"

Honesty is the core of character, while character is the core of leadership. And leadership is the core of every success - In every company's success, in every team's victory, and in every nation's march to progress. According to John Maxwell, "everything rises and falls with leadership."

[gubaon]

everyone can be honest but not everyone can lead

1. competence
2. experience - can help him perform as a leader
3. achievements - reflects on how the leader leads
4. honesty

[vipvip68]

everyone can be honest but not everyone can lead

1. competence
2. experience - can help him perform as a leader
3. achievements - reflects on how the leader leads
4. honesty

So are you willing to follow a leader that is competent, experienced and has achievements pero is dishonest in his dealings? Souds like supporter sad ka ni PGMA till now huh?

[gubaon]

So are you willing to follow a leader that is competent, experienced and has achievements pero is dishonest in his dealings? Souds like supporter sad ka ni PGMA till now huh?

please read honesty is there

[BananaQ]

True, honesty should be ranked high. But who is to say that Noynoy is honest? The only thing I can confirm with Noynoy so far is that:

1. His sister is immoral
2. His uncles and other relatives are corrupt
3. His mom is incompetent and has socialist tendencies
4. He himself has not achieved anything in his service to the government
5. His interviews confirmed he inherited his mom's incompetence but cannot see if he inherited his mom's "honesty" and "integrity"
6. Even if he inherited his mom's "honesty", that might mean he'll turn the other way like his mom if his uncles continue their corrupt ways

So asa man ta mobotar? Sa 75% honest and 90% competent or sa 85% honest and 5% competent?

[vahnhelsing]

ayay... adto ko sa honest nga competent.... pero ug puro ra honest(questionable pa na) aw dili nalang ko labi na ug wa jud jamo nabuhat...

[gubaon]

whats the point of having a leader if the leader is incompetent?

[vahnhelsing]

whats the point of having a leader if the leader is incompetent?

wahhhhhh.. bitaw bitaw.... diba dapat molead basin siya na unya noon ang e.lead... paita!!!

[gubaon]

Park Chung-hee has leadership experience

Park Chung-hee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coup d'état

Park then led a military coup (called the 5.16 coup d'état) on May 16, 1961, a coup largely welcomed by a general populace exhausted by political chaos. Although Prime Minister Chang resisted the coup efforts, President Yoon sided with the junta and persuaded the United States Eighth Army and the commanders of various South Korean army units not to interfere with the new rulers. Soon, Park Chung-hee was promoted to Lieutenant General.

The Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) was created on June 19, 1961 to prevent a countercoup and to suppress all potential enemies, domestic and international. It was to have not only investigative power, but also the power to arrest and detain anyone suspected of wrongdoing or harboring antijunta sentiments. The KCIA extended its power to economic and foreign affairs under its first director, Colonel (retired) Kim Jong-pil, a relative of Park and one of the original planners of the coup.

President Yoon remained in office to provide legitimacy to the regime, but resigned on March 22, 1962. Park Chung-hee was the real power as chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction with rank of General. Following pressure from the Kennedy administration in the United States, a civilian government was restored, with Park narrowly winning the 1963 election as the candidate of the newly-created Democratic Republican Party over Yoon, candidate of the Civil Rule Party. He was re-elected in 1967, again defeating Yoon by a narrow margin.


Dictatorial Rule

Park clamped down on personal freedoms under the provisions of a state of emergency dating to the Korean War. Constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and the press were often curtailed. The KCIA retained broad powers of arrest and detention, and opponents were frequently tortured.[3]

The electoral system was also heavily rigged in favor of Park's Democratic Republican Party, which routinely won large majorities in the National Assembly. Opposition parties and leaders were subjected to varying degrees of official harassment. Park was reelected in 1967 against Yoon.

[Tirong-say]

I believe as well, honesty is a very good virtue for a leader. how many geniuses did pass in leading us,whose intellect without the collaboration of honesty merely manage to fiddle the filipino people. Amassing vast wealth in expense of rendering us debt burdened and less in progress.