Dr. Maina S. Gitonga, the Chief Principal of Utumishi Boys Academy in Gilgil, Nakuru County is a pleasant and pious Principal. He strikes a beautiful balance in his position of influence and obeys the wise words of Robin Sharma in his heroic book, the Leader Who Had No Title. It is in that great text where we read that a leader should wield beautiful balance in style or approach by being tough but tender. Strong but sincere. Courageous but compassionate. Firm but fair.
Indeed, Dr. Maina is a principled principal whose legendary leadership style inspires my pen. In my sporadic visits to mentor his sons in school, I have found him to be a perfect father figure and a faithful friend. Then, he is a gentleman par excellence; those who have worked and walked with the school can attest to that.
In the same book, the writer talks about the juicy story of a man of means named Tommy Flinn, who kept the writing on his business card quite humble and simple. It just read.
Bright Mind Books
5555 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York
Tommy Flinn
(HUMAN BEING)
Tommy Flinn was an exceptional executive. Interestingly, he dined with kings and ate with commoners alike. He chose not to be full of himself. Mr. Flinn just described himself as HUMAN, which Robin Sharma postulates that it is an acronym of being able to Help, Understand, Mingle, Amuse, Nurture. It is what great leaders like Dr. Maina are keen to do. He pays homage to the wise words of Dr. John C. Maxwell, “To lead yourself, use your head; to lead others, use your heart. Always touch people’s hearts before you ask them for a hand.”
Somehow, Dr. Maina is a leader who is tough, but tender. When you are in that police-sponsored school, you can see it in the way he relates with both the staff and students. Of course, toughness for a leader is quite important. Like in a school set up, it behooves the principal to develop a thick skin and take charge at all cost or else, meddlesome stakeholders may usurp power. Albeit, while expressing toughness, it is not right to be wild and wicked.
Consequently, the Chief Principal understands that a leader should be strong, but sincere. Even at the centre of a raging storm, the principal as the leader should not lose strength and stamina. It is important to remain steady and steadfast like a rock.
Dr. Maina is a very authentic leader. In all the days I have visited the school to preach and teach in the Sunday service, you can see him in his full element kneeling: to seek spiritual stanchion, because apart from being a professional at the zenith of his teaching career, he knows he is also a mere mortal – feeble like blades of green grass.
Moreover, he understands that a leader should be courageous, but compassionate. Sometimes, with the chilling challenges that principals face in schools, it is incumbent upon them to express bravery and bravado. Even in places where some stakeholders stand to oppose the leader because of strictness, or the tendency of the people’s blatant refusal to toe the line that has been drawn, the principal must still take charge.
Actually, the leader must agree with Saint Augustine of Hippo, “Right is right even if no one is doing it. And wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.” Nevertheless, courage does not delete compassion as a good deed. Indeed, principals only access success when they attain a cocktail of courage and compassion. Compassion is part of what made Jesus of Nazareth a perfect model of a leader. In Matthew 9:36, the sacred scriptures say, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Lastly, Dr. Maina conceptualizes that a leader should be firm, but fair. He is a just man. The leader evinces firmness when s/he is able to stand for something, even if it means standing alone. In the comic play An Enemy of the People, the protagonist Dr. Stockman goes through a lot due to his confident conviction. Finally, as a man who stands for truth, he has this to say, “The strongest man is the one who stands alone.” There comes a time when the leader must stand for what is right even if it means standing alone like a leper. In a broader sense, fairness and firmness must come out as close cognates, without which, the centre pole will not hold. Things will fall apart.
© Victor Ochieng’
The writer rolls out talks and training services in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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