poem analysis

THE MODEL OF GOOD LEADER AS REFLECTED IN VICTOR ANTONIO’S

“THE TRUE LEADERSHIP TREASURE”

by

Zubaidi

2250407016

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND ARTS

SEMARANG STATE UNIVERSITY (UNNES)

2009

The True Leadership Treasure

I went on search to be a leader,
Searching high and low above the meter,

I spoke with authority that I remember,
All would follow, all but one member,

“Why should I trust you?’ the one did ask,
“What have you done to achieve the task?”

I thought long and hard of what I did wrong,
Then I rolled up my sleeves and worked right along,

Shoulder to shoulder we got things done,
We worked side by side, all were one,

A mate of mine stumbled, I stooped to assist,
My hand he did grab, a smile did persist,

One was lost, didn’t know what to do,
I showed him how, the ropes, something new

I praised them one and all for their work,
All were unique, but I encouraged each quirk,

When the task was done, one did shout
“You’re a great leader!” they all turned about,

"Without you there to support our plight,
Lost would we be with no end in sight",

I learned that day that I lead best,
When I get off my butt and help the rest,

To lead by example is the true treasure,
The secret of leadership, in one simple measure.

Victor Antonio G., December 2004

THE MODEL OF GOOD LEADER AS REFLECTED IN VICTOR ANTONIO’S

“THE TRUE LEADERSHIP TREASURE”

A. Introduction

Leadership is really important in every society. A leader must take effort to be the first man who pays attention to the society he leads and knows what his society want. It is stated that Leadership is the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”. While Alan Keith of Genentech states that, "Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen (www.wikipedia.com/leadership)

It is an interesting way if we discuss about leader, because in this era many people are not sure with their leader. There was a crisis of trust of a leader. So there must a model of a good leader in order to people will trust and able to run the society as good as possible. This paper will concern with some theories which related to leadership especially about the criteria of good leader. So, we will be able to take some advantages to make ourselves to become the next leader.

This analysis will focus on Javanese culture and Islamic point of view to explain about a leader because the Javanese culture has correlation with islam because in spreading islam in java, the previous people like Walisongo use culture as a way to get people attention. So, there must be a unity between islam and Javanese culture.

B. An Ideal Leader as many people hope

This paper focuses on some concepts of Javanese culture. This is intended because we are as Javanese will compare it with Antonio’s ‘The True Leadership Treasure’.

I went on search to be a leader

The line of the poem shows that leader is made not be born. It means that no one is born to be a leader. Someone become a leader because he has prepared it before. He believes that leader is a process to have the capacity, competence, and authority.

I spoke with authority….

One of the criteria of a leader is he spoke with authority. If he speaks, all of people will hear and obey him. This authority is gained by process for long time, not instantly. So, there is a relation with the first line that a leader should have a process. The process can be done by becoming a part of society so that he knows what the society face is. Then he will able to classify about the society itself. In Javanese culture in serat wulangreh by Paku Buwono IV stated that aja lonyo lemer genjah, angrong pasanakan nyumur gumiling ambuntut arit puniku, watekan tan raharjo, pan wong lonyo ora kena dipun etut, monyar-manyir tan antepan dene lemeran puniki (sebagai seorang pemimpin hendaknya tidak lonyo, artinya seorang pemimpin yang tidak dapat dituruti, ragu-ragu tidak dapat mengambil keputusan, serta pendirian yang tidak tetap. Lemeran artinya pemimpin yang tidak mantap akan pekerjaannya, tidak au belajar bertanggug jawab) (tim puspar UGM 2004).

A leader must have authority means that he has an authority to be obeyed by his people.

I thought long and hard of what I did wrong,
Then I rolled up my sleeves and worked right along,

Shoulder to shoulder we got things done,
We worked side by side, all were one,

A mate of mine stumbled, I stooped to assist,
My hand he did grab, a smile did persist,

The speaker shows that one of the most behaviours of a leader is thinking. He must always think about everything relates to the society. Even, some people stated that a leader must able to think twice or more to the future. It is a must because as a leader he will know what to do and to make people contribute to gain the aid of the society. In the other hand the task of a leader is not only to think, but also to do the job. It is possible for him to join his people as a model. It is stated in line

Then I rolled up my sleeves and worked right along,

Which means a leader must position his self as a model in doing a job. This behaviour enables his people to admire him as the first man who not only give order but also can do a job by his self.

It is like Javanese people principal which says “ing ngarsa sung tuladha, ing madya mangun karsa, tut wuri handayani”.

One was lost, didn’t know what to do,
I showed him how, the ropes, something new

This stanza have correlation with the previous line. It shows that when a leader can join his people in doing the job, he will know what kind of people he leads and he will able to help the people who is in trouble.

I praised them one and all for their work,
All were unique, but I encouraged each quirk,

When the task was done, one did shout
“You’re a great leader!” they all turned about,

The good leader has to appreciate his people who can do his job well. It is a kind of reward for them. In the other hand the reward will help the leader to motivate the man who does the job and also to motivate the other so that they will try to finish their job as well as possible. It is suitable with what has been stated in Javanese culture that a leader must have behavior as hambeging surya and hambeging candra. These mean that a leader have to motivate his people and can make his people happy.

I learned that day that I lead best,
When I get off my butt and help the rest,

To lead by example is the true treasure,
The secret of leadership, in one simple measure.

In both of the last stanzas the writer emphasize that he learn about leading people with some of the behavior of a good leader. It said that he lead best. It means that if a leader can do such of those behaviors it will possible for him to manage and run the society well and able to gain the aim of the society.

C. Conclusion

This poem is concerning with the behavior which must be owned by a leader. The title “The True Leadership Treasure” emphasize to people who wants to be a leader to have preparation, prepare his self with competency and capacity owned by a leader. The preparation can be gained by having those treasure which has been mentioned in the poem. Then when there is someone who asks must a leader has the treasure? The answer is yes. Because a leader must be obey after the God and his messenger. Like in holy Koran stated.

This poem is also called as an idea because most of the treasure is the idea or concept which people believe in best leading. It is stated that a poem position as idea (Stewart 1969). So, the poem consists of some ideas and treasure for people who are in process of preparing his self to be a good leader. If he wants to lead well it is a mu8st for him to have those competency.

References:

Wawasan budaya untuk pembangunan menoleh kearifan local, 2004.Kementrian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata.