What Makes A Leader

R. Lucille Samuel

Some people attain the level of leadership just because they have been around a long time. Some people get to be “head honcho” because they are everybody’s friend and nobody’s enemy. Still others have risen to the top through wheeling and dealing and doing favors expecting favors in return.

Such leaders, after attaining power, rarely ruffle any feathers. They go along to get along. They do things the way they have always been done. They refuse to push people to greater heights or hold anybody accountable for anything. They revel in their honors but do little to further their organization.

None of this describes R. Lucille Samuel, Grand Princess Captain Lone Star Grand Guild of Texas PHA.  Samuel is far from a “Do Nothing” leader.  Rather she is the type that might say, “Let the chips fall where they may but we are moving forward embracing change.”

You will understand where she is coming from and what type of a leader that she is when you read her recent address to the Grand Guild, delivered at her Grand Session and in conjunction with the Grand Sessions of all the York Rite Bodies of The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Of Texas.

Read the words of a true leader:

2013 has been an awesome year for the Grand Guild.  We have had very successful Regional Trainings and our membership continues to excel.

So where do we go from HERE?

Job 5:2

For wrath killeth the foolish man and envy slayeth the silly one.

We need to change our organizational outlook.  We have no peripheral vision.  Most of us can only see straight forward and any type of change is out of the question.  You cannot be afraid of failure.  Your success is not measured by the number of times you fall but upon the way you handle recovery. It is not how high you climb but how you got there.  You must have the courage to take risks.

You cannot lead where you don’t go and you can’t teach what you don’t know.  The key to being a successful leader is earning respect not because of your Title or position.  People who work together will ALWAYS WIN! 

You cannot lead an organization if you are afraid of change or what other people will think.  You have to realize that people will always talk especially those that envy you.  Unfortunately we don’t like to see others succeed.  Instead of giving encouraging words of advice or wisdom we would rather watch others fail.  You do realize that when the Leader fails so does the organization.  A lot of times you will hear the phrase well THEY said.  My interpretation of that is as follows.

The letters in THEY stand for: –  T for Tongue which is a very sharp weapon used against others.  H stands for Hateful things that people will do to see you Fail.  E stands for ENVY of those that feel you are a threat to them.  They aren’t happy so they feel that no one else should be happy.  Y stands for YOU because THEY never said anything YOU did.

We cannot continue to use the same strategies that our Ancestors used.  It may have worked great for them in their time but times have definitely changed, The phrase,  “Well that is how we have always done it,” has to GO!  If we wish to attract members into our organizations that are talented and well educated a Change must come.  You cannot run a well oiled machine on tap water. There is no reason we should not have the largest membership Rolls in the world.  What makes any other organization better than the Prince Hall Masonic Family?

I was told a successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others have thrown at him. Well we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings because they have been in the Order since the Last Supper. Their wisdom is always welcome.  But we cannot continue to tip toe around others feelings.  The ship needs to sail and those who can’t swim need to stay on the shore.

We are also afraid to share knowledge with others in fear of them replacing us.  Knowledge is power and should not be used as a weapon.  A great leader surrounds themselves with people that have talents and ideas which make the organization shine.  It is a very selfish person that allows their personal gain to deter progress.  Remember that not all people in charge are leaders.  Sometimes it is by virtue of them being in the right place at the right time or there was no one else at the time available.

So what do we do to change that?  Stop nominating your friends instead of the qualified person.  Stop trying to run the Organization alone.  We know you want all the credit and glory.  Share your knowledge and information to all.  Tomorrow is promised to no one.  There should never be a time when one person steps out of a position and someone else cannot step in.  When your organization is losing more members than receiving new members that is a sign.  When your Annual Conference Registration continues to decline Houston we have serious problem!

We need to make a change.  This is a volunteer organization and people will not continue to spend money on Registration and travel to attend meetings that continue to hold the same old programs.  When you have Officers that do absolutely nothing during the Year and you continue to keep them in office people will not support you.  It is so petty of you to threaten people or hold grudges against them just because they run for office against you.  You are not doing anything so get out of the way!  There is no motivation.  When your Annual Session minutes state the same business every year and the only thing that changes is the DATE you are in trouble.

If we do not make a change the Prince Hall Family will dissipate into thin air.  All of the hard work our Trail Blazers accomplished will be in vain.

We have to take charge now and work TOGETHER.  Working against each other we will not survive.  We have to have the Wisdom to know that Music means nothing if the audience is DEAF!  We cannot go back and change the past but we can start today by making a new beginning and become the WINNING TEAM!

Holding grudges against someone for something that happened years ago will not solve anything either.  Most of you don’t even remember why you are angry anyway.  We are not here to become a Social Club but to conduct the business of this Great Order.

People may forget what you said to them but they will never forget how you treated them.

Remember the pessimist sees the difficulty in every situation and the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.    Be an Optimist!

Proverbs 14:33
Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding; but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

We will never have peace if we never let go of wanting to change the past and controlling the future.  You will never be successful if you have to always ask “What’s In It For Me”?

In closing I ask that we all remember “Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results and not attributes.   

I will continue to lead BY THE CROSS,

R. Lucille Samuel
Grand Princess Captain
Lone Star Grand Guild of Texas PHA
Heroines of the Templars Crusade
International Grand Senior Shepherdess
International Grand Deputy of Texas
International Grand Court of Cyrene Crusaders
“BRING ONE TEACH TWO”