MEN OF INFLUENCE

Wanting something is very different from needing it. Wants emanate from the brain, whereas needs are revealed by the heart. When we want something, it is because we are being influenced by the world in which we live. We examine the circumstances and arrive at a conclusion as to what we should have and to what we are entitled. Needs, however, are not based on presumed entitlements. They are rooted in the survival instinct, in the simple desire to survive.

Leaders govern based on their wants and on the wants of those they govern. When leadership is based on wants, it ceases to have a connection to spirit. However, a connection to spirit is a necessary component of effective leadership. Leaders must ask, "What need will this proposed action meet for us, as well as for all affected persons." If only some of the needs will be met, the proposed action is not likely to be effective or sustainable. Men of influence are those who have decided that their principal focus will be meeting the needs of the governed.