"The true test of a leader is whether his followers will adhere to his cause from their own volition, enduring the most arduous hardships without being forced to do so, and remaining steadfast in the moments of greatest peril." ~ Xenophon
Sage words of wisdom indeed. I quite like this quote. This quote not only defines the test of a leader, but also describes strength and resolution of a healthy constituency.
A leader is not a rogue entity, or self-serving, or even an independent presence at all… a true leader is the embodiment of the group that it represents. Sometimes a leader can serve as a rallying point, or figurehead. But more importantly, a leader must always be the stanchion of core philosophy.
When one rises among like-minded as leader, that one must uphold the commonality that binds, else fall from grace. Followers are not underlings; they are support and validation, the body and soul of community. Leader is merely the tie that binds, the foundational rock upon which others may find stability upon which to construct community and camaraderie.
Leader, in the case of the guild Zen, is merely an organizational and enforcement role. The true strength and beauty, harmony, and cohesion of our guild are the members. Our long-standing members, officers, and those that embrace our philosophy enjoy oneness of purpose, oneness of aspirations for our guild, and a cohesion that goes far beyond the norms of “membership”.
While at times it may appear at face value as somewhat chaotic, there is indeed a strong undercurrent of that oneness. The harmony of Zen is more than a mere name or cute phrase, for our guild it is the core of our existence and success. I am the protector and enforcer of this innate harmony known as the guild Zen.
- Penelopae, Zen Leader
((My name is Tony, and my RP deviates from the traditional WoW RP in that I play in-character as a matter of course. My main character Penelopae was created from the very start to be a raider and leader of raids. I do not need a backstory or fantasy-written life history. My character has all of the game lore and long list of (mostly raid) achievements to fall back upon as her backstory.
While I appreciate the extra-fantasy RP story-lines and back-stories written and acted out by RPers, my brand of RP is what it is… my character is a raider and lore-lover, and for me that is RP enough and I enjoy it as such.
The above entry is in-character, as the leader of a guild, the raider/guild leader/founder in the fantasy world of WoW. Read it as just that, RP from a character. Thanks, Tony))
