What lessons can we learn from this?
Introduction
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been a lot of pressure for Biden to withdraw from the Presidential Race due to his health and mental capacity. However, Biden insisted he would continue to lead the Democratic Party in the upcoming General Elections in the USA. Over the weekend, President Biden made the decision to withdraw from the race as he said he must put his party and country first. I think President Biden did the right thing by withdrawing from the race. There are several lessons we can learn from this situation.
Bow out gracefully.
It takes a real leader to step down. Some may argue that Biden was under a lot of pressure. However, the fact that he stepped down should be commendable. Some people see the writing on the wall and continue to lead. Some people are out of touch and don’t even realize there is a writing on the wall. Some people appear to be obsessed with power and would not let go. If leaders do not step down when they should, eventually they will get fired. The best thing to do is bow out gracefully.
Can old people lead effectively?
Leadership should not necessarily be about age. You can be old and lead effectively. Biden was 78 years old when he was sworn in as the 46th President and it is fair to say that he led effectively up until recently. He is the oldest president in the history of the USA. His decline in leading is not because of his age. Donald Trump was 70 when he became the President of the USA. Nelson Mandela became the President of South Africa at the age of 75 and led effectively.
You should be mentally fit
Biden has demonstrated that a leader should be mentally fit. It is apparent that President Biden experienced a deterioration in his cognitive capacity. Of course, as you get older, the chances of your cognitive capacity being impaired may increase. Mind you, there are some younger people who also experience a decline in their cognitive ability.
The lesson though is that to lead effectively, you should be mentally fit. If you are experiencing constant memory losses or any form of dementia, a leader should step down.
Put your organization first
Apparently, Biden was provided with poll data that convinced him that if he continued in the race, it is more than likely that Trump will become the next President of the USA. Rather than being a selfish leader and wanting to increase the chance of the Democratic Party being successful, Biden withdrew from the race.
Too many leaders only think about themselves. These types of leaders can interfere with the success of an organization. It is time some leaders put their organization first and in doing so, they should recognize other potential leaders, develop a concession plan and stop focusing on themselves.
Speaking out makes a difference
Too many times, we remain quiet on issues. However, several democrats decided not to remain quiet and spoke about the need for Biden to step down. I believe the pressure from other democrats also played a significant role in Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. So, speaking out does make a difference. When you don’t say anything, it implies that you agree with the way things are.
Conclusion
I don’t like to mingle in the political affairs of other countries, the same way I don’t like when others interfere in TCI political affairs. However, the withdrawal of Biden from the Presidential race has taught us many lessons not only in the political arena but also in your personal life and the business industry.