Leadership After Tragedy

What does leadership look like when fear, anger, and tragedy enter our communities?

Leadership is not defined by degrees , status, or the number of followers you have online. Not the size of your bank account, your skin color, or the job you hold.

Leadership is the willingness to carry responsibility for others, and at times at immense personal cost.

Leadership is deliberately putting yourself in harms way, so that 140 school children can grow to become leaders themselves someday.

Leadership is running towards your brother to assist him in a time of need.

Leadership is standing up to evil, not perpetuating it.

Allah says in the Quran:

وَلَا تَسْتَوِى ٱلْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةٌۭ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌۭ

Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond ˹to evil˺ with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend.

We don't ignore injustice, we don't run from correcting it, we don't allow ourselves to become spiritually deformed by it.

But we respond to evil in the best of ways.

To respond with "what is best" is the ultimate exercise in emotional intelligence. It requires balanced processing, reflection, and purpose. In this moment, leaders respond with building community and pursuing goals that serve the common good of all humanity. Leaders respond by bridging the gap and opening the doors of understanding. Leaders strive to make the world we live in better, for all.

Consider this: Before taking action, do you try to understand the perspectives of those you disagree with? Do you allow space for dialogue and discussion, or do you rush to conclusions?