Of what importance is the life of a hen to human leadership success? Plenty; is the answer, according to renowned author, Chukwudi Eze. The writer has captured in this great book, powerful insights received from a careful observation of the hen’s everyday life. The revelation is compelling, refreshing and highly motivational.
In it, the reader is helped to- Understand the opportunities and difficulties that one may face in life.
- Understand one’s strength and purpose as a leader in the family, organisation or nation.
- Become a relevant and positive force for human good.
- Shape the world into a place of peace, development and prosperity. You will be pleasantly surprised by the many big lessons, contained in this little book.
Of what importance is the life of a hen to human leadership success? Plenty; is the answer, according to renowned author, Chukwudi Eze. The writer has captured in this great book, powerful insights received from a careful observation of the hen’s everyday life. The revelation is compelling, refreshing and highly motivational.
In it, the reader is helped to- Understand the opportunities and difficulties that one may face in life.
- Understand one’s strength and purpose as a leader in the family, organisation or nation.
- Become a relevant and positive force for human good.
- Shape the world into a place of peace, development and prosperity. You will be pleasantly surprised by the many big lessons, contained in this little book.
Leadership Stories of Mother Hen: Lessons on Leadership
Leadership Stories of Mother Hen: Lessons on Leadership
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Overview
Of what importance is the life of a hen to human leadership success? Plenty; is the answer, according to renowned author, Chukwudi Eze. The writer has captured in this great book, powerful insights received from a careful observation of the hen’s everyday life. The revelation is compelling, refreshing and highly motivational.
In it, the reader is helped to- Understand the opportunities and difficulties that one may face in life.
- Understand one’s strength and purpose as a leader in the family, organisation or nation.
- Become a relevant and positive force for human good.
- Shape the world into a place of peace, development and prosperity. You will be pleasantly surprised by the many big lessons, contained in this little book.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781477211366 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 06/15/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 207 KB |
Read an Excerpt
Leadership Stories of MOTHER HEN
Lessons on LeadershipBy Chukwudi Eze
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Chukwudi EzeAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-1138-0
Chapter One
The Crowing
Koo koo ru kuu, Koo koo ru kuu, Koo koo ru kuu, koooo,
It is a typical dawn, as the village rooster crows with a persistence that awakens the stillness of the night. Joined by other roosters in the neighboring compounds, their collective chorus escorts the night sky into a speedy retreat.
The crowing unsettles the lingering darkness, as its echoes resonate through the late night, in a happy anticipation of an approaching dawn. The musical notes in the roosters' crows tell the world that a new day is born. They request that all living things shake off slumber and arise to welcome the opportunities of another day.
Even little children in bed react, by returning from their night journeys to the land of sweet sleep and pleasant dreams, as they gladly awaken to the realities of earthly living. It would appear from all this that the roosters' crows represent nature's alarm clock for people to arise and celebrate life in its fullness.
As Chidi King rolled in bed, half asleep and half awake in response to the unrelenting crowing, he finally got up to say his early morning prayers. He was always surprised by the regularity of the crowing, which came at about 4:30 every morning. He had often wondered if inside the little bellies of the birds existed alarm clocks, which made them crow with such punctuality. It was truly amazing that the crowing always came on time, never earlier or later.
In his childhood fantasy, Chidi believed that inside every chicken was an alarm clock. To him, this clock must be similar to the one in his uncle's bedroom. But, as he wondered about how such a clock could have entered into the chicken's stomach, it did not take him long to figure out the answer. It was an answer that arose out of the curious mind of an innocent little boy.
Indeed, Chidi had reasoned as a child that the way mothers end up with babies in their wombs, during pregnancy, was from eating lots of food and drinking lots of water. This led him to believe that the entrance of the alarm clock, into the stomach of the chicken, was by the means of eating and drinking. And since he knew chickens to be great eaters, he was sure that their tummies were loaded with alarm clocks. To him, it was this that maintained the promptness of their crowing.
On further reflection, Chidi came to believe that the crowing at dawn was indeed a wake-up call for the children. It was also possible that it represented the chicken's own early morning praise, to celebrate the beauty of life and to give thanks for the promises of another day.
The crowing always came loud and clear from his mother's poultry within their compound. The poultry was not anything large or fanciful. Rather, it was a contraption made from rough wood and wire mesh held together in a framework, which displayed everything that was crude in carpentry. But there was still something inherently elegant about it. It was both simple and practical. And to his mother, that was all that was necessary.
Like a stretched out canvass, the wire mesh was anchored to the wooden frame to provide the necessary enclosure, which housed the chickens. It allowed for the proper ventilation of the chicken's cage. Also, the mesh made it possible for people to see through the cage as well as see everything inside it. There was provision for a water container and a food bowl. The roosters had their compartment, while the rest of the space was reserved for the mother hens, their chicks and a special room where eggs were laid to hatch.
It was Chidi's duty to open the cage in the morning to let the chickens out. He also cleared their droppings, refilled the water and food containers as well as closed the cage's door at dusk, after they returned for the day. His close contact with the hens in particular exposed him to a better understanding of the complex behavior of the chicken. Chidi King had a curious mind, which allowed him to learn much while he cared for the chickens in his mother's little poultry.
This was particularly true with what he observed to be the different attitudes of the mother hen to her chicks. The lessons that Chidi learnt have remained permanently fixed in his mind. These include new insight into different leadership behaviors of mother hens; especially as they related to their eggs and chicks. Chidi observed three broad types of these leadership traits, which he summed up as follows:
• Mother hen that lays and devours her eggs i.e., she breaks open the eggs and drinks their contents like a carnivore.
• Mother hen that lays her eggs, incubates them to hatch, then abandons the young chicks to the hazards of life.
• Mother hen that lays her eggs, incubates them to hatch, then provides motherly care to see that the chicks grow into successful adults.
As Chidi King grew up, was educated, traveled across the world and interacted with people of different backgrounds, he came to recognize the many similarities between human behavior and that of mother hen's. He received special insight into many problems faced by mankind as a result of leadership failures. And, as he learnt with the chicken,he also saw how the role of leadership within families, schools, work places, nations etc, affects the quality of lives of the individual and society.
Mankind, it would seem, also displayed the same leadership traits as mother hen. It soon became obvious to Chidi King that there were indeed similarities between the leadership roles of the mother hen, which he learnt as a child, and what he found to be the human experience as he grew up. He realized that if one could shed more light on the character and impact of mother hen's leadership qualities, one might be able to draw some lessons to contribute towards a more positive human society.
It was common to hear talk of rebellious children, corruption, terrorism, frightening levels of sexual abuse, failing educational standards, high levels of unemployment and faithlessness in the sociopolitical system. To Chidi King, it was possible that these societal ills were results of failed leadership, which needed to be understood and addressed if mankind ever intends to have a better world.
Having noticed the three major leadership traits of mother hen, Chidi was convinced that making his observation public may provide a refreshing contribution for a better understanding of the world. Also, he felt that this might be of particular help to the average individual, who desires to achieve a more meaningful life experience in a very complex world. He reasoned in addition that leaders might obtain useful insights to help them perform their work better.
It was in that context that he chose to examine the state of human leadership qualities, by using as an allegory the leadership traits he observed in the mother hen's story. In doing so, he rearranged the three observed leadership traits of the hen into three categories of human leadership characters. These he summarized as:
• Mother hen with destructive leadership character
• Mother hen with negligent leadership character
• Mother hen with responsible leadership character.
Chapter Two
Mother Hen With Destructive Leadership Traits
The experience was most shocking! It was the first time that Chidi King ever saw a mother hen consume her own eggs, in an unbelievable display of heartlessness and cannibalism. The little boy could not understand why this mother hen would choose to destroy a part of her own self, represented by the egg, with such cruelty and recklessness.
As she cracked the egg's shell with her powerful beak and began a slow and cruel consumption of its innocent content, you could hear the pin drop as Chidi found himself wrapped in a silence of utter disbelief. He wondered if by such an action, the hen had not lost every right to be called a mother.
Long ago, he was taught that motherhood represents care, love and life. He saw it as the best kind of relationship that mankind has ever known. For him, the leadership qualities of motherhood include providing security, as well as the right atmosphere for the children to pursue and achieve fulfilled lives.
The killing of babies was never a part of his understanding of a mother's role. As far as he was concerned, a mother's presence was supposed to bring to her children joy, peace and the freedom to play. The destruction of the life the mother hen was supposed to care for and love brought the little boy to tears.
He was so saddened by that experience that he reported the matter to his mother. She was not the kind who wasted time in dealing with any matter. Her leadership style was always decisive. In her reaction, she told him that such an action by that mother hen was not normal and would not be tolerated. She thereafter gave instructions to the steward to get rid of the hen immediately. He complied promptly with that instruction because he knew that she wanted it so.
While still confused about his experience, Chidi was nevertheless gladdened by his mother's final instruction to the steward. It was comforting for him to know that other eggs were at least safe from the cruel reach of a carnivorous mother hen. The misfortune that was represented by the fate of the now empty eggshells was guaranteed, not to repeat itself in their little poultry.
As he reflected on the matter, Chidi King saw that as in the fowl's world, so it is in the so-called civilized world of human society. In his opinion, many families, communities and nations exist where similar destructive behaviors of mother hen abound.
The negative effects of such criminal acts in both the physical and spiritual state of man have increasingly put stress on the well-being of the society. The positive development of the human race will be difficult to sustain where such traits are allowed to exist. To help in the proper understanding of this matter, Chidi decided to consider four examples.
DEATH IN THE RIVER
She was young and pretty. She was well-dressed, looked very calm and composed. But this mother of two little boys was on her way to begin a life sentence in one of America's numerous jails.
One could see the shock and disbelief on the people's faces, as the security officer gave a detailed description of the event that resulted in her long jail sentence. It became one of America's most notorious cases as defence lawyers fought a difficult legal battle with a professional team of police detectives and state prosecutors.
The officer spoke slowly as he wove his words carefully. This allowed the crowd to understand the true picture of the serious crime that the woman had wilfully committed. She was responsible for killing her two kids who looked up to her for protection and love. While he spoke, he suddenly brought out the pictures of the children, looking playfully happy, captured in their handsome little frames.
As one looked at the pictures, one saw in the radiant eyes of the children hope to live a promising and fulfilled life. That was why some wondered what could have made the woman kill her own children. Why, they asked, were such vibrant lives so callously wasted? Why was the sunset of those innocent children brought forward early and their hopes so brutally eclipsed by their mother's grisly action?
As the crowd listened to the officer's story, one could see tears running down some cheeks. The people appeared to stand still while holding their breath in utter disbelief. Time seemed to have taken flight as the mother's crime was retold in its grim detail.
The young mother had chosen to destroy the children of her youth, because she fell out of relationship with their father and fell in love with another man. This happened in a nation where child custody is often given to the mother. To guarantee that her newfound relationship flourished, she felt the need to destroy the lives of her two babies. According to her plan, that was what was needed to keep her new relationship clear of complications.
It was entirely a very selfish and wicked thought. She left no space for compassion as she was driven to satisfy her lust for a new love. In seeking to satisfy her desire, she was determined to destroy the life dreams of her babies. Their desire for self-fulfillment was not an important part of her consideration. Perhaps moved by a force similar to that of the mother hen that destroyed her eggs, this young mother put finishing touches to the plan to kill her babies without being caught.
And so, on that fateful day, as the sun rose above the land of beautiful lakes and rolling hills, which the family called home, she carefully put her children in the back seat of her car and drove the vehicle to the riverbank. There, she set up a near perfect crime scene. She made it look like the car accidentally rolled downhill from the place of parking, right into the river with her children buckled to their car seats.
From the officer's detailed description, one could virtually hear the babies cry out for their mother's help, as the car rolled into the river and buried them in a watery grave. One could also feel the heartlessness of a mother who watched without pity, as the choking hands of an arranged death consumed her children.
But she was not done yet. To quickly cover her evil act, she ran to the police station to complain that her car with her babies in it, had accidentally moved from a parked position on the hill, into the river. Her story of misfortune was met by an out pouring of sympathy from the public and police.
Not long after, the police found through further investigations that the drowning of the children was not an accident after all. Rather, it was a criminal act planned and carried out by a mother to destroy her children.
CRIES OF THE UNBORN CHILD
The skyline of the city where they lived was adorned with some of the most expensive and tastefully finished architectural structures anywhere. They were a couple of professionals, enjoying all the trappings of a good and successful life.
At some point, she noticed that she had missed her menstrual period. She became anxious because she had planned to start some business activities, which would require some time commitment on her part. Without informing her husband, she sneaked into a private clinic to conduct a pregnancy test. The result that came out sent her into depression. She was pregnant!
It was not that they lacked the financial or material means to keep the pregnancy or take care of the baby that would result from it. There were no health problems to worry about either. They had never as a couple decided not to have children. In fact, the news of her pregnancy would have brought her husband great joy.
But this mother of the fetus that was growing inside her was determined to terminate the innocent life because of her business plans. The husband was ignorant of the development, thus leaving the fate of the fetus in the hands of its mother. But will the mother show mercy and allow the little life to live? Beyond the selfish consideration of the mother, there was no reason to destroy the young life.
And so, without telling her husband of the situation and her plans, she informed him of her intention to travel. A few days after she left on the journey to conduct her "business", he had a strange dream. In it he heard the cry of a baby and his wife telling him that: "This one must not be allowed to live." He woke up confused about the meaning of his experience.
He waited for his wife's return before inquiring from her about the real purpose of her trip. He informed her of one of the teachings, which he learnt as a child that "The hidden things shall be revealed and made plain."
Surprised at the depth of her husband's inquiry, the woman broke down and confessed that she had indeed traveled to carry out an abortion on her pregnancy. She apologized for not informing him about the pregnancy and her decision to terminate it.
As the husband tried to reconcile himself to the reality of the situation before him, he still had difficulty believing that his wife, whom he had thought to be so gentle and sweet, was capable of terminating their gift of life without pity. He never knew her to be that selfish. Ironically, even the business for which reason she had terminated her pregnancy, did not materialize. She found herself in a state of double loss.
WOUNDS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING
Today, the gas chambers are silent. They conceal in their steel and concrete shells, shocking evidence of a very grim past when a nation's leadership failed in its solemn duty.
The railway lines that brought in the unfortunate victims, the large arrival areas and soaring chimneys are all that remain of a terrifying history. Such was the unbelievable magnitude of the madness that took place there that the world has still not recovered from its ugly story.
Evidently, one of the primary roles of the leadership (mother hen) of a nation-state or community is the protection of the life and property of its citizens (chicks). A successful nation is one that brings its weight of care to bear on its people.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Leadership Stories of MOTHER HEN by Chukwudi Eze Copyright © 2012 by Chukwudi Eze . Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
About the Author....................vTrue Leaders....................ix
Foreword....................xi
Quotations....................xiii
Dedication....................xv
Prologue....................xvii
Chapter One: The Crowing....................1
Chapter Two: Mother Hen With Destructive Leadership Traits....................6
Chapter Three: Mother Hen With Negligent Leadership Traits....................21
Chapter Four: Mother Hen With Responsible Leadership Traits....................35
Chapter Five: When Mother Hens Clash....................61
Chapter Six: When Mother Hens Cooperate....................87
Notes....................105
Bibliography....................107