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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 2 (June 1, 1929.)

[section]

Biography is full of instances that prove how leadership often develops from some shock to the sensibilities or the senses of the individual. Newton was weakly in body, and a poor student until a schoolmate bigger than himself delivered an unmerited blow beneath the belt. Unable to retaliate in a physical sense, he decided to beat the bully at lessons, and soon topped the class. Another blow—this time on the head—from an apple wind fall in his father's orchard, set his mind in motion to deduce the law of gravity.

Whatever the pre-determining cause, leadership of the supreme kind can be attained only by those with a definite object in view and constant purpose in its pursuit.

It is a new belief that whatever a man really wants he can have. The pursuit of that want makes him a leader, provided he bends all his energies to its attainment. Lord Rosebery's schooldays are remembered best by the confession of ambition made to some pals. “I want,” he said, “to marry an heiress, to be Prime Minister, and to win the Derby!” He reached the limit of his wants, accomplishing all three purposes, and then, having nothing further to wish, just went on winning Derbys, of which he captured three.

No business can make continued success unless it has leadership, in which decision, loyalty, judgment, friendship, courage, and purpose are wisely blended. Probably to every man is given the ability to lead in some one thing. Those who make no progress towards some form of leadership usually just drift from day to day, with no clear purpose, no goal constantly kept in view—just a blind following of the easiest streets in the maze of the problems of life.

The next best thing to being a good leader is to be a good follower.

There are physical, moral and psychological differences between men that, at a certain stage of the game, determine beyond dispute who should lead and who follow. Given a leader of tried capacity there is nothing better in the business world than the spirit of loyalty that, recognising his worth, backs him up, and furnishes that support which enables every well-intentioned decision to reach perfect fruition.

Columbus certainly discovered a new world, but his supreme effort in crossing an unknown ocean was made without moral support from any of the crew of his three vessels. His was a lone struggle towards the triumph of which he was Nelson, who, from his first successful fight, received the full confidence and support, the veritable worship of officers and men throughout the ranks of the British Navy.

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Railway developments in recent years indicate rather the Nelson—the “band of brothers”—type of support than the Columbus, in the staff backing given to the efforts made in making the Railways increasingly responsive to public requirements.

Modern business leadership is the source of the change, and a good fighting spirit (developed from the shock of competition), the resource upon which the Department has mainly depended, and, during our latest year the result has been a definite winning back of business in both passengers and goods traffic. This may be taken as a clear sign that the Railways of this country are past their nadir, and are now leading the way in providing attractive service to the public.