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You are here : home > Values > Courage > Leadership Through Survival - Malala Yousafzai

Leadership Through Survival - Malala Yousafzai

Asitunfolded-Ontheafternoonof9thOctober2012,asmallvanwascrossingaclearinginMingora-asmallcityinthelushSwatvalley,Pakistan.Thevanwasfullofchildrenreturninghomefromschool.Barelyakilometreawayfromtheschoolgates,thevanwasobstructedbytwomen,whothenstalkedtothebackofthevanwhichwasopenandfiredashotthatwounded3girls.WhyandWho-Thegirlthisattackwasaimedat,wasMalalaYousafzai,whowas15atthetime.Whatcompelledtwogrownmentoshootata15-year-oldchild?Otherthanthelackofmorals,thefactthatMalalaYousafzaihaddaredtoraisehervoiceandspeakupagainsttheTehrik-i-Taliban.TheTalibanhadpassedanedictandbannededucationforwomenintheSwatValley.Malalaandherpeers,guidedbyMalala’sfatherZiauddinYousafzai,spokeagainstsuchanedictthatstuntedthepossibilityofwomengaininganeducationandcreatingabetterfutureforthemselves.MalalawasheraldedbypeoplefrombothwithinandoutsidePakistanforbeingbraveanddirectingthespotlighttowardsaveryvalidandconcerningissue.TheTalibanhadinfiltratedtheSwatValleysince2004,buttrulybegantheirreignofterrorin2007-2008whentheyexercisedviolenceonthosewhochosetodefytheirinstructions.TheyhadgainedtheirinfluencebypromisingthepeopleajustcourtwhentheyhadbeenfailedbyPakistan’sjudiciarysystem.Butthischaradeofwantingthebettermentofthepeoplequicklyfellwhentheystartedexertingaggressionandviolencetohavetheirrulesfollowed.Theiraimwastowipewesterninfluence,asentimentthathasitsrootinhostilityfromAmericaafter9/11andthemilitantinvasioninAfghanistanledbyAmerica.Thisrejectionofwesternideology,totheTaliban,meantbanningtelevision,andmusic,banningwomenfromgoingoutshopping,andthetippingpointofthisdispute-abanontheeducationofyounggirls.Malala’sfather,ZiauddinYousafzai,achampionofeducationandrightsforeverychildtobeeducated,ranaschool.AstheTalibangainedmoreinfluenceintheSwatvalleyfromthemoreruralareas,hehadpredictedveryearlyonthattheeducationofchildrenofSwatmaybeindanger.Hehadbeenveryoutspokenabouthiscause,andsoencouragedhisdaughtertodothesame.WhenBBCUrduapproachedhimtofindachildwhowouldwriteablogforBBCUrdu,ablogthatwouldarticulatetheperspectiveofachildintheSwatvalley-andhowtheirdailylifeandeducationisaffectedbytheTaliban-ZiauddinaskedMalalatowritetheblogunderapseudonymafteranotheroldergirl’sparentsadvisedtheirchildtorefuseoutofsafetyconcerns.Afterall,speakingoutagainsttheTalibanwastheequivalentofpaintingabull’seyeonyourback,makingyourselfatarget.Followingtheblog,Malalausedeverychannelandmediaplatformthatapproachedhertospeakontheimportanceofeducatingwomen,andwhyitwasimportantforhertospeakupforher,andthatofeverygirlchild’s,righttoeducation. TheTalibanwentontoblowuphundredsofschoolstosetanexample,tomakesuretheycommunicatedclearlytothepeopleofSwat,thattheymeantwhattheysaid.Andiftheysaidtheydidnotbelieveintheeducationofwomen,theywouldmakesuretoeradicateallmediumsofeducationfromthem.ButtheyunderestimatetheresilienceofthepeopleofSwat,theycontinuedtoeducateyoungchildren,youngwomenregardless.Boysschoolshutdowninsolidarity,too.Unfazed,Malalacontinuedtospeakandspreadhercause.TheTalibantriedtodeterherintheformofdeaththreats,allrangingfromFacebooktoslippingnoteswiththreatsunderherdoor,theymadetheirintentionsclear.Finally,in2012,inameeting,themembersoftheTalibandecidedtokillher,whichledtotheevenof9thOctober.Whathappenedafter-Despitethedirectattemptatherlife,Malalasurvived.Possiblyoutofsheerdeterminationandresilience,butalsobecausethesupportforherfromaroundtheworldalsoensuredthebestmedicaltreatmentforher.Thebulletshotenteredfromaboveherlefteyebrow,throughherneckandlodgeditselfinhershoulder.DespitethatandbecauseofintensivemedicalcarefromdoctorsinbothPakistanandinBirmingham,sherecovered.Despitethebulletpassingthroughherbrain,causingbrainswelling,sheretainedhercognitiveandverbalabilities.Shelostsensationinherfacialnervewhichhadbeendamagedbeyondrepair,andacochlearimplant.Allofthis,whenshewasjust15.CreatingHistory- ShecreatedHistorybarely9monthsafterhersurgeries-sheaddressedtheUnitedNationsAssembly,intheheadquartersinNewYork.Herspeechwasbroadcastallovertheworld.Shespoke,asaleaderoftheyouth,onewhohadsurvivedthroughsomethinga15yearolddefinitelyshouldnothave,moresonotforwantinganeducationwhichshouldbeabasicrightforeverychild-perhapsinanidealworld.Shesurvivedthebanoneducationforgirls,shesurvivedwatchingherpeersbeingobstructedfrombuildingafutureforthemselves,shesurvivedspeakingoutinanenvironmentthatonlymeantdanger,shesurvivedfearingforherfather’slife,shesurvivedfearingforherownlife,andultimately-shesurvivedanattemptedassassination.Shesurvivedthroughitallthroughherinitiativeandabilitytostandattheforefrontofamovement.Shetookituponherselftowritetheblogwhenshedidn’thaveto,shespokeuptoradioandTVandmediachannelsherselfinsteadofrelyingonothers,onadults,tospeakupaboutthewrongs.Shecontinuedtospeakdespitethreatstoherlife,onhersurvival.Shecontinuedtomovehercauseforwardevenasherlifewasatrisk.Inthehospital,too,onceshewasconscious,sheactivelytookpartindiscussionsandtookherownmedicaldecisions.Everytimehersurvivalwasatrisk,shetookitintoherownhandstofightforherselfanddowhatwasright-forherandforthoseasaffectedasher.Conclusion-Whenthegoinggetstough,sometimesyouhavetostandupandtakethemantleinsteadofexpectingsomeoneelsetodoit.Ifyouweretowaitforsomeoneelsetotakelead,especiallyinasurvivalscenario,youmayaswellbejeopardisingyourownsafety.Foryourownsurvival,andthosealongwithyou,someonehastotakechargeandhavetheforethoughttohandlethesituation.Whenactingasagroup,peopleoftentendtorelyoneachotherandhavediversethoughtsandopinions.Thisdoesnotalwaystranslateintothebestdecisionforthegroup.Thereisaneedforsomeonetooverseeandunifythescatteredthoughts,totakeintoconsiderationthevariousopinionsandcometoadecisionthatisineveryone’sbestinterest.Andthatsomeoneistheleader.Leadership- Leadershipisquitepossiblyoneofthebiggestskillsyoucanemulatewithinyoutoensureyouneverfindyourselfinasituationwhereyouarecluelessordependentonsomeonewhoisnotequippedtodealwithasituationthatwillhaverepercussionsyouwillhavetofaceaswell.Itisimportanttoemployyourleadershipskillsinboth,yourpersonalandprofessionallives,toensurethatyouandthoseinvolvedinyourlifeinanycapacityassafeandcomfortable.Inasurvivalsituation,onethatendangersyourlife,takingleadershipseriouslymightsavenotjustyours,butothers’livesaswell.Itwillbenecessary,insuchasituation,totrytomakethebestdecisionsforallinvolved,withoptimumacuity,inaslittletimeaspossible.Aleader,then,needstobecapableofworkingwellandefficientlyunderstressfulsituations.Astrongleaderensureseveryone’swell-being.Waysyoucanbeastrongleader-Youneverknowwhenyoumaybeinasituationthatcallsforaleader,andevenlesssureofwhoyouwillbewithwhenyoufindyourselfinthatsituation.Thebestwaytoensureyourownwellbeing,andofthosewithwhoyoumightbestuckinthatsituation,wouldbetolearnandpracticeskillsthatwouldmakeyouagoodleaderinasurvivalsituation.Whatarethoseways?Don’tworry,herearesomewaysyoucanbeequippedtobeastrongleaderinasurvivalsituation-Aleadermaybeone,buttheythinkforthewholegroup.Thismeans,atalltimes,thefirstpriorityisthewell-beingofthewholegroup.Anotherpartofthisistounderstandthatevenifyouaretheunifyingfactor,youneedtotakeintoconsiderationeveryone’sopinion,eveniftheyconflict.Thedecisionshouldbeineveryone’sbestinterest.Practicewhatyoupreach.Beingaleaderdoesnotplaceyouaboveyourteam,butthatalsodoesnotmeanyoudonotcommandrespect.Leadbyexample,andyoucanberestassuredotherswillfollow.Remindpeoplethatyouareallonthesameteam,andconflictsonlycontributetomakingeveryoneweaker.Iftheunitycrumbles,sodoesthestrengthoftheteam.Asaleader,youcanalwayshelpbyresolvingissues.Butitisalsoimportantforeveryteammembertoknowhowimportantunityis,andhowfutiletryingtoone-upyourownteamis.Understandthateverymemberisdifferentandunique,andcanhelpwithdifferentthingsindifferentcapacities.Ifsomeoneisgoodatsomething,theyarebestutilisedallocatedtothattask. Remindthemthattheyareallworking towardsthesamegoal-everyone’swellbeing.Itworksbestineveryone’sfavourtobeascohesiveaspossible.Itisimportantforaleadertohaveforethought,aplanforasmanyscenariosasyoucandreamof.Italwayshelpstobeprepared.Expectthingstogobad,soyoucanbepreparediftheydoandrelievediftheydon’t.Itcanbeeverything-fromthingsnotgoingaccordingtoplan,fromresourcesthatyoucountednotbeingavailable,toconflictswithinyourgroup. Beagoodlistener.Beingaleaderoftenfeedsintoaperson’sgreedforauthority,thefeelingofpoweroverothers.Buttheothersareasmuchyourresponsibilityasmuchastheyarepeopleworkingtogethertowardsacommongoal.Listeningandunderstandingyourteammemberswillalsohelpyoubetterunderstandwhattheywouldbegoodfor,andallotthemthetaskstheywoulddothebest.Itisalsoeasierforyoutoresolveconflictsifyoubuildarapportwithyourteammembers.Youaremuchmorelikelytogetthroughtothemiftheytrustyou.Behonest.Asaleader,thebiggestresponsibilityistohaveeveryone’sbestinterestinyourmind.Beinghonestandtransparentmeanseveryoneisonthesamepage.Everyoneisawareofthesituation,andeveryoneunderstandsexactlywheretheystand.Itwillalsohelpmakeamorecohesiveteamifeveryoneisequallyinformed.Setrealisticgoals.Goalsthatareimpossiblemotivatenoone,anditbecomesawarthatislostbeforeithasevenbeenfought.Settingrealisticgoals,andadjustingoncetheyareachieved,notonlyhelpsbuildmomentumbecausepeoplearemorelikelytoworkdiligentlytowardsit,butachievingitgivesthemoraleboosttoachievebiggergoals.Whileitisalwaysagoodideatobepreparedtotakeoverandleadagroupifyouseemtobethemostequippedtodealwiththesituation,itisalsothemostimportantleadershipskilltoknowwhentostepdown.Ifthereissomeoneinthegroupwhoisbetteratcommandingrespect,betteratplanningandhavingforethoughtorbetteratthinkingforthewholegroup,therightthingtodoinsuchacaseistofollowtheminsteadofclashingforego.Agoodleaderdoeswhat’sbestforthegroup,andbylettingthemtakethelead,youaredoingtheleaderthingtodo.

As it unfolded-

On the afternoon of 9th October 2012, a small van was crossing a clearing in Mingora - a small city in the lush Swat valley, Pakistan. The van was full of children returning home from school. Barely a kilometre away from the school gates, the van was obstructed by two men, who then stalked to the back of the van which was open and fired a shot that wounded 3 girls.

Why and Who -

The girl this attack was aimed at, was Malala Yousafzai, who was 15 at the time. What compelled two grown men to shoot at a 15-year-old child? Other than the lack of morals, the fact that Malala Yousafzai had dared to raise her voice and speak up against the Tehrik-i-Taliban. The Taliban had passed an edict and banned education for women in the Swat Valley. Malala and her peers, guided by Malala’s father Ziauddin Yousafzai, spoke against such an edict that stunted the possibility of women gaining an education and creating a better future for themselves. Malala was heralded by people from both within and outside Pakistan for being brave and directing the spotlight towards a very valid and concerning issue. The Taliban had infiltrated the Swat Valley since 2004, but truly began their reign of terror in 2007-2008 when they exercised violence on those who chose to defy their instructions. They had gained their influence by promising the people a just court when they had been failed by Pakistan’s judiciary system. But this charade of wanting the betterment of the people quickly fell when they started exerting aggression and violence to have their rules followed. Their aim was to wipe western influence, a sentiment that has its root in hostility from America after 9/11 and the militant invasion in Afghanistan led by America.

This rejection of western ideology, to the Taliban, meant banning television, and music, banning women from going out shopping, and the tipping point of this dispute - a ban on the education of young girls. Malala’s father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, a champion of education and rights for every child to be educated, ran a school. As the Taliban gained more influence in the Swat valley from the more rural areas, he had predicted very early on that the education of children of Swat may be in danger. He had been very outspoken about his cause, and so encouraged his daughter to do the same. When BBC Urdu approached him to find a child who would write a blog for BBC Urdu, a blog that would articulate the perspective of a child in the Swat valley - and how their daily life and education is affected by the Taliban - Ziauddin asked Malala to write the blog under a pseudonym after another older girl’s parents advised their child to refuse out of safety concerns. After all, speaking out against the Taliban was the equivalent of painting a bull’s eye on your back, making yourself a target. Following the blog, Malala used every channel and media platform that approached her to speak on the importance of educating women, and why it was important for her to speak up for her, and that of every girl child’s, right to education.

The Taliban went on to blow up hundreds of schools to set an example, to make sure they communicated clearly to the people of Swat, that they meant what they said. And if they said they did not believe in the education of women, they would make sure to eradicate all mediums of education from them. But they underestimate the resilience of the people of Swat, they continued to educate young children, young women regardless. Boys school shut down in solidarity, too. Unfazed, Malala continued to speak and spread her cause. The Taliban tried to deter her in the form of death threats, all ranging from Facebook to slipping notes with threats under her door, they made their intentions clear. Finally, in 2012, in a meeting, the members of the Taliban decided to kill her, which led to the even of 9th October.

What happened after-

Despite the direct attempt at her life, Malala survived. Possibly out of sheer determination and resilience, but also because the support for her from around the world also ensured the best medical treatment for her. The bullet shot entered from above her left eyebrow, through her neck and lodged itself in her shoulder. Despite that and because of intensive medical care from doctors in both Pakistan and in Birmingham, she recovered. Despite the bullet passing through her brain, causing brain swelling, she retained her cognitive and verbal abilities. She lost sensation in her facial nerve which had been damaged beyond repair, and a cochlear implant. All of this, when she was just 15.

Creating History-

She created History barely 9 months after her surgeries - she addressed the United Nations Assembly, in the headquarters in New York. Her speech was broadcast all over the world. She spoke, as a leader of the youth, one who had survived through something a 15 year old definitely should not have, moreso not for wanting an education which should be a basic right for every child - perhaps in an ideal world.

She survived the ban on education for girls, she survived watching her peers being obstructed from building a future for themselves, she survived speaking out in an environment that only meant danger, she survived fearing for her father’s life, she survived fearing for her own life, and ultimately - she survived an attempted assassination. She survived through it all through her initiative and ability to stand at the forefront of a movement. She took it upon herself to write the blog when she didn’t have to, she spoke up to radio and TV and media channels herself instead of relying on others, on adults, to speak up about the wrongs. She continued to speak despite threats to her life, on her survival. She continued to move her cause forward even as her life was at risk. In the hospital, too, once she was conscious, she actively took part in discussions and took her own medical decisions. Every time her survival was at risk, she took it into her own hands to fight for herself and do what was right - for her and for those as affected as her.

Conclusion-

When the going gets tough, sometimes you have to stand up and take the mantle instead of expecting someone else to do it. If you were to wait for someone else to take lead, especially in a survival scenario, you may as well be jeopardising your own safety. For your own survival, and those along with you, someone has to take charge and have the forethought to handle the situation. When acting as a group, people often tend to rely on each other and have diverse thoughts and opinions. This does not always translate into the best decision for the group. There is a need for someone to oversee and unify the scattered thoughts, to take into consideration the various opinions and come to a decision that is in everyone’s best interest. And that someone is the leader.

Leadership -

Leadership is quite possibly one of the biggest skills you can emulate within you to ensure you never find yourself in a situation where you are clueless or dependent on someone who is not equipped to deal with a situation that will have repercussions you will have to face as well. It is important to employ your leadership skills in both, your personal and professional lives, to ensure that you and those involved in your life in any capacity as safe and comfortable.

In a survival situation, one that endangers your life, taking leadership seriously might save not just yours, but others’ lives as well. It will be necessary, in such a situation, to try to make the best decisions for all involved, with optimum acuity, in as little time as possible. A leader, then, needs to be capable of working well and efficiently under stressful situations. A strong leader ensures everyone’s well-being.

Ways you can be a strong leader-

You never know when you may be in a situation that calls for a leader, and even less sure of who you will be with when you find yourself in that situation. The best way to ensure your own well being, and of those with who you might be stuck in that situation, would be to learn and practice skills that would make you a good leader in a survival situation. What are those ways? Don’t worry, here are some ways you can be equipped to be a strong leader in a survival situation-

A leader may be one, but they think for the whole group. This means, at all times, the first priority is the well-being of the whole group. Another part of this is to understand that even if you are the unifying factor, you need to take into consideration everyone’s opinion, even if they conflict. The decision should be in everyone’s best interest.

Practice what you preach. Being a leader does not place you above your team, but that also does not mean you do not command respect. Lead by example, and you can be rest assured others will follow.

Remind people that you are all on the same team, and conflicts only contribute to making everyone weaker. If the unity crumbles, so does the strength of the team. As a leader, you can always help by resolving issues. But it is also important for every team member to know how important unity is, and how futile trying to one-up your own team is.

Understand that every member is different and unique, and can help with different things in different capacities. If someone is good at something, they are best utilised allocated to that task.

Remind them that they are all working

towards the same goal - everyone’s well being. It works best in everyone’s favour to be as cohesive as possible.

It is important for a leader to have forethought, a plan for as many scenarios as you can dream of. It always helps to be prepared. Expect things to go bad, so you can be prepared if they do and relieved if they don’t. It can be everything - from things not going according to plan, from resources that you counted not being available, to conflicts within your group.

Be a good listener. Being a leader often feeds into a person’s greed for authority, the feeling of power over others. But the others are as much your responsibility as much as they are people working together towards a common goal. Listening and understanding your team members will also help you better understand what they would be good for, and allot them the tasks they would do the best. It is also easier for you to resolve conflicts if you build a rapport with your team members. You are much more likely to get through to them if they trust you.

Be honest. As a leader, the biggest responsibility is to have everyone’s best interest in your mind. Being honest and transparent means everyone is on the same page. Everyone is aware of the situation, and everyone understands exactly where they stand. It will also help make a more cohesive team if everyone is equally informed.

Set realistic goals. Goals that are impossible motivate no one, and it becomes a war that is lost before it has even been fought. Setting realistic goals, and adjusting once they are achieved, not only helps build momentum because people are more likely to work diligently towards it, but achieving it gives the morale boost to achieve bigger goals.

While it is always a good idea to be prepared to take over and lead a group if you seem to be the most equipped to deal with the situation, it is also the most important leadership skill to know when to step down. If there is someone in the group who is better at commanding respect, better at planning and having forethought or better at thinking for the whole group, the right thing to do in such a case is to follow them instead of clashing for ego. A good leader does what’s best for the group, and by letting them take the lead, you are doing the leader thing to do.