The topic of leadership certainly doesn't lack for theories. Leadership is one of the most talked-about, researched, and written-about management topics. But from an overview perspective, what does it all means? Let's try to identify commonalties between the leadership theories and attempt to determine what, if any, practical value the theories hold for the TPLF leadership. It has been accepted as a cliche that good leadership is essential to business, to government, and to the countless groups and organizations that shape the way we live, work, and play. If leadership is such an important factor, the critical issue is: What makes a great leader? The tempting answer to give is: great followers!

Most scholars will argue that leadership is necessary and is a vital part of any successful organization or government. The only rational argument against leadership is that in some cases leaders can (like the TPLF) become very autocratic and can inhibit the creativity and talents of the people. Leadership is more important in Ethiopia now than ever as the country seeks to intensify war instead of working for peace and economic development.

The question for Ethiopia is how to best provides the kind of direction and support people need in order to survive? In short, how can Ethiopia ensure effective leadership? The answer to this question is not a simple one; but the nature of the TPLF leadership needs to change in order to meet the realities of the country. It is now widely recognized that for change to occur in Ethiopia, the TPLF leadership must change before other Ethiopians will. They have to change from autocratic (command-and-control) style to empowering, visioning, cooperating, and supporting the Ethiopian people. Such power sharing provides the Ethiopian people with a belief in their ability and their sense of consistency and effectiveness. This change in leadership is vital to the Ethiopian people today.

The TPLF leadership needs to create vision, the meaning within which all Ethiopians work and live. The Ethiopian people, by contrast, can act completely within the TPLF vision. What is the TPLF's vision of success?

What does the TPLF want the Ethiopian people to look like? How does the TPLF ideally want the Ethiopian Government to function? Leadership and vision remain fundamental to the understanding of the Ethiopian people and their government. This vision expresses the tension between the immediate national concerns and the broader interests of humanity and the future of Ethiopia. It is the tension between the reality of Ethiopia today and tomorrow. The TPLF leadership needs to articulate a meaningful vision and guidance for the Ethiopian people toward its realization. The TPLF leadership should know that if an idea or action is good for the Ethiopian people, it is worth learning and doing no matter where in the world it originated including Eritrea. By doing so, the TPLF leadership will be rated high by it's own people's orientation and satisfaction. History will remember them in setting good examples for their own people.

The TPLF needs to develop a wider range of thinking patterns and behaviors, along with the ability to select the pattern that is best suited to the Ethiopian people. They need to become capable of acting in many ways, not experts in rigidly adhering to one approach: WAR! The TPLF leadership also needs to change to democratic styles of leadership and to long-term criteria for decision making. Their decisions need to be on how the TPLF leads the people of Ethiopia toward goal setting and goal achievement which will be most effective and most appropriate.

The TPLF needs to know that they have responsibilities since their decisions affect not only economic development of the Horn of Africa, but also other problems that exist in terms of poverty, national security and environment for the region. It is sad to say that the TPLF leadership is still avoiding these responsibilities because their vision is continually obsessed with war rather than with peace, stability and prosperity in the Horn of Africa.

I wish people regarded the TPLF leadership as "visionary" and "the great pathfinder." I also wish the TPLF leadership would develop the following statement: "Our mission is to be recognized as the premier peace makers in the Horn of Africa." From this perspective, every Ethiopian is a potential leader, capable of contributing to the direction and support of each other as they pursue the conceivable goals and achievement the TPLF might seek to accomplish. With the entire human strength and resources in the Horn of Africa, together they can alleviate the region's disparities and its injustice. Now the TPLF must begin to think beyond war and national borders for the Horn of Africa.

The TPLF leadership needs to develop guiding philosophies, or what will become shared values among all Ethiopians in political, social, and economic development. They should communicate the vision, mission, and values they want to share with their fellow Ethiopians. The TPLF should stress the need to change from their current leadership (autocratic) style to a new people empowerment (democratic style). By doing so, Ethiopians will find new solutions to their current problems. As the TPLF leadership style changes, the level of the Ethiopian people's loyalty, morale and enthusiasm will increase. In other words, the TPLF leadership will find followers based on their visions that will reflect the values and goals of the Ethiopian people. The TPLF leadership will be referred to as champions in its need to change for the benefits of the Ethiopian people. This concept and practice will be expressed as a strong TPLF stand on the need for change and will have a major influence on their leadership style. In other words, the TPLF will have no need to hide behind barricades and will be able to live without any fear from their own people and nourish good style, quality, and value of leadership. This will materialize only when the TPLF recognizes some problems exist, and strives to make decisions to solve the problems in Ethiopia.

If decisions are to have any value, the TPLF needs to implement their vision that will guide them toward achieving long-term goals and short-term objectives. As leaders of Ethiopia, the TPLF must define their own moral imperatives. Their moral vision guides their personal and governmental behavior. It frames the goals the TPLF set, the takeoffs they are willing to consider, and the decisions they make.

How can the TPLF most effectively lead the Ethiopian people? How should the TPLF regain the population's confidence? How can the TPLF make the best decisions? The solutions for these questions remain culturally specific. They guide thinking and action only within the Ethiopian cultural context. Based on the Ethiopian context of their operations, the TPLF must constantly decide to use more democratic style of leadership. Their decisions, to be most effective and most appropriate, must depend on the particular cultural need of the Ethiopian people. Observation and analysis of each particular culture within the Ethiopian nationalities and situation can determine the TPLF answers. Otherwise and quite frankly, a country like Ethiopia today - short of leadership - has little chance for survival.