I said goodbye last Thursday with my whole family – also collaborators, colleagues and friends – to Our father, Jorge Cárdenas Gutiérrez. More than a sad occasion, it was a wonderful opportunity to honor the memory of an exceptional being that marked our lives and the recent history of Colombia. Its legacy confirms that, even in increasingly tense and volatile times, marked by uncertainty, we can agree to build and advance. The most recurring message that I have received is that the country longs for that type of leadership, which seems increasingly difficult to find in the midst of so much struggle and polarization.
In spite of the fights and divisions that try to sell us as the only formula, it is possible to renounce resentment, ego and insults, changing them for serenity, calm and agreement. My father – general, tireless, methodical, conciliator and excellent negotiator – taught us that moderation is not a sign of weakness, but the maximum leadership proof.
Every time I convince myself that Colombia deserves a new type of leadership, capable of facing difficult times, promoting true change and promoting reforms without sowing the seed of new conflicts. In my opinion, that person must gather the following characteristics.
1. The true leader is the one that includes, not the one who divides. A leading leadership is not worth terms such as rich and poor, nor annuls their contradictors and detractors. On the contrary, it includes the businessman, the peasant, the farmer and also the politician. A true leader speaks less and listens more. Most of the time he does not have the answer to everything, and that is why he relies on the people who know the most on different topics, recognizing their own limitations and valuing others.
2. The leader is not for his own aggrandizement, but to build. There is key teamwork. It makes sense to hold others responsible for failures, reaping only applause: new leaderships must be empowered and build. That also develops the mystique of being part of an organization or a government, generating loyalty of the collaborators and defense of the institutions.
3. We must lead with a vocation for the future. good institutions are not static: they transform and modernize. The most successful leaders are those capable of adapting them to changing needs, and think of institutions as something to invest so that societies reap later.
My father firmly believed in this. He achieved the transformation of the coffee institutionality of a model based on international agreements that sought to stabilize prices to a free market. It was a difficult transition, from which the sector was strengthened. Having finished his management with coffee, he decided to boost the development of biofuels in Colombia. From the Federation of Biofuels promoted the legal framework and invited Colombian businessmen to invest in their development.
The true leader is the one that includes, not the one who divides. A leading leadership is not worth terms such as rich and poor, nor annuls their contradictors and detractors. On the contrary, it includes the businessman, the farmer, the farmer and also the politician
4. Leadership must be generous with others, but demanding with oneself. This translates into long work days, flexibility and willingness to put on the shoes of all people. Integral leadership gathers agendas that, even if they seem opposite, are connected to each other. What you learn supporting education and culture – two sectors in which my father got very actively involved – enriches union and business management.
As my daughter Isabela wrote in her tribute to my father: “Colombia has always needed genuine interlocutors, capable of remembering dialogues with international leaders with the same interest as conversations with the peasants. And most importantly: a large heart and a prodigious memory not to forget the teachings of the former and solve the problems of the seconds.”
5. Finally, leadership must be complete and transparent. You must put the values and principles ahead; That generates respect and credibility. A leader who has to repeat phrases like “I am not corrupt”, “I act with transparency” or “It is the fault of others” is not a true leader.
Colombia deserves criteria, firmness and experience. And deserves a leader who generates tranquility and nonviolence. A leader who distinguishes himself by good treatment and not by madrazos. That generates confidence instead of uncertainty.
Mauricio Cárdenas
En X: @MauricioCard
* In this space, various voices will rotate until the return of Germán Vargas Lleras.
