Today’s leadership quote is by Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew.
Lee Kuan Yew was known for his iron fist with which he established the rule of today’s Singapore. He was respected for his leadership, and this is one of his most memorable leadership quotes. He said that leaders are not made in leadership courses.
They are made by everyday crises, hardened by situations. He said it with conviction in his book, “The Wisdom and Wisdom of Lee Kuan Yew”: “I do not yet know a man who became a leader as a result of taking a leadership course.”It’s a witty remark indeed, but the meaning goes deeper than his remark.
Who is Lee Kuan Yew?
Lee was born in Singapore during British colonial rule, and spent his youth in the shadow of World War II. Li was among the Chinese men arrested by Japan’s Suk Ching operation.
According to his own account, he feared he would be arrested by the Kempeitai (military police) and reported with a friend to be examined.When the war ended, Lee went to England to study law at Cambridge University. He excelled academically, and when he returned to Singapore, he set up his own law firm in Singapore.At that time, Singapore was headed by prime ministers under British colonial rule. In 1954, Li founded the People’s Action Party.
In 1959, Lee led the People’s Action Party to its first electoral victory, becoming Singapore’s first Prime Minister. Seeking sovereignty from the British Empire, Lee led Singapore to merge with Malaya along with Sarawak and Sabah, forming Malaysia in 1963. Racial conflict and ideological differences later led to Singapore’s expulsion from Malaysia and subsequent independence in 1965.This was his greatest test, because overnight Singapore became an independent country.
But it was not at all ready to establish the state. It was a small island with no natural resources, no real army, a high unemployment rate, a severe housing shortage, and deep racial tensions among its Chinese, Malays and Indians. Foreign experts have publicly predicted that Singapore will collapse within months.Lee was thrust into the crisis and set to work without giving up. Over the next several decades, he led Singapore through a radical transformation.
To reform the economy, he personally traveled around the world convincing foreign companies to build factories in Singapore. To ensure national safety, he established a compulsory military service program from scratch to build the army. To solve the housing crisis, his government built massive public housing complexes where different ethnic groups were forced to live together, breaking apartheid and preventing riots.
To maintain the integrity of the government, he established strict anti-corruption laws that applied to everyone, including his ministers.LKY then led his party to victory in seven elections and resigned in 1990 after becoming the world’s longest-serving Prime Minister.“At the end of the day, what did I get? A successful Singapore. What did I give up? My life.” He said.
