Article
Published by The Amador Vampyre on the 19th of February 2017From the house of shadow faerie - Leadership
In the world of the Vampire Community, the title of Leader is thrown around carelessly. In common use, it is almost synonymous with Elder, King or Queen. Unless these terms are clearly defined, the duties and responsibilities of a Leader are also left undefined….and there is more room for ego trips and personality issues than actual leadership. A Leader is more of a guide and role model, not the dictator of some social club.
A Leader leads others towards something or away from something else. What does a Vampire Leader lead to? There is no Vampire army, so it is not a Leader in the military sense. A Leader in the Vampire Community leads their people out of ignorance, out of dysfunctionality, out of confusion. A Leader leads their people into full awareness, helping the newly awakened or misinformed blossom into their full potential as an evolved vampiric being. This is not the delusion of role playing. A Leader helps the individual vampire to become aware of and deal with any and all negative aspects of their condition, to the best of both their abilities to facilitate this personal growth. Also, when applicable, a Leader helps the individual vampire to nurture the positive aspects of their condition–again to the best of the capabilities of both parties involved, in this cooperative effort.
To be an effective Leader in the Community, one must be able to navigate through the waters of social interaction with others, within their own particular group and the cooperative web of other groups and individuals in their network. To be as effective as possible, it is necessary to be as emotionally neutral as possible when dealing with others. Humans–all Vampires included–can be emotionally driven. An evolved being knows that emotions are to be mastered, not catered to. If one stays objective and unemotional when dealing with others, one can stay focused on whatever task is at hand. It is socially acceptable to react out of emotion when others do so first. However, this is the sign of the flock….to be affected by lower emotion. To be a great Leader, one must practice being bigger than the moment and being the most effective, by not reacting out of emotion in the moment of debate and discussion. There is a time and place to process fear-based emotions, such as anger. Conviction, confidence and passion are not the same creatures. An effective Leader knows when to act out of their center and not trigger others’ emotional reactions.
A Leader looks at the bigger picture. They consider all possible factors involved when dealing with others and, while they consider what is best for their most intimate connections, also consider the effects and affectations of those who are connected to those involved. A Leader is a thinker, not a bully. Keeping peace in the larger Vampire Community is practical. The newly awakened are attracted to and find groups and vampire types outside of our own. If we are cooperative and respectful to others of the larger community, we can direct the newly awakened to those kindred type which would benefit them most. We are like a village, making sure everyone’s children finds their way back to their respective homes at the end of the day.
A Leader acknowledges that those individuals that have found their way to him or her are individuals. This means that the individual has strengths and weaknesses inside and outside of what makes them a Vampire. An effective Leader is as realistic as possible about their charges and empowers them in their personal growth. True empowerment is not showing a Vampire how to snarl and bare their teeth at every imaginary threat, but how to remain centered and calm, to evaluate when the threat is actually harmless. More often than not, when a Vampire finds their center, we realize that most threats are harmless.
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The Amador Vampyre (2017)
