Radhanath Swami on Exemplary Leaders

What the great men do the common men follow. Therefore, the leaders on every level of society must set the proper example of God consciousness for others to follow. Whatever position of leadership one takes, one must set the example of how to perfect one's life. And who are the leaders? The guru a leader. If the guru is not setting proper example of how to perfect one's life, he has no business being a guru. The parents, the father and the mother, especially the father is a leader. If the father and mother are not living exemplary God consciousness lives by the authority of God, they have no right to be a father or mother; they’re cheaters. The king has no right to be a king; a politician has no right leading his people unless he is setting a perfect example of God conscious life for others to follow. This is the first responsibility each one of us has in our life - to set an example for those who are depending on us. This responsibility is more important than feeding the bellies of our dependents, because the animals are doing that too, even the demons are feeding the bellies, clothing and giving nice houses to their dependents. These things are required, that is surely a responsibility, but are secondary. The first responsibility is how we are setting an example for the world to be influenced by how we are guiding our dependents and our devotion to God.