AGE VS. COMPETENCE: WHAT SHOULD TRULY MATTER IN LEADERSHIP SELECTION?

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The debate over whether age should influence the election or appointment of individuals into leadership positions, particularly political offices, has been ongoing worldwide. Advocates for prioritizing competence over age argue that the ability to lead effectively should be the key criterion, not the number of years a person has lived. They often cite examples like the current U.S. President, Joe Biden, who at 79 years old is regarded by many as performing well in office. Supporters of this view maintain that as long as a candidate is in good physical and mental health, age should not be a barrier to leadership. They emphasize that leadership primarily involves executive functions—setting goals and overseeing their achievement—rather than physically performing every task. According to them, a leader’s role is to monitor and guide rather than be physically present for every action.


On the other hand, opponents argue that older individuals, especially those above 65, should be discouraged from seeking political office, particularly in developing countries. Their concern is that despite good health and mental acuity, older leaders may lack the physical agility and stamina required to endure the demanding nature of leadership roles.


This article seeks to juxtapose age and competence to determine which factor should carry more weight in leadership selection.


Biologically, humans begin to experience a decline in physical strength and agility starting around the age of 40. Muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility diminish naturally with age. This biological reality is widely accepted and reflected in various fields, such as international football, where players over 35 are often considered past their prime for active competition. Another example is menopause in women, which typically begins between the ages of 35 and 50, marking a natural decline in fertility and signaling the end of natural conception. These are natural processes that illustrate the impact of age on human capabilities.


Given these considerations, it is our position that age should indeed be a significant factor in electing individuals to leadership positions. While competence is crucial, the physical demands and endurance required for effective leadership cannot be overlooked. Age, therefore, should be taken seriously as both a merit and a demerit in the selection process to ensure leaders are not only capable in mind but also resilient in body to meet the challenges of their roles.

Comments

  1. gizi21 October 2022 at 21:24

    Great piece!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Reuben Nwajei23 October 2022 at 07:26

    Good write up

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous24 October 2022 at 17:14

    As the writer suggested, aged personn whether of sound mind or not should be discouraged from occupying
    a high politocal position such as the presidency. This is because of the chalallenges that go with such oosition

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous24 October 2022 at 17:55

    Age is a factor that should be considered while electing people into offices. Although maturity sometimes does not go with age but it is better to elect a younger person to an aged person

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous25 October 2022 at 22:02

    An interesting read.
    I am of the opinion that young leaders should be allowed to run the affairs of their country by changing the narrative like we have seen in Canada, France and now UK.
    They should equally know when to throw in the trowel when they have failed to deliver on their democratic promises as Liz Truss did.
    It will not be a disgraceful thing but a show of integrity, empathy and responsibility.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Angelus Nig Ltd29 October 2022 at 16:43

      Thanks for your input. It's left for the electorate to decide, insofar the election is free and fair

      Delete
  6. Anonymous28 October 2022 at 23:42

    This is an interesting piece. Some people are born leaders,some acquired through formal and informal learning.
    Leadership is dynamic and ever changing with varied styles.
    The aged should sit and mentor the youth from the wealth of their experiences because some youth lack focus.
    In my opinion,both should be given the opportunity to lead or in a team there should be three youth with one or two aged.
    This is so because the youth may have the strength, knowledge, skills etc but would not have the patience, wisdom, and experience to plan strategically to implement and monitor then evaluate.
    In leadership, no one person has all the qualities,in collaboration as a team,the diverse gifts/ talents are put to play to achieve the desirable results.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Angelus Nig Ltd29 October 2022 at 16:45

      Thanks for your contribution. We welcome constructive criticisms such as this.

      Delete
  7. gizi29 October 2022 at 13:48

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. gizi29 October 2022 at 13:50

    In addition, I am of the opinion that aged folks *who are healthy should be allowed to contribute their own quota to leadership.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Angelus Nig Ltd29 October 2022 at 16:46

      Thanks Gizi, we appreciate your contribution.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous3 November 2022 at 12:31

    Very interesting and lovely topic .

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mechi cosmas3 November 2022 at 12:36

    Very interesting and lovely topic

    ReplyDelete

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