Prof. Tarhan: "The War of Independence is an all-out war."

Stating that attributing success to a person alone is a kind of sanctification of that person, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that "This is the case in Eastern societies. We take refuge in the leader and relax. If the leader is strong, we are comfortable. We expect everything from the leader; however, it cannot happen in that way anymore. We are now in the 21st century."

In his remarks he made on TRT RADYO 1 within the scope of the November 10 Atatürk Commemoration Day and Week, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "When you are successful, success is not attributed to only one person, but it is attributed to the whole team. In fact, the War of Independence is an all-out war."

President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made evaluations on the concept of leadership and scientific leadership.

Hard times bring out strong people

Referring to the saying 'Difficult days bring out strong people', Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that the War of Independence process was difficult days, and that at the Sivas Congress, Medical Doctor Hikmet said to Mustafa Kemal, 'Pasha, as Medical Professionals, we want Independence, even if you oppose Independence, we will also oppose you. We oppose mandates, and we want independence. We do not accept mandates,' and Kemal Pasha's famous words to this Medical Officer, who later took the name of Hikmet Boran, as follows; 'Then, I think the same as you. It is either independence or death.'

The War of Independence is an all-out war

Stating that not accepting defeat means not accepting the mandate, Prof. Tarhan also reminded that the Istanbul Government dismantled Atatürk's rank under the pressure of the British, and that was when Kazım Karabekir came to Atatürk and said, "We are ready for your command, commander."

Prof. Tarhan said that "Leadership is in serious danger there, and here, the leader does not become the leader alone, but together with the team. One of the mistakes we make is in the military… Well, I know it because I have a military background. If a battalion takes a hill, the success is the entire battalion, but if a battalion loses the hill, the failure belongs to the commander. When you are successful, success is not given to just one person, it is given to the whole team. In fact, the War of Independence is an all-out war."

Emphasizing the importance of saying Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, Prof. Tarhan stated that giving success to a person alone is a kind of sanctification of that person, and that sanctification is the weakness of eastern cultures.

If the leader is strong, we are comfortable

Stating that sanctification feeds its opposite, Tarhan continued his remarks as follows: "While commemorating November 10, it is necessary to ensure the measure and balance very well. For example, individuals are not sacred in Western cultures, but they are system societies. We have not been a system society. This is the case in all eastern societies. We take refuge in the leader and relax. If the leader is strong, we are comfortable. We expect everything from the leader, but it cannot happen in that way anymore since we are now in the 21st century.

Group intelligence is superior to individual intelligence. At the moment, we have to think like this, what would Atatürk do if he were today? At that time, he had to act autocratically, but if he came now, Atatürk would have acted democratically."

The leader must be a visionary

Noting that the most important feature of leaders is that they are 'visionary', Tarhan said that "Therefore, the most important feature of scientific leadership is that it can be a visionary. For example, there is classical leadership, in which the classical leader manages the existing system and does not care about change. One obeys the laws and rules. The person is imperative and applies the legislation the same while the person makes no comment. They say ‘prohibition is my companion.’. Unfortunately, this is the disease of the leadership in the state bureaucracy, and it is also present in the new cadres. Young people are coming, but it is interesting that they get infected. And then there are the charismatic leaders, which is a little different from more scientific leadership. Charismatic leaders, for example, are draggers. The charismatic leader is important when winning battles, but in the long run, charismatic leadership is very dangerous in leadership because the person makes quick decisions and does not consult. They take risks. They are courageous and hardworking; however, they are like Formula racers. They drive the car very dangerously, and they flip very easily. Everyone watches with admiration, if they succeed. One becomes a hero. If the person fails, they go the dustbin of history."

The charismatic leader wants to control everything, they take risks

Explaining that charismatic leadership is not open to ideas, Prof. Tarhan said that "The charismatic leader crushes obstacles. They are result-oriented and in their mind no matter how the result is. They put the law in the background and has a high power of influence. The charismatic leader does not try to persuade because they are imperious. Their motivation is reward and punishment. They give the greatest rewards to those who obey them; however, treats those who do not obey unfairly. Initiative does not come easily. The charismatic leader wants to control everything and takes risks."

Stating that teamwork is important in scientific leadership, Tarhan said that the motivation of the employees is important and gives people a sense of success.

Stating that charismatic leaders want constant tension, Tarhan said that "They always need an enemy. They want tension so that they can evoke a sense of opposing side in their supporters.”

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)