Where has Tribal leadership disappeared to? During the last century Native American leaders have looked a lot more like General George Armstrong Custer than like the great Chiefs of the past, leading our people to our "Last Stand"! Our modern Indian chiefs lack prophetic insight and strategic vision that is necessary to position our Indian Tribes in a competitive position for today's world. While Black leaders command the media, Asian leaders economics, and Hispanic leaders liberal politics, our Native leaders maintain the "Victims Complex" for Indian people. We are the Commanders of the Welfare Syndrome! Indian leaders fail to grasp principles of leadership that can leverage the advantages that are inherent to Indian people and Indian reservations. Tribal councils consistently seek for a messiah to turn things around on the reservations. The last half century they put their hopes on liberal politicians who would bring home the bacon, back in the seventies it was energy development, then the gaming messiah got everyone excited. We Indians are always hoping for "de claim, de claim". I think Sitting Bull had it right. He was prophetic, he had strategic vision, he was able to leverage power, and his ambitions was for the good of the people and not personal. Indian leaders need to transition from a local (tribal) worldview into a global vision. Tribal leaders need to escape from a victims mindset into an attitude of empowerment. That means trust and responsibility. If we don't do it for ourselves we will find ourselves in museums. "If the blind be the leaders of the blind, both will fall into the ditch!"
