IT is very hard to be a leader of a nation; the decision to be one is not just an afterthought but the result of careful discernment and deliberation, including a lot of situational learning as one climbs the political ladder. Situational learnings teach a leader how to decide, from simplifying issues to assembling the right team, marshaling the right facts, creating a good process, and acting decisively. Situated learning theory states that 'every idea and human action is a generalization adapted to the ongoing environment; it is founded on the belief that what people learn, see and do is situated in their role as a member of a community' (Lave and Wenger, 1991).

No one is prepared to be president, but prepare one must if a leader is serious about wanting to govern, for hard lifting is necessary to confront problems and deal with uncertainties. Mind you, a leader stays for six years in office, and that is almost like a decade. A decade of missed opportunities brings a nation back to oblivion. Though no leader 'makes the right decision every time, but a structured approach can improve the odds.'