A leader needs people around Him. But the question that comes up is, "What kind of people do you need around you? I know the only response of an average man will be, to have good people around oneself. A leader need all kinds of people irrespective of their race, characteristics, personal qualities and attributes, gender, just to mention a few. Critics are very important groups of people needed anybody aspiring to be a great leader. A leader who endures criticisms always ends up successful in their leadership pursuit. They act as catalyst and agents of correction to the leader inadvertently. 
What do we say then? Should we say a leader needs people around him so he should make people his only source of strength? Absolutely not. A leader do not have to chase people; he has to be himself and use his strength to achieve what he has ahead of him. A leader may have a good vision but not everybody may buy into that vision. Some may and others may not. Those who believe and understand the viability of that vision will get closer to the leader and support him in that pursuit. On the contrary, those who do not understand or support such a vision will move away and act as critics to mar the efforts of the leader in his pursuit.

Eric Kwetey