Whether it's a nation, a sports team, or a group of criminals, the impact of having a great leader can mean the difference between success and failure. This notion is reflected in the Big Brother Household where the person in the Head of House role has influenced the success of the group as a whole.
Nengi’s reign
Winning the inaugural Head of House challenge was a double-edged sword for Nengi as it gave her a taste of the perks of power along with an introduction into the dark side of leadership
The pros
Being the first to do anything allows one the opportunity to shine and the set bar for everyone else. Nengi set the bar incredibly high as there were no fights or disagreements during her time in charge. The Housemates spent countless hours getting to know each other and interacting positively. The Big Brother House seemingly enjoyed a week of harmony with Nenegi at the helm.
The cons
When it comes to getting winning results Nengi’s reign was lacking in them. The Housemates didn’t manage to win their Wager even though her efforts in getting them to bond were spectacular. The only other perceived blemish of her tenure was the lack of delegation to her Deputy. Wathoni was never asked to perform any duties that would have given viewers a clearer understanding of her personality, and that robbed us of the chance to get to know her.
Lucy’s reign
When the dust settled after the second Head of House games Lucy was in the top position and her reign was never to be forgotten. Lucy selected Prince as her Deputy and this was one of the stratagems of her rules.
The pros
In choosing Prince as her Deputy, Lucy unwittingly made something she would need much later on, a friend. After a heartbreaking Wager loss left Lucy inconsolable, it was Prince that dried her tears and helped her come to terms with the outcome. In the process, Lucy opened up to Prince and showed a side of herself that the others rarely get to see, her sensitive side. Even weeks after her reign was over, Prince and Lucy still interact, and he manages to always see the positivity in her that the other Housemate's often overlook.
The cons
According to the Housemates, Lucy’s reign was marred with unhappiness and they voiced their issues with her allegedly heavy-handed leadership style. An instance that cemented the negative sentiment was her handling of the nuclear war of words between Ka3na and Tolanibaj, as balanced leadership doesn’t usually choose aside. When asked to describe Lucy’s leadership style, Trikytee said “She wants us to clean the house every morning. I’m up for it too. But people are complaining. And I believe this would bring in more conflict. I foresee more issues.” His truth painted a grim picture.
Ozo’s reign
When Ozo took the reins and appointed Dorathy to be his Deputy, it began a streak of winning that the House had not enjoyed before.When he won the honour a second time he chose to Nengi as his Deputy.
The pros
There is no replacement for the instant happiness that comes from a win and during his time in charge, Oza and the Housemates got to enjoy numerous periods like this. Influenced by Ozo’s normally calm and collected style, the House seemed to be more focused on winning Tasks and the results reflected that.
The cons
His reign wasn’t without fault as his outburst at Prince proved, but his immediate apology gave the Housemates a glimpse of how wonderful thoughtful leadership could be. The sudden outburst was uncharacteristic of his usually calm style and may have had less to do with matters at hand and more to do with matters of the heart as Ebuka suggested.
Erica’s reign
The third Housemate that sat on the seat of power was Erica and her time on was filled with many memorable moments and surprisingly choosing Kiddwaya as the Deputy wasn’t one of them.
The pros
Winning has a way of uniting people and with Erica in charge, there were heaps of winning based unity floating around. The full purses from winning the Oppo Task and the Guinness Smooth Task ended a painful losing streak that had taken the wind out of the Housemates sales.
The cons
After Lucy’s reign ended, the hope was that drama in the House would diminish, but the disagreements continued and increased in intensity. Erica’ tongue lashing of Brighto for not prioritising the Wager preparation painted the picture that when angered, Erica didn’t always keep a cool head. The disagreement with Lucy was another example the Housemate’s noted as proof of discord. That particular situation even led Trikytee to comment during a Diary session that the Head of House needs “Work on her temper.”
Kiddwaya’s reign
Being the only Housemate to make the transition from Deputy Head of House to the Head meant that Kiddwaya enjoyed two weeks in a leadership role, and had more time to appreciate the nuances of leading. His time in the big chair was anything but forgettable.
The pro’s
The Housemates enjoyed a lot of freedom with Kiddwaya in charge and Biggie away. There were moments like the Hawaii challenge that showed how a liberated group can perform optimally. The many moments of bliss that Erica and Kiddwaya enjoyed in the Head of House Lounge also showcased the caring side of his character.
The cons
A Diary Session revealed that the Housemates felt that when Kiddwaya told the entire House that he “didn’t care” about the Wager preparations, he may have overstepped. This move didn’t go down well with the Housemates. Kiddwaya eventually did apologise but the geng felt that the effect of his stance wasn’t positive. His tenure during Biggie’s absence also featured a Wager loss and the most strikes handed out in a single week this season so far.
The impact of leadership methodology for the Head of House position has been seen to have a trickle-down effect on the Housemates performances and the general stability of their psyches. Time will tell if bad leadership could lead to good times in Big Brother House.
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