Devdutt Pattanaik has been one of my favorite authors for the
past couple of years. He combines my two favorite loves: Hinduism and
Leadership.
It’s a short article. My previous post has talked about the
‘why’ of an organization but this one talks about the ‘why’ of a leader. The
article encourages you to reflect on your motivation for being a leader in your
organization. Are you a
leader in X for your own sake or is it for the sake of the members you are
working for? I know there is
a politically correct answer but this question is rhetorical so no need to be
PC.
I was moved by this reflection at a time of conflict in my
organization. It gave me clarity at a time of need. When asked to complete a
task I would instinctively, out of habit, respond with the amount of time I
could contribute to that task rather than remembering that I was in a fortunate
position to complete that task. The choice of words here set a standard, a
culture for generations to come. It is a very altruistic stance to take: always
thinking of the populace and not self but I think with practice it helps me
stay focused on the goals at hand.
Leaders are instruments to carry out the vision and mission laid
out in that organization. It is important to remember that the cause is more
important than the individual leader. Without this ideology in practice, I’m
sure we are all capable of being good managers but do we become leaders?
I was encouraged that day to take the first step to emulate
Bhagwan Ram of Ayodhya, I hope you are as well. Let's fulfill our duties and
complete our tasks. Let's lead the way we want to be led. Let's treat our
position as a privilege and not as a burden. Let's inspire people to take our
place soon.
Favorite line: “There
are kings who exist for the kingdom, and there are kingdoms that exist to prop
up a king”.
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