03 August 2016

Needed Skills for Leadership.

Vande Matarum!  Highly skilled and capable persons, driven by passion, seek to retain Leadership position in their chosen field. Very few make it to the top and give satisfaction to the leadership seeker. Often the reason for slipping at the last step comes from a lack of certain skills which are often found in plenty in those at the bottom. 

A quick study of key stories from our ancient  Purana  known as: Mahabharat, will give great clarity. During the time of banishment to the forest for 13 years, Bhim, Arjun and Yudhistir had key experiences which explain my point on missing skills. 

Bhim, the invincible in strength, fails to move even the tail of an old monkey blocking his path in a forest.  The world's strongest man is shocked till the old monkey discloses that he  is actually Bhims' older brother Hanuman, come to share certain combat tricks.  A simple lesson in HUMILITY and not pre-judging others on basis of known standards. 

Similarly, Arjun suffers defeat in a bow-arrow battle with an apparent forest dweller, who turns out to be the great Shiva in disguise. Same lesson in not pre-judging others on basis of known standards and learning humility in inter-personal relationships. 

There is the case of Yudhistir and his meeting an Yaksh owning a pool of water.  Extreme thirst causes four brothers to fall seemingly dead when Yudhistir  after slow and much clever thinking, decides to first answer the devine Yaksh disguised as a Crane.  The success of Yudhistir in satisfying the Yaksh, causes the latter to  allow Yudhistir freedom plus the life of one brother. Here Yudhistir chooses not the most able brother but a step brother Nakul, to ensure his step mother too has one son left alive. This skill of BALANCEING opposing interests amazes the devine being who then revives all brothers.  

The lessons of TTT or Tendency to Take Time, Humility before seeming Inferiors and, Balancing Multiple Interests, prove the neccessary qualities of GREAT LEADERSHIP.  How often, even highly qualified persons make great haste in reaching decisions, neglect to understand and listen to juniors and worse, fail to seek balance of conflicting conditions. This leads to failures in the long term and frustration in the presumed leaders. Beware ... Those that seek to retain the top status must integrate these skills in their daily interactions and decision making.  JaiHind!