MONDAY MUSINGS SEASON 2 - EPISODE 263
Fourteen Leadership Flaws
27th May 2024
Fourteen defects a leader should avoid are:
Atheism, falsehood, anger, inattention, procrastination, not listening to the wise counsel, lethargy, gratification of five senses, autocratic leadership style, taking advice from people who waste time in worthless acts, failure to track and implement decisions taken, inability to keep strategic decisions secret, omission of auspicious practices and setting out against all the enemies at a time – Valmiki Ramayan 2.100.65, 66 & 67
#AutocraticLeadership
Throughout #Ramayana, we find Rama being a participative leader. He involved initially his siblings and later his lieutenants in all his decision-making process. He did not impose his decisions on others using power. Thus, he created a positive work atmosphere. Vanara Sena fought for him wholeheartedly respecting his democratic leadership style.
Lord Ram and Lord Krishna demonstrated many contrasting leadership styles, but both were aligned to democratic leadership style.
Lord Krishna approached problem solving by reaching out to others. He engages his allies as well as his team members through dialogue, interview, discussion, storytelling as well as other communication modes. He built a team of senior skilled professionals who contribute for the decision-making process. There were many instances in #Mahabharatha of consultation sessions with description of lengthy deliberations with people aligned on the side of the Pandavas facilitated by Lord Krishna.
Interestingly, we see in Mahabharatha that Krishna had already made up his mind and decision, but he wanted the same to come up from his team so that it seems a collaborative effort.
एकः स्वादु न भुञ्जीत नैकः सुप्तेषु जागृयात्। एको न गच्छेदध्वानं नैकश्चार्थान्प्रचिन्तयेत्॥ पञ्चतन्त्रम् – अपरीक्षितकारकम्-९५ कथा #ViduraNiti 1.45
Alone one should not devour a delicious meal, nor alone reflect on concerns of profit, nor alone go upon a journey, nor alone remain awake among sleeping companions.– Vidura Niti
Good comparison. Autocratic decision making is like remaining awake among many sleeping companions. Waste of time as well as painful.
Taking counsel from negative people
Literal translation of anartha janaha would mean people who do not have a meaning or purpose in life. Thus, Valmiki’s advice is to avoid taking counsel from people who waste their life, literally. People who waste their life would not be able to give useful advice or may give wrong advice.
द्वे कर्मणी नरः कुर्वन्नस्मिंल्लोके विरोचते।
अब्रुवं परुषं कश्चित् असतोऽनर्चयंस्तथा ॥ #ViduraNiti 1.50
A man may attain renown in this world by doing two things, viz., by refraining from harsh speech, and by disregarding those that are wicked. Vidura Niti 1.50
Disregard those who are negative minded for they might dampen your spirits, your positivity.
Failure to implement decisions taken.
Failure to implement the decisions taken is grave injustice to the time spent in arriving at the decision. Valmiki advised earlier not to be autocratic and to consult all the stakeholders who are positive minded. Failure to follow through and implement a decision taken after collaboration with many stakeholders is not only injustice to our own efforts but also to so many others who had contributed to the decision. They will lose respect and will not actively and willingly participate in further deliberations.
Meetings are conducted so that decisions can be taken, and decisions are taken so that they are implemented. What is the purpose of collaboration if the collaboration does not result in concrete actions.
Meetings without coordinated and collaborative discussion is of no use
Discussions without an action plan serves no purpose
Action plan without assigned responsibility does not get implemented
Responsibility is in tracking and implementing the actions. #Jaganathan
Secrecy of strategy
Valmiki emphasized the importance of secrecy of strategy in an earlier sloka in the same saragam, ie 2.100. Valmiki now introduces ‘not maintaining secrecy’ as a leadership flaw.
यस्य कृत्यं न जानन्ति मन्त्रं वा मन्त्रितं परे। कृतमेवास्य जानन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते ॥” - विदुर नीति – #ViduraNiti.
He whose intended acts, and proposed counsels remain concealed, and whose acts become known only after they have been done, is considered wise.
_________________________________________________________________________________
#PositiveNewsPage
#BijuKumarSarmah, a teacher at Jyoti Protap Gyanmarg Bidyalay in Jorhat district, has been sowing seeds of environmental awareness for years by distributing and gifting saplings. His obsession with plants earned him the nickname ‘Gospuli’ (Sapling). He travels miles on his two-wheeler with bags full of saplings for distribution, motivating people to make their surroundings greener.
In 2002, he joined the NGO ‘New Gram Seva Sangstha’ and travelled across the state to spread awareness on issues including the environment and health. In 2014, he had to return home when his father fell sick. He was asked by his father not to move away from him This made him operate out of the village. But his ambitions and passion could not restrain himself within the village for long.
Sarmah formed an NGO called ‘Rengoni, A Hope’. He gathered like-minded people and built a nine-member team initially to spread the network. The NGO began working among people in different areas on environmental issues, collaborating with various state government departments and institutions to organize awareness campaigns.
He receives saplings for free from the forest department, and his friends and well-wishers also provide them from time to time. Recognizing his efforts, the state government appointed him as an honorary wildlife warden, and he worked closely with the forest department even after the expiry of his stint with the forest department.
“People call me #Gospuli. I am happy that the saplings have given me an identity,” Sarmah says.
Content courtesy - The New Indian Express.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Conceived, compiled and posted as a weekly newsletter #MondayMusings every Monday by #AuthorJaganathan (www.authorjaganathan.com). Subscribe Monday Musings, Like, Share, Read, Comment and #SpreadPositivity.