Confidence Building as a Leadership Trait

Giving confidence to the team is an essential Leadership Quality. Leaders must be critical of the team at times as required but it has to be ‘confidence building’ predominantly. Next in our ‘Valmiki Ramayana’ series is how Jambavan managed to build the confidence of Hanuman towards the end of Kishkinda Kand.

The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata have copious references to ‘Confidence Building’ in great details. Valmiki spent entire sargam 4.66 (38 slokas) in Kishkinda Kand on the importance of Confidence Building. If it is Jambavan in Valmiki Ramayan, it is Lord Krishna who takes up the leadership role in boosting the confidence of Arjun.

Let me continue the Ramayana story from where I left

Convinced by the words of good advice from Hanuman, Angad dropped the idea of settling down at the Black Cave. Left with no other option, Angad followed by some vanaras decided to commit ‘fast unto death’. Just then, an eagle Sampaati arrived in the scene desirous of eating the monkeys sitting on ‘fast unto death’.

Angad and the monkeys uttered their misfortune of not being able to find Seetha and in that process narrated their sad story including the death of Jatayu in the hands of Ravana and Jatayu’s final rites at the hands of Lord Ram.  By hearing this, Sampaati got startled as Jatayu was his younger brother. Sampaati requested the monkeys to bring him down from the mountain and requested the monkeys to narrate to him the story of Jatayu’s death. On hearing his brother’s death at the hands of Ravana and the noble deed of Lord Ram, Sampaati decided to be on the side of noble Ram and help the monkeys.  Having visited all the three lokas, Sampaati explained the route map to reach Lanka! 

Armed with the navigation details to reach Lanka (Sampaati Map!), the vanara team landed at the tip of the ocean in their quest to reach Lanka. What is left between them and the destination Lanka is the mighty ocean, 100 yojanas apart as per Sampati’s guidance (There are different opinions about the conversion of 1 yojana, believed to be 8kms to 13 kms). It is believed that this place is current Mahendragiri mountains and not Rameswaram. Sea might have retreated subsequently. 

One of the Vanaras had to cross the ocean to go over to Lanka to meet Sita. Vanaras were filled with fear and anxiety and started discussing the ways to cross the ocean safely. 

Angad gave a motivational speech to his team as the Leader of the team, “I have heard and known that you all have great prowess and strength. We should fulfill this task of finding Sita, and without that, we cannot return to our land. Confirm to me your willingness to take up this task and describe your strength to achieve this tough task?”

 On hearing this, each Vanara confidently gave numbers starting from ten yojanas upto 90 yojanas, 10 yojanas incremental, still short by 10 yojanas. Angad is confident of crossing 100 yojanas but not sure if he will have the energy to return back. As a leader ‘leading from the front’, he offered himself for the mission as no one else was exhibiting confidence. 

During this entire discussion, Hanuman, the most powerful vanara in that group, was sitting alone, silent, and did not offer any opinion. Old and wily Jambavan, the master strategist, knew that Hanuman was best suited for the challenge. He took up the responsibility of motivating Hanuman to take up the challenge by boosting his confidence. How Jambavan went about boosting Hanuman’s confidence is an interesting lesson for all the leaders. Let us look at a few important slokas amongst the 38 slokas of Jambavan’s confidence-boosting measures. All the 38 slokas are monologues from Jambavan and they explain various techniques that can be used for Confidence Building.

हनुमन् हरि राजस्य सुग्रीवस्य समो हि असि |

राम लक्ष्मणयोः च अपि तेजसा च बलेन च || Valmiki Ramayan 4-66-3

Jambavan to Hanuman – “By your brilliance and brawn, oh you are equal to the king of the monkeys Sugreeva, or even to Ram and Lakshman, as well.

Thus Jambavan starts by equating Hanuman to Sugreeva, his boss, even to Ram and Lakshman, who are his role models. This is a powerful technique for Confidence Building. Start with a big impact. Role models and positive quotes can do wonders.

पक्षयोः यत् बलम् तस्य तावत् भुज बलम् तव |

विक्रमः च अपि वेगः च न ते तेन अपहीयते || Valmiki Ramayan 4-66-6

Your arms are as powerful as the wings of the divine bird Garuda, who is superbly mighty in speed and is also daring.

Then he equates the power of his arms to the power of the divine bird Garuda’s wings. Jambavan also mentions in a previous sloka that Garuda regularly crosses oceans and picks reptiles from the oceans. The challenge in hand is crossing the ocean. By equating to Garuda, Jambavan wisely indicates to Hanuman that he is very much capable of crossing the ocean. Jambavan now gives the confidence that Hanuman has the necessary tools and techniques to accomplish the task.

Confidence Building measures will continue in the next episode:

POSITIVE NEWS PAGE

Translated from https://www.kynhood.com/blog/672864b1f5c2e10011d8d661

#AramSeivomTrust

Today’s positive news is about an IT professional who has made social service as his primary hobby. 

I am talking about S. Balachandar who is working as Assistant Vice President with a Private Bank at Chennai. Balachandar made it as his hobby to help needy whenever possible,

During the lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020, Balachandar ensured to cook food for 100 at his house and distributed food every day for homeless people. In addition, he used to go to the people affected by Corona to give them hope and support by giving food, nutritional supplements and GET WELL SOON cards.

Balachandar adopted 6 government primary schools near Chennai and donated them each essential furniture and staff. Contributed school bags, notebooks and pens for the children worth about Rs.1.5 Lakhs. He made it a practice to help affected people whenever there is a flood in Chennai. 

Balachandar is doing all his services through a trust registered in the name of #AramSeivom (Reads as ‘Let us do Service’ when translated). 

Let us all do Service and support people like Balachandar. Author is privileged to have worked with Balachandar S as a colleague in his company FutureCalls Technology Private Limited,

________________________________________ Conceived, compiled and posted as a weekly newsletter MONDAY MUSINGS in LinkedIn by Jaganathan T (www.authorjaganathan.com)