A drive for perfection

India is changing – that’s a line one hears often. The perception is further strengthened by the reality of the changing skyline. Infrastructure creation and building at a furious pace, to make up for lost time is transforming cities both old and new. One can’t but laud the initiative of governments both State and Central in this massive task – Highways, Bridges, Flyovers, Subways, Metro and Mono Rails and so on.
But on the evidence of a city like Mumbai, what is lacking is the desire for finesse, for perfection. Most things we build seem to be ‘hammer and tong’ jobs, built with sporadic bursts of speed replete with design errors and imperfection of elements. Notice how quickly the gleam of newness disappears and rust and creeping ruin quickly begin to spread it’s tentacles over the structure even a few months after the glitzy inauguration ?
New side walk tiles, as a small example - never set well in the first place, are ripped up, dug into or else simply disappear, leaving gaping holes; inter – locking grids laid on main arterial roads sink and form huge craters; flyovers are inaugurated and within the week provide new nesting grounds for mini slums and impromptu garages for broken down vehicles; rags flutter from railings of new pedestrian bridges; railings themselves simply disappear leaving gaping holes in the perimeter and so on. To a discerning eye the list is endless.
There is a dire need for a ‘review and oversight’ body that would monitor all public works for atleast a year after it’s inauguration to monitor execution, maintenance and repair.
Provision of new public utilities are praiseworthy but the challenge is to execute and maintain them in pristine condition. Or else we may be in danger of replacing old junk with new junk !
After all, ‘Perfection is the soul of enterprise.’

Leadership - reading the subtext

An effective leader of men is one who can empathetically listen and read the subtext. When one effectively engages another human, it is vital to listen keenly to what the other is saying. Listening itself is a skill that requires a true spirit of self–negation – the capacity to disregard the tapes that play in one’s own mind and listen to the tapes in another’s mind. Most people when effectively engaged reveal their innermost concerns, fears, desires, and dreams. These may not be immediately evident or overtly expressed but they are invariably expressed through the subtext which forms the underpinnings to what they actually say. The subtext is often about their needs in terms of affection, love, recognition, reinforcement – even the need for power. The wise and perceptive leader who can tap into these needs quickly builds an army of supportive and loyal followers – often powerful enough to move seemingly intractable mountains.

Leadership

Leadership
Tomes and tomes have been written on leadership and the word has been the most widely used in every forum of inter – personal transaction. Despite this it could be the least understood word in management lexicon.
An old story is told of a dying King preparing his son to take over the throne after him. Part of the young Prince’s preparation is to spend time in an isolated place surrounded by elements of nature. The Prince is quizzed about what he heard in the seeming stillness of the night. The Prince’s test ends when he is able to answer that he hears the quietly shed tears of the wounded tiger, the silent pangs of hunger that gnaws the belly of the aged lion, the agony of the parched grass as it awaits the first drop of rain......... The ability to hear, see, smell, sense the needs and desires of the faceless majority.
Several of today’s leaders would be unable to sense a need in a faithful follower even if it was gift – wrapped and swung on a yo – yo below their noses.
Contrast this with the Leadership of Jesus Christ. The Bible recounts the tale of a woman who suffered from an ailment for several years and in pure faith she reaches out from behind Him to touch the hem of His cloak. Though engulfed by crowds Jesus still feels the touch at the hem of His garment, the transfer of His healing power and turns around to ask “Who touched my garment ?.” The frightened woman falls at His feet and is instantly forgiven.
How many leaders of today would be as sensitive, intuitive or as empathetic ? If the Leader is not engaged with his people, he cannot influence them. Only engaged hearts can move machines or mountains.

The Teacher

Teaching is far more effective than preaching because teaching is about empathy - empathy for the learner and his lack of knowledge and understanding; sometimes for reasons of lack of intellectual capacity but more often because of a lack of knowledge of where to seek it. Therefore the true teacher points out to his student a direction, kindles purpose and curiosity and then leaves him to find the destination for himself. Purpose and curiosity then sparks desire and passion.
Jesus Christ is and was the role model Teacher – gentle, empathetic, directional. Conveying His simple life messages by parables and personal example. No wonder His teachings are timeless and still hold the power to change millions of lives.
It’s time to understand that Teaching works, Preaching does not, because Preaching seems to be increasingly about histrionics, hysteria, harangue or hyperbole. All of which are about the personality of the Preacher and less about the ‘personality’ of the message. Histrionics, hysteria, harangue or hyperbole can raise various emotions - awe, fear, disgust or admiration- but rarely emotions like desire, direction and passion. Preaching, thus, appeals to the transient ‘emotion of the moment’ and leaves the heart unmoved and untouched.