The Leader's journey

Poised at the first rung of the ladder every managerial aspirant looks upwards and dreams of reaching the top. The initial dreams are probably formless and vague. Somewhere along the way, presumably from observing the style and conduct of managers higher up in the hierarchy,the dreams translate to ideas of acquiring power, pelf and patronage. Though the attainment of these attractive,albeit misguided goals seem formidable challenges in themselves – the fears and uncertainties are more about impatient anticipation than about the difficulties of getting there; after all shortcuts are always more alluring and easily accessible.

Ironically, this is neither meant to be the Leader’s journey nor the Leader’s destination. The Leader’s journey is truly about the follower’s need to be led to the right destination. As has too often been said the Leader is about his followers – giving them the right dreams, direction and destination.
For an aspirant Leader who is tempted to follow ‘convenient’ role – models, it might be pertinent to consider – Am I playing out my own life or am I playing out to somebody else’s plan ? Set your goal to become an upright, principled, value – based Leader for what it can make of you when you achieve it. Do it to achieve your true Human destiny, to become the true Human Being you are created to be and expected to evolve into – You are created for love, peace, truth, justice and brotherhood.

Is this practical in the world of commerce ? It is not only practical, feasible and possible – it is also essential if the world is to be a better place and if every human beings deepest aspiration for love, peace, truth, justice and brotherhood is to be attained; after all commercial activity spans, engages and is the single biggest activity that dominates the collective consciousness of the world. If commercial activities shape politics, economies, policies, isn’t it time it influences and shapes human behaviour ?

An aspiring Leader should do it for the for the skills he would learn, for the knowledge he would gain – about the marketplace, about people he would lead. He should do it for the insights he gains into himself, for the tools to keep a rampant ego in check, to learn about charity and benevolence.

In a world that is slowly, but surely undertaking an inward quest it is imperative to tell the aspiring Leader – don’t sell out your principles, don’t compromise your values, don’t lose out on what you are born to become.......... the pain of discipline is always better than the pain of regret.

A Leader’s journey is perhaps, more a crown of thorns, than a bed of roses !