Lessons in Humility & Courage for Leadership

“Great leaders create more leaders, not followers.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

I have often heard that a great leader does not lead from the front but walks alongside his people. A languid figure walking shoulder to shoulder with his counterparts, a part of the crowd. Fascinated by such leaders and reading about them in the pages of lore, the likes of Akbar and  King Arthur of the round table, I too was under the impression that, I could mirror them with proficiency. A messiah of sorts who could lead his people into the light of a distant vision.

So confident was I about my capabilities and the requisites of a good leader that I recall once, as a child, being extremely proud of being nominated to be the class monitor. Heady from the feeling of joy and a false sense of superiority, I proceeded to be quite authoritative with my fellow class members, anticipating them to listen to me due to my position.

Gosh! I was way off!

The result of this was me watching helplessly, the class dissolving into pandemonium, slipping completely out of my control. My pleading voice lost in the cacophony of my classmates.

Now, my teacher (God bless her soul!) could have done two things: 

1. Chastise the already terrified me and seize my position, wounding my ego and confidence and leave me to be ridiculed by my classmates

OR 

1. Admonish the class, forcing them to listen to me and thereby turn them completely against me in the process (Really! No one likes being forced!)

Instead, my enlightened teacher astounded me by taking me aside and instilling in me two of the greatest traits in a leader: Humility & Confidence.

According to her, a good leader, does not reign supreme. He understands the ‘other’ and is able to put himself in the person’s shoes.  He is one who understands and is aware that people will have flaws and that it is his duty to help and guide them so as to be able to reach the ultimate goal. A good leader, as such, is also aware of his own flaws and is ready to take assistance from others to build the pillars of success.

While I was contemplating on her words, my teacher used this opportunity to teach me another lesson. Something that has helped me boost my confidence throughout my years as an entrepreneur. To be enlightened is to understand that failures are the stepping stones to success. One must never be disillusioned by his failures and neither should admonish others for the same. Focus, rather on, the good deeds and qualities of an individual and strive to make the best of a situation.

The shivering me, even at the mere age of ten, understood that with these tools in hand, success is imminent. With this, there is no hurdle that one cannot overcome and no circumstance that one cannot get through on the path to success.

 

After all, a good leader is not defined by an individual but by the people that he or she leads.