According to Bhagvad Gita leadership is the process of showing the way to others by one’s own example. Lord Krishna has stated in Bhagavad Gita that others will do what the leader does and others will behave in conformity with the behaviour of the leader. “Yadyad aacharati shreshtah tattadevaitaro janah sayat pramaanam Kurute Lokastadanu Vartate”) People would like to follow the example of the leaders whom they perceive as the best. The behaviour, conduct, actions and practice of the leaders would create an impact on the behaviour, conduct and actions of the people. It is therefore, necessary for the individuals at the leadership level to behave in the best manner, adopting high moral standards and integrity. They have to set examples and standards so that, others are inspired to adopt similar standards and norms in their behaviour and actions. If they are inspired in the right direction, they too will adopt the path of best conduct and right values and actions and will try to become responsible active and performing leaders.
Relevance :
Leadership is relevant and has a great role to play in all group activities. An individual can become a good and responsible leader by acquiring certain vital qualities. If we study the lives of great leaders like Gandhiji, Nehruji, Sardar Patel Stalin Washington, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Churchil and many others we find that they became great leaders by dint of their personal efforts, hard work and sacrifice.
Leadership exists in all group efforts and group activities or in situations where there are many other individuals. Leadership thus exists in relation to other people. It has no relevance in a situation where a man lives alone.
Bhagavad Gita and to be more specific the preachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna in Gita have brought out the relevance and importance of leadership and the qualities required for a responsible and effective leader.
There are two vital factors which are essential for the success of leadership. They are (1) Functional competence (2) Co-ordinating or general ability. Functional competence implies knowledge of one’s job, profession, activity or vocation.
Functional competence :
As stated by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita a responsible leader must have full knowledge of the activity of the group and he must be able to adopt a total and holistic approach to accomplish the tasks. He must know how to optimally integrate management, science and technology using the fire of his knowledge. All his actions are driven by fire of thought, contemplation and knowledge. A leader must have adequate knowledge of his chosen area of activity. If he is a
doctor aiming at leadership in the field he must be a studious, knowledgeable medical professional and he must keep his knowledge and information constantly updated by regular study and by reading medical journals and periodicals and by attending to and participating in conferences, professional seminars, etc. If he is a teacher and wants to be effective and responsible teacher, he must study his subject well and he must keep abreast of the developments in respect of the subject he handles. He should know the latest things as well. The same is true of all professionals be they lawyers, engineers, architects, auditors or bankers. Politicians seeking to lead the country must know the country and its people well. They must study the national economy and know the problems, concerns and challenges facing the nation.
General Ability :
The second vital factor is co-ordinating or general ability. The ability to co-ordinate, control and guide the activities and work of all individuals in a group, the ability to bind the team or group and the ability to bring about full involvement and unity of purpose on the part of all members of the team or group are fundamental for the success of a leader. One can be called upon to lead a group if he is able to influence the group and make it work in the manner he wants.
Adequate knowledge of the field or area of activity in which a leader seeks to provide leadership is very important. Ideas rule the world. An ignorant man who does not know what the group needs may not be able to provide effective leadership. He will miss the essentials and instead cling to useless, irrelevant and worthless things. For providing leadership you need not be the master of every thing. It is enough if you have rudimentary knowledge of various branches of knowledge. The process of providing leadership involves providing vision and providing a perspective.
Providing Vision :
A good leader inspires others through scores and hundreds of visions. He has visions and he makes others to perceive his visions. Vision usually creates a mission. Therefore, a leader must have vision and perspective. A leader need not know XYZ of all things. It is enough if he knows ABC of many things. With such rudimentary knowledge he can make further efforts and acquire further knowledge. Ability to acquire knowledge depends upon one’s grasp which can be sharpened through practice and experience. Grasp and absorption will be quick when you already have some knowledge. Knowledge gained by wide reading, observation, association interaction with others and practical experience and exposure can provide good stock of knowledge and this can even be called practical intelligence.
Practical Intelligence :
Practical intelligence is the ability and competence to solve problems as and when they emerge. Leaders and executives in leadership positions need practical intelligence in abundant measure. Experience, exposure knowledge and imagination help us in developing practical intelligence. Once a leader builds up practical intelligence within himself, he can form correct and appropriate judgements and arrive at sound decisions. Lack of knowledge will reduce the self-confidence of a leader. Poor knowledge inefficiency and ignorance, will be a serious constraint to one’s leadership and the same will expose him to ready attack and criticism by rivals. If the leader is knowledgeable with no negative qualities attached to him then others will admire him and may even come to him for guidance. Therefore, for playing leadership role effectively one must know his job well. There is no end to the process of learning. A responsible and effective leader is always a learner.
Reading Minds :
A leader must know his people well. He must have some knowledge of psychology so as to be able to read the minds of the people he seeks to lead. Study of psychology will enable the leader to learn and understand human behaviour and the ways in which human need satisfaction and motivation can be achieved. A leader must be emphathetic and he must treat all equally. He is one among the equals. Good leadership is always reassuring leadership. Bhagavad Gita states that doers of good things and good deeds will never fail.
A responsible and effective leader continuously engages himself in work and through the medium of work he communicates to others the importance of performing duties and responsibilities promptly and in time. A leader may have to deal with his superiors, colleagues and juniors. He must therefore learn the art adaptation. He must learn to adjust himself to the needs and aspirations of all individuals. Each man has separate and distinct personality and a point of view of his own. Different individuals will re-act differently to a given situation. Therefore, the more a leader knows his people, the greater are the chances of his success.
Divine Success :
A leader as stated in Gita must try to make the success of the group a divine success. Sharing not only the fruits of success but also the credit for success lifts any success to the level of divine success as per the preaching in Gita. A leader must learn to accept what has happened without worrying about what has not happened. This is wisdom. A leader must therefore make his people accept the reality.
A responsible leader corrects the wrong and protects the right according to Gita. In the Bhagvad Gita Lord Krishna has said:
“Paritraanaya Saathunaam
Vinaashaayacha Dush Kritaam
Dharma Samsthaapanaarthaaya
Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge”
(“To protect the good and right people
to destroy the evil and wrongs of men
to establish the right at each stage
I come at right time yuga after yuga”)
A leader must keep this constantly in mind and take prompt action to correct the wrong things and to protect the right.
A responsible and effective leader will never be fickle minded. He has no doubt regarding the action to be taken and regarding the new initiatives required. He always adopts a doubtless stand or position. Lord Krishna has clearly stated in Gita that one should not be wavering in mind and should adopt a doubtless stand.
Total concentration is an attribute of good leadership according to Gita.
Value adding leadership:
A good and effective leader establishes his credibility and transparency. If a leader keeps his word and there is no gap between his preachings and actions and he conforms to norms rules and values apart from advising others to show such conformity he will be able to establish his credibility. The leader must ensure full transparency in his functioning. A leader to be effective must give importance to values. By doing so he may provide value-based and value-adding leadership which can transform a group into a valuable team.
Credibility is a vital factor for the success of leadership. The head of an institution be it Chairman of a corporate, or a public sector bank may for the sake of projecting his image declare in his public speeches that he will ensure all promotions based on merit alone. On the other hand, he may promote officers and staff based on other considerations best known to him alone. Through such action, he will lose his credibility and his image will be tarnished. Credibility once lost is lost for ever. Leaders must therefore build up and maintain their credibility at all costs. This is crucial for leadership success. Fortune it is said favours the brave. Similarly achievement and performance also favour the brave. Leaders who are dynamic, who dare and act alone can perform. Leaders who are bold and assertive in times of need and who themselves take initiative at the right time can perform. Leaders who strike the iron when it is hot can achieve excellent results.
Performing Leadership:
Leadership which absorbs, builds up and maintains within itself the above vital factors qualities and attributes can be successful leadership. As per preachings in Gita, leadership must always be enlightened encouraging motivating and inspiring leadership. Leadership for its enduring success must be ever active, credible, responsible value-based and transparent leadership. Such leadership alone can be performing leadership.
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