“Leadership
is the art of getting someone else to do something YOU want done – because HE
wants to do it “ – Dwight Eisenhower.
This is one
of the more profound descriptions of “ Leadership”, as we know it currently. Actually that is exactly
what leadership is all about.
If you have
seen the movie PATTON, recall the scene where George C. Scott (playing the
great American general ) exhorts his troops by stating – “ No
bastard ever won a war by dying for his country……….he won it… by making the OTHER
poor dumb bastard die for HIS country.” Truer words have not been spoken since.
There is a
latent desire, deeply embedded, in all of ours psyche to be leaders; in
whichever field we happen to pursue, whether it is Arts, Science or Commerce. Every
salesperson I have met has confessed to his/her secret desire to receiving “
THE BEST SALES PERSON OF THE YEAR “ award from his company…..and then the next
promotion . And this is all inclusive of the chosen profession, be it FMCG
(Fast Moving Consumer Goods), Advertising, Media, White Goods, Realty, Call Centers,
Electronics, Hospitality, or selling Balloons on chow patty or Bhel puri!!! And
trust me – this is the way we are made- (by the almighty), who else? This is a
human trait that manifests itself in our thought process, as soon as we enter
the mean world to earn our bread and butter. But only few of us actually are REAL achievers. You do not have to be
manipulative or a glib talker, because there is always the risk of your
intentions being exposed, and then you do not stand a chance of reprieve.
The best way
forward is to be a good human being – FIRST. Empathy, Sincerity, Hard work,
Friendliness and Humility are the qualities to Hone and Excel at to be a good leader of people.
Cut to the
news report IN THE TOI issue of 20th January 2013 , – “ SCIENTISTS FIND GENE THAT MAKES
NATURAL BORN LEADERS : The leadership gene , known as rs4950, is an inherited DNA sequence associated with people taking
charge. Scientists accept that
leadership skills are also learned. But the gene may provide the vital push
needed to make someone into a MANAGER rather than a MINION.”
Now, with a
discovery as big as THAT!!! How far away are we from converting this gene into
an App. or an injection or even a Viagra like pill ? Think of the possibilities
!
Our national leaders need “IT” the
most. Already we have Mamta Banerjee ( she manages to creep into my political
examples with amusing frequency). She is raring to sock the daylights out of
our “unspoken” Prime MinisterJI- because he is yet to respond to her repeated
request for funding her state. Of course she denied she MEANT that the next
morning, to be fair. Next
she may demand a catfight with Sonia Gandhi!!! Or in case her “violence
quotient” is any lesser, at least an arm wrestling bout….and the winner takes it
ALL.
But if she can lay her hands on THE
PILL- she may actually be able to speak intelligently some of the time, without
requiring Derek O’Brien to unscramble and make an iota of sense of her
utterances for the benefit of us lesser mortals.
And more recently Nitin Gadkari’s rant
at the Income tax officials probing his uncommon wealth-“ Mard hoon …sab ko
dekh loonga” which translates to “ I am a He Man I can take you on anytime” or
something to that effect………like Mamta Banerjee, he too did not MEAN that,
the next morning. If he gets THAT
PILL he would probably hang his head in shame and submit to all his financial
misdemeanors and walk into a prison voluntarily, LOCK HIMSELF IN AND THROW AWAY
THE KEYS. As would 90% of our “
Leaders”.
I get a feeling they will all refuse
to take this for fear of exposure.
So that leaves THE PILL for our
exclusive use, to pop at will.
Initially IT will cost a bomb, simply
because IT is so new. Only the super rich will be able to afford IT. By the
time we commoners can buy IT, most of us will be beyond caring to use IT.
But then these are simply my
assumptions. The report is a fact, for sure.
You think of
ways IT can be put to use, for making YOU a LEADER.
the reluctant writer
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