Leadership is not about authority or control. If you walk the talk and live what you teach, that becomes the most inspiring form of leadership. The basic rule of ethics is very simple: what we do not want
others to do to us, we should not do to others. This applies everywhere—at home, in institutions, and wherever responsibility is entrusted to us.
For ethical leadership, three attributes need to be cultivated together.
With the sincere purpose to serve
Success is achieved not by making big noises but by sincerity of purpose. The very thought ‘I am here in this world to do seva (service)’ dissolves the ‘I’, and when the ‘I’ dissolves, worries dissolve. When you make service your sole purpose in life, it eliminates fear, brings focus in your mind, purposefulness and action, and long-term joy, though there may be short-term challenges.
Honesty in Approach
Honesty brings transparency and trust. This begins in the mind. When the mind is stress-free and in the present moment, communication becomes effective. A mind free from prejudice is able to listen, accommodate the opposite point of view, and introspect. Such an honest approach allows a leader to do good to society and brings people together, instead of creating resistance.
Dexterity in Action
The whole essence of the Bhagavad Gita is to act without expecting the fruits of your actions. If the attention is only on the end result, then you can’t perform. Just be 100% sincere and committed. It is all about your attitude. If you, as a leader, can manage your mind in the worst-case scenario, then you can manage any situation. This skill in action is called yoga. It is this wisdom that transforms arrogance into self-confidence, meekness into humility, and dependence into the realisation of interdependence.
A leader leads by example. He does not just issue orders. He teaches others how to do things by first doing them himself.
Be firm and decisive. You need not be goody-goody all the time; yet know that firmness is not rudeness. Do what is right for everybody. That helps convince and take people along with you.
Sincerity in purpose, honesty in approach and dexterity in action is what the youth need to imbibe in order to become ethical leaders.
Leadership is about bringing the right attitude and creating an atmosphere of celebration, trust, cooperation and a sense of belonging. When leadership is driven only by productivity and results, creativity and commitment fade away. Command and control no longer work. Only inspiration and motivation can take people along and create a lasting impact.
The author is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
