Leadership-A New Dimension

LEADERSHIP
A NEW DIMENSION
BY SUNIL K. SONARE
Leadership – A New Dimension
Leadership- A New Dimension

Preface
All leaders are called to serve to the nation, organization, society. So commissioned, we must then
each find those tasks most worthy, responding with our time and talent as we have been so
blessed. In this instance, it is guided to me that we should know the leadership, characteristics of
leadership, principles, human relationship, motivational factors etc. The book will help to know the
leadership style, and a development process inside you.
Very little new is written here. The task has been primarily one of assembling, integrating, and
interpreting the works of others in the context of leadership and all related parameters associated
with it.
However well intended, readers will likely perceive weaknesses in this effort, for example in 4E’s
Self Esteem, Motivational factors etc. The message hopefully transcends these and other
shortcomings.
As with all good things, we are dependent on good leaders and would like to thank you, who are
associated directly or indirectly for writing this eBook. Moreover, I give thanks to all good peoples
everywhere.
Those wishing to contact me regarding Leadership are strongly encouraged. Suggestions and new
ideas are invited.
- Sunil Kumar Sonare
E:sunilksonare@yahoo.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 LEADERSHIP........................................................................................................................................ 6
1.1 WHAT IS A LEADER.............................................................................................................................. 8
1.2 PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP .............................................................................................................. 8
1.3 FACTORS OF LEADERSHIP ................................................................................................................... 9
1.4 ATTRIBUTES ....................................................................................................................................... 10
1.5 LEADERSHIP SELF-ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY .................................................................................... 11
2 LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS.............................................................................................. 15
2.1 LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS ...................................................................................................... 15
2.2 LEADERSHIP MODELS ....................................................................................................................... 17
2.2.1 FOUR FRAMEWORK APPROACH ....................................................................................................... 17
2.3 THE PROCESS OF GREAT LEADERSHIP ............................................................................................ 18
2.4 TEN WAYS TO IDENTIFY A PROMISING PERSON ............................................................................. 18
2.5 WHAT IS THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP? ............................................................................................. 19
2.6 DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINING LEADERSHIP ...................................................................................... 20
2.7 AM I A LEADER? ................................................................................................................................ 20
2.8 LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR .................................................................................................................... 21
2.9 THE TASKS OF LEADERSHIP: ............................................................................................................. 22
2.10 LEADERSHIP STYLES- USING THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOUR SITUATION .......................................... 22
2.11 UNDERSTANDING LEADERSHIP STYLES ......................................................................................... 22
2.11.1 AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP ............................................................................................................. 23
2.11.2 BUREAUCRATIC LEADERSHIP......................................................................................................... 23
2.11.3 CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP ........................................................................................................... 23
2.11.4 DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP OR PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP ........................................................ 23
2.11.5 PEOPLE-ORIENTED LEADERSHIP OR RELATIONS-ORIENTED LEADERSHIP .................................... 24
2.11.6 SERVANT LEADERSHIP ................................................................................................................... 24
2.11.7 TASK-ORIENTED LEADERSHIP ....................................................................................................... 24
2.11.8 TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP....................................................................................................... 24
2.11.9 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP............................................................................................... 25
2.12 USING THE RIGHT STYLE – SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP .............................................................. 25
2.13 LEADERSHIP STYLE SURVEY .......................................................................................................... 26
3 LEADERSHIP AND INFORAMTION ............................................................................................. 31

3.1 INFORMATION GATHERING- INFORMATION IS INSPIRATION ......................................................... 31
3.1.1 GATHERING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ...................................................................................... 32
3.1.2 GATHERING TASK-RELATED INFORMATION .................................................................................... 32
3.2 EXPERT POWER- LEADING FROM THE FRONT ................................................................................ 33
3.2.1 HOW TO USE THE EXPERT POWER ................................................................................................... 34
3.3 TOOLS FOR IMPROVED ADVOCACY ................................................................................................. 35
3.4 TOOLS FOR WHEN YOU ARE AT AN IMPASSE .................................................................................... 36
3.5 INDIVIDUAL SELF-ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................... 36
4 LEADERSHIP TRAITS...................................................................................................................... 37
4.1 HONESTY AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT .................................................................................................. 38
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4.2 FORWARD-LOOKING AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT............................................................................... 39

4.3 COMPETENCY AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT .......................................................................................... 39
4.4 INSPIRATION AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT ............................................................................................ 40
4.5 INTELLIGENCE AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT ........................................................................................ 40
4.6 LEADERSHIP- A VALUABLE GUIDE .................................................................................................. 41
4.7 LEADERSHIP- CHARACTER & TRAITS ............................................................................................. 42
4.8 "LEADERSHIP" - THROUGH THE EYES OF AN EAGLE - BY TYRON HANSON ................................. 43
4.9 VISIONING .......................................................................................................................................... 44
4.9.1 VISION STATEMENT EXAMPLES....................................................................................................... 45
5 COMMUNICATION & RELATIONSHIP....................................................................................... 47

5.1 BUILDING THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION SKILLS .................................................... 47
5.2 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION ....................................................................................................... 47
5.3 COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS ............................................................................................................ 48
5.4 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS ..................................................................................................... 48
5.5 BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION ...................................................................................................... 49
5.6 ACTIVE LISTENING............................................................................................................................ 50
5.7 NONVERBAL BEHAVIORS OF COMMUNICATION ............................................................................. 51
5.8 SPEAKING HINTS ............................................................................................................................... 52
5.9 FEEDBACK A COMMUNICATION MEDIUM ........................................................................................ 52
5.9.1 ENCOURAGE FEEDBACK ................................................................................................................ 53
5.9.2 LISTEN EFFECTIVELY ..................................................................................................................... 53
5.9.3 REDUCE COMMUNICATION MISUNDERSTANDING......................................................................... 54
5.10 COMMUNICATION WITH KEY PERSONNEL .................................................................................... 55
5.11 PROMOTE GROUP CONSENSUS ....................................................................................................... 56
5.12 COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVELY ................................................................................................... 57
5.13 OTHER TYPES OF FEEDBACK INCLUDE: ........................................................................................ 57
5.14 BODY LANGUAGE -- CHECK THE MESSAGE .................................................................................. 58
6 LEADERSHIP- GOAL SETTING..................................................................................................... 60

6.1 DO YOU HAVE A GOAL?................................................................................................................... 60
6.2 GOAL SETTING MADE SIMPLE, A BASIC RECIPE FOR SUCCESS ...................................................... 62
6.3 GOAL IS GOLD ................................................................................................................................... 62
6.4 START WRITING AND COMPLETING YOUR GOALS......................................................................... 64
6.5 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT - 6 STEPS AND GOAL SUCCESS ............................................................ 65
6.6 YOU CAN ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN FUTURE......................................................................................... 66
7 LEADERSHIP & MOTIVATION ..................................................................................................... 69

7.1 DEVELOPING SELF-ESTEEM ............................................................................................................. 70
7.2 HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY SELF-ESTEEM? ...................................................................................... 71
7.3 HOW TO DEVELOP SELF ESTEEM .................................................................................................... 73
8 LEADERSHIP – 4 ‘E’S....................................................................................................................... 77
8.1 LEADERS ............................................................................................................................................ 78
8.2 IDEAS AND VALUES............................................................................................................................ 79
8.3 THE 4 E’S ........................................................................................................................................... 80
8.3.1 STEP 1: ENVISION ............................................................................................................................. 81
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8.3.2 STEP 2: ENABLE ............................................................................................................................... 81

8.3.3 STEP 3: EMPOWER ............................................................................................................................ 82
8.3.4 STEP 4: ENERGIZE ............................................................................................................................ 82
8.3.5 STEP 5: EXECUTE ............................................................................................................................. 83
9 LEADERSHIP VERSES MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................... 85

9.1 LEADERSHIP VERSUS MANAGEMENT: KEY DISTINCTIONS ............................................................ 85
9.2 BUILDING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS ................................................................................ 87
9.2.1 BUILD NEW RELATIONSHIPS QUICKLY AND CAREFULLY ................................................................. 87
9.2.2 RELATIONSHIPS REQUIRE CONSTANT ATTENTION ........................................................................... 87
9.2.3 REPAIR DAMAGE QUICKLY ............................................................................................................... 88
9.2.4 DON'T BUILD ONE RELATIONSHIP AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER ................................................... 88
9.2.5 DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH RELATIONSHIPS ..................................................................................... 88
9.2.6 KEEP THE CHANNEL COOL................................................................................................................ 88
9.2.7 SEPARATE BUSINESS FROM PLEASURE ............................................................................................. 88
9.2.8 REACT TO RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWN ........................................................................................... 88
9.2.9 YOUR BEHAVIOR .............................................................................................................................. 89
9.3 21ST CENTURY LEADERSHIP – ACCORDING TO JIM MURRAY ....................................................... 89
10 GREAT LEADERS OF INDIA ........................................................................................................ 94
11 CASE STUDY .................................................................................................................................. 134
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1 LEADERSHIP
“At the age of seven, a young boy and his family were forced out of their home. The boy had to
work to support his family. At the age of nine, his mother passed away. When he grew up, the
young man was keen to go to law school, but had no education.
At 22, he lost his job as a store clerk. At 23, he ran for state legislature and lost. The same year,
he went into business. It failed, leaving him with a debt that took him 17 years to repay. At 27, he
had a nervous breakdown.
Two years later, he tried for the post of speaker in his state legislature. He lost. At 31, he was
defeated in his attempt to become an elector. By 35, he had been defeated twice while running for
Congress. Finally, he did manage to secure a brief term in Congress, but at 39 he lost his re-
election bid.
At 41, his four-year-old son died. At 42, he was rejected as a prospective land officer. At 45, he
ran for the Senate and lost. Two years later, he lost the vice presidential nomination. At 49, he
ran for Senate and lost again.
At 51, he was elected the President of the United States of America.

The man in question: Abraham Lincoln.”
- Author Unknown
1. Leadership Skills- An Introduction

You might have heard the argument about whether great leaders are born or made. The fact is
great leaders are born but great leaders are also made. Some people who were born leaders may
have been fortunate enough to possess these characteristics when they went to school. They
would organize what kids play on what teams because of the respect each child had for the "born
leader". If knowing that a child can lead better then you annoys the heck out of yaw, then get
ready to explode because you're about to learn the characteristics eagles have that make a great
leader.
Many of us are acquainted with this eloquent example of persistence and determination in
achieving victory. We read it, stop for a moment, then sigh, and say: “Wow! That’s the stuff real
leaders are made off.”
Moreover, in saying this, it is all too easy for us to think about leaders like Lincoln almost as
“mythological creatures”, separate from the rest of humanity and empowered by some mysterious
quality that smoothes their path towards inevitable success. This is the view of leadership that
many people have traditionally taken: That leader is marked out for leadership from early on in
their lives, and that if you are not a leader, there is little that you can do to become one.
However, that is not the way we see it now. The modern view is that through patience, persistence
and hard work, you can be a highly effective leader.
Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an
effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education,
training, and experience. This guide will help you through that process.
To inspire your workers into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be,
know, and, do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study.
Good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their leadership skills; they are
NOT resting on their laurels.
Before we get started, let us define leadership. Leadership is a process by which a person
influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it
more cohesive and coherent. Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes,
such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills. Although your position as a
manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives
in the organization, this power does not make you a leader...it simply makes you the boss.
Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply
bossing people around.
Bass’ theory of leadership states that there are three basic ways to explain how people become
leaders. The first two explain the leadership development for a small number of people. These
theories are:
1 Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles. This is the Trait
Theory.
2 A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out
extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person. This is the Great Events
Theory.
3 People can choose to become leaders. People can learn leadership skills. This is the
Transformational Leadership Theory. It is the most widely accepted theory today and
the premise on which this guide is based.
When a person is deciding if he/she respects you as a leader, he/she does not think about your
attributes, rather, he/she observes what you do so that she can know who you really are. He/she
uses this observation to tell if you are a honorable and trusted leader or a self serving person who
misuses authority to look good and get promoted. Self-serving leaders are not as effective because
their employees only obey them, not follow them. They succeed in many areas because they
present a good image to their seniors at the expense of their workers.
The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. In
your employees' eyes, your leadership is everything you do that effects the organization's
objectives and their well-being. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are [be] (such as
beliefs and character), what they know (such as job, tasks, and human nature), and what they do
(such as implementing, motivating, and provide direction).
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What makes a person want to follow a leader? People want to be guided by those they respect and
who have a clear sense of direction. To gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is
achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future.
1.1 What is a Leader
A leader is a person who sees something that needs to be done, knows that they can help make it
happen, and gets started.
A leader sees opportunity and captures it.

A leader sees a future that can be different and better, and helps others see that picture too.
A leader knows they cannot do it alone.
A leader is a coach.
A leader is an encourager.
A leader views change as their ally.
A leader is willing to take risks today for something better tomorrow.
A leader is a learner.
A leader is a communicator.
A leader is a coordinator.
A leader is a listener.
A leader takes a long view - letting their vision keep their daily steps on track.
A leader is passionate.
A leader motivates and inspires.
A leader values results.
A leader cares about more than results though; she cares about those who are following
her lead.
A leader makes a difference in the lives of others.
A leader is all of these things and much more.
1.2 Principles of Leadership
To help you be, know, and do; follow these eleven principles of leadership
1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement - In order to know yourself, you have
to understand your be, know, and do, attributes. Seeking self-improvement means
continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished through self-
study, formal classes, reflection, and interacting with others.
2. Be technically proficient - As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid
familiarity with your employees' tasks.
3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions - Search for ways to
guide your organization to new heights. And when things go wrong, they always
do sooner or later -- do not blame others. Analyze the situation, take corrective
action, and move on to the next challenge.
4. Make sound and timely decisions - Use good problem solving, decision making,
and planning tools.
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5. Set the example - Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only
hear what they are expected to do, but also see. We must become the change we
want to see - Mahatma Gandhi
6. Know your people and look out for their well-being - Know human nature and
the importance of sincerely caring for your workers.
7. Keep your workers informed - Know how to communicate with not only them,
but also seniors and other key people.
8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers - Help to develop good
character traits that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities.
9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished -
Communication is the key to this responsibility.
10. Train as a team - Although many so-called leaders call their organization,
department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams...they are just a group of
people doing their jobs. D
11. Use the full capabilities of your organization - By developing a team spirit, you
will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest
capabilities.
1.3 Factors of Leadership
There are four major factors in leadership:
1.1.1 Follower
Different people require different styles of leadership. For example, a new hire
requires more supervision than an experienced employee does. A person who lacks
motivation requires a different approach than one with a high degree of motivation.
You must know your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good
understanding of human nature, such as needs, emotions, and motivation. You
must come to know your employees' be, know, and do attributes.
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1.1.2 Leader
You must have a honest understanding of who you are, what you know, and what
you can do. Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader who determines if a
leader is successful. If they do not trust or lack confidence in their leader, then they
will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not
yourself or your superiors, that you are worthy of being followed.
1.1.3 Communication
You lead through two-way communication. Much of it is nonverbal. For instance,
when you "set the example," that communicates to your people that you would not
ask them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do. What and how
you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your
employees.
1.1.4 Situation
All are different. What you do in one situation will not always work in another.
You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership
style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an
employee for inappropriate behavior, but if the confrontation is too late or too
early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective.
Various forces will affect these factors. Examples of forces are your relationship with your
seniors, the skill of your people, the informal leaders within your organization, and how your
company is organized.
1.4 Attributes
If you are a leader who can be trusted, then those around you will grow to respect you. To be such
a leader, there is a Leadership Framework to guide you:
BE KNOW DO
BE a professional. Examples: Be loyal to the organization, perform selfless service, take
personal responsibility.
BE a professional who possess good character traits. Examples: Honesty, competence,

candor, commitment, integrity, courage, straightforwardness, imagination.
KNOW the four factors of leadership - follower, leader, communication, situation.
KNOW yourself. Examples: strengths and weakness of your character, knowledge, and
skills.
KNOW human nature. Examples: Human needs, emotions, and how people respond to
stress.
KNOW your job. Examples: be proficient and be able to train others in their tasks.
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KNOW your organization. Examples: where to go for help, its climate and culture, who
the unofficial leaders are.
DO provide direction. Examples: goal setting, problem solving, decision making,
planning.
DO implement. Examples: communicating, coordinating, supervising, evaluating.
DO motivate. Examples: develop moral and esprit in the organization, train, coach,
counsel.
1.5 Leadership Self-Assessment Activity
This survey is designed to provide you with feedback about your level of preference or comfort
with leadership characteristics and skills.
Circle the number on the scale that you believe comes closest to your skill or task level. Be honest
about your choices as there is no right or wrong answers - it is only for your own self-assessment.
# Your Opinion Very Moderately Adequate Moderately Very

Strong Strong Weak Weak
1. I enjoy communicating with 5 4 3 2 1
others.
2. I am honest and fair. 5 4 3 2 1
3. I make decisions with input 5 4 3 2 1
from others.
4. My actions are consistent. 5 4 3 2 1
5. I give others the information 5 4 3 2 1
they need to do their jobs.
6. I keep focused through 5 4 3 2 1
follow-up.
7. I listen to feedback and ask 5 4 3 2 1
questions.
8. I show loyalty to the 5 4 3 2 1
company and to the team
members.
9. I create an atmosphere of 5 4 3 2 1
growth.
10. I have wide visibility. 5 4 3 2 1
11. I give praise and recognition. 5 4 3 2 1
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12. I criticize constructively and 5 4 3 2 1

address problems.
13. I develop plans. 5 4 3 2 1
14. I have a vision on where we 5 4 3 2 1
are going and set long-term
goals.
15. I set objectives and follow 5 4 3 2 1
them through to completion.
16. I display tolerance and 5 4 3 2 1
flexibility.
17. I can be assertive when 5 4 3 2 1
needed.
18. I am a Champion of change. 5 4 3 2 1
19. I treat others with respect 5 4 3 2 1
and dignity.
20. I make myself available and 5 4 3 2 1
accessible.
21. I want to take charge. 5 4 3 2 1
22. I accept ownership for team 5 4 3 2 1
decisions.
23. I set guidelines for how 5 4 3 2 1
others are to treat one
another.
24. I manage by "walking 5 4 3 2 1
around" (the front line is the
bottom line).
25. I am close to the business 5 4 3 2 1
and have a broad view of
where we are going.
26. I coach team members. 5 4 3 2 1
27. I determine manpower 5 4 3 2 1
requirements for my
department and write job
descriptions for them.
28. I interview and select the 5 4 3 2 1
most qualified candidate for
an open job position.
29. I provide new employees 5 4 3 2 1
with on-the-job training.
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30. I determine resources, 5 4 3 2 1

material, and supply
requirements for my
department.
31. I developed a budget for my 5 4 3 2 1
department.
32. I can respond to an employee 5 4 3 2 1
who is upset with me or
someone else in the
organization.
33. I have counseled employees 5 4 3 2 1
who have personal problems
(family, health, financial).
34. I react to situations in which 5 4 3 2 1
the quality of an employee's
work goes into a decline.
35. I deal with employees who 5 4 3 2 1
have performance issues,
such as suspected of
substance abuse or
chronically late.
36. I reward employees for good 5 4 3 2 1
performances.
37. I conduct formal employee 5 4 3 2 1
performance appraisals.
38. I can make a presentation to 5 4 3 2 1
a group of peers and/or
seniors.
39. I write reports to be 5 4 3 2 1
distributed to a group of
peers and/or seniors.
40. I have a deep-rooted 5 4 3 2 1
understanding of the
functions of my
organization.
41. I am curious. 5 4 3 2 1
42. I know how to sell. 5 4 3 2 1
43. I am a good learner. 5 4 3 2 1
44. I know how to influence 5 4 3 2 1
people and get support.
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45. I admit my mistakes and take 5 4 3 2 1

responsibility for my actions.
46. I like to talk to people and I 5 4 3 2 1
am a great listener.
47. I am a good delegator. 5 4 3 2 1
48. I can separate the important 5 4 3 2 1
issues from inconsequential
ones.
49. I have integrity and can be 5 4 3 2 1
trusted.
50. I am political only when 5 4 3 2 1
needed.
TOTAL
Total score for all five columns: __________ Final Score
Scoring
Total each of the five columns and then add the five columns together for your final score. The
maximum score is 250 while the minimum score is 50.
As mentioned earlier, there are no right or wrong answers. This means there are no right or wrong
scores. This survey is designed to show you the areas you need to improve in. You lowest scoring
answers are the areas you need to improve. See your supervisor or training department for
resources to help you to become more proficient in your weak areas.
Use the table below for a general guideline of where you stand.
175 and above - You are well on your way to becoming a leader.
125 to 174 - You are getting close.
124 and below - Don't Give up! Many before you have continued with their studies to become
some of the finest leaders around.
Use this assessment to help you to determine what skills and abilities you can continue to improve
(Strengths) and what skills and abilities you need to develop (Opportunities for growth).
What are your strengths?
What are your opportunities for growth?
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2 LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS
Leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart.
Leadership is about inspiration—of oneself and of others. Great leadership is about human
experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that
comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. It is an attitude, not a routine.
More than anything else today, followers believe they are part of a system, a process that lacks
heart. If there is one thing a leader can do to connect with followers at a human, or better still a
spiritual level, it is to become engaged with them fully, to share experiences and emotions, and to
set aside the processes of leadership we have learned by rote.
-Lance Secretan, Industry Week, 10/12/98
Why Does Leadership Matter?
Parents universally hope that their children develop leadership qualities. They know that leaders
are people who are effective in what they do, are respected by others, and typically rewarded for
those skills in a variety of ways. It is in these formative years that, through our parents, we first
see leadership as desirable and important.
As young people, we look up to people around us that motivate and listen to us; people that seem
like "real-life" heroes. We consider these people leaders.
As we grow, we begin to relate leaders to their jobs - ministers, teachers, police officers. And later
Mayors, Presidents, and CEO's . . .
As adults all of these thoughts and experiences define, why we think leaders have desirable traits
and play roles we admire (and why we desire these things for our children).
All of these experiences and thoughts help us define why leadership matters - it matters because
leaders make a difference and can shape the future. It matters because leaders are valued and
valuable. In everyone's mind leadership, especially when it is good, matters.
2.1 Leadership Characteristics
Proactive Vs. Reactive - The exceptional leader is always thinking three steps ahead. Working to
master his/her own environment with the goal of avoiding problems before they arise.
Flexible/Adaptable - How do you handle yourself in unexpected or uncomfortable situations? An
effective leader will adapt to new surroundings and situations, doing his/her best to adjust.
A Good Communicator - As a leader, one must listen...a lot! You must be willing to
work to understand the needs and desires of others. A good leader asks many
questions, considers all options, and leads in the right direction.
Respectful - Treating others with respect will ultimately earn respect. Quiet
Confidence - Be sure of yourself with humble intentions.
Enthusiastic - Excitement is contagious. When a leader is motivated and excited
about the cause people will be more inclined to follow.
Open-Minded - Work to consider all options when making decisions. A strong leader
will evaluate the input from all interested parties and work for the betterment of the
whole.
Resourceful - Utilize the resources available to you. If you don’t know the answer to
something find out by asking questions. A leader must create access to information.
Rewarding - An exceptional leader will recognize the efforts of others and reinforce
those actions. We all enjoy being recognized for our actions!
Well Educated - Knowledge is power. Work to be well educated on community
policies, procedures, organizational norms, etc. Further, your knowledge of issues and
information will only increase your success in leading others.
Open to Change - A leader will take into account all points of view and will be
willing to change a policy, program, cultural tradition that is out-dated, or no longer
beneficial to the group as a whole.
Interested in Feedback - How do people feel about your leadership skill set? How
can you improve? These are important questions that a leader needs to constantly ask
the chapter. View feedback as a gift to improve.
Evaluative - Evaluation of events and programs is essential for an organization/group
to improve and progress. An exceptional leader will constantly evaluate and change
programs and policies that are not working.
Organized - Are you prepared for meetings, presentations, events and confident that
people around you are prepared and organized as well?
Consistent - Confidence and respect cannot be attained without your leadership being
consistent. People must have confidence that their opinions and thoughts will be heard
and taken into consideration.
Delegator - An exceptional leader realizes that he/she cannot accomplish everything
on his own. A leader will know the talents and interests of people around him/her, thus
delegating tasks accordingly.
Initiative - A leader should work to be the motivator. An initiator. He/she must be a
key element in the planning and implementing new ideas, programs, policies, events,
etc.
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2.2 Leadership Models
Leadership models help us to understand what makes leaders act the way they do. The ideal is not
to lock you in to a type of behavior discussed in the model, but to realize that every situation calls
for a different approach or behavior to be taken.
2.2.1 Four Framework Approach
In the Four Framework Approach, Bolman and Deal suggest that leaders display leadership
behaviors in one of four types of frameworks: Structural, Human Resource, Political, or
Symbolic. The style can be either effective or ineffective, depending upon the chosen behavior in
certain situations.
2.2.1.1 Structural Framework
In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a social architect whose leadership

style is analysis and design. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader
is a petty tyrant whose leadership style is details. Structural Leaders focus on
structure, strategy, environment, implementation, experimentation, and adaptation.
2.2.1.2 Human Resource Framework
In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a catalyst and servant whose

leadership style is support, advocate, and empowerment. While in an ineffective
leadership situation, the leader is a pushover, whose leadership style is abdication
and fraud? Human Resource Leaders believe in people and communicate that
belief; they are visible and accessible; they empower, increase participation,
support, share information, and move decision making down into the organization.
2.2.1.3 Political Framework
In an effective leadership situation, the leader is an advocate, whose leadership style

is coalition and building. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a
hustler, whose leadership style is manipulation. Political leaders clarify what they
want and what they can get; they assess the distribution of power and interests; they
build linkages to other stakeholders, use persuasion first, and then use negotiation
and coercion only if necessary.
2.2.1.4 Symbolic Framework
In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a prophet, whose leadership style is

inspiration. While in an ineffective leadership situation, the leader is a fanatic or
fool, whose leadership style is smoke and mirrors. Symbolic leaders view
organizations as a stage or theater to play certain roles and give impressions; these
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leaders use symbols to capture attention; they try to frame experience by providing
plausible interpretations of experiences; they discover and communicate a vision.
This model suggests that leaders can be put into one of these four categories and there are times
when one approach is appropriate and times when it would not be. Any one of these approaches
alone would be inadequate, thus we should strive to be conscious of all four approaches, and not
just rely on one or two. For example, during a major organization change, a structural leadership
style may be more effective than a visionary leadership style; while during a period when strong
growth is needed, the visionary approach may be better. We also need to understand ourselves, as
each of us tends to have a preferred approach. We need to be conscious of these at all times and
be aware of the limitations of our favoring just one approach.
2.3 The Process of Great Leadership
The road to great leadership that is common to successful leaders:
Challenge the process - First, find a process that you believe needs to be improved the
most.
Inspire a shared vision - Next, share you vision in words that can be understood by your
followers.
Enable others to act - Give them the tools and methods to solve the problem.
Model the way - When the process gets tough, get your hands dirty. A boss tells others
what to do...a leader shows that it can be done.
Encourage the hearts - Share the glory with your followers' heart, while keeping the
pains within your own.
2.4 Ten Ways to Identify a Promising Person
The most gifted athletes rarely make good coaches. The best violinist will not necessarily
make the best conductor. Nor will the best teacher necessarily make the best head of the
department.
Therefore, it is critical to distinguish between the skill of performance and the skill of
leading the performance, two entirely different skills.
It is also important to determine whether a person is capable of learning leadership. The
natural leader will stand out. The trick is identifying those who are capable of learning
leadership over time.
Here are several traits to help identify whether someone is capable of learning to lead.
Leadership in the past. The best predictor of the future is the past.
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The capacity to create or catch vision. When I talk to people about the future, I
want their eyes to light up. I want them to ask the right questions about what I'm
talking about.
A person who doesn't feel the thrill of challenge is not a potential leader.
A constructive spirit of discontent. Some people would call this criticism, but
there is a big difference in being constructively discontent and being critical.
People locked in the status quo are not leaders. I ask of a potential leader, Does
this person believe there is always a better way to do something?
Practical ideas. Highly original people are often not good leaders because they are
unable to judge their output; they need somebody else to say, "This will work" or
"This won't."
Brainstorming is not a particularly helpful practice in leadership, because ideas
need to stay practical. Not everybody with practical ideas is a leader, of course, but
leaders seem to be able to identify which ideas are practical and which are not.
A willingness to take responsibility. Carrying responsibility doesn't intimidate,
because the joy of accomplishment-the vicarious feeling of contributing to other
people-is what leadership is all about.
A completion factor. With potential leaders, when the work comes in, it is
complete. The half-cooked meal is not good enough.
Mental toughness. No one can lead without being criticized or without facing
discouragement. A potential leader needs a mental toughness. I don't want a mean
leader; I want a tough-minded leader who sees things as they are and will pay the
price. A leader must be able to keep his or her own counsel until the proper time.
Peer respect. Peer respect does not reveal ability, but it can show character and
personality.
Family respect. I also look at the family of a potential leader: Do they respect him
or her. If respect is not there, that is also visible. The family's feelings toward
someone reveal much about his or her potential to lead.
A quality that makes people listens to them. Potential leaders have a "holding
court" quality about them. When they speak, people listen. Other people may talk a
great deal, but nobody listens to them. They're making a speech; they're not giving
leadership. I take notice of people to whom others listen.
2.5 What is the Role of Leadership?
You may have the following questions about your peer leaders.
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What do long-term school reform leaders view as their essential professional

competencies?
What do they see as their role in sustaining reform?
How do they engage teachers, families, and communities in partnerships that build
programs to help children meet challenging standards?
How do such leaders know when they are doing a good job?
2.6 Dimensions of Sustaining Leadership
Partnership and voice

Vision and values
Knowledge and daring
Savvy and persistence
Personal qualities (passion, humor, and empathy strength of character, general maturity,
patience, wisdom, common sense, trustworthiness, reliability, creativity, sensitivity)
2.7 Am I a Leader?
Take a minute to look at yourself as a leader. Do you have the qualities to make a valuable leader
to your group? After you have looked at yourself as a leader, answer the following questions
Attributes . . .
Do I view problems as opportunities?
Am I a priority setter?
Am I customer focused?
Am I courageous?
Am I a critical and creative thinker?
What is my tolerance for ambiguity?
Am I positive attitude towards change?
Am I committed to innovations that are best for children?
Skills . . .
Do I debate, clarify, and enunciate my values and beliefs?
Can I fuel, inspire, and guard the shared vision?
Can I communicate the strategic plan at all levels?
Do I recognize the problems inherent to the planning process?
Do I ask the big picture questions and "what if"?
Can I support the school staff through the change process?
Do I encourage dreaming and thinking the unthinkable?
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Can I align the budget, planning, policies and instructional programs with the district
goals and vision?
Do I engage in goal setting?
Can I develop and implement action plans?
Do I practice and plan conscious abandonment?
Do I transfer the strategic planning process to planning?
Knowledge . . .
Do I know board and superintendent roles and responsibilities in planning and
implementing plans?
Do I know the strategic planning process, short and long term planning tools?
Do I know the board and district vision, beliefs, and mission?
Do I know the relationship of the budget to district planning?
Do I know local, state, and national factors that affect education?
Do I know the best practices and research on improving academic achievement?
Do I know the process of change and paradigm shifts?
Do I know the strategies to involve and communicate with the community?
2.8 Leadership Behavior
Establish a clear direction

Envision the future
Focused attention
Articulate values
Enlist others
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Provide meaning
Utilize all forms
"Fire in belly"
Position the Organization
Build trust (encourage the heart)
Reliability and constancy
Plan small wins
Recognize contributions
Celebrate accomplishments
Development of self
Set the example (walk like you talk)
Positive self-regard
Focus on winning
Search for opportunities
Experiment and take risks
Empower followers/members
Establish clear buy-in
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Foster collaboration
Develop a supportive environment
2.9 The tasks of leadership:
Leaders establish vision and set direction

Leaders affirm and articulate values
Leaders have high standards and high expectations
Leaders are accountable
Leaders motivate
Leaders achieve unity
Leaders involve others indecision-making
Leaders serve as role models
Leaders listen and explain
Leaders represent the organization
Leaders guide constituents and maintain their support
2.10 Leadership styles- Using the right one for your situation
From Mahatma Gandhi to Jack Welch and Martin Luther King to Rudolph Giuliani, there are as
many leadership styles as there are leaders. Fortunately, business people and psychologists have
developed useful, shorthand ways of describing the main leadership styles that can help aspiring
leaders to understand and adapt their own styles and leadership impact.
Whether you are managing a team at work, captaining your sports team or leading a major
corporation, you leadership style is crucial to your success. Consciously, or subconsciously, you
will no doubt use some of the leadership styles featured, at least some of the time. Understanding
these leadership styles and their impact can help you develop and adapt your own leadership style
and so help you become a more effective leader.
2.11 Understanding Leadership Styles
The leadership styles we look at here are:

Autocratic leadership
Bureaucratic leadership
Charismatic leadership
Democratic leadership or Participative leadership
Laissez-faire leadership
People-oriented leadership or Relations-Oriented leadership
Servant leadership
Task-oriented leadership
Transactional leadership
Transformational leadership
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2.11.1 Autocratic Leadership
Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leader has

absolute power over his or her employees or team. Employees and team members have
little opportunity for making suggestions, even if these would be in the team or
organization’s interest.
Most people tend to resent being treated like this. Because of this, autocratic leadership
usually leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. For some routine and
unskilled jobs, the style can remain effective where the advantages of control outweigh the
disadvantages.
2.11.2 Bureaucratic Leadership
Bureaucratic leaders work “by the book”, ensuring that their staff follow procedures
exactly. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as
working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of
money are involved (such as cash-handling).
2.11.3 Charismatic Leadership
A charismatic leadership style can appear similar to a transformational leadership style, in

that the leader injects huge doses of enthusiasm into his or her team, and is very energetic
in driving others forward. However, a charismatic leader tends to believe more in him- or
herself than in their team. This can create a risk that a project, or even an entire
organization, might collapse if the leader were to leave: In the eyes of their followers,
success is tied up with the presence of the charismatic leader. As such, charismatic
leadership carries great responsibility, and needs long-term commitment from the leader.
2.11.4 Democratic Leadership or Participative Leadership
Although a democratic leader will make the final decision, he or she invites other
members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This not only increases
job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also
helps to develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own
destiny, such as the promotion they desire, and so are motivated to work hard by more
than just a financial reward.
As participation takes time, this approach can lead to things happening more slowly, but
often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable where team working is
essential, and quality is more important than speed to market or productivity.
2.1.1.1 Laissez-faire Leadership
This French phrase means “leave it be” and is used to describe a leader who leaves his or
her colleagues to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is
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being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. Most often,
laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and
skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, it can also refer to situations where managers are not
exerting sufficient control
2.11.5 People-Oriented Leadership or Relations-Oriented Leadership
The style of leadership is the opposite of task-oriented leadership: the leader is totally
focused on organizing, supporting and developing the people in the leader’s team. A
participative style, it tends to lead to good teamwork and creative collaboration.
In practice, most leaders use both task-oriented and people-oriented styles of leadership.
2.11.6 Servant Leadership
This term, coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, describes a leader who is often not
formally recognized as such. When someone, at any level within an organization, leads
simply by virtue of meeting the needs of his or her team, he or she is described as a
“servant leader”.
In many ways, servant leadership is a form of democratic leadership, as the whole team
tends to be involved in decision-making.
Supporters of the servant leadership model suggest it is an important way ahead in a world
where values are increasingly important, in which servant leaders achieve power on the
basis of their values and ideals. Others believe that in competitive leadership situations,
people practicing servant leadership will often find themselves left behind by leaders
using other leadership styles.
2.11.7 Task-Oriented Leadership
A highly task-oriented leader focuses only on getting the job done, and can be quite
autocratic. He or she will actively define the work and the roles required, put structures in
place, plan, organize and monitor. However, as task-oriented leaders spare little thought
for the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic
leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff. Task-oriented leaders can
use the Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid to help them identify specific areas for
development that will help them involve people more.
2.11.8 Transactional Leadership
This style of leadership starts with the idea that team members agree to obey their leader
totally when they take on a job: the “transaction” is (usually) that the organization pays the
team members in return for their effort and compliance. You have a right to “punish” the
team members if their work doesn’t meet the pre-determined standard.
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Team members can do little to improve their job satisfaction under transactional
leadership. The leader could give team members some control of their income/reward by
using incentives that encourage even higher standards or greater productivity.
Alternatively a transactional leader could practice “management by exception”, whereby,
rather than rewarding better work, he or she would take corrective action if the required
standards were not met.
Transactional leadership is really just a way of managing rather a true leadership style as
the focus is on short-term tasks. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative
work, but remains a common style in many organizations.
2.11.9 Transformational Leadership
A person with this leadership style is a true leader who inspires his or her team constantly
with a shared vision of the future. Transformational leaders are highly visible, and spend a
lot of time communicating. They don’t necessarily lead from the front, as they tend to
delegate responsibility amongst their team. While their enthusiasm is often infectious, they
generally need to be supported by “details people”.
In many organizations, both transactional and transformational leadership are needed. The
transactional leaders (or managers) ensure that routine work is done reliably, while the
transformational leaders look after initiatives that add value.
2.12 Using the Right Style – Situational Leadership
While the Transformation Leadership approach is often highly effective, there is no one
“right” way to lead or manage that suits all situations. To choose the most effective
approach for you, you must consider:
The skill levels and experience of your team
The work involved (routine or new and creative)
The organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or
adventurous)
You own preferred or natural style.
A good leader will find him- or herself switching instinctively between styles according to
the people and work they are dealing with. This is often referred to as “situational
leadership”. For example, the manager of a small factory trains new machine operatives
using a bureaucratic style to ensure operatives know the procedures that achieve the right
standards of product quality and workplace safety. The same manager may adopt a more
participative style of leadership when working on production line improvement with his or
her team of supervisors.
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2.13 Leadership Style Survey
# Parameter Almost Frequently Occasionally Seldom Almost

Always True True True Never
True True
1. I always retain the final 5 4 3 2 1
decision making authority
within my department or
team.
2. I always try to include 5 4 3 2 1
one or more employees in
determining what to do
and how to do it.
However, I maintain the
final decision making
authority.
3. I and my employees 5 4 3 2 1
always vote whenever a
major decision has to be
made.
4. I do not consider 5 4 3 2 1
suggestions made by my
employees as I do not
have the time for them.
5. I ask for employee ideas 5 4 3 2 1
and input on upcoming
plans and projects.
6. For a major decision to 5 4 3 2 1
pass in my department, it
must have the approval of
each individual or the
majority.
7. I tell my employees what 5 4 3 2 1
has to be done and how to
do it.
8. When things go wrong 5 4 3 2 1
and I need to create a
strategy to keep a project
or process running on
schedule, I call a meeting
to get my employee's
advice.
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9. To get information out, I 5 4 3 2 1

send it by email, memos,
or voice mail; very rarely
is a meeting called. My
employees are then
expected to act upon the
information.
10. When someone makes a 5 4 3 2 1
mistake, I tell him or her
not to ever do that again
and make a note of it.
11. I want to create an 5 4 3 2 1
environment where the
employees take
ownership of the project.
I allow them to
participate in the decision
making process.
12. I allow my employees to 5 4 3 2 1
determine what needs to
be done and how to do it.
13. New hires are not 5 4 3 2 1
allowed to make any
decisions unless I
approve it first.
14. I ask employees for their 5 4 3 2 1
vision of where they see
their jobs going and then
use their vision where
appropriate.
15. My workers know more 5 4 3 2 1
about their jobs than me,
so I allow them to carry
out the decisions to do
their job.
16. When something goes 5 4 3 2 1
wrong, I tell my
employees that a
procedure is not working
correctly and I establish a
new one.
17. I allow my employees to 5 4 3 2 1
set priorities with my
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guidance.
18. I delegate tasks in order 5 4 3 2 1
to implement a new
procedure or process.
19. I closely monitor my 5 4 3 2 1
employees to ensure they
are performing correctly.
20. When there are 5 4 3 2 1
differences in role
expectations, I work with
them to resolve the
differences.
21. Each individual is 5 4 3 2 1
responsible for defining
his or her job.
22. I like the power that my 5 4 3 2 1
leadership position holds
over subordinates.
23. I like to use my 5 4 3 2 1
leadership power to help
subordinates grow.
24. I like to share my 5 4 3 2 1
leadership power with my
subordinates.
25. Employees must be 5 4 3 2 1
directed or threatened
with punishment in order
to get them to achieve the
organizational objectives.
26. Employees will exercise 5 4 3 2 1
self-direction if they are
committed to the
objectives.
27. Employees have the right 5 4 3 2 1
to determine their own
organizational objectives.
28. Employees seek mainly 5 4 3 2 1
security.
29. Employees know how to 5 4 3 2 1
use creativity and
ingenuity to solve
28
organizational problems.
30. My employees can lead 5 4 3 2 1
themselves just as well as
I can.
In the fill-in lines below, mark the score of each item on the questionnaire. For example, if you
scored item one with a 3 (Occasionally), then enter a 3 next to Item One. When you have entered
all the scores for each question, total each of the three columns.
Item Score Item Score Item Score
1 ______ 2 ______ 3 ______
4 ______ 5 ______ 6 ______
7 ______ 8 ______ 9 ______
10 ______ 11 ______ 12 ______
13 ______ 14 ______ 15 ______
16 ______ 17 ______ 18 ______
19 ______ 20 ______ 21 ______
22 ______ 23 ______ 24 ______
25 ______ 26 ______ 27 ______
28 ______ 29 ______ 30 ______
TOTAL _______ TOTAL ________ TOTAL ________
Authoritarian Participative Delegative
Style Style Style
(autocratic) (democratic) (free
reign)
This questionnaire is to help you assess what leadership style you normally operate out of.
The lowest score possible for any stage is 10 (Almost never) while the highest score
possible for any stage is 50 (usually).
The highest of the three scores indicates what style of leadership you normally use. If your
highest score is 40 or more, it is a strong indicator of your normal style.
The lowest of the three scores is an indicator of the style you least use. If you are lowest,
score is 20 or less, it is a strong indicator that you normally do not operate out of this
mode.
If two of the scores are close to the same, you might be going through a transition phase,
either personally or at work, except if you score high in both the participative and the
delegative then you are probably a delegative leader.
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If there is only a small difference between the three scores, then this indicates that you
have no clear perception of the mode you operate out of, or you are a new leader and are
trying to feel out the correct style for yourself.
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3 LEADERSHIP AND INFORAMTION

Three keys to Empowerment are:
1. Sharing Information with Everyone- Without Information, People cannot Act Responsibly
- With Information, People cannot help but Act Responsibly
2. Declaring Boundaries that Create Autonomy
- Purpose, Values, Image, Goals, Roles, Structure & Systems
- Being Empowered to Act also means You are Accountable for Results
3. Allow Teams to Self-Manage
- Synergy: Empowered Teams Can Do More than Empowered Individuals
- Provide Training, Support & Encouragement
- Diversity: Appreciate Individual Differences
- Ken Blanchard
3.1 Information Gathering- Information is inspiration
Effective information gathering is the most basic perspective-widening tool an effective

leader requires. Good quality information marks out the context in which the leader operates,
creates the information patterns from which ideas emerge, and provides the criteria by which
ideas are screened and assessed.
Effective leaders gather two main types of information:
Background Data, and
Task-Related Data
Leaders gather background data to build their view of the world in which they operate.
This information is made up of the countless facts, trends and opinions that they encounter
and the observations they make on a daily basis. The higher the quality of background data
they gather and the more effectively they prioritize it, the more accurate their view of the
world will be, and the better their judgment and “common sense”.
By contrast, with the steady, slow gathering of background data, task-related information is
gathered for a specific purpose. Perhaps you are preparing a five-year business plan and you
want a reliable growth forecast from your country’s central bank. Alternatively, maybe you
want specific information about the number and disposable incomes of a certain group of
consumers. Alternatively, perhaps you need to know projected labor market trends for people
with a key skill on which you depend.
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3.1.1 Gathering Background Information
What is certain, however, is that task-related information on its own is not enough: While
arguments created with it can be persuasive, they are “brittle” and can often be knocked
down with previously unknown facts that just do not fit. This is where ideas need to be tested
with the common sense that comes with diligently acquired background information.
There are a number of things you can do to build background information:
Read a newspaper or news website respected for the quality and accuracy of its
journalism (for example, “The Economic Times”);
Where possible, talk to your customers and get a deep understanding of what they
want and don’t want from you, and what they’re getting or not getting from you and
your competitors;
Read industry magazines and newsletters for both your own and your customers’
industries, keeping an eye on customers, competitors, suppliers, industry associations,
activist groups, new technologies and so on;
Talk to experts in the fields in which you operate and knowledgeable people within
your organization, and understand their perspectives on the key trends and features of
interest;
Read brochures and talk to product teams to make sure you understand your
organization’s products and services, their strengths and weaknesses, and what your
customers like or dislike about them;
Have a good understanding of company or business unit strategy – i.e. what your
company says it wants to do, who it wants its customers to be, and how it plans to
serve them; and
Take the time to “tune in” to what’s going on in your organization: Through both the
formal and informal “grapevines”.
What is necessary here is to take the time to gather this information: It’s all too easy
for these activities to be lost under the pressures of a hectic schedule.
3.1.2 Gathering Task-Related Information
It is much easier to justify the time spent gathering task-related information: Information-
gathering actions are clearly identified steps in the projects you undertake.
There are three key factors here:

1. Understanding how much research you should do;
2. Making sure you ask the right questions; and
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3. Gathering the information, you need.

The amount of research you take depends on the scale of the decision, the time available,
and the consequences of getting it wrong. If it’s a small decision, or the consequences of
getting it wrong are small, then don’t waste too much time on it. On the other hand, if the
consequences are severe, take time to make a good decision, and make sure you make an
appropriate risk management plan in case things do not work out.
Making sure you ask the right questions is of key importance. Start by brainstorming these
questions, ideally with your boss or client or with experts in the field or within your
organization. Then make sure you draw on any predefined frameworks you can find, where
people have tried to make a system or process for solving this type of problem. For example,
if you’re gathering information as part of researching a business plan, then buy a good book
on business planning from Amazon.com and adapt the framework it proposes for your own
use.
Finally, make a plan for gathering the key information needed, and think about how much
you are prepared to spend to get it.
A lot of information is relatively freely available, within your organization or in good
business, academic or institutional libraries. Some information is packaged and for sale (for
example, detailed competitor financial reports).
Other information you may need to gather yourself, for example in interviewing clients or
conducting market research surveys. And in other cases (for example, in taking legal advice)
it makes sense to pay a qualified expert to answer your questions.
In addition, at the end of all this research, make sure you take a step back and look at the
answers you have gained through the filter of common sense. Ask yourself if any
information seems to be missing, or if anything you have uncovered jars with your instincts
and experience.
Finally, while information gathering is an essential skill for an effective leader, bear in mind
that the information is not an end in itself. It is useful because it serves as an input towards
generating ideas and building vision. Later on in this section, we’ll look at how to process
information to build this vision.
3.2 Expert Power- Leading from the Front
There are many different power bases that a leader can use and exploit.
These include problematic ones such as the power of position, the power to give rewards, the
power to punish and the power to control information. While these types of power do have some
strength, they put the person being lead in an unhealthy position of weakness, and can leave
leaders using these power bases looking autocratic and out of touch.
More than this, society has changed hugely over the last 50 years. Citizens are individually more
powerful, and employees are more able to shift jobs. Few of us enjoy having power exerted over
us, and many will do what they can to undermine people who use these sorts of power.
However there are three types of positive power that effective leaders use: charismatic power,
expert power and referent power.
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3.2.1 How to Use the Expert Power
Expert power is essential because as a leader, your team looks to you for direction and guidance.
Teams members need to believe in your ability to set a worthwhile direction, give sound guidance
and co-ordinate a good result.
If your team perceives you as a true expert, they will be much more receptive when you try to
exercise influence tactics such as rational persuasion and inspirational appeal.
In addition, if your team sees you as an expert you will find it much easier to guide them in such a
way as to create high motivation:
If your team members respect your expertise, they'll know that you can show them
how to work effectively;
If your team members trust your judgment, they'll trust you to guide their good efforts
and hard work in such a way that you'll make the most of their hard work; and
If they can see your expertise, team members are more likely to believe that you have
the wisdom to direct their efforts towards a goal that is genuinely worthwhile.
Taken together, if your team sees you as an expert, you will find it much easier to
motivate team members to perform at their best.
So how do you build expert power?

Gain expertise: The first step is obvious (if time consuming) – gain expertise. In
addition, if you are already using tools like the information gathering process, the
chances are that you have already progressed well ahead in this direction.
But just being an expert isn’t enough, it is also necessary for your team members to recognize
your expertise and see you to be a credible source of information and advice. Gary A. Yukl, in his
book “Leadership in Organizations,” details some steps to build expert power. A summary of
these steps follows:
Promote an image of expertise: Since perceived expertise in many occupations is
associated with a person’s education and experience, a leader should (subtly) make
sure that subordinates, peers, and superiors are aware of his or her formal education,
relevant work experience, and significant accomplishments.
One common tactic to make this information known is to display diplomas, licenses, awards, and
other evidence of expertise in a prominent location in one’s office – after all, if you’ve worked
hard to gain knowledge, it’s fair that you get credit for it. Another tactic is to make subtle
references to prior education or experience (e.g., “When I was chief engineer at GE, we had a
problem similar to this one”). Beware; however, this tactic can easily be overdone.
Maintain credibility: Once established, one’s image of expertise should be carefully

protected. The leader should avoid making careless comments about subjects on which
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he or she is poorly informed, and should avoid being associated with projects with a
low likelihood of success.
Act confidently and decisively in a crisis: In a crisis or emergency, subordinates
prefer a “take charge” leader who appears to know how to direct the group in coping
with the problem. In this kind of situation, subordinates tend to associate confident,
firm leadership with expert knowledge. Even if the leader is not sure of the best way to
deal with a crisis, to express doubts or appear confused risks the loss of influence over
subordinates.
Keep informed: Expert power is exercised through rational persuasion and

demonstration of expertise. Rational persuasion depends on a firm grasp of up-to-date
facts. It is therefore essential for a leader to keep well-informed of developments
within the team, within the organization, and in the outside world.
Recognize subordinate concerns: Use of rational persuasion should not be seen as a
form of one-way communication from the leader to subordinates. Effective leaders
listen carefully to the concerns and uncertainties of their team members, and make
sure that they address these in making a persuasive appeal.
Avoid threatening the self-esteem of subordinates: Expert power is based on a

knowledge differential between leader and team members. Unfortunately, the very
existence of such a differential can cause problems if the leader is not careful about the
way he exercises expert power.
Team members can dislike unfavorable status comparisons where the gap is very large and
obvious. They are likely to be upset by a leader who acts in a superior way, and arrogantly flaunts
his greater expertise.
In the process of presenting rational arguments, some leaders lecture their team members in a
condescending manner and convey the impression that the other team members are “ignorant.”
Guard against this.
3.3 Tools For Improved Advocacy
State your assumptions, and describe the data that led to them
Explain your assumptions
Make your reasoning explicit
Give examples of what you propose, even if they are hypothetical or metaphorical
As you speak, try to picture the other person’s perspectives on what you are saying
Publicly test your conclusions and assumptions
What to say:
Here’s what I think and here’s how I got there
I assumed that…
I came to this conclusion because…
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If I enter a classroom this is what I might see…

What do you think about what I just said?
3.4 Tools for when you are at an impasse
Embrace the impasses, and tease apart the current thinking.

Look for information that will help people move forward.
Ask what logic or data might change their views.
Avoid speaking from a different point of view.
What to say:
What do we know for a fact?
What don’t we know?
What do we agree upon, and what do we disagree upon?
What, then would have to happen before you would consider alternatives?
3.5 Individual Self-Assessment
Journal keeping
Portfolios of selected documents produced in the course of their work
Performance indicators related to goals and activities of professional plan
Surveys
Mentors as "critical friends"
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4 LEADERSHIP TRAITS
Leaders have a significant role in creating the state of mind that is the society. They can serve as
symbols of the moral unity of the society. They can express the values that hold the society
together. Most important, they can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty
preoccupations, carry them above the conflicts that team a society apart, and unite them in
pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts.
- John Gardner
Five Most Important Leadership Traits
Some people sit and pontificate about whether leaders are made or born. The true leader ignores
such arguments and instead concentrates on how to become a better. If you are able to increase
your skill in these five traits, you will make it easier for people to want to follow you. The less
time you have to spend on getting people to follow you, the more time you have to spend refining
exactly where you want to go and how to get there.
The five leadership traits are:
1. Honest
2. Forward-Looking
3. Competent
4. Inspiring
5. Intelligent
Your skill at exhibiting these five traits is strongly correlated with people's desire to follow your
lead. Exhibiting these traits will inspire confidence in your leadership. Not exhibiting these traits
or exhibiting the opposite of these traits will decrease your leadership influence with those around
you.
It is important to exhibit these traits. Simply possessing each trait is not enough; you have to
display it in a way that people notice. People want to see you demonstrating these traits--not just
assume that you have them. It is not enough to just be neutral. For example, just because you are
not dishonest will not cause people to recognize that you are honest. Just avoiding displays of
incompetence will not inspire the same confidence as truly displaying competence.
The focus of each of these five traits needs to be on what people see you do--not just the things
they do not see you do. Being honest is not a matter of not lying--it is taking the extra effort to
display honesty.
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4.1 Honesty as a Leadership Trait
People want to follow an honest leader. Years ago, many employees started out by assuming that
their leadership was honest simply because the authority of their position. With modern scandals,
this is no longer true.
When you start a leadership position, you need to assume that people will think you are a little
dishonest. In order to be seen as an honest individual, you will have to go out of your way to
display honesty. People will not assume you are honest simply because you have never been
caught lying.
One of the most frequent places where leaders miss an opportunity to display honesty is in
handling mistakes. Much a leader's job is to try new things and refine the ideas that don't work.
However, many leaders want to avoid failure to the extent that they don't admit when something
did not work.
A medium size organization was attempting to move to a less centralized structure. Instead of one
location serving an entire city, they wanted to put smaller offices throughout the entire metro area.
At the same time, they were planning an expansion for headquarters to accommodate more
customers at the main site. The smaller remote offices were heralded as a way to reach more
customers at a lower cost and cover more demographic areas.
After spending a considerable amount of money on a satellite location, it became clear that the
cost structure would not support a separate smaller office. As the construction completed on the
expanded headquarters building, the smaller office was closed. This was good decision making.
The smaller offices seemed like a good idea, but when the advantages did not materialize (due to
poor management or incorrect assumptions) it made sense to abandon the model. This was a
chance for the leadership to display honesty with the employees, be candid about why things
didn't work out as expected, learn from the mistakes an move on.
Unfortunately, in this situation the leadership told employees that they had planned on closing the
satellite location all along and it was just a temporary measure until construction was completed
on the larger headquarters building. While this was not necessarily true, it didn't quite cross over
into the area of lying. Within a few months, the situation was mostly forgotten and everyone
moved on. Few of the employees felt that leadership was being dishonest. However, they had
passed up a marvelous opportunity to display the trait of honesty in admitting a mistake.
Opportunities to display honesty on a large scale may not happen every day. As a leader showing
people that you are honest even when it means admitting to a mistake displays a key trait that
people are looking for in their leaders. By demonstrating honesty with yourself, with your
organization and with outside organizations, you will increase your leadership influence. People
will trust someone who actively displays honesty--not just as an honest individual, but as
someone who is worth following.
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4.2 Forward-Looking as a Leadership Trait
The whole point of leadership is figuring out where to go from where you are now. While you
may know where you want to go, people will not see that unless you actively communicate it with
them. Remember these traits are not just things you need to have, they are things you need to
actively display to those around you.
When people do not consider their leader forward-looking, that leader is usually suffering from
one of two possible problems:
The leader does not have a forward-looking vision. The leader is unwilling or scared to share the
vision with others.
When a leader does not have a vision for the future, it usually because they are spending so much
time on today, that they have not really thought about tomorrow. On a very simplistic level, this
can be solved simply by setting aside some time for planning, strategizing and thinking about the
future.
Many times when a leader has no time to think and plan, it is because they are doing a poor job of
leading in the present. They have created an organization and systems that rely too much on the
leader for input at every stage.
Some leaders have a clear vision, but do not wish to share it with others. Most of the time they are
concerned that they will lose credibility if they share a vision of the future that does not come
about. This is a legitimate concern. However, people need to know that a leader has a strong
vision for the future and a strong plan for going forward. Leaders run into trouble sharing their
vision of the future when they start making promises to individuals. This goes back to the trait of
honesty. If a leader tells someone "next year I'm going to make you manager of your own
division" that may be a promise they cannot keep. The leader is probably basing this promotion
on the organization meeting financial goals, but the individual will only hear the personal
promise.
4.3 Competency as a Leadership Trait
People want to follow someone who is competent. This does not mean a leader needs to be the
foremost expert on every area of the entire organization, but they need to be able to demonstrate
competency.
For a leader to demonstrate that they are competent, it isn't enough to just avoid displaying
incompetence. Some people will assume you are competent because of your leadership position,
but most will have to see demonstrations before deciding that you are competent.
When people under your leadership look at some action you have taken and think, "that just goes
to show why he is the one in charge", you are demonstrating competency. If these moments are
infrequent, it is likely that some demonstrations of competency will help boost your leadership
influence.
Like the other traits, it is not enough for a leader to be competent. They must demonstrate
competency in a way that people notice. This can be a delicate balance. There is a danger of
drawing too much attention to you in a way that makes the leader seem arrogant. Another
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potential danger is that of minimizing others contributions and appearing to take credit for the
work of others.
As a leader, one of the safest ways to "toot you own horn without blowing it", is to celebrate and
bring attention to team achievements. In this way, you indirectly point out your competency as a
leader. For example: "Last year I set a goal of reaching $12 million in sales and, thanks to
everyone's hard word, as of today, we have reached $13.5 million."
4.4 Inspiration as a Leadership Trait
People want to be inspired. In fact, there are whole classes of people who will follow an inspiring
leader--even when the leader has no other qualities. If you have developed the other traits in this
article, being inspiring is usually just a matter of communicating clearly and with passion. Being
inspiring means telling people how your organization is going to change the world.
A great example of inspiration is when Steve Jobs stole the CEO from Pepsi by asking him, "Do
you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to change the world?" Being
inspiring means showing people the big picture and helping them see beyond a narrow focus and
understand how their part fits into the big picture.
On technique to develop, your ability to inspire is telling stories. Stories can be examples from
your customers, fictitious examples from your customers, or even historical fables and myths.
Stories can help you vividly illustrate what you are trying to communicate. Stories that
communicate on an emotional level help communicate deeper than words and leave an imprint
much stronger than anything you can achieve through a simple stating of the facts.
Learning to be inspiring is not easy--particularly for individuals lacking in charisma. It can be
learned. Take note of people who inspire you and analyze the way they communicate. Look for
ways to passionately express your vision. While there will always be room for improvement, a
small investment in effort and awareness will give you a significant improvement in this
leadership trait.
4.5 Intelligence as a Leadership Trait
Intelligence is something that can be difficult to develop. The road toward becoming more
intelligent is difficult, long and cannot be completed without investing considerable time.
Developing intelligence is a lifestyle choice. Your college graduation was the beginning of your
education not the end. In fact, much of what is taught in college functions merely as a
foundational language for lifelong educational experiences.
To develop intelligence you need to commit to continual learning--both formally and informally.
With modern advances in distance education, it is easy to take a class or two each year from well-
respected professors in the evening at your computer.
Informally, you can develop a great deal of intelligence in any field simply by investing a
reasonable amount of time to reading on a daily basis. The fact is that most people won't make a
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regular investment in their education. Spending 30 minutes of focused reading every day will give
you 182 hours of study time each year.
For the most part, people will notice if you are intelligent by observing your behavior and
attitude. Trying to display your intelligence is likely to be counterproductive. One of the greatest
signs of someone who is truly intelligent is humility. The greater your education, the greater your
understanding of how little we really understand.
You can demonstrate your intelligence by gently leading people toward understanding--even
when you know the answer. Your focus needs to be on helping others learn--not demonstrating
how smart you are. Arrogance will put you in a position where people are secretly hopeful that
you will make a mistake and appear foolish.
As unintuitive as it may seem, one of the best ways to exhibit intelligence is by asking questions.
Learning from the people, you lead by asking intelligent thoughtful questions will do more to
enhance your intelligence credibility than just about anything. Of course this means you need to
be capable of asking intelligent questions.
Everyone considers him or her intelligent. If you ask them to explain parts of their area of
expertise and spend the time to really understand (as demonstrated by asking questions), their
opinion of your intelligence will go up. After all, you now know more about what makes them so
intelligent, so you must be smart as well. Your ability to demonstrate respect for the intellect of
others will probably do more to influence the perception of your intellect than your actual
intelligence.
4.6 Leadership- A Valuable Guide
Personal ethics cannot be separated from professional ethics. Therefore, the character of the
leader is essential. The following list of ten characteristics is a valuable guide for leadership. In
addition, it results in a quality life.
1. A high standard of personal ethics leads the list: Honest Abe Lincoln, who walked
miles to return a customer's change, is a classic example of how personal ethics are
reflected in professional conduct. Decisions made under pressure and/or temptation
separate the great ones from the impostors.
2. High Energy: Great leaders are not exhausted by dealing with petty issues. These people
know right from wrong as well as the difference between what is truly important and what
is merely interesting.
3. The ability to work priorities shares equal importance with setting priorities: Many
brilliant priority lists end up in the landfill of life. The difference between setting priorities
and working them through is the difference between a dreamer and a doer.
4. Courage: The willingness to take risks and accept responsibility for the outcome is a
consistent quality among effective leaders. Either you or your fears will control everything
you do. An organization will be no bolder than the leader.
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5. Committed and dedicated hard working leaders will eventually develop dedicated
and hard working organizations regardless of which they start with or the experience
they bring to the job.
6. Unorthodox leaders have an urge to create and do not have the patience to wait for a
phone to ring before acting: Effective leaders are innovators who bore easily and prefer
shaping tomorrow to repeating yesterday.
7. Great leaders have the goal orientation to make tough decisions: Goal orientation
produces a drive and energy that shield us from the pain of the task. Keeping an
organization focused increases efficiency.
8. Inspired enthusiasm is like the pilot light on the oven: Genuine enthusiasm is
contagious. People look to their leaders for enthusiasm. The inspiration level of the
organization is directly proportionate to the enthusiasm of the leader--be it high or low.
9. Levelheaded people make realistic leaders who respond to problems rather than
simply react: A leader who can stay cool under pressure inspires confidence among those
in the organization and empowers them to do the same.
10. The desire to help others succeed is the mark of a truly great leader: Synergy is
created when a leader truly invests his or her efforts in the success of others. Zig Ziglar
says it like this, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you
care about them."
Whether you are trying to increase your own effectiveness as a leader or are trying to develop
leadership talent within your organization, keep studying the characteristics of those you consider
being great leaders.
Remember that leadership is an art, not a science, and the difference between a genuinely
effective leader and a short-term motivator can be found in the personal decisions an individual
makes when choosing how to live his or her life. Long-term commitment to the principles
described above will produce an effective leader and, over time, an inspired organization.
4.7 Leadership- Character & Traits
Leaders do not command excellence, they build excellence. Excellence is "being all you can be"
within the bounds of doing what is right for your organization. To reach excellence you must first
be a leader of good character. You must do everything you are supposed to do. An organizations
will not achieve excellence by figuring out where it wants to go, then having leaders do whatever
they have to in order to get the job done, and then hope their leaders acted with good character.
This type of thinking is backwards. Pursuing excellence should not be confused with
accomplishing a job or task. When you do planning, you do it by backwards planning. However,
you do not achieve excellence by backwards planning. Excellence starts with leaders of good and
strong character who engage in the entire process of leadership. Moreover, the first process is
being a person of honorable character.
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Character develops over time. Many think that much of a person's character is formed early in
life. However, we do not know exactly how much or how early character develops. But, it is safe
to claim that character does not change quickly. A person's observable behavior is an indication of
her character. This behavior can be strong or weak, good or bad. A person with strong character
shows drive, energy, determination, self-discipline, willpower, and nerve.
A strong person can be good or bad. A gang leader is an example of a strong person with a bad
character, while an outstanding community leader is one with both strong and good
characteristics. An organization needs leaders with both strong and good characteristics, people
who will guide them to the future and show that they can be trusted.
To be an effective leader, your followers must have trust in you and they need to be sold on your
vision. Korn-Ferry International, an executive search company, performed a survey on what
organizations want from their leaders. The respondents said they wanted people who were both
ethical and who convey a strong vision of the future. In any organization, a leader's actions set
the pace. This behavior wins trust, loyalty, and ensures the organization's continued vitality. One
of the ways to build trust is to display a good sense of character composed of beliefs, values,
skills, and traits:
Beliefs are what we hold dear to us and are rooted deeply within us. They could be assumptions
or convictions that you hold true regarding people, concepts, or things. They could be the beliefs
about life, death, religion, what is good, what is bad, what is human nature, etc.
Values are attitudes about the worth of people, concepts, or things. For example, you might value
a good car, home, friendship, personal comfort, or relatives. Values are important as they
influence a person's behavior to weigh the importance of alternatives. For example, you might
value friends more than privacy, while others might be the opposite.
Skills are the knowledge and abilities that a person gains throughout life. The ability to learn a
new skill varies with each individual. Some skills come almost naturally, while others come only
by complete devotion to study and practice.
Traits are distinguishing qualities or characteristics of a person, while character is the sum total
of these traits. There are hundreds of personality traits, far too many to be discussed here. Instead,
we will focus on a few that are crucial for a leader. The more of these you display as a leader, the
more your followers will believe and trust in you.
4.8 "Leadership" - Through the Eyes of an Eagle - by Tyron Hanson
Some believe leaders are born. Others believe that leaders are developed. I believe that people are
born with certain leadership characteristics. The characteristics that they are not born with can be
developed. Some of these characteristics we can get from the Eagle. By observing and studying
this matchless bird, you can notice leadership characteristics to help develop you and your
network marketing team.
The eagle shows four major leadership characteristics:
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1. Vision - Just like the eagle, all leaders must have vision. The eagle's eyes can see great
distances. They can also directly into the sun without being blinded. You, being the leader
of your network marketing team, must have vision. You must have a vision that guides
and leads your team towards the organization's goals. The vision must be big and focused.
A big, focused vision will produce big results.
2. Eagles Never Eat Dead Meat - You will never see an eagle eating meat that it did not
kill. An eagle is not a scavenger. It hunts for and kills its own food. It hunts for the prey
while it's warm and alive. You as a leader must go where the action is. You must go where
hunt down and find lively people to grow you business.
3. Looks For & Flies Into Storms - As storms approach, lesser birds head for cover, but the
might eagle spreads its wings and with a great cry mounts upon the powerful updrafts,
soaring to heights of glory. Eagles use the storm to lift him to these great heights. Leaders
use storms (challenges); we do not run from them. To leaders, storms are tools used for
their development.
4. Very Gentle & Attentive To Their Young - The eagle is known for its ferocity, yet no
member of the bird family is more gently and attentive to its young. At just the right time,
the mother eagle begins to teach her eaglets how to fly. She gathers an eaglet onto her
back, and spreading her wings, flies high. Suddenly she swoops out from under the eaglet
and as it falls, it gradually learns what its wings are for until the mother catches it once
again on her wings. The process is repeated. If the young is slow to learn or cowardly, she
returns him to the nest, and begins to tear it apart, until there is nothing left for the eaglet
to cling to. Then she nudges him off the cliff. In summary, TEACH AND TRAIN your
organization! Network marketing is about duplication!
By studying the eagle, you can be born with and develop leadership characteristics. Developing
and using them your network marketing business will grow and become very
4.9 Visioning
Visions are simply the fist step in the goal setting and planning process. While mission statements
guide the organization in its day-to-day operations, visions provide a sense of direction in the long
term -- they provide the means to the future.
In "Leaders," Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus conclude, "Leaders articulate and define what has
previously remained implicit or unsaid; then they invent images, metaphors, and models that
provide a focus for new attention. By so doing, they consolidate or challenge prevailing wisdom.
In short, an essential factor in leadership is the capacity to influence and organize meaning for the
members of the organization."
They continue, "Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right
thing. The difference may be summarized as activities of vision and judgment -- effectiveness
verses activities of mastering routine -- efficiency."
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Bennis and Nanus describe leaders as "creating dangerously" -- they change the basic metabolism
of the organization. Top Peters wrote that leaders, "must create new worlds. And then destroy
them; and then create anew (Thriving On Chaos)." What is interesting is that Peters defines
visions as aesthetic and moral -- as well as strategically sound. Which would rather knock Hitler’s
quest of the world as being a vision? Visions that are merely proclaimed, but not lived
convincingly are nothing more than mockeries of the process.
4.9.1 Vision Statement Examples
"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness,
constant danger, and safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success." - explorer
Ernest Shackleston in a 1890 job ad for the first Antarctic expedition.
"When I'm through...everyone will have one." - Henry Ford on democratizing the automobile
"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of
landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth." - President Kennedy, May 25,
1961
"There's something going on here...something that is changing the world...and this is the
epicenter." Steve Job of Apple Computers during its initial start-up
"Quality, hard work, and commitment - The stuff America is made of. Our goal is to be the best.
What else is there? If you can find a better car, buy it." - Lee Iacocca when he was chairman of
Chrysler Corporation
"2000 stores by the year 2000." - Howard Schultz, of Starbucks Coffee Company
"Do it, try it, fix it!" - Wal-Mart's Vision
"To strengthen the social fabric by continually democratizing home ownership." - Federal
National Mortgage Association, Fannie Mae
Exploring the past, illuminating the present and imagining the future" - National Museum of
Australia
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"Empower people through great software, anyplace, any time and on any device." - Microsoft's
vision
"To provide the best service and lowest fares to the short haul, frequent-flying, point-to-point,
non-interlining traveler." - Southwest Airlines' vision
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5 COMMUNICATION & RELATIONSHIP

The mind is like a TV set, when it goes stops working, it is a good idea to shut off the sound.
-Unknown
5.1 Building the Right Leadership Communication Skills
In this area, you have a number of different skills that enhance leadership. They include:
Self-Talk (Intrapersonal Communication)
It has long been known by psychologists that internal dialog occurring within the mind is
incredibly important. Yet, most of us pay it no mind.
Interpersonal Communication
Surprisingly, even this simple form of communication is fought with many types of
problems such as encoding and decoding bias on both the sender and the receiver side.
Listening
People are terrible listeners. But we do know how to fake it pretty well. Leaders cannot
afford to develop a reputation for not listening—it is ruinous. Still, one of the more
common complaints in many organizations is, "My boss doesn't listen to me."
Feedback
Despite its importance, few leaders want to deliver it, and most followers do not want to
receive it. You also have different types of feedback such as positive and negative;
subjective and objective, etc.
Small Group
Group communication is a very different animal compared to interpersonal
communication. There are many more complexities and opportunities for failure
embedded in-group dynamics.
Persuasion
Long the study of sales people everywhere, leaders also need to develop this vital skill.
5.2 Nonverbal Communication
Body language contains meaning--sometimes more than what is embedded in the words. Yet, few
individuals pay much attention to it.
Public Speaking
It has been said that the most common fear in America next to being sued, is speaking in
front of others. It is an important aspect of leadership in both government and business.
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Interviewing
Despite its importance, interviews are not a good predictor of job performance. Its
importance lies more in learning how to act so one can get a job.
Asking Questions
Any idiot can state an opinion, but it takes a creative mind to ask the right questions.
Without this skill, effective counseling and group facilitation is essentially impossible.
Intercultural
Individuals in business and government need to learn how to adapt their communication
patterns to take into account cultural differences.
Organizational
It has been said that the first job of a good leader is to establish a system of
communication. Sounds easy, but it is surprisingly difficult.
5.3 Communication Mediums
You also have three major mediums—each of which require a slightly different approach to
communication due to the nature of the medium itself.
Verbal
Unlike written, we received almost no instruction on how to use words well.
Written
Many year of schooling, go into learning how to read and write.
Electronic
A medium of increasingly importance due to the growing importance of the Internet.
5.4 The Communication Process
Communication that is what we try to do speak to those near us
Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the sender. This can be a concept, idea,
information, or feelings.
Encoding: Next, a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols.
Decoding: lastly, the receiver translates the words or symbols into a concept or
information that he or she can understand.
During the transmitting of the message, two processes will be received by the receiver:
content and context.
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Content is the actual words or symbols of the message which is known as language - the
spoken and written words combined into phrases that make grammatical and semantic
sense. We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple
messages can be misunderstood. And many words have different meanings to confuse the
issue even more.
Context is the way the message is delivered and is known as Paralanguage - it includes
the tone of voice, the look in the sender's eye's, body language, hand gestures, and state of
emotions (anger, fear, uncertainty, confidence, etc.) that can be detected. Although
paralanguage or context often causes messages to be misunderstood as we believe what
we see more than what we hear; they are powerful communicators that help us to
understand each other. Indeed, we often trust the accuracy of nonverbal behaviors more
than verbal behaviors.
On technique to develop, your ability to inspire is telling stories. Stories can be examples from
your customers, fictitious examples from your customers, or even historical fables and myths.
Stories can help you vividly illustrate what you are trying to communicate. Stories that
communicate on an emotional level help communicate deeper than words and leave an imprint
much stronger than anything you can achieve through a simple stating of the facts.
Learning to be inspiring is not easy--particularly for individuals lacking in charisma. It can be
learned. Take note of people who inspire you and analyze the way they communicate. Look for
ways to passionately express your vision. While there will always be room for improvement, a
small investment in effort and awareness will give you a significant improvement in this
leadership trait.
5.5 Barriers to Communication
Anything that prevents understanding of the message is a barrier to communication. Many

physical and psychological barriers exist:
Culture, background, and bias - We allow our experiences to change the meaning of the
message. Our culture, background, and bias can be good as they allow us use our past
experiences to understand something new, it is when they change the meaning of the
message then they interfere with the communication process.
Noise - Equipment or environmental noise impede clear communication. The sender and
the receiver must both be able to concentrate on the messages being sent to each other.
Ourselves - Focusing on ourselves, rather than the other person can lead to confusion and
conflict. The "Me Generation" is out when it comes to effective communication. Some of
the factors that cause this are defensiveness (we feel someone is attacking us), superiority
(we feel we know more that the other), and ego (we feel we are the center of the activity).
Perception - If we feel the person is talking too fast, not fluently, does not articulate
clearly, etc., we may dismiss the person. Also our preconceived attitudes affect our ability
to listen. We listen uncritically to persons of high status and dismiss those of low status.
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Message - Distractions happen when we focus on the facts rather than the idea. Our
educational institutions reinforce this with tests and questions. Semantic distractions occur
when a word is used differently than you prefer. For example, the word chairman instead
of chairperson, may cause you to focus on the word and not the message.
Environmental - Bright lights, an attractive person, unusual sights, or any other stimulus
provides a potential distraction.
Smothering - We take it for granted that the impulse to send useful information is
automatic. Not true! Too often we believe that certain information has no value to others
or they are already aware of the facts.
Stress - People do not see things the same way when under stress. Our psychological
frames of references - our beliefs, values, knowledge, experiences, and goals, influence
what we see and believe at a given moment.
These barriers can be thought of as filters, that is, the message leaves the sender, goes through the
above filters, and is then heard by the receiver. These filters muffle the message. And the way to
overcome filters is through active listening and feedback.
5.6 Active Listening
Hearing and listening is not the same thing. Hearing is the act of perceiving sound. It is
involuntary and simply refers to the reception of aural stimuli. Listening is a selective activity,
which involves the reception and the interpretation of aural stimuli. It involves decoding the
sound into meaning.
Listening is divided into two main categories: passive and active. Passive listening is little more
that hearing. It occurs when the receiver or the message has little motivation to listen carefully,
such as music, story telling, television, or being polite.
People speak at 100 to 175 words per minute, but they can listen intelligently at 600 to 800 words
per minute (WPM). Since only a part of our mind is paying attention, it is easy to go into mind
drift - thinking about other things while listening to someone. The cure for this is active listening -
which involves listening with a purpose. It may be to gain information, obtain directions,
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understand others, solve problems, share interest, see how another person feels, show support, etc.
It requires that the listener attends to the words and the feelings of the sender for understanding. It
takes the same amount or more energy than speaking. It requires the receiver to hear the various
messages, understand the meaning, and then verify the meaning by offering feedback. The
following are a few traits of active listeners:
Spends more time listening than talking.
Do not finish the sentence of others.
Do not answer questions with questions.
Are aware of biases. We all have them...we need to control them.
Never daydreams or become preoccupied with their own thoughts when others talk.
Lets the other speaker talk. Does not dominate the conversation.
Plans responses after the other person has finished speaking...NOT while they are
speaking.
Provides feedback, but does not interrupt incessantly.
Analyzes by looking at all the relevant factors and asking open-ended questions. Walks
the person through your analysis (summarize).
Keeps the conversation on what the speaker says...NOT on what interests them.
Takes brief notes. This forces them to concentrate on what is being said.
5.7 Nonverbal Behaviors of Communication
Without knowing the force of words it is impossible to know men." - Confucius
To deliver the full impact of a message, use nonverbal behaviors to raise the channel of
interpersonal communication:
Eye contact: This helps to regulate the flow of communication. It signals interest in others
and increases the speaker's credibility. People who make eye contact open the flow of
communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility.
Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness, friendliness,
warmth, and liking. So, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable,
friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and people will react
favorably. They will be more comfortable around you and will want to listen more.
Gestures: If you fail to gesture while speaking you may be perceived as boring and stiff.
A lively speaking style captures the listener's attention, makes the conversation more
interesting, and facilitates understanding.
Posture and body orientation: You communicate numerous messages by the way you
talk and move. Standing erect and leaning forward communicates to listeners that you are
approachable, receptive and friendly. Interpersonal closeness results when you and the
listener face each other. Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling
should be avoided as it communicates disinterest.
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Proximity: Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with others. You
should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading the other person's space. Some
of these are rocking, leg swinging, tapping, and gaze aversion.
Vocal: Speaking can signal nonverbal communication when you include such vocal
elements as tone, pitch, rhythm, timbre, loudness, and inflection. For maximum teaching
effectiveness, learn to vary these six elements of your voice. One of the major criticisms
of many speakers is that they speak in a monotone voice. Listeners perceive this type of
speaker as boring and dull.
5.8 Speaking Hints
When speaking or trying to explain something, ask the listeners if they are following you. Ensure
the receiver has a chance to comment or ask questions. Try to put yourself in the other person's
shoes - Consider the feelings of the receiver. Be clear about what you say. Look at the receiver.
Make sure your words match your tone and body language (Nonverbal Behaviors). Vary your
tone and pace. Do not be vague, but on the other hand, Do not complicate what you are saying
with too much detail. Do not ignore signs of confusion.
5.9 Feedback a communication medium
When you know something, say what you know. When you do not know something, say that you do
not know. That is knowledge. - (Confucius)
The purpose of feedback is to change and alter messages so the second communicator
understands the intention of the original communicator. It includes verbal and nonverbal
responses to another person's message.
Providing feedback is accomplished by paraphrasing the words of the sender. Restate the sender's
feelings or ideas in your own words, rather than repeating their words. Your words should be
saying, "This is what I understand your feelings to be, am I correct?" It not only includes verbal
responses, but also nonverbal ones. Nodding your head or squeezing their hand to show
agreement, dipping your eyebrows shows you do not quite understand the meaning of their last
phrase, or sucking air in deeply and blowing it hard shows that you are also exasperated with the
situation.
Carl Roger listed five main categories of feedback. They are listed in the order in which they
occur most frequently in daily conversations. Notice that we make judgments more often than we
try to understand:
Evaluative: Making a judgment about the worth, goodness, or appropriateness of the
other person's statement.
Interpretive: Paraphrasing - attempting to explain what the other person's statement
means.
Supportive: Attempting to assist or bolster the other communicator.
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Probing: Attempting to gain additional information, continue the discussion, or clarify a

point.
Understanding: Attempting to discover completely what the other communicator means
by her statements.
Imagine how much better daily communications would be if listeners tried to understand first,
before they tried to evaluate what someone is saying.
5.9.1 Encourage Feedback
Subordinates discover quickly what leaders want and supply that information to them.
Nevertheless, subordinates are unlikely to provide negative feedback or give supervisors bad
news since they fear that, much like ancient messengers delivering bad news, they will be
punished. The familiar story of "The Emperor's New Clothes" illustrates unwillingness of
subordinates to communicate honestly to superiors.
What then can you do to help accurate feedback reach you?
1. Tell subordinates you want feedback. Encourage them to give you both good and bad
news. Welcome disagreement on issues. Then, make certain you positively reinforce
rather than punish them for such information.
2. Identify areas in which you want feedback. Don't encourage indiscriminate feedback
consisting of idle talk of personal gripes about others in the organization. Do communicate
your desire for feedback on issues and areas that can help the organization.
3. Use silence to promote feedback. Listen, and encourage feedback rather than taking issue
with comments raised by subordinates.
4. Watch for nonverbal cues. Most persons do not control nonverbal responses as well as
verbal ones. The person who says, "I am so happy to meet you" as he draws away from the
other person, probably communicates more by actions than by words.
5. Consider scheduling feedback sessions. Since it is easier to prevent illness than to treat it,
set aside time for feedback. A planned feedback session will usually get more response
than an impulsive, "How are things going?"
6. Use statements to encourage feedback. Statements such as "Tell me more about it “or”
That’s interesting," or questions that cannot be answered yes or no will help you find out
what is going on in your organization. Start your questions with what, why, when, where,
and how to encourage feedback.
5.9.2 Listen Effectively
To receive feedback leaders must listen. Listening is the neglected communication skill. All
leaders have had instruction in reading, writing, and speaking. But few have had any formal
instruction in listening. This lack of instruction is especially interesting in light of research
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showing that people spend seven out of every 10 minutes awake in some form of communication-
10 percent writing, 15 percent reading, 30 percent talking, and 45 percent listening.
Here are some things you can do to improve your listening.
1. Prepare to listen. Effective listening requires physical and mental preparation. Put aside
papers, books, and other materials that may distract you. Have the secretary hold your
calls. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. Be ready to catch the speaker's opening remarks.
The rest of the message often builds on the opening statement.
2. Listen for ideas, not just for facts. Concentration exclusively on the facts often causes
leaders to miss main ideas. Facts may be interesting in their own right, but the reason facts
are given is usually to develop a generalization from them.
3. Keep an open mind. Often the subject or the delivery of the speaker may seem boring or
uninteresting. Certain subjects or individuals may cause the listeners to become
judgmental, hear only certain parts of the message, or just hear what they want to hear.
Effective listening requires an open mind.
4. Capitalize on the speed differential. Thought operates several times faster than the normal
rate of speech. In other words, listeners listen faster than speakers speak. Don't fall into the
trap of daydreaming or trying to think about something else while listening. Use this time
differential to summarize and internalize the message.
5. Put yourself in the speaker's place. Understand the speaker's perspective. What do you
know about the speaker's knowledge, background, and grasp of the subject? What does the
speaker mean by the words and nonverbal communication he or she uses?
5.9.3 Reduce Communication Misunderstanding
Although there are many barriers to effective understanding, four of them arise directly from
misunderstanding the message. Knowing these barriers can help you reduce problems of
communication.
1. Barrier #1: Misinterpretation of the meanings of words. There are two basic problems
here.
a. Same words mean different things to different people. This problem is common
whenever two or more people attempt to communicate. You may tell a colleague that
the temperature in the office is quite comfortable. For you, 75 degrees is comfortable.
For her, comfortable means 68 degrees. The same word can in mean different things to
different people. A friend tells you he will be over in five minutes. To him, five
minutes means "soon" -- perhaps any time in the next half-hour. On the other hand,
you attach a literal meaning. Five minutes means five minutes-300 seconds.
b. Different words mean the same thing. Many things are called by more than one name.
Soft drink, soda, and pop all mean the same thing. The name used depends on who is
doing the talking. Both this barrier and the first one can be overcome by realizing the
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following fact: Meanings are not in words, meanings are in people. Leaders
communicate more effectively when they consider the message in relation to its
source.
2. Barrier #2: Misinterpretation of actions.
Eye contact, gestures, facial expression are all action factors. When someone walks
quickly out of the room during a meeting or taps a pencil on the table during a
conversation, leaders may conclude that the person is in a hurry or is bored. These
conclusions may or may not be correct. If others twitch, or seem unsure while speaking we
may conclude that they are nervous when, in fact, they may not be.
3. Barrier #3: Misinterpretation of no action symbols.
The clothes you wear, the automobile you drive, the objects in your office all
communicate things about you. In addition, your respect for time and space needs of
others affects how you interpret their messages. For example, if a subordinate is to see you
at noon, but arrives fifteen minutes late, his tardiness may affect how you interpret what
he says to you.
4. Barrier #4: Misinterpretation of the voice.
The quality, intelligibility, and variety of the voice all affect understanding. Quality refers
to the overall impression the voice makes on others. Listeners often infer from the voice
whether the speaker is happy, sad, fearful, or confident. Intelligibility or understandability
depends on such things as articulation, pronunciation, and grammatical correctness.
Variety is the spice of speaking. Rate, volume, force, pitch, and emphasis are all factors of
variety that influence understanding.
5.10 Communication with Key Personnel
It probably is understood that you should communicate one-on-one with your key persons often.
Certain guidelines apply to establishment and maintenance of effective communication with key
subordinates:
1. Show genuine interest and concern with facial expression, head nods, gestures, and
bodily posture, which reflect openness and positive reinforcement.
2. Put the other person at ease by appearing relaxed and breaking down barriers with
friendliness.
3. Be natural, because genuineness and sincerity are foundations for effective two-person
communication.
4. Do not assume a superior manner or pretend to be what you're not.
5. Adapt to the conversation as it develops with spontaneous comments rather than
plowing ahead with "prepared" comments or arguments.
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6. Respect the other person's point of view.

7. Seek to understand what the other person really means and not necessarily what is said.
8. Reduce your own defensiveness.
9. Do not dominate the conversation to the point that you shut the other person out.
10. Listen attentively by concerning yourself with what the other person is saying instead of
planning what you are going to say.
5.11 Promote Group Consensus
One of the biggest problems supervisors face is getting the group to reach consensus. There are
many times, of course, when you must make an independent decision and stick to it. Nevertheless,
increasingly, policy decisions are hammered out in the give-and-take of small-group discussions.
Problem solving is certainly a goal of decision-making groups at all levels, but often consensus or
agreement is just as important. If a decision is reached without consensus, morale and unit
satisfaction both may suffer. With genuine consensus, a unit tends to support and implement the
new policy willingly.
The following five suggestions for reaching consensus are based on a longer list formulated after
much research and careful analysis of decision-making groups.
1. Clarify the discussion. Make sure that the group's activity is understandable, orderly, and
focused on one issue at a time. Consensus comes more easily if factors are weighed
individually and systematically. Encourage each person to stick to the subject, to avoid
side discussions, and to clarify the issues with questions.
2. Use process statements. Process statements deal with what is happening in the group.
While process statements may relate to the content, they primarily stimulate and facilitate
discussion: "What you've said seems to make sense. How do the rest of you feel?" or "So
far, we seem to agree on the first two points. Let's move on to the third," or "Have we
heard from Joe yet?" or "This is really a productive discussion." When both the leader and
group members use process statements effectively, agreement will come more readily and
satisfaction will be increased.
3. Seek different views. All persons should be encouraged to present their views and provide
information and evidence to support their views. Expression of a wide range of opinions
and views allows a great opportunity for learning to take place. At the same time,
participation by all persons will allow them to have their voices heard and will increase
their satisfaction with the discussion and conclusions reached.
4. Remain open to different views. This suggestion is clearly the corollary to the preceding
guideline. We have all known people who seek the views of others with no intent to be
influenced by them: "Don't confuse me with the facts; my mind is made up." When others
present irrefutable facts and figures, or even a good idea that you may not have thought of
before, don't be afraid to alter your position or admit that you may have been wrong. Good
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leaders often learn from their subordinates. Also, leaders can serve as models for the
behavior of others in the matter of not being overopinionated. Studies have shown that low
or moderately opinionated supervisors are held in higher esteem by others than highly
opinionated ones.
5. Use group pronouns. Studies show that less cohesive groups-groups which are less
successful in reaching consensus-tend to use more self-referent words, such as I, me, my,
and mine. Groups which reach consensus and are more cohesive, on the other hand, are
more apt to use group referent words such as we, our, and us. As a leader, talk about the
group. Talk about what we hope to accomplish, and how we can work together to achieve
our objectives. Do not emphasize what I want done or what is best for my interests. Stress
that while all persons should be concerned with their own unit or division, they should
also be interested in the needs of others in the group.
5.12 Communication Effectively
Communication might be thought of as an "idea transplant." We send 300 to 1,000 messages a

day. We probably receive that many messages too.
Communication consists of two basic skills: listening and feedback. There are messages we
intend to send, messages we actually send, messages the listener thinks he/she heard, responses
from the listener due to what he/she heard, and our reaction to the exchange of messages. Is it any
wonder things may get garbled along the way?
Good listening takes a lot of practice. It requires concentration. Our minds think four times faster
than a person can speak so our minds tend to wander. As we listen, we need to focus on a
speaker's words, body language, intended message and even unintended message. We need to
listen without judging what we hear. A leader learns to listen at least as much as he/she speaks.
5.13 Other Types of Feedback Include:
1. Active Listening
This feedback lets the speaker know we are concentrating on her/his message.
"I see...Hmmm" (nodding)
2. Asking for More Information
This enables others to expand on initial information.
It tells the speaker we are interested in her/his thoughts
"That sounds interesting." "Tell us more."
3. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is saying what we think the speaker said. This gives the speaker a chance to
confirm our interpretation or to clarify what was meant.
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"Did I hear you say that although the plan isn't finished, we should start marketing the
workshop while the committee works on the details?"
4. Sharing Information
everyone has input is important. Group leaders need to be as open and honest as other
members are.
"I believe we need to move slowly and consider all possible options before we make a
decision."
5. Checking Feelings
It's best to check to see if the emotion we think we see is the correct interpretation.
"Are you are frustrated? Would you like to talk about it?"
6. Reporting Feelings
Tell others what your emotional state is at a given time.
"It's been a long day. I'm not productive any more. Could we talk about this at the next
meeting?"
7. Offering or Requesting More Options
Even good ideas can be made better when more people are involved. Suggesting other
options is helpful.
These are some great ideas here. Could we expand any of these ideas now?"
Leaders practice skills that enhance communication within a group. Effective communication
helps a group function successfully and helps individuals develop, too. Positive communication
helps members feel valuable and welcome to share their talents.
When all members practice effective communication, trust, cooperation and productivity in the
group will be enhanced. The following hints ensure effective communication:
Group members listen and pay attention to one another
One topic is discussed at a time
Members work through conflict rather than
avoiding it
Everyone has a chance to state their views
Decisions are clearly stated so all members
understand
Regular feedback helps the group to stay focused on goals.
5.14 Body Language -- Check the Message
Nonverbal communication is called body language. Facial expressions, gestures, eye contact and
body posture are parts of body language. Even when we are speaking, we need to observe body
language. Body language can tell us if listeners are interested, bored, confused or disagreeing with
us.
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Don't jump to conclusions about what we think we see in body language. It is important to
observe nonverbal communication and use it as a checkpoint to see if we understand the message.
"I see some frowns. Does anyone have a concern about this option?" "There has been very little
reaction to this proposal. How does the group feel right now?"
Our culture teaches us what acceptable nonverbal communication is. Some cultures find certain
types of body language (Ex. eye contact, standing too close) inappropriate or even offensive.
Effective communication includes being sensitive to those differences. Observe body language
and then check the message.
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6 LEADERSHIP- GOAL SETTING

Leaders know where they are going; they have plans in place to get them there; they know what
will be required to achieve there goals and most importantly they approach there journey with a
level of vigor and enthusiasm that is contagious and excites all who are involved.
As a leader are you satisfied with where you have been heading; energized about what you are
doing or do you find yourself achieving goals set for you by others?
Effective leadership requires clear, concise and continuous movement towards goals that will
foster the level of personal and organizational excellence that is associated with leadership
brilliance. Goal setting is clearly, the most basic competent of identifying the where, how and
why of leadership excellence.
6.1 Do You Have A Goal?
Lion in Sahara has a goal, what that my be is not always that obvious , well one day he my want
to have nice fresh meal, next day perhaps a drink of some clean water, the day after maybe a little
sleep his next goal my be find a mate. Can you see the point in lion's life he has a set of goals first
to catch a prey, secondly kill the unfortunate catch and the last goal be happy with full belly. The
lion has no choice in the matter the goal setting is in its genes without the goal in his make up
there would be no success or even life for lion.
Humans have progressed beyond hunting for food in bush, or Sahara. However, in food hutting
there is a goal would you agree. Therefore, the in periods gone by the goals were somewhat
simplistic, but never the less it has it massage for modern counterparts. Human progress from
simply hunting and food gathering was accomplished not without a desire to survive and of
course have easier and more prosperous life.
The human progress in education, technology, medical discoveries, engineering or travel to space
has it's seeds planted, to be firstly having vision and a goal without it anything would never
happen.
What is a goal?
Goal is an objective, a purpose, aim, point or endeavor. The goal has to be set in understandable
and achievable time. Action taken to bring the dream into being is part of system in thinking and
process. The goal has first be established and acted upon. Without goals millions of people
wonder through life without even realizing that they don't have any goals to aspire to and still
wonder why an earth they are poor. Food is one of many essential mineral or a fuel of life's goal
setting is important on equal terms.
Individual need to focus on where they want to be in five years time that in it self will stimulate
goal setting as it is possible their situation will improve in five years time. A psychological barrier
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needs to be overcome with possible gain in future. There isn't any point looking back to our past
pains, because that is something we all want to escape especially if that past has not brought us
any success.
Like any large corporation needs to have a plan and plan, by setting up objectives or a goal. Those
large corporations plan with their objectives, fro 5, 10, 15 years. They visualize the future in clear
precise manner.You are as individual need to think plan like large corporations, visualize your
future where would you like to be in next five or ten years.
Al of us has a dream some are bigger then others, of what we really want to do. But few of us
actually capitulate to a dream or desire instead to surrender to dreams we instead murder it here
are the reason whey the dream is put into waste been.
1. Self deprecation many people say I want to represent my country in football but
say I don't like to train or like the coach.
2. Security - I am secured where I am which jus about trashes your goal.
3. Competition - the field is already so overcrowded.
4. Parental Dictation - You have heard hundreds of people say to young people I
want to become a plumber but the parents say they would like their children to do
this.
5. Family responsibility - The attitude well I have the family now and I can't change
now.
It is quite amazing the more successful a person is the easier it is for them to work on regular
basis for more then 40 hours per week. The successful person has the energy fueled by the goal.
The bigger the goal in the eyes, the more they see, and more energy one has. The point is this; the
energy increase, multiplies when goal is set and work toward the goal. It is quite amazing the goal
entrenched deep in your mind you will receive to energy to drive toward your accomplishment.
What not to do in 30 days improvements guide.
What not to do?
1. Putting things off till tomorrow
2. Negative language
3. Watching television for more then 60 minutes per day.
4. Gossip
Obtain those habits.
1. Examine your appearance each morning.
2. Plan your day's work a day before.
3. Complement people on every opportunity.
Increase value in your work place

1. Do a better job for your employer
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2. Learn more about the company you work for.

3. Make number of suggestions to assist your companies' production.
Increase your value at home
1. Show appreciation to you wife and the family each time they do something for
you.
2. Do something special one a month for your family.
3. Set time aside each day to give you loved one each day.
Sharpen your mind
1. Invest two hours per week reading professional magazines or a book in your field.
2. Read one self help book.
3. Make four new friends.
4. Spend 30 minutes daily in quite undisturbed thinking.
Next time you go into town observer a well-dressed and well-groomed person, full of life
vibrancy smile speed, clear thinking person, and stature in his walk. You need to remained
yourself that person was not born that way.
Building new positive habits and destroying the old negative habits is a life long day to
6.2 Goal Setting Made Simple, a basic recipe for success
1. Primarily it is essential that goals you intend to pursue are your goals; it is critical that
you understand what you want and who you want to become. Our goals should not be
driven by the expectation of others.
2. In establishing our goals, it is essential that we state our goals positively and
specifically; to be motivated by our goals we must be able to clearly develop a mental
picture of doing and achieving what we want to do.
3. Next, your goals must be realistic, attainable and measurable; these are goals, which
you are willing to work towards, because you believe them to be realistic and
achievable. If it cannot be measured then does it really exist? Vague statements of
purpose are like trying to hit a moving target, with your eyes closed, difficult if not
impossible.
Understand that true success comes from within; many are fearful of the future because they are
unsure of what it will bring; they become pawns in the game of life; there movement depends on
decisions of others; they relinquish their freedom of choice by having to depend on others to
know what to think or do. Remember that people who have goals and plans dictate to others,
while people who have no goals or plans are dictated to.
6.3 Goal is Gold
There is no dearth of topics on how to set goals and achieve them everywhere. Most of us get
excited about goal setting and forget most of our goals by mid January. I went on to find out how
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could we commit ourselves to goals we set and achieve them since without goals you do not know
weather you are winning or loosing in your life. My journey took me on different course on
dissecting the profound understanding of goals.
G --> Gratitude
O --> Open Mind
A --> Action
L --> Leverage
Gratitude: Gratitude makes our soul attain the great energy that controls all matters on
this world. Goal starts with knowing what you want. If you do not know what you want,
you will never get that. Sounds simple? Yes, it is. Yet most men and women do not know
what they want. A survey done on a college campus revealed that only 3% students clearly
know what they wanted to achieve in their life. Twenty years after the survey, study
revealed that those 3% of students had more in wealth than 97% combined. Is this
surprising? It should not since 97% did not dream to achieve stupendous opportunity that
existed for all the students. With gratitude, we engage creative imagination of our brain to
dream that excites us. Creative imagination connects our finite mind to that of Infinite
intelligence or supreme energy that controls ether. Charles Lindbergh was first one to fly
solo over the Atlantic ocean in 1927. He used to imagine himself flying across the Atlantic
ocean and feeling the pride of achievement long before he even had means to do so. Power
behind his depth of imagination was gratitude. He was grateful to almighty to enable him
to be the first to complete solo flight. His gratitude lent him power of creative imagination
that made him believed that he had achieved the feat and filled his mind with positively.
Fear had no place in his mind.
Open Mind: Mind is like parachute, it works best when kept open. Achievers never keep
thoughts to self-imposed limits since thoughts are limited only to self-imposed limits.
There is nothing that we can not achieve as humans unless we train our thoughts not to.
When Charles Lindbergh was unable to buy an airplane that would have allowed him to
fly across Atlantic, he went on to design and build one that was capable to do so. Wow!
That’s the true test of commitment to goal. It was his open mind that kept inspiring him to
think possibilities beyond simple solutions.
Action: Action is to goal as soul is to our body. Without action, no one has ever achieved
anything ever. Dreams are vibrant energy sources that can be converted into its physical
equivalence unless acted upon them. Action is the personal investment that one makes
with commitment in time and money to devote to the burning desire to transmute dreams
into its physical equivalence. Goals are good on paper but unless we plan short term and
long term actions that can take us close to our goals, they remain a wish on a piece of a
paper. Everyday, all your actions shall focus on steps that can take you close to your goals.
Daily assessment of actions taken shall clearly support what you want to achieve in life. If
you find that you are spending lots of time on events that do not support your goals or help
you get close to your goals then you shall make commitment to avoid those events since
they are drain on your creative energy.
Leverage: This is by far one of the most influential aspects of goal achievement since
without leverage, you are prone to loose focus, get frustrated and simply quit your pursuit
due to lack of money and resources. No matter what circumstances you have today, if you
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imagine what you want and daily see yourself in possession of what you want, you will
get will power to commit to your goals. Your will power uses advantage to transmute your
imagination into its physical equivalence. Charles Lindbergh did not have money to
design and build an airplane to fly solo across Atlantic. Instead of quitting and comforting
his mind with lack of circumstances, he chooses to use leverage. He found group of St
Louis businessmen to sponsor him. That's why his plane was named "spirit of St Louis". It
was power of leverage that allowed him to write his name in the history book.
So, next time when you sit down and think about your goals - remember that true meaning of it. It
is Gratitude, Open mind, action and Leverage. Once you learn these forces as the agents that
transmute your dreams into reality, you will never quit your goals until they are achieved.
6.4 Start Writing and Completing Your Goals
Imagine going on a out of state road trip to a place you have never seen or been to before. You
know were you want to go and what you want to do when you get there, but you did not take a
road map to lead you. How long do you think it will take to get there? How long before you give
up and go back home? How long before the great vision you had in your head turns into
frustration?
Same is true with life. Some of us have an idea what we want from life; the problem is most of us
having no road map. We live everyday as if we were lost. With only one life to live, doesn't it
make sense to live for a reason, with a sense of purpose?
According to Brian Tracy less, than 3% of people have written goals and only 1% of people
review them regularly. Wow. That means only 3 out of every 100 people you encounter have
written goals. Are you one of the 3%? On the other hand, are you with the majority? Studies have
proved, people with written goals, that review them on a regular basis get more accomplished
daily and earn larger wages than those who do not write their goals.
Use the following tips to help you plan your goals and help get you to your destination faster.
1. Your goals must be yours they must be personal.
2. Start small then grow.
a. First get into the habit of completing your goals so start small for example start
waking up at the same time daily.
3. Take action. Start achieving your goals right NOW! Do not procrastinate.
4. Stay positive. Remember nothing worth wile comes without work. Choose to be extremely
positive do not let anyone or anything throw you off track.
5. Review you goals daily. Review them until they become automatic and you can recite
them without having to look at your sheet. Your goals must become a part of who you are,
everything you do, think, or say must reflect what you have written down on your sheet.
Write your goals as often as you wish, you can share your goals with someone if you like
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but I recommend you operate quietly and watch your life mold into what you always
dreamed.
Remember you only have one life to live. Live on purpose and go get every thing you want.
6.5 Personal Development - 6 Steps and Goal Success
Would you like to live a more prosperous life? Would you love your relationships to improve?
Perhaps you have specific goals or desires you long to see manifest in the material world.
It does not matter where you are or where you have been. It makes no difference if you have a
string of success behind you or only failures. I am about to share with you six steps that will
ensure you reach all your goals.
Here are some top tips to help you achieve all the success you want.
1. Know what you want! Be very clear on exactly what it is that you want. Wanting more
money or a good mate is not enough. How much money do you want? What are the
qualities you are looking for in another? Vague wishes will gain you nothing. You must
formulate a clear intent!
2. Once you have identified what you want, turn your desire into a goal. Write down on a
paper a statement of intent. Begin your statement as follows, "I am so grateful that I now
allow myself to have..." Read this statement twice a day and recall the mental image you
will create in step 3.
3. Create in your mind a clear image of yourself already in possession of your desire. Make it
as clear as you can. View yourself in the image as the person you wish to be already
having your goal. Imagine how that 'other' you thinks, feels, acts, and add these
characteristics to the 'other' you in your mental image. When you have your image clear
and concise, imagine that you can step into that 'other' you. As best, you can start to feel
all those feelings that the 'other' you felt. As you step inside that, mental you feel yourself
becoming that new person. Increase the feelings. Make the colors, in the environment you
are now seeing through your mental eyes, more colorful and vibrant.
4. Remove your mental barriers. The only reason why people fail to achieve their goals is
negative mental attitudes. You must remove these mental 'demons' before you can achieve
success. When you verbally intone your goal, through the affirmation statement you
created in step 2, you will find your negative attitudes begin to surface. This is excellent as
the attitudes are being brought up from the subconscious to the conscious mind where you
can eliminate them. Be diligent and try to become aware of how you are thinking
throughout your day.
When you become aware of a negative attitude, when it surfaces, do not fight it.
This is disastrous. If you fight to suppress a negative attitude, it will remain in the
subconscious mind and act like a hidden computer virus in your brain. Allow the
attitude to surface fully. You will find that you have feelings associated with these
thoughts. When you permit the feeling to come up and you experience it fully you
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will quickly find that it burns itself out. By no longer suppressing your emotions
but allowing them to express themselves in your body you will find that they
dissipate. I know this sounds too easy but please try it, it really does work!
Once you have allowed your negative feelings to burn themselves out, by allowing
them to surface and leave your body, it is a good time to mentally revisit your goal
image and speak your statement of intent. If this is not possible then just re-affirm
to yourself that you are allowing yourself to have your goal. When visualizing and
affirming your statement of intent do not stop until you feel positive about your
goal. Never leave your mental work while you still feel negative. You may find
that the next time you do the exercises you feel similar negative feelings. These
emotions are not the same feelings that you have already allowed to dissipate! You
have gathered much negativity during your stay on planet Earth and your negative
attitudes have many layers. Just be diligent and patient.
5. Let it go! Once you have finished your mental work let it go. You are doing your part so
allow universal forces and laws to their work. If you allow your mind to dwell on the
hows, where's and whens you are really affirming to yourself and the universe that you do
not already have your goal! Never worry about how your goal is going to come to you or
when or where you will receive it because this will slow down its manifestation. Thinking
in terms of your goal as having already been accomplished is fine but give no thought as
to when, how or where it will come. When you think of something that you already have
you do not contemplate how you got it, you just think in terms of already having it!
6. Take some action! It does not matter how small it is. Take some small steps everyday that
will bring you closer to your goal. When you reach out for your goals with the correct
mindset the universe will rush to meet you.
When you pursue your goals and desires using these six simple steps you will find that you
achieve a higher level of success than you have ever before and you will find it much less
stressful. Follow the steps and prepare for your next success.
6.6 You Can Achieve Success in Future
"The Best way to predict the future is to create it"

-Peter Drucker
Quick Review
Did you have a written goal for previous year? Your goal could have focused on improvements or
changes that were personal, professional or a combination thereof.
A written goal is similar to your own personal directional coach. You can stay on the right track,
the best road to get from point A to B. By the way, when you do reach your destination, you can
celebrate your success. Why not get ready for coming year?
Future: Year 200…….
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What will you accomplish? Give this serious thought. Are you ready for a change that focuses on
a personal, career, financial, spiritual or health goal? You might ask, can you have more than one
goal? Certainly, but you may want to accomplish one goal before you begin another. Establish
and achieve a goal then celebrate your success; when you have been successful, you will establish
the foundation to move toward another challenge highly motivated.
Now for your written goal, make it SMART. Ok you have heard of this type of goal setting
format, but here is a serious question. Have you actually followed through in writing a SMART
goal? For those of you who answer yes, congratulations. No doubt you can tell your convincing
success story to those who are struggling and give them a sense of hope and focus. Keep your
eyes open to those who need your guidance, you never know when you'll be a personal inspiration
to another.
If by chance you are unaware of the SMART goal, it is a popular format or model. The SMART
goal has been a focus of many leadership programs. SMART is:
S- specific
M-measurable
A-action plan
R-realistic
T-time sensitive and/or tied to business results
Specific
Write your goal so that no matter when you read it and who reads it, it is very understandable.
Always start your sentence with the word "I" not "to do."
For example: I will write articles throughout 2008
Measurable
Your goal must have tangible results, so you can see your progress. Remember the GPS, after
programming with our goal (destination) it knew exactly where we wanted to go and for each
milestone, we knew we were closer to our destination.
For example: I will write four articles for publication. Distribution will be quarterly.
Action Plan
In this section of your goal, you will answer these questions. Who will do What, by When?
For example: Who: Barbara will - What: Write each e-zine article and submit to ezine articles for
distribution - By When: In the second week of the first month in each quarter.
Realistic
This is a reality check. You answer this question. Is it realistic for me to accomplish this goal?
Yes, or No? If you answer no, go immediately back to your goal and refine the various sections to
make sure your can answer a bona fide yes. If it is a no, no matter what you refine, it's time to
rethink this goal and develop one that is achievable.
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For example: Is this goal realistic for me in 2008? Yes! Time Sensitive and/or Tied to Business
Results
Time
In this section you have the opportunity to visit timelines, if you have not done so in your action
plan. Because I established time lines in my action plan, I will focus on business results.
For example: This goal supports my business plan to reach ezine readers with timely topics that
can be readily used.
Conclusion:
You can set your plans in motion, now. Your personal directional coach is in your SMART goal.
Read your goal, follow your action plan and be ready to celebrate your predictions and successes
in future.
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7 LEADERSHIP & MOTIVATION

The six most important words: "I admit I made a mistake."
The five most important words: "You did a good job."
The four most important words: "What is your opinion."
The three most important words: "If you please."
The two most important words: "Thank you,"
The one most important word: "We"
The least most important word: "I"
- Author unknown
It is difficult to do things differently as the following story illustrates.

A lead hardware engineer, a lead software engineer, and their project manager are taking a walk
outdoors during their lunch break when they come upon an old brass lamp. They pick it up and
dust it off. Poof--out pops a genie.
"Thank you for releasing me from my lamp-prison. I can grant you 3 wishes. Since there are 3 of
you I will grant one wish to each of you."
The hardware engineer thinks a moment and says, "I'd like to be sailing a yacht across the Pacific,
racing before the wind, with an all-girl crew."
"It is done," said the Genie, and poof, the hardware engineer disappears.
The software engineer thinks a moment and says, "I'd like to be riding my Harley with a gang of
beautiful women throughout the American Southwest."
"It is done," said the Genie, and poof, the software engineer disappears.
The project manager looks at where the other two had been standing and rubs his chin in thought.
Then he tells the Genie, "I'd like those two back in the office after lunch."
Harnessing human motivation is a core competency of the transformational leader. Unlike
managers who tend to rely on authority to make things happen inside organizations, the
transformational leader harnesses the power inherent in human motivation.
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7.1 Developing Self-Esteem
It would be hard to become successful without first developing your self-esteem. In fact, it cannot
think of one person who is very successful who has low self-esteem.
Before we start going on about self-esteem, let us take a second to define self-esteem.
What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is defined as feelings of self-worth stemming from the
individual's positive or negative beliefs about being valuable and capable.
It is hard to develop self-esteem when you are working on a job that does not allow you to be
exactly who you were meant to be. If you are working at a job that does not quite fit with who
you are, chances are that job is messing with your self-esteem. How can you feel good about
yourself if Monday through Friday for 8 to 10 hours, you are doing something that does not help
in the development of your self-esteem?
The answer is – you cannot.
You cannot possibly feel good about yourself and what happens is, you start questioning your
abilities. You start wondering if you are good enough or smart enough. You see others who seem
to be doing well and having success, but for some reason, you keep falling short.
If you do not have high self-esteem, you will start to believe that you are at fault and that, you do
not measure up or you cannot make the grade.
The truth of the matter is, you are not living your life with purpose. Because you lack passion for
the job or career that you find yourself in, you will find that often times, you will not be excited
about it. Your lack of enthusiasm will cause your work to not be up to par. It has nothing to do
with your abilities. You cannot be all that great at something if you are constantly watching the
clock; waiting for your break or for the day to end because you are simply tired of being there. If
you were doing something that you really enjoyed doing, something that you were passionate
about, you would not help BUT measure up and excel the standards. Someone would probably
have to tell you, “Hey, you, its quitting time.” In addition, the time would seem to fly by without
you even taking a lunch break.
How do we get in this position? How did we lose our self-worth?
Well, there are many answers to that question.
Perhaps one or both of your parents made you feel that you were not worthy of their love because
they did not know how to give love. Alternatively, perhaps a teacher or authority figure made you
feel that you were not smart enough. Maybe your siblings or childhood friends teased you and
made you feel less than.
These, plus millions of other reasons, are contributing factors in how we see our self-worth.
If you see yourself as being not worthy, then you will shy away from responsibilities. Often, these
responsibilities, when they present themselves, may be the answer to our prayers—they may be
the one thing that will lead us to living the life that we desire—to achieving that success that we
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have always wanted. However, our doubts about our low self-awareness and ourselves stop us
from accomplishing our goals.
It is sad. It hurts my heart when I hear someone say something negative about him or herself. I
have a girlfriend, who I think is very smart, a great person with a big and wonderful heart, and
very entrepreneurial spirit. But she has this bad habit of saying, “I’m a bimbo.”
However, how to do you change your opinion of yourself? How do you develop high self-esteem?
Well, folks, as I always say, “it’s simple—but it aren’t easy.”
In order to develop high self-esteem, you must start with being conscious of your self-talk—the
things you say to and about yourself.
Whenever you find yourself doubting your abilities or fearing what others will think of you—
STOP, Tell yourself that you are just as good as or better than the next person is. Tell yourself
that you KNOW, beyond any doubt, that you can perform the task and do a good job at it too. If
you find yourself saying anything negative about you—STOP AT ONCE!! Put the brakes on.
Hold it now! In addition, change that thought to a positive one.
Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself “I’m a winner. I’m a champion! I can do
anything!” When you tell yourself this, take the time to FEEL as if you ARE a winner, a
champion—how would a winner feel? Great, right? Well, make yourself feel great. Say it as if
you truly mean it.
If you do this often enough, you will start to convince your subconscious mind that you ARE
GREAT (which, by the way, you truly are already—you just don’t know it yet. I do.) The more
you become convinced, the higher your self-esteem will rise.
ACTION POINT! For the next 7 days, if you find yourself saying or thinking anything negative
about yourself – STOP. Put the brakes on that thought. If someone says anything negative to you
or about you—STOP tell that person, or simply tell yourself, “No, I’m not. I’m a winner, I’m a
champion!” When you wake up each morning and go to the bathroom to wash your face, look in
the mirror and say, “I’m a winner! I’m a champion! I’m a GREAT person!” Say it over and
repeatedly until you can feel it in your bones. Say it loud if you can (if you can’t say it loud
because you will wake up others, or you don’t want them to think you are talking to yourself—
then say it so that you can at least hear it.) Does this for a week, write me, and tell me all about
the new experiences that have been happening in your life because I know things will start
happening and I would like to hear about them.
7.2 How Can I Improve My Self-Esteem?
Self-esteem is something almost anyone can use more of. Even the people who exude confidence
on the exterior probably have nagging doubts in their heart of hearts—doubts that they carefully
hide from those around them, but which gnaw at their souls. Doubt can be debilitating.
Luckily, anyone can take very practical steps to improve their self-esteem. Confidence in
ourselves is not something we are born with overnight (unless we are just cocky, in which case
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the confidence is probably ill justified!). Anyone with a brain and a critical eye is bound to see
what is wrong in their lives. However, it is always constructive to remind yourself what is right—
and that, in any case, things can improve still more.
Below are just a few great pointers on increasing self-esteem.
Take stock of yourself.
Begin by asking yourself which areas of your life and personality need the most work.
What changes would you be most proud of, and find most fulfilling? Compose a list of
them—five, perhaps, or ten at the most (if you’re really self-critical!). Rank them. Think
about how you can go about improving each point.
Build yourself up.
Do not get discouraged; dwelling too much on the areas you want to improve. Remind
yourself of the progress you have made thus far in life. Pat yourself on the back for having
enough determination to try self-improvement in the first place. You are on the right track!
How will you get there?
It is not enough to decide where you want to go in terms of self-esteem; it is more
important to ask how you are going to get there. In addition, who can help get you there?
Whom can you trust for help, and for counsel, and even for a shoulder to cry on, if you
have a temporary setback?
How will you get there?
It is not enough to decide where you want to go in terms of self-esteem; it is more
important to ask how you are going to get there. In addition, who can help get you there?
Whom can you trust for help, and for counsel, and even for a shoulder to cry on, if you
have a temporary setback?
Counter-attack.
Tired of suffering the blows of fate? Tired of feeling like the football of the gods? Go on
the counter-attack! Take action! Formulate a battle-plan, and assert yourself. You can
make things happen. You can dish it too, instead of just absorbing blows.
Spread the wealth.
Self-esteem is something of incomparable value. At the same time, it is something you’ve
got to give in order to get. The more you build up the people around you, the more that
same enthusiasm and confidence will reflect back on you. Spread that sense of optimism
and excitement to every member of your team.
Branch out.
Extend your sphere of influence, and allow yourself to be influenced by interesting and
stimulating new people, as you become a member of new organizations and interest
groups. Find people who share your passions, and exchange ideas.
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Engage in extra-curricular activities.

Take up a new side project, something you will enjoy. Make it something you will find
relaxing, and yet exhilarating at the same time. Something that will improve you and make
you a better-rounded person. Perhaps it will be a hobby, club, or recreational activity.
Never stop learning.
Do not allow your thinking to stagnate. Join a class, on some topic you’re interested in—even
if it’s something not directly connected with, say, your career, or your primary goal in life. As
long as you are passionate about it, you will benefit from this intellectual stimulation. Its
positive effects on your main interests may surprise you.
Migrate to warmer climes.
If you have a bad case of the blahs, or are stricken with cabin fever, strike out for new
territories. Exploring an undiscovered country can revive your outlook on life, an inspire
you with new ideas and new influences. Take a vacation, or even consider making a
permanent move, if you really need a fresh start.
Count your blessings.
Never forget to remind yourself of how blessed and, ultimately, how happy you really are.
Consider it an added bonus if your dreams come true; if they do not, right away at least,
you will enjoy the challenge, at the very least.
7.3 How to Develop Self Esteem
Our self esteem is instilled in us during our youth. Being constantly criticized by parents and
family members tends to slowly strip us of our feelings of self worth. Our low self esteem strips
us of our self confidence to make even the smallest of decisions. We think little of ourselves, and
feel we do not deserve to be happy. Improving your self esteem increases your confidence and is
a first step towards finding happiness and a better life. You gain this confidence by believing that
you are unique, you are special, and that you deserve to have your dreams come true!
Here are 25 steps for developing self-esteem:
1. Figure out what your problem is. Realize your problem is not who you are, it is what
you have used to protect your physical and emotional well-being. It is hiding who you are:
a beautiful human being, a wonderful source of awareness, knowledge, creativity, love
and joy. If you practice self-esteem based on the faith that this is who you really are, then
your problem will dissolve.
2. Figure out who you are. Take self-evaluation quizzes. Learn as much as you can about
who you are and why you think and feel the way you do. Self-knowledge is a key to
success.
3. Decide what you can and cannot control. Change and act on the things that are in your
control and release the things that are out of your control.
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4. Accept responsibility. Finding self-confidence requires accepting responsibility for your

own happiness, and recognizing that you are a product not only of your genetic code and
your environment, but of the choices, you make. Begin your day with the words "I am
responsible."
5. Make anxiety your ally. Write down your worries for 30 days. Nagging concerns that
loom so large in your imagination lose their power on paper. Amazingly, after writing
those down the anxieties begin to fade.
6. Recognize that mistakes are opportunities. Keep the setback in perspective. Most
mistakes are not personal tragedies; rather they are problems you now have the
opportunity to solve. "Success," is often a string of failed attempts to get it right.
7. Compete to improve yourself not to beat someone else.
8. Be ambitious. When setting goals, remember that you are distinct from what you have
and what you seem to be. If you let others define who you are, you may not find
happiness. Pursue your own dreams -- not your parent’s, mates, or your best friend’s.
9. Be brave and take risks. Do not be afraid of mistakes. Risk-taking builds confidence.
When considering any risk: define a clear goal. Review the positive, practical and
potential losses. Determine whether the risk is one of trust, identity or something larger.
When you focus on risks that have a larger purpose, you cannot go wrong. Even if the risk
does not turn out as you hoped it would, you will gain from it. Act. Take a risk. Be
confident -- you have earned it.
10. Think and speak positively. If you hear, a compliment or positive statements about
someone you know pass that compliment on to them. An Arabian proverb puts it neatly:
Blessed is he who speaks a kindness; thrice blessed he who repeats it.
11. Learn something new. Create a new hobby. Increase your vocabulary one word a week.
Take on a new physical challenge or activity.
12. Spend time investing in your personal growth. This enables joy to flourish amid the
fears and difficulties of life. Read self-help books and act on the knowledge.
13. Decisions: the next time you ponder a decision, think of everything that could go right
and say to yourself, "What do I have to lose, really?
14. Smile and be courteous. Use the words please and thank you consistently.
15. Be aware of media’s messages. Their goal is to make you feel bad about yourself so you
will buy what they are selling.
16. Keep good company. Positive feeds positive and negative breeds negative. If you choose
to be around positive people, you in turn will become more positive.
17. Reward yourself. Give yourself and others positive rewards for being and doing well.
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18. Do not accept messages that damage your own self-esteem. It is much easier to
improve or change your behavior when you believe you are lovable and capable.
19. Be aware of the different messages that you hear in your head and remember to turn up
the volume on the messages that contribute to your positive self-esteem and to turn down
the volume on any message that encourages you to think negatively about your worth or
ability.
20. You can improve the quality of messages you have in your head about being lovable and
capable. Use "how to" statements in your head and take action on the answers you receive.
Repeat positive affirmations to yourself & out loud as much as possible.
21. Negative messages can build esteem, as long a they are not attacking your self worth or
defining yourself as incapable. Properly delivered negative messages say "I care about
myself. I am a worthwhile person and I can learn how to do things better."
22. Any thoughts that take us away from a positive feeling are not worth having or
defending. If you want to be happy, follow your happy feelings, not your unhappy ones.
23. The moment you hear a critical remark, ask yourself, "What’s on this person’s
screen?" Assume that all critical remarks arise from some shortcoming. Remember that
people can only criticize what is on their screen and that their screens are not reliable. It is
very unlikely that any criticism is based on an accurate perception of you. It is much more
likely that the critic is reacting to emotions, memories, and behavior patterns that have
almost nothing to do with you. Thinking poorly about you because of such critics is a
mistake. When someone criticizes, you do and say the following: Smile and say to
yourself, "Boy, I wonder what’s on their screen to make them so critical of me?"
Remember it is about them not about you.
24. Remember that all criticism shares one characteristic: it is unwelcome. You did not
invite people to dump the distorted contents of their screen on you. You may feel that you
owe some critics a response, but you never owe a critic your self-esteem.
25. A small success can bring big feeling of competence. Small steps lead to more steps. Pat
your self on the back every time you make a small success. Every step counts. Take one-
step at a time in a positive direction, this is the practice of self-esteem.
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8 LEADERSHIP – 4 ‘E’S
MOHANDAS GANDHI
ENVISION
India’s political and religious independence, based on spiritual renewal of her people, and on the
equality of Hindu and Muslim.
ENABLE
South African ambulance corps. Indian “Constructive Program". The Ashrams. The Congress
charter. "Swadeshi” = home industry.
EMPOWER
Discipline & freedom, for self and followers. "Satyagraha” = peaceful protest. "Swaraj" = Indian
Independence. Love. Respect.
ENERGIZE
He walked the talk – Gandhi was the program. The "Salt March”. He fasted. His charisma. His
disregard for self - no fear - prison. His words
GENGHIS KHAN
ENVISION
To stop the Mongol tribes fighting, and to preserve their nomadic lifestyle. To live off the land.
Realize their longstanding dream of “conquering the World”.
ENABLE
The compound bow & short stirrup. The "Yasa” legal code. Merit based army units of 10, 1000,
10000. Peacetime “Pony express” links.
EMPOWER
Genghis trusted Locals running conquered cities. He promoted on merit. He was generous, very
loyal, and very frank.
ENERGIZE
He personified strong & clear Mongol values. Genghis always led from the front. He was
charismatic. Either surrender and maintain your way of life, or be slaughtered
4 E’s in Full
Here is the big idea. Leadership in the networked world is the same as it was in the time of
Genghis Khan. The process - which we call the 4 E’s of Envision, Enable, Empower and Energize
- is the same. The principles are the same.
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8.1 Leaders
... are always looking for specific things to do “next Monday”, to make things happen. Leadership
depends on having a unique vision, making strategic choices, finding the right tools & people to
do the job, and designing and enabling an organization to get it done.
Leadership is about understanding people, and about getting people pointing and acting in
the same direction. The unique role of a leader is then to provide the energy and commitment to
see this job through, and ensuring execution is perfect. Leadership is about listening, and making
a real "connect" with others. It is a process.
We call this process the 4 E’s of Envision, Enable, Empower & Energize. The framework has
been developed by studying historical Leaders
The sidebar on “Historical Examples” summarizes how the first 4 E’s apply to two very different
Leaders – Mohandas Gandhi and Genghis Khan.
The 4 E’s framework applies equally to Leadership in different cultural backgrounds – important
to Leader’s of today’s’ multicultural Enterprises. However, before examining the 4 E’s in detail,
there is a simple set of fundamental truths about all Leaders.
Leaders always create (and need) change
Leaders always create (and need) followers
Leaders have a rock-solid value system, which is congruent with their followers.
Leaders and Change

Without a need for change, the concept of Leadership is meaningless. Leadership is not
an abstract, Platonic concept - it is a practical activity, with a specific goal in mind.
The situation in India pre-independence almost demanded that someone (like Gandhi)
arose to lead and organize the cause. In the 4 E’s framework, Change is central to the
strategic choices made at the Envisioning stage.
Leaders and Followers
Leaders are quintessential change agents, but they cannot do it alone – they still need the
help of others to get things going. They find ways to create groups of followers, so they
can together change things. We are not talking of manipulation or of mischief when we
write, "Leaders create followers". We mean that the job of a Leader is to encourage
people to get things done. There is symmetry and symbiosis between Leaders and
followers. Both need each other.
Without followers, there are no Leaders. In this sense, Leadership varies by situation, as
a good Leader in one circumstance may not be successful in another. A classic example of
Leadership varying by situation is Winston Churchill, who succeeded in wartime and then
failed in peacetime by loosing a General Election. He was unable to reflect people’s post-
war needs.
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Finally, with this process orientation to Leadership, we believe everyone can train,
develop and enhance their Leadership skills. This is true regardless of the size or
complexity of the Enterprise. In addition, because everyone can train, the results can be
measured. You can’t have Leader’s without followers, and you can’t have followers
without Leaders. Paradoxically, therefore, the Leader is also a follower, in the sense of
reflecting the wishes of others. Leaders and followers are thus interdependent.
Leaders & Values congruence
The Leadership job starts with a thorough understanding of the follower’s needs,
aspirations and concerns, which needs excellent listening and facilitation skills. Most
importantly, it starts with a thorough understanding of the value systems of all
constituents. The Leader’s value system must be congruent with that of the followers if the
relationship is to prosper.
Leaders must first understand and then communicate their own value systems if they
are to be trusted and followed. Leadership comes from within us, in the sense that deeply
held values and principles provide the road map for the way we lead, and the way other
people respond. It is always the Leader’s personal value system that sustains them in their
quest, whether they are a person of impeccable moral fiber, or quite disreputable. On the
negative side, without a clear sense of his or her own personal values, the Leader-to-be
can get hopelessly lost, falling foul of inconsistency and insincerity as he struggles to
handle the constituents.
From the perspective of the total organization, the creation and Leadership of a value
system for the Enterprise, which is in total synchronization with the values of its
constituents, will be very powerful indeed. This needs a sense of balance in dealing with
multiple constituencies and interest groups, whilst also achieving the Enterprise goals.
Constituencies include employees, shareholders, customers and members of local
communities. Often the very best (and longest-lived) business Enterprises takes specific
note of all their constituencies in their mission and strategies. It is with this in mind that
we include values and culture in the Envisioning step of the 4 E’s.
8.2 Ideas and Values
Let us now connect these thoughts on Leadership into the world of ideas. First, what is an “idea”,
what is a “value”, and what is the connection?
Idea: a thought to be presented as a suggestion, a thought about or mental picture of
something such as a future or possible event, a realization of a possible way of doing something
or of something to be done.
In today’s parlance, an idea tends to be thought of as an innovation, That is, an idea that can be
practically executed and which creates value. Therefore, we can all have ideas, and they result in
changes, to a greater or lesser extent. They can be incremental, substantial or transformational
innovations – all are needed in any Enterprise to keep it moving forward.
Values: the accepted principles or standards of an individual or a group.
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What is interesting is that ideas lead eventually to values, if they are big enough. As we moved
from hunting to agriculture, one assumes someone had the basic idea that not killing people was
“good”. Later, the idea of the rule of law came along, and then liberal democracy. Both
eventually became values in “civil society”. The idea of “markets” surfaced, and the values of
“capitalism” took hold. On the other hand, Marx thought of the idea of “communism”, which
lasted a while but never became an endearing value.
Values emerge over time, and get consensus over time. Ideas can be born at “Internet speed”,
but values take time and energy to create and to take hold in an Enterprise. Put another way,
ideas are fast, and values are slow. Ideas sometimes lead to powerful values, but not always.
It is ideas that motivate people, but values that bind them together. When a Leader
communicates, he or she must be clear whether the subject is ideas or values. Now this may
sound simplistic, but how many times do we hear politicians claiming an idea as some kind of
deep, culturally significant value?
On the other hand, how often do business people refuse to discuss values, as something too
intangible and emotional in a commercial context? If more business Leaders would discuss
values, and their development, one wonders how many more enduring Companies there would be
– a point especially true for the “New Economy” high speed Enterprises. Values are also deeply
related to strong brand equities – a point to which we will return in another article. One aspect of
a change Leader’s job is thus to understand this difference in meaning and impact between ideas
and values, and the difference in their speed.
Sources of ideas Values: Example Strength
Entertainment & fashion Latest trends Weak

Markets and business Capitalism
Politics and Law Democracy
Infrastructure Education for all
Religion and culture Cultural loyalty
Nature and biology “Child in danger” Strong
8.3 The 4 E’s
In each of the E's (Envision, Enable. Empower and Energize) we are working with two axes. At
one side, we are working with Operational parameters – the strategies, the tools, the
measurements. At the other side, we are dealing with Organizational and people issues. We will
symbolize this as a growing grid.
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8.3.1 Step 1: Envision
Leadership starts with having a vision, then developing a plan to

achieve it. It is based on data assessment and intuition, hope and
fear. It is a noble challenge. A vision of the future is the key to
getting started as a Leader. Without one, go back to square one.
Envisioning starts with having a clear view of the external
world. It drives the formation of the mission of the Enterprise, and
builds clear, mutual goals. In day-to-day work, it is helpful to
distinguish between verbal objectives (the mission), and numerical
objectives (the goals).
A vision that is likely to come true has to take account of the culture of the Enterprise.
For example, a slow moving bureaucracy is not likely to succeed as a “New Economy”
Enterprise without significant cultural change. The Leader then has a choice – mold the
vision and strategy to the capabilities and values of the culture – or change the culture to
achieve a different future for the Enterprise. A decision either direction will have
enormous consequences for the change program undertaken.
A vision could be a grand view of a Country’s future, or a major Corporation’s – or it
could be a picture of what one wants to achieve in the family, or amongst a group of
friends. In all cases Leaders are seeking a vision of change that is needed.
It often seems that the word “vision” has fallen into disrepute – we all have drawers full of
unexecuted visions. In our view, a vision is an operational strategy, reflecting choices of
what to do and what not to do, with hard goals. It is not “fuzzy and warm”. It is essential.
8.3.2 Step 2: Enable
The Envisioning step forces decisions on choices – strategies, in other words. Leaders
must then decide what methods or tools will be used to Enable the objectives, and to
encourage the right kind of action.
There are essentially two kinds of enabling mechanisms – both built on innovation. The
first mechanisms (along what we defined as the “Operational” axis) include tools,
technologies, and business methodologies. “A better mouse trap” is always a good
enabling mechanism to bring about change. In every case, the tools and tactics used must
meet the needs of the strategic choices defined earlier. On methodologies, in today’s
“New Economy” terms, this also would be time to review one’s business model, to check
its competitive advantage or pitfalls.
The second set of enabling mechanisms (on the “Organizational” axis) includes processes
and structure. It also means ensuring the Enterprise has the right people and the right skill
sets to get the job done. These all require building on the Enterprise’s culture and values.
This could mean the deliberate elimination of counterproductive values or structure - but
there will always be a structure and a set of processes in place.
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8.3.3 Step 3: Empower
Given a clear vision, strategy and enabling tool kit, the third step of the Leadership
process is empowering people to achieve the goals. There is a ”deal” between the Leader
and his or her followers. The followers and the Leader have a contract, for success and
failure, reward and sanction, on both sides. Both are given mutual freedom, yet held
mutually accountable. Both are thus empowered.
We do not subscribe to a “free for all” empowerment. It is a deal:
“You deliver this, and I deliver that. You will get more space, the better you do. The
more I meet your needs, the stronger
Leadership position I will be in.
Together we will therefore be better
able to accelerate the changes we
have agreed to make”.
Said another way, effective
empowerment provides the space to get
the task completed, the space to
innovate, and the feedback
mechanism to both improve results
and to motivate the organization.
Again, there are two sides to
empowerment. On the
“Organizational” axis, the team needs to
be given the training to get the job done. This is self-evident. The empowerment must
also bring rewards to all parties, and sanctions or challenges for improvement.
On the “Operational” axis, both Leaders and Followers need to be able to measure
progress against the goals, in a transparent way, which also encourages dialog and
continuous improvement.
8.3.4 Step 4: Energize
Therefore, the goal is clear, the plan is in place, and the troops are both motivated and
armed. Still, there is an essential ingredient missing. The Leadership role demands the
skills of energizing the organization to act.
In fact , whilst we hope every member of a team "Energizes" others, one could argue that
this Energizing step is a very personal one. By contrast, the previous 3 steps usually
involve shared actions by the entire team.
Looking at the 4 E’s grid, on the “Organizational” axis we summarize the issue as
“individual success”. For the members of the team, probably the maximum energy will
result from the combination of winning (in the marketplace) and achieving a sense of
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personal success and satisfaction. The more energy the team generates, the more
energy the Leader has – in a virtuous circle of reinforcement.
On the other, “Operational” axis,
we see that continuous
communication and course
corrections are the key activities
of the Leader. This includes
“walking the talk”, consistency,
continuous communication with
the team, personal persuasiveness
and clarity. The Leader is a kind
of motor for the change – the
moment he or she flags or shows
a lack of resolve, the team will
loose energy, and results will
suffer.
One classic energizer involves
expressing the vision and goals
in a "story", which builds
understanding and the desire for action in the followers. A great example of a "story" is
John Kennedy’s "put a man on the moon and return him home safely by the end of the
decade". This energized an entire nation, its military and its industries. He stuck to the
script, and even after his death, the mission was accomplished.
8.3.5 Step 5: Execute
Strictly speaking, this is not a step, but a “surrounding” concept for the other 4 E’s.
Outstanding execution and follow through applies at every stage of the Leadership
process.
We have sometimes been challenged that we should add yet another “E” to the framework
– Emotion. There has been much written about Emotional Intelligence (developed by
Daniel Goleman [x]), and it is an important concept. The concept includes self-awareness
and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self-motivation, empathy, and social deftness.
All are fundamental to excellent, personal Leadership skills.
In the 4 E’s framework, however, we believe that emotional intelligence fits inside the
energizing role of a Leader, rather than as a separate focus. We are helped to this
conclusion by the many studies that demonstrate that successful Leaders have had a varied
and challenging career. This puts them through their “Leadership training paces” at each
stage, en route to becoming a world class Leader. By contrast, individuals who have not
had the opportunity to build long-term programs, or who have spent all of their time in
focus area, tend not to make the best Leaders. This breadth of experience, and the
challenges associated with such a career, not only serve to broaden the Leader’s skill base,
but also help his or her emotional development. We believe there are thus three sequential
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stages in any Leader’s personal development, which allows them all to be better
energizers:
Learning the basic strategic and communication skills and how to use
them
Exhibiting Leadership behaviors in a day to day context – “walk the talk”
Getting comfortable with the Leadership role
The last point is where “emotional maturity” and “emotional intelligence” come most into
play. That is where Goleman’s work fits. It is no use just having all of the Leadership
theory in your head – you must have the maturity to be able to use it and energize others.
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9 LEADERSHIP VERSES MANAGEMENT

Leadership versus Management - there is a world of difference between the two. Between the
focus and the types of results achieved. Life is rapidly changing and so too the way you influence
people must be able to shift rapidly to meet the new requirements. To get a sense of how much
change is in store for us, consider how different life was in 1982, only a few decades ago.
Reagan was President in the US, The Berlin Wall was still up and the Cold War was still waging,
Falklands War was being fought, Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes were singing "Up there Where
We Belong", it was the start of a world-wide recession, Prince William was born, Gandhi was on
at the movies, we'd never heard of test-tube babies, the El Nino of 1982 was the most severe in
the 20th century, the Sydney Harbors Bridge celebrated its 50th birthday by allowing 500,000
people to walk across her, the Twin Towers stood tall on the New York skyline. In addition, at
work...
There were no faxes, answering machines, or cell phones
Rotary phones and typewriters were commonplace
If people had computers at all, they were dumb terminals
Semiconductors, cable TV, and the Internet were not major industries
"Made in Japan" was just beginning to mean quality, not junk
Many of what are now the world's largest markets were closed to outside trade
So, what do the next 10, 15, 20 years hold? One thing is the way you are managing and leading
today is going to be different - if it is not you will probably be left behind. Today you are
probably expected to:
Produce more
Increase profits/minimize costs
Make sharper/better/quicker decisions
Respond effectively to the needs of your people
Manage Multiple projects
In order to do this and more, you may need to make some shifts. The table below lists some key
distinctions. Some of them you may like to implement in your workplace.
9.1 Leadership versus Management: Key Distinctions
Old Way = New Way = Distinction

Low Performance High Performance
Maintaining status quo Leading the charge for A business created for today
continuous improvement vs
A business designed for the long-
term
Dumping change on people Involving people in the Like it or lump it
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change process and helping vs

them to understand why Together we can make this
transition easier and quicker
Tolerating low performance Accepting only High I don't want the hassle of dealing
Performance with you
vs
The better Leader I am the better
you will be
One Management Style fits Flexibility of Leadership, My way or the highway
all asking people how to best vs
lead them How can I help you be your best?
Avoiding staff problems On-time feedback about Maybe it will go away
performance vs
Every player in this game is
important
Patronizing, Critical, Always Speaking with I am your judge
Gossiping, Integrity vs
With my constructive support you
can improve
Solving problems well - but Anticipating Problems Busy, busy, busy
often in crisis state vs
Strategically working on the
business
Focusing on weaknesses Having people work in roles You have to fit your job
in which their strengths can vs
be maximized Which roles/tasks here best suit
you
Asking a person to Seeing the greatness in a You aren't good enough
improve/change person and asking them to vs
step up to their potential There is so much more to you
Expecting compliance Providing reasons, seeking Changes made with poor
debate and input, responding implementation
to feedback vs
High acceptance of and excellent
implementation of change
"I'm watching you" "Do you have all the Distrusting Boss
resources you need" vs
Trusting Resource
"It's your job, so get on with "Tell me how I can help you Employees having to
it" succeed" vs
Employees wanting to
Source of recognition and Source of Endorsement and People needing your approval
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approval Challenge vs
People seeing you as the person
who creates opportunities for them
to grow
9.2 Building and maintaining relationships
The building, protecting and repairing of relationships is at the center of all our lives. Family life
is the best possible example of relationships at work. You spend almost as much time in work as
you do with your family so it is not surprising that relationships are considered of fundamental
importance.
The art of motivation is nothing new to us as we do it as a matter of routine in our lives. We
motivate our children to succeed and we encourage our friends in their pursuits. Building and
maintaining relationships takes time and effort but these can be so easily lost. An excellent
relationship developed over five years can be lost in a second due to a hasty comment or a sudden
action.
As a supervisor or manager you will build and maintain thousands of relationships during your
career so it is worth developing your relationship skills. Although relationships and motivation
are not exactly the same they are totally inter-related.
For example, when you successfully motivate someone to do something then that will improve
your relationship. On the other hand, if you have a good relationship it becomes easier to motivate
because you are trusted.
Here are some good tips on building good relationships
9.2.1 Build new relationships quickly and carefully
The advantage of new relationships is that they start from a clean slate. This is a great
opportunity to build a healthy and lasting relationship. Be careful not to show favoritism,
as you cannot damage the existing relationships in the process. If you are the new boy then
you will need to work very hard to establish your relationships with your new group. You
will be the center of attention so be careful.
9.2.2 Relationships require constant attention
Do not take relationships for granted, as they need maintenance in the same way as
complex machinery. A common problem is to only talk to your people when there is a
problem or a specific reason. This is a clear sign to everyone that the job is more
important than the person is.
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9.2.3 Repair damage quickly
No matter how skilful you become in building relationships the occasional breaks are
inevitable. When these happens you must act quickly, don't allow them to fester. It may be
a simple misunderstanding that can be resolved in seconds or perhaps an apology is
required.
9.2.4 Don't build one relationship at the expense of another
It is possible that one of your groups needs much more attention than another. In building
one relationship, it is easy to neglect the others. Make time for each group member and
never allow your personal favoritism to show.
9.2.5 Don't play games with relationships
A relationship is not a toy or an experiment that the supervisor is free to experiment with
freely. A relationship is based on trust and this must be treated with respect.
9.2.6 Keep the channel cool
The relationship line can become emotionally charged. Extreme emotional feelings can
make the channel very hot. An emotional outburst is one of the easiest ways of damaging
relationships.
9.2.7 Separate business from pleasure
The best policy is not to mix your business and pleasure lives separate. It is difficult to
discipline someone if you are close friends.
Of course, in many cases, you will have been co-worker and friends with most of your
group for many years and there is no justification for changing these relationships.
However, you need to exercise caution in these relationships.
Try to do business things in work and social things outside – do not mix the two.
9.2.8 React to relationship breakdown
Sometimes in spite of all your hard work, you fail to build a workable relationship with
someone under your supervision. It is difficult to admit defeat but it is also important to
protect the other relationships in the group. This nearly always means removing the person
from the group. This can be achieved by the transfer the person or by his termination.
Making these decisions is never a pleasant task, but in some cases it is inevitable.
Ironically, this action is usually the best for both parties.
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9.2.9 Your behavior
The last but not the least important aspect of people management is your behavior. This is
the one area where you have enormous advantages over machine management in that you
have the choice. Others usually choose our machines and you can do little to change that,
but the way you behave is your choice.
9.3 21st Century Leadership – According to Jim Murray
It has been said that, in the 21st century, the very nature, speed and complexity of change will
change. If that is indeed the case, then so too will the nature of leadership. What made the leaders
of yesterday will not make the leaders of tomorrow.
What will a 21st century leader look like?
The leader of the past was a doer. The leader of the present is a planner. And the leader of the
future will be a teacher. The job of a 21st century leader will be to develop capabilities, not
necessarily to plan the organization’s strategic direction. It will be to increase the organization’s
capacity to be focused, agile and resilient. It will be to create, harness and advantage intellectual
capital rather than to deploy other assets. This kind of leader does not need to know everything
there is to know (because that is a practical impossibility). On the contrary, these leaders will
want to be surrounded by people who know a whole lot more than they do but who will trust them
implicitly to weigh their competing claims and advice.
It might be surprising but, in study after study about the purpose of leadership in the new
millennium, getting results, i.e., making money, doesn’t even figure in the top requirements. What
does figure is getting the process right – making sure the right people are talking to one another
about the right things and have the right tools to do what they decide needs doing. When that
happens, good results inevitably follow. This is what focus is all about. The 21st century leader
doesn’t focus on results. He or she focuses attention squarely on the things that produce results.
There are really only two ingredients required for organizational success: leadership and culture.
And, since leaders know how to build an organizational culture of respect, accountability and
innovation, nothing of any great consequence can ever be achieved without leadership. Leaders
do make the difference.
Today, more than ever before, we need more people who are willing to lead. I can tell you for a
fact that there are positions of executive responsibility awaiting you, provided you have what it
takes or are willing to learn it. You heard me correctly. I did say “willing to learn.” The ability to
lead others is really a collection of skills, virtually all of which can be learned or strengthened.
We are not born with leadership qualities; we acquire them through experience – through
observation and listening, and through dedicated, conscientious, continuous self-evaluation and
improvement.
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Learn to lead
Not just for your own wellbeing but for those who follow you. As you reach the highest levels of
organizational responsibility and success, do not forget to take others with you to become the
leaders of tomorrow. Let them be your legacy.
To be a leader, you have to think like a leader. To understand this basic premise of leadership,
you need to agree with two fundamental principles:
1. Successful people think differently than unsuccessful people.
2. We can change the way we think.
In what way do leaders think differently? In my judgement, leaders are big-picture (not narrow)
thinkers. They search for wisdom more so than answers. They are focussed (not scattered) in
their thinking. They are creative (not restrictive) thinkers, driven by an insatiable curiosity for
discovery and innovation. They are realistic and strategic thinkers. They are possibility thinkers,
reflective thinkers. In addition, they understand the value of shared, unselfish thought.
Your thinking style must be aligned with your leadership aspirations if your potential is to be
realized. For example, what if possibility thinking is not one of your strengths? Then you have
preciously few options other than to resign yourself to the reality of self-limitation, not just for
yourself but for all who work around you. If you think you cannot do something, then it doesn’t
matter how hard you try because your assumptions will be self-affirming. Napoleon Bonaparte
was a great general with many physical limitations. However, mentally, he saw no bounds on his
ability to succeed. It was he who said “The word impossible is not in my dictionary.”
What other skills do 21st century leaders require?
Your power and potential as a leader will be founded primarily on:

1. Your expertise, not your position;
2. Your reputation, which is amassed through consistent and reliable performance over
time but which can be destroyed in an instant by a single, thoughtless act;
3. Your personal integrity and credibility – which is predicated on walking the talk every
day; and
4. Your ability to negotiate win/win outcomes regardless of the circumstances.
Like everything else, the ability to negotiate is a skill that can be learned and perfected. Trust me,
great leaders must be great negotiators – getting your way while convincing people of their worth
and dignity ... that they too are winners in your presence.
Beyond the ability to negotiate, leaders must be superb managers of their most precious asset –
their time. They must know that the phrase “time management” is a misnomer. For them, time is
never a barrier to getting things done. Thinking that it is an obstacle is a self-serving and self-
defeating assumption. Self-management, not time management, is the antidote to the reality of
insufficient time. Setting priorities, delegating for the sake of empowering others, and knowing
what not to do are the attributes of leaders.
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Understand the importance of the Pareto Principle: if you focus your attention on those activities
that rank in the top 20% in terms of their importance, you will have an 80% return on your effort.
Anything that is not necessary for you to do personally should be delegated or eliminated.
Reorder your priorities – activity is not the same as accomplishment.
Leaders simplify. Peter Drucker tells us that "If it is not simple, it won't work" The key to
organizational success lies in focus. And this cannot be achieved without clarity. With clarity,
borne of simplicity, comes understanding. With understanding comes focus – knowing what’s
important among all the distractions, disagreements and myriad choices available. With the right
kind of focus comes the right kinds of decisions and actions – the right judgements and
behaviours that drive the organization to accomplish great things and thereby realize its vision.
Leaders must find the simple, compelling phrases that make sometimes complex but empowering
notions understandable by those who must "carry the ball."
Let me suggest two other very simple notions that leaders understand. One is the truism that
people will act on their own ideas before they will act on yours. The art of leadership is to get
people to believe that your ideas are really theirs, and then to agree with them. Not only are
people empowered, they are more strongly committed to ownership and follow-through.
Because leaders understand the power of simplification, they also see through the fads and
concentrate on the fundamentals. They are not seduced by quick fixes and instant panaceas for
introducing needed changes. They understand that building organizations and teams requires a
knowledge of some simple truths which are easily understood. For example, leaders don’t get
caught up in the rhetoric and promise of systems replacing competent, motivated people driven by
a commitment to an overarching vision and values that encourage individual empowerment,
productivity and accountability.
Is leadership a matter of character?
Of course. Heraclites, an ancient Greek historian, has told us that “A man’s character is his fate.”
It is a simple but profound truth. The essence of a leader’s character, in my view, is her integrity,
her curiosity, her credibility, and her daring. On this foundation, she must have a guiding vision,
without which a leader does not know what she wants to do with her talent and thus where she
wants to go.
The persuasiveness of a message lies in the credibility of the speaker. Every message that people
receive is filtered through the messenger who delivers it. If you consider the messenger credible,
then you probably believe the message has value. I suspect you have all heard of the prescription,
know thyself. For me this means considerably more than a knowledge of your strengths and
defining talents. It includes knowledge of your hot buttons, prejudices and weaknesses – the
things you do not do well. People who cannot figure themselves out end up making bad, stupid
and illogical decisions.
Good leaders begin their career paths as good followers. Leaders and followers share some
important characteristics, particularly the ability to collaborate and the willingness to listen. Good
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leaders and good followers ask great questions. They want to know what and why. That's how
they got to where they are and that’s how they stay on the leading edge of change.
Paying attention to other people, in addition to being the best way to learn from them, happens to
be one of the most powerful ways of influencing them. And influencing others is surely what
leadership is all bout – getting other people to get things done. Listening is more than a courtesy,
it is a lethal, strategic weapon in your arsenal of leadership skills. Make whoever you’re listening
to feel like the centre of the universe at that moment in time and the payoff will be a fiercely
loyal, lifelong ally. Doing so means more than making eye contact, it means making brain contact
as well.
What is the biggest mistake a leader can make? In my judgement, it’s taking too much credit. In
fact, a good leader never takes credit. Leaders gain trust, loyalty, excitement and energy when
they pass on the credit to those who have really done the work. An ego should not be so big that
you lose your colleagues’ respect. The self-promotion I spoke of earlier never takes precedence
over the building of strong, loyal, productive teams – as that will be your greatest
accomplishment.
How does a leader gain trust? Without trust, leaders cannot lead. Trust is the fuel that drives agile
and innovative organizations. When people trust one another, they take risks, they challenge
conventional wisdom, they dare to lead. Trust is the prerequisite to improving organizational
performance and achieving sustainable competitive advantage.
When trust breaks down, communication deteriorates. When communication breaks down,
cooperation becomes more difficult. In addition, when that happens, bureaucracy flourishes and
conflicts inevitably arise. When trust is nurtured, teams focus on achieving the mission and in
operationalizing the organization’s values.
There is no such thing as instant trust. You already know that trust has to be earned. A leader can't
be phony because people can easily detect phoniness. One of the ways we generate and sustain
trust is by caring about the fate of others, by being on their side. So always be true to your word
and keep confidences. When leaders say one thing and do another, they quickly lose the trust of
their followers.
In a way, distrust is as amorphous but nonetheless pervasive as is carbon monoxide. You can’t see
it, you can’t smell it but, in the end, it will certainly kill you, your ideas and your organization.
The pressure created by continuing, forced change and attendant employee uncertainty, for
example, has the potential to undermine organizational trust. And this is where, I think, leaders
face their greatest challenges.
Clearly, leaders in the 21st century will know how to grow, harness and leverage intellectual
capital. They will know how to use more of what people know, give people more to know that is
useful, and allow people time to think and do by minimizing meaningless bureaucracy.
Tomorrow’s leaders will create networks, not hierarchies or silos, to both create and share
knowledge. They will distinguish between the cost of paying people from the value of investing
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in them. They will cultivate expertise in the context of strategy, get smart people to work smarter,
make tacit knowledge explicit, and understand how to train people as well as the limits to
training.
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10 GREAT LEADERS OF INDIA

LalBahadur Shastri
Lal Bahadur proved to be one of the heroes of the history of India.

A Great general in Gandhiji's Army of peaceful soldiers of freedom.
He became the symbol of India's velour and self-respect
The 27th of May 1964 is an unforgettable day in the history of India. On that day the citizens of
Delhi woke and attended to their routine work. During the day came shocking news from Teen
Moorti Bhavan. The first Prime Minister of free India, Jawaharlal Nehru, lived in Teen Moorti
Bhavan; the citizens learnt that he had a heart attack.
'After Nehru, Who?'

A few months before Nehru had suffered a mild heart attack. But he had recovered from it
quickly. He was certain that he would live for some more years. But he passed away on May 27,
1964. Nehru was no more. It was unbelievable but true. One question echoed from Kashmir to
Kanyakumari: 'After Nehru, who?' The leaders of the ruling party, the Congress Party, thought
deeply over the question. They counted a few suitable names on their fingers. Which of them was
the best choice? Who could be the Prime Minister?
Lal Bahadur Shastri

Finally all the leaders came to the decision that Lal Bahadur Shastri was the only person to pilot
the nation at such critical times. A short man. A lean body. Eyes wide as the wheels of a cart. His
clothes were simple, his voice soft and almost inaudible. But there was always a smile, which
overarched his words. There was not the slightest sign of pride or authority in his bearing. Could
he administer a nation of five hundred million people, doubted some. Lal Bahadur never praised
himself. On the contrary he used to say: "I am an ordinary man and not a very bright man." He
never aspired to power. He never worked for it. And yet power and authority came in search of
him. Fame set a crown on his head. The short man grew into a colossus. He showed by his work
that, though he was tender like a flower, he could be hard as diamond, too. He filled the Four
Corners of the world with the fame of India. At a time when the world sang his praises as a hero,
an incomparable patriot-hero and as the architect of peace, and just as he touched the peak of his
life, Lal Bahadur passed away all too suddenly. He came to power unexpectedly, and he left the
world equally suddenly.
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'Bharat Ratna'
Lal Bahadur was a star of great brightness in the history of India, After his death the President of
India conferred on him, on behalf of the nation, the award of ' Bharat Ratna'; it was a most fitting.
A small bodies but mighty man-so runs a kannada proverb. It applies to several great men. Shivaji
was not tall. But like a magnet he attracted people,and organized and built a great empire.
Napoleon was short. But he shook the whole world. Lal Bahadur Shastri was not taller than those
two; but he was not second to them in greatness. Firmness, love of adventure, patience and skill in
administration cannot be acquired in a day or a year. Only when we study his growth from
childhood can we understand how he acquired all these qualities.
The Fatherless Child

Lal Bahadur was born on October 2nd, 1904 at Mughalsarai, seven miles from Kashi. His parents
were Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. They were agriculturists. Srivastava was part of Lal
Bahadur's name. He dropped that part indicating his caste when he grew up. He did not like such
indications of caste. Lal Bahadurs father was a poor teacher at first. Then he became a clerk in the
Revenue Office at Allahabad. Here, too, he earned very little. But, even though he was poor, he
never accepted bribes. He lived a life of honesty and integrity. Sharada Prasad died when Lal
Bahadur was only a year old. Ramdulari Devi felt as though the skies had come down on her. Her
father gave shelter to her and her three children, a boy and two girls.
The Loving Grandfather

Lal Bahadur's grandfather Hazari Lai's family was very large. His brothers, their wives and
children, besides his own children and grand children, lived under the same roof. It was a small
world in itself and Hazari Lai was the fountain of love and affection to all of them. He looked
after every one in the family with love. He was especially fond of little Lal Bahadur. He always
affectionately called him 'Nanhe' which means 'tiny'. An interesting incident took place when Lal
Bahadur was only three months old. The mother went to bathe in the holy Ganga with her child.
In the milling crowd at the bathing ghat she lost her child. The child had slipped from his mother's
arms into a cowherd's basket. The cowherd had no children, So he took the child as a gift from
God and celebrated the event with great joy. The mother was lost in grief. A complaint was
lodged with the police. They traced the child. The foster parents wept bitterly to give back the
child. Lal Bahadur, who was destined to govern the country, narrowly missed the 'good fortune' of
becoming a cowherd. Lal Bahadur stayed at his grandfather's house till he was ten. By that time
he had passed the sixth standard examination. There was no high school in that place. They sent
him to Kashi for further education.
Strong and Self-respecting

Courage and self-respect were two virtues, which took deep root in him from his childhood.
While in Kashi, he went with his friends to see a fair on the other bank of the Ganga. On the way
back he had no money for the boat fare. His self-respect did not allow him to ask his friends for
money. He slipped from their company without their knowledge. His friends forgot him in their
talk and boarded the boat. When the boat had moved away, Lal Bahadur jumped into the river; as
his friends watched breathlessly he swam to the other bank safely. Though Lal Bahadur was, a
man of small build, he was unusually strong. His moral strength was even greater. As in water so
in life he swam quite successfully. Twice he was about to be drowned but was saved. It is said
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that when he was saved the second time, he had his teacher’s three-year-old baby on his
shoulders. Lal Bahadur acquired virtues likeboldness, love of adventure, patience, self-control,
courtesy and selflessness in hischildhood. Even as a boy he loved to read books. He read
whatever books he came across, whether he understood them or not. He was fond of Guru
Nanak's verses. He used to repeat the following lines often: "0 Nanak! Be tiny like grass, For
other plants will whither away, but grass will remain ever green."
The Lesson
An incident, which took place when he was six years old, seems to have left a deep mark on his
mind. Once he went to an orchard with his friends. He was standing below while his friends
climbed the trees. He plucked a flower from a bush. The gardener came in the meantime and saw
Lal Bahadur. The boys on the trees climbed down and ran away. The gardener caught Lal
Bahadur. He beat him severely. Lal Bahadur wept and said, "I am orphan. Do not beat me." The
gardener smiled with pity and said, "Because you are an orphan, you must learn better behavior,
my boy." The words of the gardener had a great effect on him. He swore to him, "I shall behave
better in future. Because I am an orphan I must learn good behavior." Though short he was not
timid at school. All boys were friendly with him. Like the grass he always looked fresh and
smiling. Not only during his school days but also in his later life he did not hate anyone. It seems
he used to act in plays at school. He played the role of Kripacharya in the play 'Mahabharatha'.
Kripacharya was in the court of Duryodhana and yet was loved by the Pandavas. Lal Bahadur
Shastri had acquired the same worth.
Tilak and Gandhiji

Even when Lal Bahadur was a student of Harischandra. High School at Varanasi a whirlwind had
disturbed India. Everywhere there was the cry of 'Freedom'! "Swaraj is our birth right" - Bala
Gangadhara Tilak had declared. This had become the nation's battlecry. Lal Bahadur reverenced
Tilak. He longed to see him and hear his speech. Once Tilak visited Varanasi. Lal Bahadur was
away in a village fifty miles from Varanasi. He borrowed money and traveled in a train to see and
hear Tilak. He saw him and heard his speech. It reverberated in his ears like Krishna's conch,
thePanchajanya. Like Bharata, carrying Rama's sandals on his head, Lal Bahadur carried Tilak's
message in his heart. This message guided him all through his life.The greatest influence on Lal
Bahadur was that of Mahatma Gandhi. Lal Bahadur was electrified when he heard a speech of
Gandhi at Varanasi in 1915. Then and there he dedicated his life to the service of the country.
The young Satyagrahi

In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi launched the non-cooperation movement against British Government
and declared that the country would not cooperate with the Government in its unjust rule. Lal
Bahadur was then only seventeen years. When Mahatma Gandhi gave a call to the youth to come
out of Government schools and colleges, offices and courts and to sacrifice everything for the
sake of freedom, Lal Bahadur came out of his school. His mother and other relatives advised him
not to give up his studies. But Lal Bahadur was firm in his decision -Lai Bahadur joined the
procession, which disobeyed the prohibitory order. The police arrested him. But as he was too
young, he was let off. Lal Bahadur did not go back to his school. He became a student of Kashi
Vidya Peeth. During his four years' stay there, he made excellent progress. Dr.Bhagawandas's
lectures on philosophy went straight to his heart. In later life Lal Bahadur displayed surprising
poise in the midst of conflict and confusion. This he learnt from his teacher, Bhagawandas.
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'The Servants Of The People Society'

It was in 1926 that Lal Bahadur got the degree of 'Shastri' and left the Kashi Vidya Peeth. The
whole country became the arena of his activity. He became the life- member of The Servants of
the People Society, which Lala Lajpat Rai had started in 1921. The aim of the Society was to train
youths that were prepared to dedicate their lives to the service of the country. One of the rules of
the Society required the members to take an oath to serve the Society at least for twenty years and
to lead a simple and honest life till the end. Lal Bahadur earned the love and affection of Lajpat
Rai by his earnestness and hard work. Later he became the President of the Society. Shastriji
married in 1927. Lalitha Devi, his bride, came from Mirzalyur. The wedding was celebrated in the
simplest way. All that the bridegroom took as a gift from father-in-law was a charaka and a few
yards of Khadi.
Freedom's Solider
The struggle for freedom was intensifield all over the country in 1930. Mahatma Gandhi started
the 'Salt Satyagraha'. Lal Bahadur took a leading role in it. At the age of seventeen Lal Bahadur
had participated in a procession against the British Government. The government had arrested
him and then freed him. But this time it did not let him off easily. He had been calling on people
not to pay land revenue and taxes to the government and the government had been keeping a wary
eye on him. Now he was sent to prison for two and a half years. From this time onwards prison
became his second home. He was sent to prison seven times and was forced to spend nine long
years in various prisons on different occasions. His going to prison was a blessing in disguise. He
had time to read a number of good books. He became familiar with the works of western
philosophers, revolutionaries and social reformers. He translated the autobiography of Madam
Curie (a French scientist who discovered radium) into Hindi. Lal Bahadur's virtues shone even in
the prison. He was a ideal prisoner. 'He was a model to others in discipline and restraint. Many
political prisoners used to quarrel among themselves for small things. They used to cringe for
small favors before the officials of the prison. But Lal Bahadur used to give up his comforts for
others.
Sense Of Honour
The greatness of Lal Bahadur was that he maintained his self-respect 'even in prison. Once when
he was in prison, one of his daughters fell seriously ill. The officers agreed to let him out for a
short time but on condition that he should agree in writing not to take part in the freedom
'movement during this period. Lal Bahadur did not wish to participate in the freedom movement
during his temporary release from prison; but he said that he would not give it in writing. He
thought that it was against his self-respect to give it in writing. The officers knew that he was
truthful. Therefore they did not insist. Lal Bahadur was released for fifteen days. But his daughter
died before he, reached home. After performing the obsequies he returned to his prison even
before the expiry of the period. A year passed. His son was laid up with influenza this time. Lal
Bahadur was permitted unconditionally to go home for a week. But the fever did not come down
in a week. Lal Bahadur got ready to go back to prison. The boy pleaded dumbly with his tearful
eyes. In a weak voice he urged his father to stay. For a moment the father's mind was shaken.
Tears rolled down from his eyes. But the next moment his decision was made. He bade good bye
to all and left his home for prison. His son survived. Two qualities, which the leader of any nation
must have, are devotion and efficiency. Lal Bahadur had both the qualities in a large measure. He
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would not swerve from his aim, come what may. When the people of India. Were fighting for
freedom he brushed aside all thought of personal happiness and plunged into the freedom
struggle. His daughter'sdeath, his son's illness, poverty - none of these made him swerve from his
selection path. Even when he became a minister and, later, the Prime Minister he was never
attracted to a life of luxury and comfort.
In Prison Again
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the leaders of our country were in a dilemma.
When the people of India were slaves how could they support the cause of Britain? In the end
they decided to launch a 'Satyagraha' against the British Government for the freedom of
thecountry (1940). Satyagraha means opposition based on Truth. Lal Bahadur was one of those
who offered individual Satyagraha. He was sent to prison for one year for this. The freedom
struggle became more widespread and intense. The prisons were bursting with political prisoners.
On 8th August 1942, the Indian National Congress which led the fight for freedom decided at its
historic meeting in Bombay to sound the trumpet for the final struggle against the British in India.
It called on the British to 'Quit India'. The people were determined to 'do or die'. The government
reacted sharply to these calls and arrested many leaders. Prisons became over-crowded. The
government used all cruel methods of suppression to nip the movement in the bud. Lal Bahadur,
who had just then come out after a year in prison, traveled from Bombay to Allahabad by train.
He got off at a station, unknown to the police. For a whole week he used to send instructions to
the freedom fighters from Anand Bhavan, Jawaharlal Nehru's home in Allahabad. Vijayalakshmi
Pandit, the sister of Nehru, lived in Anand Bhavan at the time. The police came there to arrest her
and to take possession of the house. Lal Bahadur destroyed all-important documents. Luckily, the
police arrested only Vijayalakshmi Pandit and went away. A few days later Lal Bahadur who was
underground came out and shouted slogans against the government. The police arrested him then.
A New Arena
India got freedom in 1947.Lal Bahadur's administrative ability and skill in organization came to
light in the days following India's freedom. He was an expert in the art of bringing together
people and winning their hearts. Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant, the leader of Uttar Pradesh, was the
first to recognize this talent of Shastriji and to encourage him. He earned the love of Pant by his
hard work during the elections of 1946 in the provinces. The Congress Office had become
Shastriji's home during that period. The Congress won a resounding victory in the elections.
When Govind Vallabh Pant became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, he wished to train able
young men to run the government. But it was not easy to please him. Lal Bahadur did not want
any office; yet he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to Pant. Pant praised him as 'likable,
hard-working, devoted, trustworthy and non-controversial'.
The Responsibility Of Freedom

Later, in 1947, Lal Bahadur became the Minister of Police and Transport in Pant's Ministry. He
took many steps to bring discipline into the administration. As Transport Minister he subjected
government buses to discipline. He was the first to appoint women conductors. Usually the
minister in charge of the Police Department will not remain popular for long. But Lal Bahadur
Shastri never allowed the police to resort to lathi charge and firing. He ordered that using jets of
water instead of lathis should disperse unruly crowds. Though there were many strikes in Uttar
Pradesh when he was in office, there was not a single occasion when people shouted slogans
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against him. Lal Bahadur was a lover of cricket. Once he was watching a match at Kanpur.
Trouble broke out among the spectators. The Police and young men came to blows. Since
Shastriji was on the spot thesituation did not go out of control. The young men demanded that the
red turbans' (thepolice) should not be found on the cricket ground and Lal Bahadur agreed. But
the police were there the next day. The young men became angry with Shastriji and protested. Lal
Bahadur laughed and said, "I fulfilled my promise to you faithfully. You did not want red turbans
to be here. You see the police are now wearing khaki turbans." The spectators laughed and
dropped the matter.
The Minister For Railways

In the first General Elections after India became a Republic, the Congress Party returned to power
with a huge majority. Lal Bahadur Shastri worked hard for this success. He was the General
Secretary of the Congress at the General Secretary of the Congress at the time. The selection of
candidates and the direction of publicity and electioneering were under the direct guidance of
Shastriji. But he did not contest the elections. However, Nehru did not wish to leave such an able
and honest man outside the government. He persuaded him to seek election to the Rajya Sabha.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He was appointed as the Railways and Transport Minister in
the Central Cabinet (1952). The railways are among the biggest Central Government
undertakings, transport plays a vital role in the progress of any country. The railways in India had
been badly disrupted after the division of the country. Lal Bahadur strove hard to set right and
regulate the railways. It is not easy to organize movement ofpassengers and good from place to
place without waste of time and without inconvenience. Lal Bahadur succeeded in this to a large
extent. There were four classes- first, second, intermediate and third in the railways then. First
class compartments offered extreme luxury and were almost heavenly.But the discomfort
ofpassengers in the third class compartments was beyond description. They did not have even
minimum comforts. Lal Bahadur's efforts to reduce the vast disparitybetween the first and the last
classes cannot be forgotten. The first class that offered royal comfort was abolished. The old
second came to be known as the first class and the intermediate class as the second class. His idea
was to have only two classes of compartments in course of time - the first and the second. It was
he who provided more facilities to travelers in third class compartments. It was during his time
that fans were provided in the third class compartments. He also worked hard to improve the
administration of Railways and to eliminate thefts in the trains.
'I am Responsible'
Lal Bahadur identified himself with the Railways so much that he felt he was responsible if
anything went wrong in his department. When he was the Railway Minister in 1956, 144
passengers died in an accident that took place near Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu. Just three months
before this, an accident that took place near Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu. Just three months before this,
an accident had occurred at Mehboob Nagar in which 112 people died. Lal Bahadur was in no
way responsible for these accidents. Yet he was very much pained. He felt he could not escape the
moral responsibility for them. He had submitted his resignation letter to Pandit Nehru when the
Mehboob Nagar accident took place. But Nehru had not accepted it. But when the Ariyalur
accident took place Shastriji said, 'I must do penance for this. Let me go.' So strong was his sense
of responsibility.
The Homeless Home Minister
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Lal Bahadur Shastri's exit from the Central Cabinet was a blessing for the ruling party. He worked
for the party during the General Elections next year. Then he became the Minister for Transport
andCommunications and later the Minister for Commerce and Industry. He became the Home
Minister in 1961, after the death of Govind Vallabh Pant. People used to call him the homeless
Home Minister because he did not have a house of his own. He had rented a small house in
Allahabad. Even when he was a minister, he used to stay in that house when he went to
Allahabad. After a few days the owner of the house let it out to another family. When Shastriji
resigned as minister he vacated the government quarters and he did not have a place to line in!
Not A Slave To Position

The greatest danger that India had to face at the time was China's aggression (1962). The Chinese
army crossed the Himalayan border and moved forward in wave after wave and occupied Indian
territory in the north. But India stood up like one man against China. The Chinese moved back.
But they did not return the areas they had occupied. China stabbed India in the back and lost the
friendship of India. This was the time when China in the north and Pakistan both in the east and
the west started giving trouble to India. It was absolutely necessary that the people of India should
forget internal quarrels and that they should unite like brothers and sisters. Lal Bahadur Shastri
strove hard to make the people feel that they were all one. People who clung to power sometimes
showed their pettiness. To some people clinging to the minister's seat, rather than uniting the
people, is the aim of life. At this time a plan was carried out to purify the ruling arty. The Chief
Minsters of all states and the senior Ministers at the Centre had to handover their resignations to
the Prime Minister Nehru he was to decide who should come out of office and work for the party
and who should remain in office. Accordingly they all tendered resignations.
Back In The Cabinet

It was Nehru's desire that Lal Bahadur should continue as minister. But he did not agree. He
insisted on giving up office. Nehru had to agree. Lal Bahadur never thought that the country could
not survive if he was not a minister. Besides, power never went to head and corrupted him. But he
could not remain out of government for long. Five months after he resigned Nehru's health began
to fail. Those that wanted to destroy the unity of the country were gaining ground. They created
trouble by setting up some Muslims of Kashmir against India. A man with the firmness and magic
hand of Lal Bahadur Shastri was needed to handle the situation. So Nehru invited Shastriji to join
his cabinet again. This time he served as a Minister without Portfolio.
The Prime Minister

Nehru died suddenly on May 27, 1964. The ruling Congress Party elected Lal Bahadur
unanimously as its leader. He did not show any interest in the discussions before the election of
the leader. He remained aloof as if it had nothing to do with him. The detachment he showed then
was surprising.
A Shield For India's Honour

Lal Bahadur Shastri was the Prime Minister of India at a crucial time in India's history. He was
physically weak, but he faced the problems confronting the nation like a hero. The first problem
that he had to face after he became the Prime Minister was one caused by Pakistan. Pakistan took
shape by eroding India's land, and was instigating Indian Muslims. After the Chinese aggression,
when India's confidence in her strength had been shaken, Pakistan was creating trouble along the
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borders. But Shastriji would not yield to the wickedness of Pakistan. He first tried to earn the
goodwill and support of other nations for India. He visited Russia, Egypt, Canada and Britain and
explained to the leaders of those nations India's stand. He attended a meeting of the non-aligned
nations (nations which were neutral) and explained India's position. He even tried to reason with
President Ayub Khan of Pakisthan. The wicked do not like advice. They can understand only one
language, the language of war.
The Rann Of Kutch

It had become Pakistan's habit to provoke India somehow and jump to arms. Pakisthan had been
waiting to swallow Kashmir somehow. She pushed her forces across the eastern border into the
Rann of kuch in Gujarat State in April-May of 1965. Lal Bahadur was not unnerved by this
unexpected attack. He faced the problem with great tact at that critical moment. The Indian Army
forced the attackers to retreat. Then both countries agreed to stop fighting.
'Force Will Be Met With Force

But friendly words cannot tame a serpent. There is but one way to do it - to remove the serpent's
fangs. Even before the ink with which they had signed the Kutch agreement dried up, Pakisthan
raised its hood to strike again. Pakistani soldiers entered Kashmir in disguise. In September 1965
there was a large-scale invasion of the territory by Pakistani soldiers in the Chhamb area. War
broke out all along the Cease-fire Line on the Kashmir border. The enemies who had managed to
enter Kashmir were cunning and mischievous. Pakistan also tried to incite Indian Muslims. The
Pakisthan army was engaged in forcibly occupying areas, which belonged to India. There was the
danger of the fighting spreading to the eastern border also. In addition to this, there was the threat
posed by the Chinese on the northern borders of India. Lal Bahadur Shastri faced all these
problems with a will of iron. It was at this time that the country understood the greatness of Lal
Bahadur Shastri. He decided that was the time to teach Pakistan a lesson. He gave full freedom to
the Commander of the Army. 'Go forward and strike' was Shastriji's command to the generals.
Addressing the nation on 13th August 1965 Shastriji referred to Pakistan's threats and said, "Force
will be met with force." Two days later, during the celebration of Independence day, he declared
from the ramparts of the Red Fort: "It does not matter if we are destroyed. We will fight to the last
to maintain the high honor of the Indian nation and its flag."
'China Cannot Frighten us'

Just at this time another danger threatened India. China sent a letter, which said, "The Indian army
has set up army equipment in Chinese territory. India should pull down this equipment. Otherwise
it will have to face the wrath of China." At that moment India was fighting against the Pakistani
army equipped with the latest weapons supplied in plety by the United States of America. And, at
this very moment how was India to resist China? China's allegations were a bundle of lies. If
India removed the military equipment she would be admitting that China's charges were true.
Also, that would mean India was afraid of China. Even the big nations waited breathlessly to see
what Lal Bahadur would say and what India would do. Lal Bahadur did not take long to give a
reply. The letter from China was received on the morning of 17th September 1965. He made a
statement in the Parliament the same afternoon. He declared: "China's allegation is untrue. If
China attacks India it is our firm resolve to fight for our freedom. The might of China will not
deter us from defending our territorial integrity." China kept quiet. India's soldiers had no fear of
death and fought most splendidly and heroically. The army and the air force functioned like the
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two arms of a single body. The invaders were beaten. The Pakistani army could not stand against
the Indian army. It was then that, for the first time, the world came to realize the supremacy of the
Indian army.
Tashkent - Treaty
Some big nations feared that, if India won a total victory over Pakistan, it would lower their
prestige. The Security Council of the United Nations Organization called on India and Pakistan to
stop fighting. On the invitation of Kosygin, the Premier of Soviet Russia, Lal Bahadur Shastri and
Ayub Khan met in Tashkent on January 4, 1966. The leaders agreed that their armies should
withdraw to the old Cease-fire Line in Kashmir and that the two countries should live in peace
and friendship. Many people in India felt that we should not return the territory taken from
Pakistan- occupied Kashmir. They argued that the entire Kashmir belonged to India. But Shastriji
wished to give one more chance to Pakistan to live in peace and friendship with India. So he
signed the treaty of friendship.
Shastriji Is Immortal
Shastriji had suffered heart attacks twice before. And during the period of the Pakistan war and
the following days, his body, already battered, had to bear a very heavy strain. He signed the joint
Declaration on 10th January 1966. He died the same night. The news of Lal Bahadur Shastri's
death struck India like a bolt from the blue. The entire nation was plunged in grief. Some people
suspected foulplay also. Gone was the war hero and the messenger of peace, gone was the great
statesman who restored to India her honor and self- respect in the assembly of nations. A tiny,
tidy figure. A soul that had lived in perfect purity of thought, word and deed. The very
embodiment of selflessness, detachment and simplicity. Such was this man who had lived in our
midst. He belongs to the race of the heroes of India.
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Born in a class considered low and outcaste, he fought untiringly

for the down trodden.The boy who suffered bitter humiliation
became the first Minister for Law in free India, and shaped the
country's Constitution.
Born in a class considered low andoutcast. Dr. Ambedkar fought untiringly for the downtrodden.
The boy who suffered bitter humiliation became the first Minister for Law in free India, and
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shaped the country’s Constitution. A determined fighter, a deep scholar, human to the tips of his
fingers.
Two brothers who were studying at school went to see their father. They alighted at the Masur
Railway Station, engaged a cart and continued their journey. They went some distance; then the
cart driver came to know that they belonged the Mahar cast. He at once stopped the cart and
raised one end of it; the poor boys tumbled down and fell on the ground. He shouted at them and
scolded them as he pleased.
It was afternoon. The boys were thirsty. They begged for water but no one would give them a
drop. Hours passed. Still no one gave them water. They were not allowed even to go near tanks
and wells.
The younger brother’s name was Bhimrao Ambedkar. A few days passed. One day Bhim felt
unbearable thirst. He drank water from a well. Someone noticed it. A few people gathered and
beat the boy mercilessly.
The boy had to get his hair cut. Even a barber who used to cut the hair of a buffalo would not
touch the boy’s hair.
On another day, the boy was going to school. It was raining heavily. He took shelter near the wall
of a house. The lade of the house saw this. She was very angry. She pushed him into the rain. The
boy fell into the muddy water. All his books fell into the water too.
In this way, again and again, the young boy was humiliated. His mind became a volcano of bitter
feelings.
Why did the people ill-treat the boy in this way?
The boy had not committed any sin. But he was born in the Mahar cast. It was the belief of many
Hindu that this cast is low and those born in this cast should not be touched by people of the other
castes. Like the people of the Mahar caste, people of many other castes are called ‘untouchables’
and have suffered injustice for hundreds of years.
Efforts To End Injustice

There was no cast system during the Vedic age. There was no ‘un-touchability’. When and how
did this system creep into the Hindu society? We do not know for certain.
Did no one try to wipe out this injustice?

Buddha admitted may ‘untouchables’ to his religion. Ramanujacharya, Basaveshwara,
Chakradhara,Ramananda,Kabir, Chaitanya, Ekanath, Tukaram, Raja Rammohan Roy and other
great men preached that no one is high and no one is low among God’s children. Mahatma
Phooley and his wife dedicated their lives to the education of the ‘untouchables.’ Sayyaji Rao
Gaekwad, the Maharaja of Baroda, established a school for the ‘untouchables’ as earty as in 1883.
In this way many thoughtful leaders of the Hindu Society have been trying for hundreds of years
to wipe out ‘Untouchability’.
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Both before and after India became free, many great man have sacrificed their lives for the truth
and the principles they believed in. Ambedkar was one of them.
Ideas of high and low had crept into the Hindu Society; Ambedkar sufferedbecause of this; he
also fought hard against such differences; later he became the first Las Minister in free India. The
credit for making a law and creating the necessary atmosphere to wipe out ‘Untouchability’ goes
to Ambedkar.
Early years
There is a village called Ambavade in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Bhimrao was the son
of Ramji Sakpal of that village. He was the fourteenth child of his parents.
Ramji followed the teachings of saint Kabir. (Kabir taught that devotion to God, ‘Bhakthi’, alone
is important) Ramji did not believe in differences of caste, creed and religion. It was his belief
that all who performed ‘Hari Bhajan’ (prayer) belonged to God.
Ambedkar was born on 14th April 1891. His full name was Bhimrao Ambavadekar. A story is
narrated about Ambedkar’s birth. Ramji Sakpal’s uncle was a saint. Once he told Ramji, "You
will have a son. He will become world famous, " and blessed him. Bhimrao Ambavadekar was
born after this. His mother died when he was just five years old.
The Sting Of Untouchability
When he was still at school, he felt the sting of ‘untouchability’. He could not sit with the other
students of the class. He had to drink water only when others poured it for him; and even then he
had to cover his mouth with one hand.
The boy could not understand why.
These insults and pain they gave him self a very deep impression on the young boy’s mind. The
boy felt ‘untouchability’ was a black mark on Hindu Dharma; he made up his mind to remove it.
Fighting was in his very blood. The Mahars had the soldier’s blood in them. Father sakpal too had
served in the army.
Even from his boyhood Ambedkar had a mind of steel. Once it was raining very heavily. The boy
Ambedkar said the would go to school. His friends said, "These are empty words, how can you go
in this heavy rain?" In the downpour, the boy did go to school and that, too, without an umbrella!
Ambavadekar Becomes Ambedkar
When Bhimrao was a student at the High school, a Brahmin teacher admired Bhimrao’s lively
mind. His family name was Ambedkar. The teacher liked Bhimrao so much that he changed his
name from Ambavadekar to Ambedkar.
When Bhimrao’s father married for the second time the boy’s mind under – went a change. He
decided that he should be independent and the only way to achieve this was to study well.
Why not go to Bombay, thought the boy. He needed money for the railway fare; didn’t he? For
three days he tried to steal his aunt’s purse, and at last got it. He found just half an anna (three
paise) in it!
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By next morning the boy was ashamed of and disgusted with his deed. He decided to struggle and
stand on his own legs whatever the difficulties.
Young Bhim was very fond of books and never tired of them. And his father even borrowed
money and satisfied the boy’s thirst for books.
At The High School
He joined the Elphinstone High School in Bombay.

The family found a house in a locality where the poorest of the poor lived. There was just one
room for the entire family. This was at once the kitchen, the bedroom and the study. There was
not space enough even for two to sleep. Bhim would go to bed early. Near his head there was a
grinding stone and at his feet a goat. The father would be awake till two in the night. He would
then lie down. The boy would get up, light the kerosene lamp without a chimney and begin to
study.
In the high school he received a wound he could never forget in his life. It was Bhim’s desire to
learn sanskrit. Other Hindus of the School could learn Sanskrit. But it was ordered that he should
not learn Sankskrit because he belonged to the Mahar cast! People born in other countries, people
not Hindus at all were allowed to read the Vedas. No one objected. This injustice made him all
the more bitter.
But Ambedkar did learn Sanskrit in later life.
The End Of One Stage
Ambedkar passed in Matriculation examination. He was then seventeen years old. The same year
his marriage with Ramabai was celebrated. Their marriage tool place in a shed in Byculla Market.
Ambedkar passed his Intermediate Examination from Elphistone College. He obtained his B.A.
degree in 1912.
Ambedkar’s father died in 1913. Ambedkar was then working under the Maharaja of Baroda.
The first chapter his life’s struggle was over. The second chapter had begun.
In America
The Maharaja of Baroda sent bhimrao Ambedkar to America.
In America Ambedkar had experience of a new life. There was no ‘untouchability’. In this
atmosphere, he quoted in a letter he wrote to his friend a few lines from shakespear, a great
dramtist; they mean, ‘In the life of man now and again there is a swlling wave; if a man uses
thisopportunity, it will carry him towards his fortune.
Ambedkar wrote very learned and theories obtained his M.A and Ph.D. degrees.
He returned to India on the 21st of August 1917.
There is one thing to note in the years of Ambedkar’s education. He studied English and Persian
languages in India. In America he studied Political Science, Ethics, Anthropology, Social Science
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and Economics. In this way he studied many subjects. He obtained his doctorate. Even at that
time Ambedkar had a revolutionary mind. He had made an unshakable resolution to wipe out the
injustice done to the people of the low cast; in this way he wanted to bring about a revolution in
the Hindu Scociety. But – and this is important before becoming a revolutionary he increased his
knowledge. Because of this his toughts were not mere froth. They had a solid foundation of
information. This enabled him to pay a very effective part in framing the Constitution of India.
Injustice and Humiliation Again
Ambedkar was given a high post Baroda. He had a doctorate, he held a high office – but from the
moment he set foot in India he felt the sting of ‘untouchability.’ No one came to welcome him,
when he reached Baroda. Worse still, even the servants in the office would not hand over the files
to him; they threw the files at him. No one in the office would give him water to drink. He could
not get a house to live in. Even though he complained to the Maharaja, it was useless. Even non-
Hindu did not treat him properly.
The fire of wrath against the Hindus blazed in Ambedkar’s mind. He returned to Bombay in a few
days.
In 1920, Ambedkar left for London for higher studies.
The British Museum in London has a very good library. It used to open at eight in the morning,
and every day Ambedkar would be there by eight. He read till five o’clock. In London he came to
know a student called Asnodkar. He belonged to a rich family. He was not interested in study.
Ambedkar said to him, "Your people may have made plenty of money. But think, you have born a
man, what are you going to achieve? The Goddess of Learning will not come to you whenever
you want. We must get her blessings when she comes."
In 1922 Ambedkar became a barrister and the nest year he came back to India.
'Mook Nayak; ( The Leader Of the Dumb)
To proclaim and to bring to light the humiliations suffered by the ‘untouchalbes’ and to fight for
equal rights, a periodical called ‘Mook Nayak’ was started. Ambedkar gave his support to it. He
wrote in the first issued of this paper, "The Hindu Society is like a tower of many stories. It has
neither a ladder nor a door to go out…. A Society which believes the God exists even in
inanimate things, also says that people who are a part of that very society should not be touched!’
By this time there were signs that the Hindu Society was beginning tounderstand that
‘untouchability’ is unjust.
Sahu Maharaj of Kolhapur made arrangements for the free education of the ‘untouchables’ and
secured jobs for many of them.
In 1924, Veer Savarkar, a great fighter for freedom, was released from the Andaman prison; he
also began to fight against ‘untouchability’.
Mahatma Gandhi also was taking practical steps to wipe out ‘untouchability’.
Chowdar Tank
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Ambedkar had personal experience of the humiliation and the injustice of ‘untouchability’. He did
not want the pity of other for the ‘untouchables’. In his view, others could not uplift the
‘untouchables’. Justice cannot be granted by others. Those who suffer because of injustice should
themselves secure justice.
Ambedkar felt that the ‘untouchales’ had lost their individuality for centuries; it was impossible to
wake up such people through speeches and slogans. He decided to revolt against the blind beliefs
of the Hindus. The Chowdar Tank Satyagraha was a result of this decision.
The Bombay Legislature had already passed a bill. According to this, the government had decided
that all could use public tanks to wells. On the basis of this decision, the Mahad Municipality in
colaba district had resolved that Chowdar Tank could be used even by the ‘untouchables’. But
they had not given effect to it.
Ambedkar resolved to raise the flag of equality by using the water of this tank.
On the appointed day Ambedkar touched the water first. Then, many of his followers drank the
water. Till then the ‘untouchables’ had not been allowed to go near the tank. Ambedkar proved
that water created by God belonged to all.
But after a couple of hours some one spread the rumour that Ambedkar’s men would enter even
the Veereshwara Temple. The other Hindus attacked Ambedkar and his men. In this clash,
Ambedkar was injured.
This incident opened a new chapter in the social life of India. Many sensible Hindus condemned
these actions. They began to say that there is nothing wrong in the ‘untouchalbes’ taking water
from wells and tanks.
Should Not Hindus, Who Seek Justice, Give Justice?
The ‘untouchables’ are Hindus. Therefore, the doors of temples should be open to them. If the
Hindus can touch the Christians and the Muslims, why should they not touch the people who are
themselves Hindus and who worship the Hindu Gods? This was Ambedkar’s argument. He gave a
call that people who practise and support ‘untouchability’ should be punished.
Some people argued that the ‘untouchables’ were not yet fit for equality. The Hindus say that they
want independence and democracy. How can a people who have temple upon all the libertise of a
backward group aspire to democracy? Ambedkar argued like this and thundered that these people
had no right to speak of justice and democracy.
In 1927 there was a big conference. It resolved that there should be no cast differences in the
Hindu Dharma and that people of all castes should be allowed to work as priests in temples.
The Chowdar Tank dispute went to the court. The court decided that tanks are public property.
In Action
The ‘untouchables’ who have been subjected to humiliation for hundreds of years should find
justice. For this purpose Ambedkar indicated a few clear steps. No section of the Hindus should
be kept out of temples. There should be more representatives of the ‘untouchables’ in the
legislatures. These representatives should not be nominated by the government. They should be
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elected by the people. The government should employ the ‘untouchalbes’ in larger numbers I the
army and the police department.
A Fearless, Firm Mind
Those who suffer in the Hindu Society should get justice.

This was Ambedkar’s rock-like decision. He was prepared to oppose anybody to reach his goal.
The British Government invited several Indian leaders to discuss the problems of India. The
conferences were held in London; they were called the ‘Round Table Conference’. Gandhiji also
took part in them. At the Round Table Conference Ambedkar spoke angrily against the
government. He said that the backward sections did not enjoy equality with other sections, even
under the British Government; the British had just followed the ways of the other Hindus.
This was a time when Gandhiji was very popular in India. Millions of people followed his foot-
steps with devotion. Ambedkar openly opposed Gandhiji’s views on how justice should be
secured for the ‘untouchables’. He supported the views which seemed right to him.
Ambedkar secured for the Harijans (the ‘untouchables’) ‘separate electorates’ at the Second
Round Table Conference in 1931. As a result, the Harijans could elect their representatives
separately.
The Mahatma's Fast
Gandhiji felt that separate electrorates would only separate the Harijans from the Hindus. The
very thought that the Hindu would be devided pained him much. He started a fast against separate
electorates. He said he would fast unto death in necessary.
There was anxiety in the country because of Gandhiji’s fast.
Many Congress leaders went to Ambedkar to save Gandhiji.
"Muslims, Christians and Sikhs have obtained the right of separate electorates. Gandhiji did not
fast to oppose them. Why should Gandhiji fast to oppose Harijans getting separate electorates?"
questioned Ambedkar. "If you are unwilling to give the ‘untouchables’ separate electorates, what
other solution is there? It is essential to save Gandhiji. But just to save him I am not prepared to
give up the interests of the backward classes," he declared. He said, reserve a larger number of
seats for the untouchables’ than the British have given; then I will give up the claim for separate
electorates."
At last there was an agreement between the leaders who had gone for a compromise and
Ambedkar. It was decided that ten per cent of the seats in the legislatures should be reserved for
the Harijans. Ambedkar gave up the claim for separate electorates. Gandhiji ended his fast.
This famous treaty is called the Poona Treaty was another important step in the struggle of the
backward people
We Need Dharma - But Casteism Should Go
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‘Undouchablity’ is a branch of casteism; until casteism is wiped out ‘untouchability’ will not go –
this was Ambekdar’s firm belief. He argued that to wipe out casteism, political power was very
necessary. He believed that Dharma was essential for men. But the revolted against those who, in
the name of Dharma, treated some of their fellowmen like animals. Many people criticised him.
Some newspapers also wrote against him. There were many occasions when his life was in
danger. Also, Ambedkar knew from his own experience that even a bright man could not come up
in life vacuse of casteism. People give his cast importannce and make him powerless. Ambedkar
fought casteism. He was disgusted to find how difficult it was to secure justice and to find how
many men were still narrow-minded. He even said that it would be better to give up the Hindu
Dharma itself.
Muslim and Christian priest and missionaries learnt about this declaration; they tried very hard to
attract Ambedkar. They met and assured him that the ‘untouchables’ who changed their religion
would be given equal status in their society.
The Modern Manu
Today Ambedkar’s name is remembered in the history of India also because of the role he played
in framing the Constitution of India.
India became free from foreign rule on the 15th of August 1947.
Ambedkar became the first Minister of Law in independent India. With one voice all India
welcomed his appointment. He took oath as a minister.
The country, no doubt, got freedom. It was to be decided how a country with crores of people
should be rules. How should elections take place? What are the rights of the people? How are
laws to be made? How should the government works? How should courts of law function? - Such
important matters had to be decided, and laws had to be made. The Constitution answers all such
questions and lays down rules.
It was a very difficult task to prepare the Constitution. A study of the Constitutions of many
countries, a deep knowledge of law, knowledge of the history of India and of the Indian society,
the patience and wisdom to weigh different opinion-all these were essential.
On 29 th August 1947, a committee was constituted to frame the Constitution of India. Ambedkar
was chosen as its Chairman. Shri T. T. Krishnamachari, a member of the committee, himself has
said:
"Though a committee of seven members was formed, one of then resigned. Another was
nominated in his place. Another member died. No one took his place. One of the members was
very busy with government work. Owing to ill health two other members were far away from
Delhi. As a result, Dr. Ambedkar alone had to carry the entire burden of preparing the draft of the
Constitution. The work he has done is admirable".
As the Minister for Law, Dr. Ambedkar placed the draft Constitution before the Constituent
Assembly on 4th Nobvember 1948.
He gave satisfactory answers to many questions about the Constitution.
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The part of the Constitution wiping out ‘untouchanblity’ was aproved on 29th November 1948.
Ambedkar’s struggle bore fruit in his own life time. A new chapter began in social life. We
should remember the words of Ambedkar in answer to the debate on the Indian Constitution:
"India has lost her freedom only owing to treason of her own people. Raja Dahir of Sindh was
defeated by Mahammad Bin Khasim. The only reason for this defeat was that the generals of the
Sindh army took bribes from Jahsim’s men and did not fight for the king. It was Raja Jaichand of
India who invited Mohammad Ghori to fight against Prithviraj. When Shivaji was fighting for the
freedom of the Hindus, other Maratha leaders and Rajputs were fighting for the Mughals. When
the Sikhs were fighting against the British, their leader did nothing…. Such things should not
happen again; therefore, everyone must resolve to fight to the last drop of his blood, to defend the
freedom of India"
The Constituent Assembly accepted the draft India Constitution on 26th November 1949.
Dr. Ambedkar was born in the Mahar Cast; he was pushed away as an ‘untouchalbe’, his very
touch was supposed to make the water unclear; by his genius, by his learning and by his
unbending will, he rose high and shaped the Constitution of India, and came to be called the
Modern Manu. (Manu was a great Law-Giver of ancient India)
Ambedkar’s fist wife, Ramabai, had died. He married a girl belongs to Saraswatha Brahmin – Dr.
Sharda kabir; she was working in the nursing home where he was treated for sometime.
In 1951, Dr.Ambedkar resigned his office as minister.
After Resignation As A Minister
In 1952, he was defeated by a Congress candidate in the election for the Lok Sabha. The entire
country was shocked by his defeat.
A few later he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. Whenever he felt that the government had not
done justice to the Harijans he criticised it sharply. In 1953 the government brought a bill before
the pariament. According to this bill those who practised ‘untouchablity’ would be punished;
imprisonment, imposition of fines, dismissal from employment and withdrawal of licence to
follow a profession – these were the forms of punsihement.
To the Path of the Buddha
Soon after the framing of the Constitution, Ambedkar’s mind turned towards Buddha. His mind
was thirsting for peace and justice. He attended the Buddist Conference in Ceylon(Sree Lanka) in
1950.
The bitterness of his mind was ever on the increase. In spite of it, he was not willing to embrace
the Christian or the Muslim faith.
Finally, Ambedkar decided to become a Buddhist.
This was a great decision in his life, a decision taken after deep thought.
Why did he choose Buddhism?
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Ambedkar told his friend Dattopant Thengadi: " I am in the evening of my life. There is an
onslaught of ideas on our people from different countries from the four corners of the world. In
this flood our people may be confused. There are strong attempts to separate the people struggling
hard, from the main life-stream of this country and to attract them towards other countries. This
tendency is fast growing. Even some of my colleagues who are disgusted with ‘untouchability’,
proverty and inequality are ready to be washed away by this flood. What about the others? They
should not move away from the main stream of the nation’s life; and I must show them the way.
At the same time, we have to make some changes in the economic and political life. That is way I
have decided to follow Buddhism."
There is a way of life which has come down as a steady stream in India for thousand of years.
Buddhism is not opposed to it. The backward people must rebel against the injustice done to
them; they must wipe it out. But ‘untouchability’ is a problem of the Hindu Scoiety. To solve this,
a path which does not harm the culture and the history of Bharat must be followed. This is the
basis of his resolution.
He did not believe in the theory that Aryans came from a different land and that they defeated the
Dasyus’ (the Dravidians) of this country. There is no foundation for this in the Vedas. The word
‘Arya’ appears some 33 or 34 times in the Vedas. The word has been used as an adjective
meaning ‘the noble’ or ‘the elder’. It is said in the Mahabharata that ‘Dasyus’ can be found in all
‘varnas’ (castes) and‘ashramas’ (stage of life). In this way Ambedkar used to support this view.
On 14th Octover 1956 at a big function in Nagpur, Ambedkar, with his wife, embraced
Buddhism.
A Life Of Fulfilment
Ambedkar’s entire life was dedicated to one purpose – securing justice and equality to those
people who are called ‘untouchalbes’. He had said many times "God will spare me till I complete
my work for the ‘untouchables’. "He lived to see ‘untouchability’ declared a crime. The
‘untouchables’ had secured political equality. They should enjoy social equality also – this feeling
was beginning to grow in the country.
As early as in 1951, Ambedkar’s health had begun to fail. Yet he continued to work saying that he
would not succumb to ill health when there was work to be done.
On 16th December 1956 he breathed his last. Thousand and thousands of people watched the
funeral procession and expressed their sorrow and admiration. Five hundred thousand people
witnessed the last rites.
Ambedkar was very fond of books. He had set apart a part of his house "Rajagriha’ for them.
When he suffered from an eye trouble, he was particularly unhappy that he could not read.
Whenever he went abroad, he used to buy books. Once he bought more than two thousand books
in New York. "untoucalbes’, ‘Buddha and His Gospel’, ‘Revolution and Counter – Revolution in
India’, ‘Buddha and Karl Marx’ and ‘The Riddle of Hinduism’ – these are some of the books he
wrote. His books show how widely he had read, how he had gathered information, and how he
could think for himself.
Anger, Perserverence, Constructive Work and Kindness
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It appears that anger and perseverance are the two most important qualities that stand out in
Ambedkar’s life. This is true from one point of view. The Hindus had called some people
‘untouchables’ and treated them very unjustly. This went on for hundreds of years. Ambedkar
struggled hard to strengthen his people; he knew that those who are weak are bound to suffer.
Once he said,"Goats are sacrificed, not lions.’ He attacked like lightening those who practised
injustice. He opposed the British, he opposed the Hindu that were victims of the past, he opposed
even Gandhiji, he opposed the Government of free India; he brought justice to the ‘untouchables’.
At times his own life was in danger; but he gave no thought to it.
It is important to notice another aspect of his Himalayan personality. He was very learned. At
school he was not allowed to study Sanskrit, but later in life he did learn Sanskrit. As the
president of the people’s Education Society he opened a number of schools and colleges; as a
result people of backward classes could get education.
He spent some days in Aurangabad. He saw that there were no plants or trees in the bit compound
of the college. He said that any one who wanted to meet him should plant a sapling; otherwise he
(Ambedkar) would not see him. In a few days more than a hundred saplings appeared inside the
compound. Once in front of a hostel he saw shrubs. He himself began to clean the ground with a
pick-axe and shovel.
The root of his anger was kindness. It is no wonder that at the end he turned to Buddha, ‘the
ocean of compassion’. His heart melted in pity when he saw those who, born as men, lived worse
than animals, without the respect and the justice every man should receive. That is why he
opposed ‘untouchability’. He felt that men need Dharma. "Food alone is not enough. Man has a
mind, which also requires food. Dharma gives man hope and makes him active" he said. There
was an old man among his followers. Once he went to Ambedkar. He said he had made avow to
God and he begged for Ambedkar’s permission to carry out the vow. Ambedkar said with a smile,
"Who told you that I have no faith in God? Go, do as you wish." Once an old lady knocked at his
door at early in the morning. Weeping, she said, "My husband is very sick. I tried for 12 hours to
admit him to the hospital. They said that there was no room in the hospital." Ambedkar himself
went with her and admitted her husband to the hospital.
Once, when Dr. Ambedkar resigned as Principal, a boy came to him crying. He was a Brahmin
boy. He was very poor. He had a scholarship for two years. He was doubtful whether he would
get it during the last year of his stay. Ambedkar was grieved at his story. He comforted him. He
made him sit with him for food. Then he gave him fifty rupees. He patted him on his back and
said "if you are in trouble again, come and tell me."
When Ambedkar himself was in poor health, he heard that his gardener was not well. He took
another man with him and, using a stick for support, went to see the gardener. "Who will look
after my wife, if I should die?" – this thought troubled the gardener. Ambedkar comforted him.
He said "Do not cry, everyone has to die one day or the other. I too have to die one day. Be brave.
I will send you medicine. You will be all right." He sent the medicine.
The very next day Ambedkar died in his sleep.
A Lion Among Men
Ambedkar was born in a cast which was considered as the lowest of the low. People said that it
was a sin it they offered him water to drink, and that if he sat in a cart it would become unclean.
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But this very man framed the Constitution for the country. His entire life was one of struggles.
And his personal life was too misirable; he had lost his first wife and sons. But even though he
did not lost hid dareness. It is no wonder that everyone called him ‘Babasaheb’, out of love and
admiration. Bhimram Ambedkar was the lion-hearted man who fought for equality, justice and
humanity.
Gandhiji
Gandhiji's life was dedicated to the ideals of Truth, Non- violence

and Love. He was the architect of India's freedom and one of the
greatest men of this century
A traveler, who came from Europe to India about thirty-five years ago, was asked: ‘What do you
wish to see in India?’ His reply was: 'The Himalayas, The Taj Mahal and Mahatma Gandhi.'It was
neither wealth nor power that made Gandhiji so famous. He became famous for certain
goodquality that he possessed. He always practiced what he taught. He did not do evil to any
body; and also, he did not even consider the evil doer as wicked.He wished him well; and wished
all well; he wished well to everything,and at all times.He looked upon all with love,and worked
all through life to put an end to hatred and to spread love. From ancient times such a man of
lovehas been called a 'Mahatma 'in India.
Truthful and Religious Parents
'Gandhi' is a family name. The Gandhi’s had been merchants for many years. They lived in a
town called Porbandar. It now belongs to Gujarat State. The town had stone walls around it. As
the stones shone in the sun, the town was known as 'Shwetapuri' (the White City).
Uttamchand Gandhi was the grandfather of Gandhiji. He was the Diwan or the Prime
Minister or the Rana (ruler) of Porbandar. His son Karamchand Gandhi was Gandhiji 's father.
Gandhiji's full name was Mohan- das Karamchand Gandhi. He was born on October 2, 1869.
Karamchand Gandhi was the Diwan of Porbandar State for some time, and later became the
Diwan of Raikot State. Like his father, he too was an honest and a courageous man. His wife's
name was Putlibai. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was their youngest son.
Karamchand Gandhi was a very practical man. Gandhiji describes his father in his
autobiography as follows: 'My father was a lover of his clan, truthful, brave and generous.'Often
there used to be readings from the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha in his house.There used to be
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religious discussions also among Jain,Parsi and Muslim scholars. Young Gandhi listened to all
this with attention.
Putlibai was in the habit of visiting temples every day. She used to take Gandhi also with her. She
used to keep stern vows and fasts. Religious practices were her very life breath. Her influence on
the son was great. Many years later,Gandhiji, recollecting his early years, said, 'If there is any
purity in me, it is all due to my mother.' The son imbibed from his mother the qualities of service,
sacrifice and affection for others.
Gandhi as a Student
Young Gandhi had his primary education up to the seventh year at Porbandar. Then his education
continued at Rajkot. Gandhi was a very shy boy. He never found fault with elders. He was very
obedient.
Once an Inspector of Schools visited the school. The teacher dictated someEnglish words. Gandhi
had miss-spelt the word 'Kettle'. The teacher noticed this, and made signs to the boy to correct it
by copying from his neighbor. But Gandhi did not do so. He also felt that the same teacher, who
had taught him that copying was bad, was not right in prompting him to do so. Still, the respect he
had for his teacher did not grow less.
At that time, Gandhi had occasion to see two plays. They were 'Shravana Pitribhakti' and
'Harishchandra'. These two plays left a deep impression on his mind.The devotion of Shravana to
his aged parents was a model in itself. Harishchandra suffered great misery for the sake of truth.
Gandhi began to consider if he could not also live like them.
On the plastic mind of the young, example and company act as powerful forces. When Gandhi
joined the High school in his thirteenth year, he fell into evil company. But he soon realized his
folly and returned to the right path.
Sheik Mehtab, a classmate of Gandhi, was a strong boy. He always excelled all the boys in games
and sports. Gandhi came to believe that, in order to expel theEnglish rulers from our country, it
was necessary that one should become strong like Sheik by eating meat. This false belief took
deep root in his mind. He tried to eat meat in secret. He found it distasteful. In the same way, he
smoked cigarettes. He also stole a piece of gold to pay his brother's debts. He felt sad because he
had not the freedom to act as he wished. In a moment of despair, he tried to kill himself, by
swallow- ing Matura seeds (an effective poison). But he lost courage and could not do so. At last
he felt sorry for his conduct. He confessed his guilt in a letter and, with trembling hands, handed it
to his father. The father did not say even a word, and simply shed tears of sorrow. This melted
Gandhi's heart. He touchingly refers to this incident in his autobiography: 'Those pearl-drops of
love cleansed my heart, and washed my sin away.'
Gandhi was only an ordinary boy both in the Primary School and in the High School. No special
qualities were seen in him. At school he never took part in any games. He would not even freely
mix with his companions. The fear that somebody would make fun of him always filled his mind.
The Great Force of Religion
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Gandhi was married to Kastur Ba in his thirteenth year. Kastur Ba was also a girl of the same age.
It was a case of child- marriage, and child-marriage was acustom of those days. It was a marriage
of two persons, who did not understand anything about it. The immediate result of this was that a
year's studies were spoiled. By the time Gandhi's High School education ended, a child was born,
and died, and another was born. A boy of fifteen or sixteen years had already become a father. By
that time Gandhi's father also had passed away.
A Gujarati poem, by Shyamlal Bhat, that Gandhi read in deep impression on his mind. The lines
were:
For a bowl of water give a goodly meal;
For a kindly greeting bow thou down with zeal;
For simple penny pay thou back with gold;
If thy life were rescued, life does not withhold.
Thus the words and actions of the wise regard;
Every little service tenfold they reward.
But the truly noble know all men as one,
And return with gladness good for evil done.
This became the ideal of Gandhi's life. He understood that revenge was not true religion. He
understood what the 'Religion of Humanity' was. He understood the great force of religion.
In England
After completing his High School studies, Gandhi joined the Samaldas College, Bhavnagar and
continued his studies for some time. One day, a Swamiji who came to Gandhi's house remarked:
"Why don't you send this boy to England for studies? The family can regain its honor." This
appealed to Gandhi. He had a great desire to study medical science; but his brother was not in
favor of it. Further, in those days it was supposed to be, against religion to cross the sea. His
mother too did not consent. Her fear was that her son might take to liquor and meat eating. At
last, Gandhi gave his word to his mother that he would not do anything immoral, and got her
consent. His brother agreed to bear the burden of the expenses, though he was not a rich man. It
was finally decided that Gandhi should go to England and study Law to become a Barrister.
Gandhi was only nineteen years old then. He was to leave for England onSeptember 4, 1888. The
elders of his caste learnt this. They opposed his journey. But Gandhi disobeyed them and left. The
elders declared that Gandhi was an outcaste.
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Gandhi had learnt from some elders about life in London as also about manners to be
observed in English society. Friends had told him that it was difficult to live without
drinking wine and eating meat, in a cold country like England. But Gandhi tried hard to keep his
promise to his mother. He went in search of vegetarian hotels, and was content to eat whatever
food he got there. Every day he had to walk a long distance from his residence to the hotel. But he
never felt it a hardship. In the end, he decided to cook his food himself.
Gandhi also tried to practice English gentlemen's ways and manners and to learn to speak French,
dancing and the art of public speaking. His expenses increased. Neither could he learn any of
them. And then the realization came to him that his brother was struggling hard tosend him
money. Then he gave up all needless expenses, and began to live a simple life. His studies
became his sole aim.
Gandhi developed great intimacy with an English family. He pretended to be an unmarried man.
He used to be quite free with the two-grownup daughters of the family. It looked as if the
friendship would go beyond the proper limits. It was a testing time for Gandhiji. At that hour, he
remembered the promise he had made to his mother. It saved him from a moral fall. He felt
repentant, and wrote a letter of apology to the lady of the house, confessing that he was a married
man and the father of a child. Gandhi stayed in England for two years and eight months. He
obtained the degree of Barrister-at-Law. Without staying even for a day more, he started on the
return journey to India, on June 12, 1891.
During his stay in England, Gandhi tried some experiments in vegetarian diet. He came to the
conclusion that a human being should not eat non-vegetarian food for any reason. He got
acquainted with some great persons of the day, like Dadabhai Naoroji and Dr. Beasant. But there
was no indication at all that some day Gandhi would become a great man. For the first time
Gandhi read the Bhagavad Gita, in the company of two English Theosophist friends. Together
they studied 'The Song Celestial' (the English translation of the Gita) by Sir Edwin Arnold. This
roused Gandhi's interest in the Holy Books of the Hindu religion; and his interest grew with
time.The teaching of the Gita was a source of spiritual strength to Gandhi.
What Next?
A great sorrow awaited Gandhi on his return to India. His mother had passed away while he was
in England. But his brother had not informed him of this. In England, Gandhiji had dreamed of
telling his mother how he had struggled hard to keep his promise to her and of her joy when she
listened to his story. But Gandhi was denied this pleasure.
Now, Gandhi was an young man of twenty- two. His son Harilal was a boy of four. Gandhi began
the practice of law withgreat zeal in Bombay. But he lacked the courage to plead a case in the
court. He could not conduct the very first case. He was deeply disappointed in the profession. He
could not get any suitable work. At last he returned to Rajkot. His brother too was disappointed.
At this time, there arose a hope that the eldest brother Lakshmidas might become the Diwan of
Porbandar State. But he had incurred the anger of the British Political Agent. Gandhi had met that
Political Agent when he was in London. Lakshmidas naturally expected that his brother would
recommend his case. Though Gandhi was unwilling he called on the Political Agent and pleaded
the case. He was warned that it was improper to make such a plea. Still Gandhi continued to plead
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for his brother. This put out the Agent, and he ordered his servant to show Gandhi the door.
Gandhi felt greatly ashamed. But he was helpless. He felt distressed at his pitiable condition. This
bitter event led to a total change in his way of life.
The Call from South Africa
Some Gujarati merchants had trade relations with South Africa. One of them, a relative of a
merchant called Dada Abdulla
Sheth, was a friend of Gandhi's brother, He asked Gandhi's brother if Gandhi would be willing to
go to South Africa to assist his relative's English Lawyer in a lawsuit pending before a court. The
work would take a year. All expenses would be borne by the merchant and, in addition, Gandhi
would get one hundred and five pounds as fees. This seemed a good opportunity to Gandhi, as he
was not only disappointed in the profession, but had also been put to shame by the English
Political Agent. He obtained his brother's consent and set sail to South Africa in April 1893. He
was only twenty-four years old.
'Do you have self respect?’
Two or three days had passed after Gandhi's arrival in Durban, in Natal State. Gandhi was
wearing a turban on his head when he went to the court. The judge, noticing it, ordered him to
remove it. All Indians, except the Muslims,who habitually wore a turban, had to remove it as a
mark of respect to the court. Gandhi refused to remove it and went out of the court. This was the
first insult that he had to suffer in South Africa.
After a week Gandhi had to makea journey by train. He had bought a first class ticket.
The train reached Maritzburg station. It was a bitter cold night. An officer of the railway
came to Gandhi and asked him to vacate his seat for a white man, and to move to the van on the
train. Gandhi refused. The railway officials, with the help of the police, had his things, thrown
out. He was also removed from the carriage by force. The train left. Gandhi sat alone on the
platform in the dark station and brooded over the insult he had suffered. In India a white officer
put him to shame; should such a thing happen here too! The cup of sorrow was full. The next day,
he continued the journey. It had to be done partly by horse
coach and partly by train. Only Europeans were permitted to sit inside the carriage. Gandhi could
not sit with them. He sat outside by the side of the coachman. Some time later, he was ordered to
sit on the footboard. Gandhi could not bear it. He refused to carry out the order.The supervisor
of the carriage, a European, attacked Gandhi and began to thrash him. Gandhi suffered the blows
but did not at all move from where he sat. At last, the passengers intervened and checked the
supervisor.
Thus Gandhi was subject to untold shame. But when he learnt that such a shame was the fate of
all Indian settlers, he was a transformed man.
Indians had begun to settle in South Africa in 1860. Many of them were laborers in the
sugar cane, tea and coffee plantation's belonging to Englishmen.
In the eyes of the white Europeans all Indians were 'coolies'; the merchants were 'coolie
merchants'; Barrister Gandhi was a 'coolie Barrister'. All were put to shame by being called
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'Girmitias' and 'Samy'. (Girmitia is an ugly form of 'permit', and 'Samy' the ugly form of
'Swamy'.) In Natal no Indian was allowed to move about after 9 at night. In Orange Free State, no
Indian could acquire property; he could neither be an agriculturist or a tradesman.In Trans- vaal,
he had no right to own land;in addition to this, he had to pay a settlement tax of three pounds. All
Indians had to live in dirty areas. Once Gandhi himself was knocked down by police patrol-
guards, for being out after 9 at night. In short, Indians were not considered as human beings. The
South African Indian problem was thus a problem of life and death for a hundred thousand
people.It was a problem of life and death for a hundred thousand people. It was a problem of life
and death for a hundred thousand people. It was a problem of self- respect.All Indians suffered
the shame mutely.
Barrister Gandhi Leader of the fight for self-respect
Gandhi was successful in bringing about a compromise in the lawsuit of Abdulla Sheth. His work
in South Africa was over.
The time to return to India had come. A meeting was arranged to bid him farewell. Those who
had assembled discussed a news item, which had appeared in the papers that day, under the title
'The Indian Franchise'. Finally they decided to request Gandhi to stay in South Africa for some
time more, to help them. Gandhi agreed. The assembly to bid farewell to Gandhi was converted
into an action committee to fight for citizenship rights of the Indian settlers of South Africa. This
laid the foundation for Gandhi's stay in South Africa. Thus the seed of the fight for the rights of
Indian brethren was sown.
Gandhi started an organization and called it 'The Natal Indian Congress'. It was to carry on the
struggle of the Indians. He also started a newspaper. It was called 'The Indian Opinion'. The paper
became an organ to give information about the struggle.
It created unity and a sense ofself-respect among the Indian settlers. Gandhi once visited India
and attended the session of the Indian National Congress; he spoke about the hardships of the
South African Indians, and got the Congress to pass a resolution supporting the struggle.
While in India, Gandhi made some speeches about the South African question. They were
misreported in the press. The white men of South Africa who read the report became angry with
Gandhi. They were waiting for Gandhi's return. As soon as he left the ship, they attacked him. His
life was in danger. They kept shouting 'Hang Gandhi'. They also threw brickbats and rotten eggs
at him. At that critical time, the wife of a European police officer courageously entered the fray,
and led Gandhi to a place of safety.
Gandhi was determined in his struggle. He united the Indian settlers and carried on the struggle.
At that time, the Zulus, the natives of South Africa, rose in rebellion against the British. Gandhi
suspended the struggle, formed a Red Cross Corps, and served the wounded soldiers. This was a
great service. The British Government appreciated it, and awarded him the 'Kaiser-i- Hind' medal.
The Birth of 'Satyagraha'
Towards the end of 1907, the Government of South Africa tightened its laws against the Asian
settlers in South Africa. It was called the 'Asiatic Act'. It lay down that all men and women of
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Asian origin above the age of eight years should get their names registered. In addition to this, the
Government recognized only Christian marriages as legal. The result of this was that a Hindu
couple or a Muslim couple who were married according to Hindu and Muslim religious rites were
no longer considered as legally wedded husband and wife. Further, there was restriction on
movement from one province to another.
Gandhi advised his men not to honor and obey the Registration Law. This led to a fierce
struggle.Gandhi called it'Satyagraha' ; it was the use of 'Soul-Force' or 'Love- Force' against
'Brute-Force' or violence. He trained men, women and children as volunteers to offer Satyagraha.
He called his band a 'Peace Brigade'. It had to enter Transval from Natal. This was the civil dis-
obedience that he planned. It continued for six months. All the Satyagrahisincluding Gandhi were
arrested and put into prison. At last, the Government of South Africa came to an honorable
settlement with Gandhi. The citizenship rights of Indians were recognized. Thus Gandhi was the
champion of the self-respect of the Indians in South Africa.
Satyagraha, this new way of struggle in South Africa, began a new chapter in the political history
of the world, Politics is generally understood to permit cheating, killing and violence. Its policy is
that the end justifies the means. But Gandhi taught the principle that both the end and the means
must be equally pure and moral.He himself put that principle into practice. He showed that if this
is to be possible, love or nonviolence alone is the way to it.
'Mahatma Gandhi'
Gandhi now became a world-renowned person. He was considered by many famous persons in
the West as an incarnation of Jesus Christ. This was for his nonviolent struggle - Satyagraha. He
stayed in South Africa for 22 years. When he finally returned to India, he was welcomed and
honored by the millions of his countrymen as 'Mahatma Gandhiji'.
'Sarvodaya'
Gandhiji formed an Ashram near Ahmedabad. It was called 'Satyagraha Ashram'. The way of life
that he practiced there was known as 'Sarvodaya' - the well being of all. It was the way of life that
he practiced in South Africa. In South Africa, he had started two institutions -the Phoenix
Settlement and the Tolstoy Farm. The aim of these Ashrams was plain living and high thinking.
He believed that by such a way of life the well being of all men could be secured. 'A tooth for a
tooth and an eye for an eye’ was not true religion, that is, revenge was not religion. His desire was
that the individual should lead a truthful, religious and loving life. Man should strive to establish
truth, piety and love in human society. It was Gandhiji's belief that the power of goodness that
comes from such a life could transform the worst power on earth.
Gandhiji -The Leader of India
The people of India were also carrying on a struggle for freedom from the British rule. The Indian
National Congress was striving for it. In 1919, British soldiers had acted in a brutal manner
against an innocent and unarmed assembly ofpeople, who had gathered for a meeting at Jalian-
wala Bagh in Punjab. There were walls around with only a small passage to go out of the Bagh.
The soldiers fired on the assembly, and killed and wounded many
people mercilessly.
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Lokamanya Tilak, the great Indian national leader, passed away at that time. The nation was
looking for an able leader. The Mahatma, the hero of the Satyagraha struggle in South Africa, had
attracted the attention of many Indians. Thus leadership courted him naturally. There was great
charm in his words. His conduct was flaw- less and crystal clear. He filled the nation with a new
spirit. Under his leadership the weakest man, woman and child, as well as innocent ryots, were
ready for a nonviolent fight. They were ready to sacrifice their all. Self-sacrifice and service
became the religion of the nation.
The Indian National Congress carried on five major struggles for freedom, during three decades,
under the leadership of Gandhiji. In 1920-22, it was called 'The Non-Cooperation Movement'.
Government schools and colleges, courts and Legisla- tures were all boycotted. Gandhiji himself
was arrested, and was sentenced to six
years imprisonment. His trial in the court at that time drew the attention of the entire
civilized world.
In 1922, there was Hindu-Muslim disturbances in Bombay.Many were injured and killed on
account of religiousmadness. Gandhiji was shocked to the core, He called his son Devadas and
advised him: "Go and tell Hindus and Muslims, wherever they may be fighting, that this hatred is
bad. It does not matter even if they kill you. I would be happy to sacrifice my son for the cause of
Hindu-Muslim amity."
The Salt Satyagraha of 1930-31 became world-famous. It was known as the 'Dandi March'.
Manufacturing salt from sea- water was the monopoly of the Government. By breaking the Salt
Law Gandhiji desired to show that the Indians were a free nation. On March 12, he went on foot
with seventy-nine trusted disciples, from his Ashram at Sabarmati to Dandi, a 0sea- side place
241 miles away. Staff in hand he walked about 10 to 15 miles each day. The determination of the
62-year-old 'young man' was wonderful. He was like one in quest of Truth. His action shook the
foundations of the British Empire. The courage and the spirit of self-sacrifice with which he filled
the hearts of millions of Indians were amazing. There was Civil Disobedience or non-violent
breaking of the law throughout the country. Cities, towns and villages were all scenes of
Satyagraha. Heroism was the order of the day. The British Government put Gandhiji in prison
again.
In 1932, when Gandhi was behind thebars, an extraordinary event took place. In the name of
political reforms, the British Government planned to cut away millions of Indians called
'untouchables' from the Hindu Society. Their principle was to 'Divide and Rule'. In 1924, Gandhiji
had fasted for 21 days to bring about Hindu- Muslim unity. He had been saying that un
touchability was a shame to Hindu Society. Hinduism should be purged of that guilt. When he
saw what the Government was doing, he became unhappy, and decided to fast unto death. There
was great commotion in the entire country. The Government realized its folly and gave up the
plan. There was an awakening among the people. Government temples, wells and public places
were declared open to the untouchables. Gandhiji called the untouchables - 'Harijans' (men dear to
God). He started three periodicals 'Harijan Sevak', 'Harijan-Bandhu' and 'Harijan'-all devoted to
the service of the Harijans. He took a vow not to re-enter his Ashrarn at Sabarmati until
untouchability became a thing of the past in India. He settled down at Sevagram,(near Wardha) a
newAshram, which he started there.
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In 1941, the Satyagraha struggle took a different shape. It was called the'Symbolic
Satyagraha', and was different from the previous mass Satyagrahas. Only the individuals, whom
Gandhiji selected or permitted, had to offer Satyagraha. This change was made because Gandhiji,
the Truth-seeker, knew that the past mass Satyagrahas had not been entirely free from violence.
Thus he conducted this experiment to make Satyagraha free & from violence as far as humanly
possible.
In 1942, there came the final struggle for freedom. The call was 'Britishers, Quit India'. For this
struggle, Gandhiji gave the inspiring message, 'Do or Die'. Gandhiji expected that the struggle
would be purely non-violent. It did not happen that way. Out there was great national upsurge for
freedom. Thousands were put into prison.They faced the lath and the bullet, and gave up their
lives. A whole nation rose up against an alien empire. It took all the suffering on itself cheerfully,
without a word of demur or hatred or ill will. The way India got her freedom is unique in the
history of the world. And all the glory of this unique struggle goes to the great leader Gandhiji.
Ordeal by Fire
On August 15, 1947, India became a free country. But it was divided into two independent States
- India that is Bharat and Pakistan. Gandhiji was totally opposed to this division of the country.
Though the country was divided, the Hindu-Muslim riots did not cease. They increased. Lakhs of
people were rendered homeless. Many lost their near and dear ones, and became orphans, In
Noakhali and Thippera of East Bengal, the killings of Hindus and the shameful acts committed on
women were a blot on humanity. It looked as if man had
become a demon. For half a century Gandhi had tried to put into action the principles of love and
nonviolence in his personal life and in public life; now it seemed to him that those principles had
totally failed. Naked violence ruled every where. In that fearful situation, Gandhiji tried to test his
great principles.Hedecided to go to those areas, as a messenger
of peace. Political madness and religious unreason had reached the height of cruelty. He decided
to bring about peace between the Hindus and the Muslims. Though he was seventy-seven years
old, he walked from village to village. He brought hope and courage to the suffering, unhappy
people. He addressed prayer meetings. He advised both the Hindus and the Muslims. It was a
noble mission of compassion. It shines as a noble proof of the heights of divinity to which frail
mancan soar.
Peace returned to the unfortunate area. The people of both the communities had realized the
shame of their senseless acts. Gandhiji returned to Delhi. He was staying at the Birla House.
It was Friday, January 30. 1948. Gandhiji used to hold prayer meetings every evening at 5-30.
Prayer was his sole strength. That evening too he was on his way to the prayer meeting A man
called Nathuram Vinayak Godse had come to think that Gandhiji was partial to the Muslims and
that he would be saving Hinduism by killing him. As Gandhiji was walking to the prayer meeting
Godse bowed to him in respect, and then fired three bullets at point blank range.
Gandhiji, the embodiment of the eternal message of the Gita, was no more.
The tragedy sent tremors the world over. A great and noble spirit that showed the path of piety to
man, disappear from the world- stage; all who had a heart to feel shed tears of sorrow.
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Gandhiji's Legacy
The Swaraj or Freedom that Gandhiji dreamed was not merely of a political character. It was to
be a means to create a new man, who would strive to create a new society,a new civilization and a
newculture. He called the new social order 'Ramraj' - 'the Kingdom of God on Earth'. Lovewould
be the sole law there.All would be dutiful. There would be no distinction of caste, religion and
community. No one would be treated as untouchables.All would beequal in the eyes of religion,
All would live by the sweat of their brow. The intellectual worker and the manual worker would
be equals; neither could claim superiority.There would be no intoxicating drinks. Women would
be honored. Every one would be ready to give up his life for the good of his country. Gandhiji
called such a state of society 'Sarvodaya (The Prosperity of All).
To realize Sarvodaya, man has to live with fellow men, with other living beings and nature in
understanding and harmony.
Service to the lowly and the lost in society was Gandhiji's first step towards Sarvodaya.
Gandhiji taught that knowledge and wealth devoid of religion and morals led to the fall of men.
He died as a martyr in the cause of true religion.
A leader's responsibilities are high. He has to examine himself severely time and again, to
convince himself that he is fit to lead others. He has to bear all the moral responsibility for all that
his followers do. If he feels unable to do so, he has to retire from the field of action.Through self-
criticism and self-confidence, he has to work to lead this imperfect world in the way of perfection.
This is the deathless message that Gandhiji has left us.
Single-minded devotion to the God of Truth and prayer are lights that Gandhiji has bequeathed to
us. He could not remain without prayer even for a single day. 'Silent prayer is my greatest
strength' - he used to say.
'Raghupathi Raghava Rajaram, Pathitha Pavana Seetharam.'
Whenever we hear this prayer Gandhiji's memory becomes alive. His soul will be present there
unseen, and blesses all. It is the task of religion to purify the fallen; it is the power of goodness in
man. What does it matter what name we give it? Let us all is blessed with goodness. This is the
perennial message that Gandhiji has left to mankind.
As a boy Gandhiji was afraid of ghosts and devils. A good nurse, Rambha by name, taught him to
repeat the name of Shri Rama to get over this fear. It brought him hope and courage. He chanted it
day in and day out. It is significant that, when the assassin shot at him and his bodyslumped to
find eternal rest in the lap of Mother Earth, the last words he uttered were 'Rama', 'Rama'.
Mahatma Gandhiji, called 'Bapu' by his loving countrymen, will ever be remembered as a saint
and a great leader of men.
Sardar Patel
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India's Man of Steel. He gave up his practise in order to fight for

the freedom of the country. He was sent to prision. As the Deputy
Prime Minister of free India, he became the architect of the
integrity of India by mer- ging of hundreds of princely states with
the Indian Union
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was known in India as the 'Man of Steel'.

A Family of Heroes
Vallabhbhai was born in Nadiad. It was a small village in Gujarat. His father was Jhaverbhai
Patel, and his mother Ladbai. Jhaverbhai was a poor farmer. He was a strong and sturdy man. His
country and freedom were as dear to him as his own life. In 1857 the people of India fought for
their freedom. Jhaverbhai, who was then a
young man, fought bravely at that time. Vithalbhai, Vallabhbhai's elder brother, was also a well-
known patriot. He was the Chairman of the Indian Legislative Council.
Once, when he was a small boy,Vallahbhai suffered from a boil in the armpit. There was a man in
the village who used to cure boils by touching them with hot iron. The boy went to him. The man
heated the iron rod till it grew red. But he hesitated, seeing at the boy's tender years.
"What are you waiting for? The iron will grow cold. Hurry up, brand the boil," said the boy
angrily.
The man was even more frightened. The boy picked up the glowing rod and burnt the boil. Those
who watched him were shocked and screamed. But there was not even a trace of pain in the boy's
face.
The Courageous Student
This amazing boy was born on the 31st of October 1875. (This is the date generally accepted.)
The elders were filled with pride and joy at the fearlessness of the little boy; the younger ones
loved and admired him. No companion of his ever disobeyed him. By nature he rebelled against
injustice. He showed a genuine interest in the welfare of his companions, constantly Enquirer
about their needs and problems helped them as best he could, and promoted friendship and unity.
Vallabhbhai's early education was in Karamsad. Then he joined a school in Petlad. After two
years he joined a high school in a town called Nadiad. A teacher of this school used to sell the
books,which the pupils needed. He used to force all the pupils to buy books only from him. If any
boy bought books from others, the teacher used to tease him.Vallabhbhai thought that this was
wrong. He spoke to his companions, and saw to it that not a single pupil attended the classes. For
a whole week the school could not work. The teacher had to correct himself.
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When he was in Petlad he used to cook for himself. Every week he used to carry provisions from
home, walking the entire distance. He could have gone by train, but he did not have the money to
buy a ticket.
During his school days, one day a teacher made a mistake in working a sum. Vallabh- bhai
pointed out the error. The teacher was very angry and said, "All right, you be the teacher." The
boy replied, "Very well, sir." He worked the sum correctly, and sat down in the teacher's chair!
Vallabhbhai first chose Sanskrit. Then he changed to Gujarati. Sanskrit was dearer to the teacher
who taught Gujarati than his own subject. When Vallabhbhai entered his class, the teacher wanted
to taunt him, and said, "Welcome, great man!" Poor man, he did not know that the boy would one
day become a very great man.
He asked the boy, in anger, "Why did you give up Sanskrit and choose Gujarati?"
Vallabhbhai answered, "If every one chooses Sanskrit, you will have no work."
The teacher was in a rage. He complained to the headmaster. Vallabhbhai narrated to the
headmaster all that had happened. The headmaster said, "I have not seen such a bold pupil." This
made the teacher even more bitter. Vallabhbhai, too, did not wish to remain in that school. He
went back. He studied at home and passed the examination.
Ashok
The Wheel which adorns the flag of free India has kept his
memory green. Lord of a vast empire, after a great victory
sick of violence and took an oath never to fight again.He
was an Ideal ruler.
"All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the
happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always."
These are the words of an emperor who lived two thousand and three hundred years ago.
We see in history how even mere chieftains grew arrogant and used their powers selfishly and
unjustly. But the emperor who said the above words ruled over the greater part of India. He had
the power of life and death over millions of his subjects.
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Is it surprising that free India remembers him with admiration?

This emperor was Ashoka (also called ‘Devanampriya Priyadarshi’). The wheel in the abacus of
the pillar which he erected as a memorial at Saranath now adorns the national flag of free India.
Who Was 'Priyadarshi'?

The rock inscription of Devanampriya Priyadarshi were being discovered all over India for
centuries. But for a long time the identity of this ‘Devanampriya Priyadarshi’ remained a puzzie.
One day in the year 1915 near a village called Maski in Raichur District of Karnataka, a rock
inscription was discovered on a hill. In this inscription for the first time the name of Ashoka was
found with titles like Devanampriya and Priyadarshi. It was then certain that Devanampriya
Priyadarshi was no othe than Ashoka. The Mauryan Emperor, whose name shone like a very
bright star in the history of the world, and whom the world honors and lovers ven two thousand
years after his death.
The Emperors
Ashoka was the grandson ofChandragupta Maurya. Chandragupta was the first ruler of the
Mauryan Empire. He ruled for about twentyfour years, and then, seeking peace of mind, handed
over the reigns of his empire to his son, Bindusara. This Bindusara was the father of Ashoka.
Subhadrangi was the mother of Ashoka. She was the daughter of a poor man of Champakanagar.
As a boy Ashoka was not only active also mischievous. He was a skilful hunter. From the time of
Chandragupta Maurya the hunting expedition of the Emperor and the royal family was a splendid
sight. Ashoka was not handsome. But no prince excelled him in valour, courage, dignity, love of
adventure and ability in administration. Therefore even as a prince Ashoka was loved and
respected by his subjects and by his ministers. Bindusara siscovered the ability of his son quire
early and, when Ashoka was still young, appointed him Governor of Avanti.
At Taxila
They pleaded, "We do not hate either Bindusara or the royal family. The wicked ministers are
responsible for our revolt. We misunderstood you because of their evil advice. We are not rebels.
Please forgive us." Ashoka understood the real situation and punished those responsible for the
revolt. He stayed there for some days and gave the people some advice in simple and beautiful
words. When complete peace had been established in the city, Ashoka returned to his province.
Days and years passed. Bindusara grew old. His body became weak. His health decllined. Among
his ministers one minister by name Radhagupta was prominent. He and the others began to think
about the future welfare of the empire. Bindusara’s eldest son was Susheema. According to
custom he should have succeeded to the throne. But the rovolt of Taxila had exposed his
weakness. Besides, he had begun to behave with insolence. The council of ministers felt that the
empire would suffer and lose peace, and prosperity and that thee would be no justice in the land if
Susheema was crowned king. Therefore they sent word to Ashoka that his father was ill and that
he should rush to the bed side of his sick father.
Ashoka Becomes King
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Ujjain was the capital of Avanti. It was a beautiful city, and the home of knowledge, wealth and
art. Within a few days of taking over the administration of Avanti, Ashoka became an excellent
statesman. I t was when he was in this city tha he married Shakya Kumari, the beautiful daughter
of a merchant of Vidishanagar. She gave birth to two children, mahendra and Sanghamitra.
Ashoka’s volour, courage and wisdom were soon tested. The citizens of Taxila rose in revolt
against the rule of Magadha. Bindusara’s eldest son, Susheema (also called could not put down
the rebellion. Bindusara sent Ashoka to suppress the revolt. Ashoka to suppress the revolt.
Ashoka did not have enough forces but yet moved towards the city boldly. A suprising thing
happened. The citizens of Taxila never thought of fighting against Ashoka. They gave him a
grand welcome. Emperor Bindusara had won the title ‘Amitraghatha’ (one who strikes those who
are unfriendly). He had annexed the area between the east coast and the west coast in south India
and extended his empire. He ruled over this empire for twenty-five years and died in 272 B.C.
Ashoka who had come to pataliputra from Ujjain at the request of Radhagupta, the Chief
Minister, was crowned king of Magadha after the death of his father. What happened after this is
not very clear. Perhaps Susheema heard the news of his father’s deth and feared that Ashoka
might be crowned King; he probably came from Taxila with a large army. He came prepared to
fight if necessary. But he was killed even as he was attempting to gain an entrance to the city.
There is a story that Ashoka had all his brothers killed for the sake of the kingdom. There is no
historical basis for this story. Ashoka has spoken affectionately about his brothers in his rock
inscriptions. The fifth day of the third month Jyestamasa of the year 268 B.C. was the auspicious
day on which Ashoka ws crowned king. Pataliputra was gaily decorated. The auspicious time
fixed for the coonation arrived. Auspicious music Sounded. Young and radiant Ashoka entered
the court, surrounded by his bodyguards. The heir to the throne of Magadha bowed to the throne
and ascended it. As the priests chanted sacred verses, the heir was adorned with the appropriate
symbols of royalty and the crown was placed on his head. The citizens of Pataliputra rejoiced that
the empire was blessed with an able ruler. Ashoka was a very intelligent statesman. He ruled over
Magadha wisely and ably. The council of ministers and officers of state were obedient, dutiful
and able. Therefore peace and plenty brightened the land. Happiness makes man forget how time
passes. Eight years passed without anyone realizing it.
Kalinga
Ashoka became the lord of a vast empire. But Kalinga, a small state (now called Orissa),
remained independent, beyond Ashoka's empire. Kalinga was a rich and fertile land between the
Godavari and the Manhandi. The people of Kalinga were patriots and loved freedom. They were
ready to fight and die in defense of their motherland.
The Kalinga War- A Change Of Heart

During Ashoka's grandfather's time the Kalinga army had only 60,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry and
700 elephants. During Bindusara's reign and at the beginning of Ashoka's reign Kalinga must
have improved its armed forces considerably. The mighty Magadha army marched towards
Kalinga. Ashoka himself went at the head of his vast army. The Kalinga army resisted the
Magadha army and fought bravely. They were not afraid even of death. But their valor and
sacrifices were in vain. Every thinner and finally it accepted defeat. Ashoka won a glorious
victory. 'What Have I done! True, Ashoka was victorious and Kalinga was his. What was the
price of this victory? One of Ashoka's own inscriptions describes it: One and a half people were
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taken prisoners. A lake was killed during the battle. Many more died as a result of the war.'
Ashoka who led the army saw the battlefield with his own eyes. As far as his eye could see he
saw only the corpses of elephants and horses, and the limbs of soldiers killed in the battle. There
were streams of blood. Soldiers were rolling on the ground in unbearable pain. There were
orphaned children. And eagles flew about to feast on the dead bodies. Not one or two but
hundreds of terrible sights greeted Ashoka's eyes. His heart was broken with grief and shame. He
felt unhappy over the victory, which he had won at the cost of so much suffering. 'What a
dreadful deed have I done! I was the head of a vast empire, but I longed to subjugate a small
kingdom and caused the death of thousands of soldiers; I widowed thousands of women and
orphaned thousands of children. With these oppressive thoughts in his minds he could not stay
there any longer. He led his army back towards Pataliputra with a heavy heart.
Matchless In History
Ashoka became the lord of Kalinga as he had wished. But the victory brought him not joy but
grief. The sights of grim slaughter he had seen dimmed the pride of victory. Whether Ashoka was
resting, sleeping or awake, the scenes of agony and death he had seen on the battlefield haunted
him at all times; he could not have peace of mind even for a moment. Ashoka understood that the
flames of war not only burn and destroy on the battlefield but spread to other fields and destroy
many innocent lives. The suffering caused by war does not end on the battlefield; it continues to
poison the minds and lives of the survivors for a long time. At this time Ashoka was at the height
of his power; he was the head of a vast empire; he had no equal in wealth or armed strength. And
yet the Kalinga war, which was his first war, also became his last war! The power of arms bowed
before the power of Dharma (righteousness). Ashoka swore that he would never again take to
arms and that he would never again commit such a crime against humanity. And it proved to be
the oath of a man of iron would. In the history of the world, many kings have sworn not to fight
again, after they had been defeated. But how many kings have been moved by pity in the hour of
victory and laid down arms? Perhaps there has been only one such king in the history of the
whole world-Ashoka.
The Noblest Victory

'The victory of Dharma brings with it love and affection. Devanampriya believes that, however
small may be the love gained by its victory, it brings ample reward in the other world." This is
what Ashoka has said in one of his inscriptions. The teaching of Buddha brought peace to Ashoka
who was haunted by memories of the agony he had seen in Kalinga. Buddha's message of
nonviolence, kindness and love of mankind appealed to the unhappy Ashoka. A disciple
ofBuddha. Upagupta initiated him into Buddhism. From that day Ashoka's heart became the home
of compassion, right living, love and nonviolence. He gave up hunting and eating meat. He put an
end to the killing of animals for the royal kitchen. Realizing that it was not enough if he lived a
righteous life, he proclaimed that all his subjects also should live a life of righteousness. 'Of all
victories, the victory of Dharma is the noblest. One may win a piece of land by fighting a war.
But by kindness, love and pity one can win the hearts of people. The sharp point of the sword
spills blood; but from Dharma springs the fountain of love. The victory won by arms brings
fleeting joy but the victory of Dharma brings lasting joy'-Ashoka realized this truth. So he taught
his subjects this lesson: 'All people should live a life of truthfulness, justice and love. Respect
your parents. Treat your teachers and relatives with affection. Be modest in their presence. Give
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charity. Do not be unkind to animals. No one should think that he end his religion are the greatest.
All religions preach the same virtues. Just as it is bad to indulge in self-praise and slandering
others, it is bad to condemn other religions. Respect for other religions brings glory to one's own
religion.' Ashoka did not think of the good of only his subjects; he thought of the good of all
mankinds'. He wished to win the hearts of people and to serve the world through religion and
through good will and good action. He decided to dedicate his energy and all his powers and
wealth to this goal. The first thing that Ashoka did to spread righteousness among his people was
to undertake a pilgrimage. It took place two years the Kalinga war. His pilgrimage started with his
visit so Sambodhi, the holy place where Gauthama, the Buddha breathed his last. He visited other
holy places during the pilgrimage. Ashoka has explained in his own words the purpose of his
pilgrimage. 'To meet Brahmins and Shramanas and to give gifts to them. To meet the elders and
to honor them with gifts of gold. To meet people and to preach the law of Dharma and to discuss
Dharma.' These were the important objects.
Spreading The Message Of Dharma

Ashoka was not content with visiting holy places. He believed that the message of Dharma should
not become stagnant like standing water. He wanted it to spread within India and outside, too. He
wanted the people of the world to bathe in its pure steam and purify themselves. Therefore he
undertook a great task which could would be enduring. He got the laws of Dharma engraved on
rocks and stone pillars both inside and outside the country. These inscriptions related to Dharma,
social ethics and moral living. Ashoka himself has proclaimed that his desire was that his message
should reach the people of all lands and enable them to follow and propagate the Dharma for the
welfare of the world. Such inscriptions can be seen even today both in India and outside. In India
they have been discovered in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa,
Andhra Pradesh and at Siddapura of Chitradurga District, Koppala and Maski in Raichur District
of Karnataka. Outside India they have been found in Peshawar District in Pakistan as well as near
Khadahar in Afghanistan and on the borders of Nepal.
The Seeds of Dharma

We read in history about many kings who put up inscriptions about their invasions, charities,
donations and the extension of their territories. But it is only Ashoka who got inscriptions carved
on rocks and pillars, which lead people from untruth to truth, from death to immortality and from
darkness to light. To this day they are like lights of wisdom. The laws of Dharma are like the
seeds of virtue sown in the hearts of the people. They are steps leading to salvation. In order to
foster greater understanding regarding Dharma, Ashoka took a bold and firm step. He wished to
show that all religions teach the same path of virtue. In one of his inscriptions Ashoka says, 'We
must respect the followers of other religions in every way. By doing so we can help the growth of
our religion and we can help other religions also. If we act in a different way it will harm our
religion and also other religions. The man who wants his religion to spread rapidly and honors
only his religion and speaks ill of other religions will harm the interests of his own religion. The
power of all religions should grow. Devanampriya does not consider charity and worship more
important than this.' He appointed officers called 'Dharma - Mahamatras' in order to spread these
ideas among the people. These officers met people of different religions and lived among them;
they helped to remove the mistaken ideas they had about other religions and to know what was
good in them. Often the money set apart for religious purposes in spent otherwise. Sometimes
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though it seems to have been spent for religious purpose, selfish people pocket it. It was the duty
of the Dharma - Mahamatras to see that the money meant for religious purposes was spent
properly. They toured the empire and visited the courts of justice also. They set right the errors in
the conduct of affairs and in the awards of punishments. Such officers do not seem to have been
appointed anywhere else in the history of the world. Besides these, other officers also toured the
empire once in five years according to the orders of the emperor and spread the Dharma among
the people.
A Religious Conference
After seventeen years of Ashoka's rule, unfortunately difference of opinion arose among the
Buddhist monks and there was a split. There were many lazy and bad monks given to evil ways.
These willful sanyasins were a curse to Buddhism. Buddhism was, therefore, losing its power.
Ashoka felt unhappy over this. In order to save Buddhism for total eclipse and to increase its
influence, Ashoka threw out many lazy monks from the Buddhist fold. He invited the worthy and
the serious - minded monks to Ashokarama in Pataliputra for a conference. Moggaliputra Tishya
presided over the conference attended by the Buddhist monks from the Four Corners of the
country. Ashoka sat with the great teaches and sent for each Bhikshu and asked him, "What did
Lord Buddha teach?" He discussed many things with them. After long discussions what Lord
Buddha had taught came out clearly and unambiguously. Buddhism gained a new strength from
this conference. Ashoka did not like other kings send his armies to foreign lands to conquer them.
He who declared that the victory of Dharma was the real victory sent Buddhist monks to other
lands the light he had received from Buddhism. He sent Buddhist preachers to Syria, Egypt,
Macedonia, Burma and Kashmir. To Ceylon (Srilanka) he sent his own children Mahendra and
Sanghamitra. As a result off this, Buddhism spread to all countries in East Asia.
The Pillar At Sarnath

In the twentieth year of his reign, Ashoka undertook his second pilgrimage with his daughter and
Upagupta. This we learn from his inscriptions. During thispilgrimage he visited the ruins of
Vaishali and the places where Buddha used to rest. From Vaishali Ashoka traveled east and came
to Ramagrama. He visited the stoopa at Ramagrama built by a king who had collected and
preserved the sacred bones of Buddha after his death. Later he also visited Lumbini, Kapilavastu,
Shravanti, Gaya and other holy places. Wherever he went he caused pillars and stoopas to be
erected in memory of his visit. They remind us even today of the visit of Ashoka to those holy
places. There is one such memorial pillar at Sarnath. On the top of a stone pillar about fifty feet
high there are beautifully carved figures of four standing lions. The figures of four standing lions.
The figures of four standing lions. The figures of the lions are now to be seen in the official
emblem of the government of free India, and the Ashoka Chakra adorns the national flag of India.
In this way the government of India has paid a deserving tribute to the ideal king, Ashoka. But
unfortunately the pillar at Sarnath is broken and mutilated. So we can see only fragments of the
pillar. Of the eighty-four thousand stoopas said to have been built by Ashoka, the stoopa at Sanchi
is both famous and splendid. To this day this fifty-four feet stoopa stands on a high pedestal and
forms a semicircle. Besides these stoopas and pillars, Ashoka built cave dwellings, rest houses
and Buddha Viharas in large numbers. They not only proclaim Ashoka's teachings but also are
examples of the splendid architecture of those days.
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The People's Friend

There have been many emperors in the history of India but few that ruled over such a vast empire
as Ashoka's. His empire extended over a large part of India and Afghanistan and Beluchistan
beyond the Northwest province and Nepal in the North, as well as the Bengal, Bihar, Andhra
Pradesh and a large part of Karnataka of today. The inscriptions discovered in these parts prove
this. Though Pataliputra was the capital of the vast empire, for the proper administration of his
empire, Ashoka divided his empire into four provinces. Malava, Punjab, Dakshinapatha and
Kalinga. Ujjain was the capital of Punjab, Taxila of Malava, Suvarnagiri of Dakshinapatha and
Kosala of Kalinga. He appointed a representative in each province. The representatives were
chosen for their ability and not on the basis of birth or high connections. They enjoyed
considerable freedom in the administration of their provinces. To assist the emperor there was a
council of Minsters in the capital. If the emperor wanted to make changes, he used to consult the
Minsters. After the council examined the pros and cons of a proposal it was implemented. Usually
the emperor accepted the decision of the council of ministers. Chanakya (kautilya), the Chief
Minister of Chandragupta Maurya, has described the daily life of the kings of that age as follows:
'The king gets up at 3 a.m. And till half past four examines various matters relating to the empire
and takes decisions. He then receives the blessings of teachers and priests. Then he meets his
doctors and the officials of the kitchen. He then goes to the court hall and considers from 6 a.m. to
7 Am. the revenue and the expenditure of the previous day. From 7.30 he grants interviews to
persons who have come to meet the emperor on urgent matters, and examines their submissions.
He retires to bathe at 9. After bath, prayer andbreakfast, the emperor meets officers of the empire
at 10.30 a.m. and issues instructions on many matters. All noon he meets the council of ministers
and discusses matters of state. After rest between 1.30 and 3 p.m. he inspects the various divisions
of the army. After this he receives reports from messengers and spies who have come from
different parts of his empire and from other kingdom.' Ashoka, who continued the ideal and the
tradition of his grandfather Chandragupta, practiced in letter and spirit, the routine set down by
Chanakya. Besides, Ashoka believed that the prosperity of his subjects was his prosperity; so he
had appointed officers to report to him on the welfare and sufferings of the people. They were to
report to him no matter what the hour was. His own order best shows his concern for the people:
"Whether I am dining or in my private apartments, asleep or engaged in some work, setting out on
a journey or resting; wherever I may be and whatever the time of the day or night the officers
must come and report to me about the people and their affairs. Wherever I may be I shall think
about the welfare of the people and work for them." These words are enough to show Ashoka's
devotion to the welfare of his people
Vanquisted Kalinga
Ashoka defeated Kalinga in war, hadn't he? He then appointed officers to administer the kingdom.
How do officers who go from the victorious state to the defeated land usually behave towards the
people? They lose all sense of justice and fair play and behave proudly. They insult the defeated
people. Ashoka did not want this to happen. He desired that the people of Kalinga should live in
peace and honor. This was his order to the officers who were sent to Kalinga: "I have put you in
charge of thousands of people. Earn the love and affection of all those people. Whatever situation
may arise treat all people alike. Be impartial in your actions. Give up rudeness, haste, laziness,
and lack of interest and short temper. Nothing can be achieved if we are bored and idle. Therefore
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be active. If you understand how sacred your work is and behave with a sense of responsibility,
you will go to heaven, and you will also repay your debt to the king who appointed you." Ashoka
who treated his subjects as his children, further said, "Like a mother who gives her child to an
able nurse, trusting that she would bring up the baby well. I have entrusted my subjects to your
care."
Vigilant On All Sides

Ashoka worked hard especially for the spread of education in his land. Nalanda is famous in
history; it was the center of education and the University of Magadha. It is said that university of
Magadha. It is said that Ashoka founded it. Students of that university were very much respected.
During his time trade with foreign countries was carried on by sea routes. He encouraged
agriculture, trade and industries. There were canals to help irrigation. All the money paid into the
government treasury was spent for the welfare of the people. Ashoka has big roads laid to help the
growth of business and industries. For the benefit of travelers he had trees planted on both sides
of the roads. Wells were dug and guesthouses and rest houses were put up. There was free
medical aid both for men and for animals. Ashoka is among the first in the world who built
hospitals for the treatment of animals. He got medicinal plants and a variety of fruit-bearing trees
from several places and planted them where they were not found. In one inscription he has
expressed the wish that even the forest dwellers in his empire should live happily. Sandalwood
wears itself out to give a cool and fragrant paste to men. Sugarcane gives up its sweet juice to
men and reduces itself to mere skin in the process. The candle burns itself out that others may
have light. All his life Ashoka lived like the sandalwood, like the sugarcane, like the candle. He
worked hard without rest and taught the people to live a life of truthfulness, Dharma, Justice and
morality. There was happiness and peace. There were social gatherings at which people of all
castes and creeds gathered and enjoyed themselves without feeling of high and low.
An Old Age Of Sorrow

Ashoka who was the embodiment of pity, kindness and love unfortunately had to suffer much in
his old age. The reason was this-his sons, Mahendra, Kunala and Teevala were engaged in
spreading Buddhism and so his grandsons Dasharatha and Samprati started quarrelling over the
right of succession to the throne. Even the queens quarreled over the issue. There was one among
them, Tishyarakshite who was a wicked woman. Ashoka was a monk among kings and had given
up all pomp and pleasures and lived a very simple life. This did not please Tishyarakshite who
loved the life of ease and comfort. All this made Ashoka sad. By this time he had grown old. Not
much is known about the last ten years of his life and about his death. Some say, 'The emperor got
disgusted in life and therefore he went on a pilgrimage as a Buddhist monk with his teacher, for
the peace of his mind. At last he reached Taxila and stayed there. Ashoka, the beloved of Gods
and men, left the earth at the age of seventy-two.' However it is clear that Ashoka was unhappy in
his old age.
The Brightest Star In The History Of The World
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For thirty-seven years Ashoka ruled over a vast realm as an able emperor, a skilled lawgiver, a
hero who knew no defeat, a monk among the kings, a noble preacher of Dharma and as a friend of
his subjects. He is unique in the history of mankind. Ashoka has called himself 'Devanampriya'
and 'Priyadarshi' ion his inscriptions. 'Devanampriya' means the beloved of the Gods and
'Priyadarshi means one those appearance brings joy. These names are appropriate to Ashoka's
nature. The Gods cannot but love a man of such virtues. There was no one to check him, no one to
punish him if he did wrong. But he became his own teacher and checked his desires. He dedicated
his life to the happiness and welfare of his people; it is no wonder that his subjects rejoiced when
they saw him. Some historians say that Ashoka followed the teachings of Buddhism so devotedly
that he himself became a Buddhist monk. Though he was the emperor he probably stayed in the
Viharas often. When he stayed in the Viharas often. When he stayed in Viharas he must have
fasted like the monk very strictly and must have rigidly observed religious practices. During his
stay there, he learnt the teachings of Buddha in detail. Ashoka passed away from this world two
thousand years ago, but his empire of truthfulness, Dharma, nonviolence, compassion and love of
subjects has remained an ideal for the world to this day. This empire is deathless. Therefore
H.G.Wells, an English historian, has said, "In the history of the world there have been thousands
of kings and emperors who called themselves 'Their Highnesses', 'Their majesties' and 'Their
Exalted Majesties' and so on. They shone for a brief movement and disappeared. But Ashoka
shines and shines brightly like a bright star even today." This praise is fully merited.
A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir
Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aero Engineering from Madras
Institute of Technology.
He initially worked in DRDO in 1958 and then joined ISRO in 1963. Dr.
Kalam has made significant contribution to Indian satellite and launch
vehicles of ISRO and also in the missile programme of DRDO. As project
Director, SLV-III, he contributed for the design, development and
management of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III)
to inject Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO’s
launch vehicles programme and configurations. He rejoined DRDO in 1982 and conceived the
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) for indigenous missiles.
He was Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research &
Development from July 1992 to December 1999.
As Chairman, Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), he

generated the Technology Vision 2020 documents – a road map for transforming India from
Developing India to Developed India. He provided overall guidance to a number of Homegrown
Technology Projects and major technology missions such as Sugar, Advanced Composites and
Fly Ash utilization.
Dr. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank
of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001. He was primarily responsible for
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evolving policies, strategies and missions for generation of innovations and support systems for
multiple applications. Also, generating science and technology task in strategic, economic and
social sectors in partnership with Government departments, institutions and industry. Dr. Kalam
was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C).
Dr. Kalam took up academic pursuit as Professor, Technology & Societal Transformation at Anna
University, Chennai and involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he is on his mission to
ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the
country.
Dr. Kalam was conferred with the Degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc. Honoris Causa) by 30
universities/academic institutions. He is recipient of several awards including the Indira
Gandhi Award for National Integration 1997.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has been awarded Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in
1990 and BHARAT RATNA in 1997.
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11 CASE STUDY
Profile of a Leader: The Wallenberg Effect
John C. Kunich
Air Force Space Command
Richard I. Lester
Air University
Executive Summary
This is a study of the leadership principles employed by Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat
who went to Budapest in 1944 to intervene on behalf of Hungary's 700,000 Jews who were being
deported by the Nazis to extermination camps. This extended case narrative profiles the
extraordinary accomplishments of a truly unique leader. The leadership implications addressed
herein are timely, because the study of leadership is beginning to overcome decades of intellectual
neglect.
Wallenberg is credited with having saved close to 100,000 lives. On 5 October 1981, the
President and Congress recognized Wallenberg's contribution to humanity when they named him
only the second person ever to be awarded honorary United States citizenship; the other is
Winston Churchill. By joint resolution, the United States Congress also designated 5 October
1989 as Raoul Wallenberg Day. In addition, the street in front of the Holocaust Memorial
Museum in Washington, D.C., has been renamed Raoul Wallenberg Plaza.
Leadership is movement in a resistant medium. Leadership is also the capacity to translate

intentions into reality and sustain them. Leaders take charge and make things happen. They create
a new reality for the purpose they serve. This case study is intended to demonstrate how
Wallenberg exercised leadership and how he refused to be indifferent, complacent, or ignorant of
the suffering of others. Wallenberg emerges from a sordid chapter in human history as a
courageous and compassionate leader--a symbol of the best mankind has to offer.
During the waning months of World War II, the Allies were desperate for ways to stop Hitler's
slaughter of innocent civilians in Eastern Europe. Even as the prospects for an Axis military
victory dimmed, the Nazis grew more determined to complete the "final solution." Death camps
operated at maximum capacity in a feverish effort to rid Europe of Jews and other target groups.
Until a complete military triumph could be secured, the Allies were powerless to halt the
genocide raging on behind enemy lines. Therefore, a volunteer was sought--someone who could
go where Allied tanks and aircraft could not, and disrupt the insidious Nazi death machine.
No one could have been a less obvious choice for this mission than Raoul Wallenberg.
Wallenberg was 32 years old in 1944, a wealthy upper-class Swede from a prominent, well-
respected family. Sweden's neutrality in the war was only one in a long series of ready-made
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excuses life had handed young Wallenberg, had he wanted to use them to refuse the rescue
mission. He was not Jewish; he was rich; he was well-connected politically; he was in line to take
the helm of the vast Wallenberg financial empire; he had everything to lose and nothing to gain
by accepting this challenge.
Wallenberg was recommended for this endeavor by Koloman Lauer, a business partner who was
involved with the new War Refugee Board. Lauer felt that Raoul possessed the proper
combination of dedication, skill, and courage, despite his youth and inexperience, and that his
family name would afford him some protection. Wallenberg proved eager to serve, but he boldly
demanded and was granted a great deal of latitude in the methods he would use.
When he learned that Adolf Eichmann was transporting roughly 10,000-12,000 Hungarian Jews
to the gas chambers each day, Wallenberg hastily prepared to travel to Budapest. His "cover" was
that of a diplomat, with the official title of first secretary of the Swedish legation. He conceived a
plan whereby false Swedish passports (Schutzpasse) would be created and used to give potential
victims safe passage out of Nazi-controlled territory. In conjunction with this, a series of safe-
`houses would be established within Hungary, in the guise of official Swedish legation buildings
under diplomatic protection. With this scheme still forming in his mind, "Swedish diplomat"
Wallenberg entered Hungary at the request of the United States War Refugee Board and his own
government on 6 July 1944, with a mission of saving as many Hungary's Jews as possible from
Nazi liquidation.
He designed the fake passports himself. They were masterpieces of the type of formal, official-
appearing pomp which was so impressive to the Nazis. Wallenberg, though young, had traveled
and studied extensively abroad, both in the United States (where he attended the University of
Michigan as a student of architecture) and in Europe, and he knew how to deal with people and
get things done. He worked hard at understanding enemies as well as allies, to know what
motivated them, what they admired, what they feared, what they respected. He correctly
concluded that the Nazis and Hungarian fascists (Arrow Cross) with whom he would be dealing
responded best to absolute authority and official status. He used this principle in fashioning his
passports as well as in his personal encounters with the enemy.
Wallenberg began with forty important contacts in Budapest, and quickly cultivated others who
were willing to help. It is estimated that under Wallenberg's leadership he and his associates
distributed Swedish passports to 20,000 of Budapest's Jews and protected 13,000 more in safe
houses that he rented and which flew the Swedish flag. However, Eichmann continued to pursue
his own mission with fanatical zealous devotion, and the death camps roared around the clock.
Trains packed with people, crammed eighty to a cattle car, with nothing but a little water and a
bucket for waste, constantly made the four-day journey from Budapest to Auschwitz and back
again. The Hungarian countryside was already devoid of Jews, and the situation in the last
remaining urban enclaves was critical. And so Wallenberg himself plunged into the midst of the
struggle.
Sandor Ardai was sent by the Jewish underground to drive for Wallenberg; Ardai later told of one
occasion when Wallenberg intercepted a trainload of Jews about to leave for Auschwitz.
Wallenberg swept past the SS officer who ordered him to depart. In Ardai's words,
135
"Then he climbed up on the roof of the train and began handing in protective passes through the
doors which were not yet sealed. He ignored orders from the Germans for him to get down, then
the Arrow Cross men began shooting and shouting at him to go away. He ignored them and
calmly continued handing out passports to the hands that were reaching out for them. I believe the
Arrow Cross men deliberately aimed over his head, as not one shot hit him, which would have
been impossible otherwise. I think this is what they did because they were so impressed by his
courage. After Wallenberg had handed over the last of the passports he ordered all those who had
one to leave the train and walk to the caravan of cars parked nearby, all marked in Swedish
colours. I don't remember exactly how many, but he saved dozens off that train, and the Germans
and Arrow Cross were so dumbfounded they let him get away with it!" (Bierman 91)
As the war situation deteriorated for the Germans, Eichmann diverted trains from the death camp
routes for more direct use in supplying troops. But all this meant for his victims was that they now
had to walk to their destruction. In November 1944 Eichmann ordered the 125-mile death
marches, and the raw elements soon combined with deprivation of food and sleep to turn the
roadside from Budapest to the camps into one massive graveyard. Wallenberg made frequent
visits to the stopping areas to do what he could. In one instance, Wallenberg announced his arrival
with all the authority he could muster, and then, "You there!" The Swede pointed to an astonished
man, waiting for his turn to be handed over to the executioner. "Give me your Swedish passport
and get in that line," he barked. "And you, get behind him. I know I issued you a passport."
Wallenberg continued, moving fast, talking loud, hoping the authority in his voice would
somewhat rub off on these defeated people... The Jews finally caught on. They started groping in
pockets for bits of identification. A driver's license or birth certificate seemed to do the trick. The
Swede was grabbing them so fast; the Nazis, who couldn't read Hungarian anyway, didn't seem to
be checking. Faster, Wallenberg's eyes urged them, faster, before the game is up. In minutes he
had several hundred people in his convoy. International Red Cross trucks, there at Wallenberg's
behest, arrived and the Jews clambered on... Wallenberg jumped into his own car. He leaned out
of the car window and whispered, "/ am sorry," to the people he was leaving behind. "/ am trying
to take the youngest ones first;" he explained. "/ want to save a nation." (Marton 110:11)
This type of action worked many times. Wallenberg and his aides would encounter a death march,
and, while Raoul shouted orders for all those with Swedish protective passports to raise their
hands, his assistants ran up and down the prisoners' ranks, telling them to raise their hands
whether or not they had a document. Wallenberg "then claimed custody of all who had raised
their hands and such was his bearing that none of the Hungarian guards opposed him. The
extraordinary thing was the absolutely convincing power of his behavior," according to Joni
Moser. (quoted in Bierman 90)
Wallenberg indirectly helped many who never even saw his face, because as his deeds were
talked about, they inspired hope, courage, and action in many people who otherwise felt
powerless to escape destruction. He became a symbol of good in a part of the world dominated by
evil, and a reminder of the hidden strengths within each human spirit.
Tommy Lapid was 13 years old in 1944 when he was one of 900 people crowded 15 or 20 to a
room in one of the Swedish safehouses. His account illustrates not only vintage Wallenberg
136
tactics, but also how Wallenberg epitomized hope and righteousness, and how his influence
extended throughout the land as a beacon to those engulfed in the darkness of despair.
"One morning, a group of these Hungarian Fascists came into the house and said all the able-
bodied women must go with them. We knew what this meant. My mother kissed me and I cried
and she cried. We knew we were parting forever and she left me there, an orphan to all intents and
purposes. Then, two or three hours later, to my amazement, my mother returned with the other
women. It seemed like a mirage, a miracle. My mother was there--she was alive and she was
hugging me and kissing me, and she said one word: "Wallenberg." I knew who she meant because
Wallenberg was a legend among the Jews. In the complete and total hell in which we lived, there
was a savior-angel somewhere, moving around. After she had composed herself, my mother told
me that they were being taken to the river when a car arrived and out stepped Wallenberg--and
they knew immediately who it was, because there was only one such person in the world. He went
up to the Arrow Cross leader and protested that the women were under his protection. They
argued with him, but he must have had incredible charisma, some great personal authority,
because there was absolutely nothing behind him, nothing to back him up. He stood out there in
the street, probably feeling the loneliest man in the world, trying to pretend there was something
behind him. They could have shot him then and there in the street and nobody would have known
about it. Instead, they relented and let the women go." (Bierman 88-89)
Virtually alone in the middle of enemy territory, outnumbered and outgunned beyond belief,
Wallenberg worked miracles on a daily basis. His weapons were courage, self-confidence,
ingenuity, understanding of his adversaries, and ability to inspire others to achieve the goals he
set. His leadership was always in evidence. The Nazis and Arrow Cross did not know how to deal
with such a man. Here was someone thickly cloaked in apparent authority, but utterly devoid of
actual political or military power. Here was a man who was everything they wished they could be
in terms of personal strength of character, but for the fact that he was their polar opposite in
purpose.
It is impossible to calculate precisely how many people Raoul Wallenberg directly or indirectly
saved from certain death. Some estimate the number saved as close to 100,000, and countless
more may have survived in part because of the hope and determination they derived from his
leadership and example. (House of Representatives Report, Ninety-Sixth Congress, 2-3).
Additionally, he inspired other neutral embassies and the International Red Cross office in
Budapest to join in his efforts to protect the Jews. But the desperate days just prior to the Soviet
occupation of Budapest presented Wallenberg with his greatest challenge and most astonishing
triumph.
Eichmann planned to finish the extermination of the remaining 100,000 Budapest Jews in one
enormous massacre; if there was no time to ship them to the death camps, then he would let their
own neighborhoods become their slaughterhouses. To cheat the Allies out of at least part of their
victory, he would order some 500 SS men and a large number of Arrow Cross to ring the ghetto
and murder the Jews right there. Wallenberg learned of this plot through his network of contacts
and tried to intimidate some lower-ranking authorities into backing down, but with the Soviets on
their doorsteps, many ceased to care what happened to them. His only hope, and the only hope for
the 100,000 surviving Jews, was the overall commander of the SS troops, General August
137
Schmidthuber. Wallenberg sent a message to Schmidthuber that, if the massacre took place, he
would ensure Schmidthuber was held personally responsible and would see him hanged as a war
criminal. The bluff worked. The slaughter was called off, and the city fell out of Nazi hands soon
thereafter when the Soviet troops rolled in. Thus, tens of thousands were saved in this one
incident alone. But while peace came to Europe, Wallenberg's fate took a very different path. He
vanished, and the whole truth of what happened to him has not been revealed even to this day
[Editor's note: See addendum to this case]. From various sources, though, the following seems to
have occurred.
The Soviets took Wallenberg into custody when they occupied Budapest, probably because they
suspected him of being an anti-Soviet spy. For a decade, they denied any involvement in
Wallenberg's disappearance. Then they admitted having incarcerated him, but claimed he died in
prison of a heart attack in 1947, when he would have been 35 years old. Since then, however,
many people who have served time in Soviet prison have reported seeing Wallenberg, conversing
with him, or communicating with him through tap codes. Others have heard of him and his
presence in the prisons, but had no direct contact. The Soviets have denied the accuracy of all of
these reports and have never deviated from their official position. But in 1989, Soviet officials
met with members of Wallenberg's family and turned over some of his personal effects.
Reportedly, a genuine investigation was launched in an effort to determine the truth. Whether the
years and the prisons will ever yield up their secrets remains to be seen.
In Israel, there is today a grove of trees, planted by the Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance
Authority, or Yad Vashem. Known as The Avenue of the Righteous, each tree memorializes a
"righteous Gentile," someone who risked his or her life to help Jews during the Holocaust. The
trees stand in silent testament to those who, in the words of a former speaker of Israel's
parliament, "saved not only the Jews but the honor of Man" (Bierman viii). Along with Raoul
Wallenberg's tree, there is a medal. His medal bears the language of the Talmud and summarizes
his mission in the words, "Whoever saves a single soul, it is as if he had saved the whole world."
The chairman of Yad Vashem, Gideon Hausner, who also prosecuted Adolf Eichmann,
summarized his feelings for Raoul Wallenberg in this way:
"Here is a man who had the choice of remaining in secure, neutral Sweden when Nazism was
ruling Europe. Instead, he left this haven and went to what was then one of the most perilous
places in Europe, Hungary. And for what? To save Jews. He won his battle and I feel that in this
age when there is so little to believe in--so very little on which our young people can pin their
hopes and ideals--he is a person to show to the world, which knows so little about him. That is
why I believe the story of Raoul Wallenberg should be told and his figure, in all its true
proportions, projected into human minds." (Bierman viii-ix)
There is much we all can learn from Raoul Wallenberg's life. Young and old alike need heroes,
role models, people to remind us of the immensity of human potential for good in the midst of
evil. The United States Congress recognized this when it made Wallenberg only the second
person ever to be awarded honorary United States citizenship; the other is Winston Churchill. On
that occasion, one television news commentator spoke for millions when he said, "It is human
beings such as Raoul Wallenberg who make life worth living."
138
Leaders at every level can make use of Wallenberg's life and example to enhance their ability to
inspire, to motivate, and to succeed. Leadership is difficult to define, but "you know it when you
see it." Looking at Wallenberg's heroic work in Hungary one sees leadership in action. We will
now more closely examine his leadership style. There are several elements of what we shall call
"The Wallenberg Effect" which can be adapted and incorporated into each leader's own personal
style and situation.
1. Knowledge
Wallenberg's success was largely based upon knowledge--of his enemies, of resources available
to both sides, of the limits as to what was permissible, and of himself. This information enables a
leader to understand each situation within a context that will allow a reasoned course of action.
This is why knowing the facts and the substantive details surrounding issues has always been and
always will be an integral part of a leader's decision-making and problem-solving ability.
The traditional types of information gathered, such as planned actions, location, movement,
numerical strength, type and condition of circumstances, and availability of material resources are
obviously important. But Wallenberg proved the utility of subtler information as well. Because he
understood the way his enemies thought and felt, because he comprehended what motivated them,
he knew which buttons to push in each individual situation. He knew the great deference to
authority and the fear of those in positions of power that were part of the Nazi and Arrow Cross
mentality. This enabled him to bluff them with his false passports and with his air of officialdom
so as to achieve excellent, seemingly impossible results. Wallenberg had a commanding presence,
which is a hallmark of the effective leader, but that presence was fortified with a knowledge of
how he would be perceived by his adversaries.
He also understood the rules of the game he was playing, as they applied to him, his associates,
and their opponents. In effect, Wallenberg was very much a situational leader. He was able to
adapt his behavior to meet the demands of the unique circumstances that confronted him. This is
why he demanded and obtained authority from the Allies to use deception, bribery, and threats,
and to invoke Swedish immunity as needed. He was in an environment where such tactics were
the rule rather than the exception; they worked for others, and he knew he could make them work
for him. As a leader, Wallenberg was out front, not hiding behind a desk or behind bureaucratic
inertia. He showed initiative. He responded to an obvious need with imagination and creativity.
He understood what was involved and he fully accepted the consequences.
Finally, he knew himself. He had a grasp of his talents and weaknesses and how they fit in with
those of his opponents. Thus, what he could not possibly have accomplished through military
force or physical violence, he did through bravado, intimidation, and illusion. Any other tactics
would have met with crushing defeat. This is not to imply that leaders should always behave in
this manner. It simply suggests that these strategies employed by Wallenberg were essential to
fulfill his objective under the most extraordinary of conditions, and that they were chosen with
full comprehension of the alternatives and their consequences.
In essence, the Wallenberg Effect suggests that becoming a mature leader means first becoming
yourself, learning who you are and what you stand for. Implicit in this notion is the theory of self-
discovery, getting in touch with oneself. Wallenberg teaches us that to grow as a leader involves
139
reflecting on oneself, putting values in perspective, thinking about the task to be accomplished
and influencing others to get the job done. Wallenberg's work in Hungary is a testimony that
leaders are foot soldiers who battle for the ideals in which they believe, and that leadership has far
less to do with using other people than with serving other people. Plato said that "man is a being
in search of meaning." In essence, servanthood is the key to successful leadership, which in turn
can result in meaningful accomplishments. Raoul Wallenberg found himself and the meaning of
his life by losing it in the service of others.
The process of learning about oneself and others, on an in-depth level, requires hard work. It is
not something that can be gained solely from book study. It evolves best through personal
introspection, human interaction and feedback, and through life experiences, observations, and
analysis. It involves large quantities of common sense and realistic perspective. But its yield is
high; it pays big dividends to those leaders who spend the time and make the extra effort to go
beneath the surface, to discover what makes a person tick, because life and its activities are all
part of the human experience. At bottom, it is all a matter of people, and the leader who
understands people is prepared to win.
2. Objective
Every leader must have a clear, specific objective in mind at all times, a destination towards
which all actions are directed. When the leader says forward march, everyone must know where
forward is. If the leader lacks a sense of direction, then the followers will wind up some distance
from the goal, like explorers without a compass or a guiding star. Closely related to objective is
vision, which implies having an acute sense of the possible. All effective leaders possess this
capacity; they are able to focus sharply on what is to be done, seeing the objective as if through a
powerful telescope.
Wallenberg exemplifies the principle that a clearly defined objective is absolutely essential as the
focal point of our energies. His work in Hungary suggests that effective leadership is not neutral
nor sterile, but deeply emotional, and that leaders must hold a sense of mission, a deeply felt
belief in the worth of their objective. Nothing less has the necessary power to motivate leaders or
followers to stretch the limits of their abilities. Total commitment comes only from total
conviction that the goal is significant and right.
This ethical sense of mission grows out of a lifetime of value-building study and experience.
However, the Wallenberg experience teaches us that much can be done in a short amount of time
to impart principles upon which a given objective is based. All leaders should study the great
foundational works of their nation to learn of the struggles of prior generations, ponder them,
make them part of their being, determine how they apply to the situation at hand, and then
transmit key principles to followers. History and philosophy form the underpinnings of the way of
life for which people live and die. If values are thought to be only relative, if there is no right and
wrong, if one system of government is morally equivalent to all others, then there is nothing
worth sacrificing for. The leader will be limited to appeals to local pride and self-interest in
attempting to inspire excellence. The result will often be halfhearted effort--and failure.
3. Ingenuity
140
Where only unquestioning obedience is valued, and where only strict adherence to rigid
procedures is allowed, inflexibility and predictability are the consequences. But to succeed as a
leader, or even to survive in a constantly changing and dangerous environment, creativity and
adaptability are essential. This is where leaders must apply their foundational knowledge to the
objective at hand and develop solutions, even in situations where there is no textbook answer.
Wallenberg knew that he had virtually no tangible resources and few allies. He also knew the type
of people who stood in his path. And so, out of scraps of paper and a surplus of courage and
personal character, he intimidated and defeated seemingly invincible enemies, time and again.
Nazi numerical superiority and force of arms were powerless when confronted with a man who
knew their own game better than they did and who could think faster than they could.
Throughout his entire experience in Hungary, in all that he did, Wallenberg had the daring to
accept himself as a bundle of possibilities, and he boldly undertook the game of making the most
of his best. Wallenberg instructs us that the leader is not a superman, but simply a fully
functioning human being. Successful leaders are aware of their possibilities. Erich Fromm said
that the pity in life today is that most of us die before we are fully born. Leaders such as
Wallenberg are not merely observers of life, but active participants. They take the calculated risks
required in exercising leadership and experimenting with the untried. It is surprising (and most
aspiring leaders do not realize it) but much failure comes from people literally standing in their
own way, preventing their own progress. Wallenberg never blocked his own path; rather, he
created new paths where others saw only impenetrable walls. And in the process he was able to
motivate others to do the same. He was a dispenser of hope in an environment filled with
hopelessness and despair.
History is replete with instances where small, militarily weaker forces triumphed on the strength
of superior strategy and tactics. Ingenuity makes surprise possible and allows quick adaptation
and reaction to an adversary's actions. Without flexibility, humans are reduced to automatons,
programmed only for failure.
Ingenuity requires information as its fuel. The established objective and the available tools and
procedures provide the raw material for any leadership action. But much can be accomplished
when leaders reach beyond traditional methods and use the status quo as a floor rather than a
ceiling. Leaders must be evaluated on the basis of what they achieve. Results are what counts, not
formulaic adherence to precedent. Wallenberg was an achiever; he was results-oriented. We, like
him, can "do more with less" when we think creatively and are not confined to what has already
been done. Military leaders are often criticized for preparing to fight the previous war. The best
leaders think of all the possible ways in which available resources might be used or modified to
achieve the objective, as well as how the opposition might do the same. Who would have thought,
for example, that silicon, common sand, would be the basis for the phenomenon of
microcomputer chips and would revolutionize modern society? To see each problem from
multiple perspectives is to multiply the possible solutions and open the door for victories that
would be inconceivable under "conventional wisdom."
4. Confidence
141
Leaders create an environment in which ideas can flourish and see the light of day. To do this,
leaders must be self-confident, and have faith in themselves and others. People in leadership
positions need a solid sense of self. It serves them well in times of turmoil, which inevitably await
those who aspire to lead. The way people feel about themselves affects virtually every aspect of
their lives. Self-esteem, which emerges from a sense of confidence, thus becomes the key to
success or failure. In effect, leaders such as Wallenberg defy the law of averages and win because
they expect success from themselves.
An indispensable ingredient of Wallenberg's success was an almost tangible self-confidence. He

radiated certainty, composure, and authority, and this breathed life into his otherwise foolhardy
actions. He compelled his enemies to accept as valid passports things such as library cards,
laundry tickets, and even nothing at all ... and he did it by infusing all of his actions with the sheer
power of his personality. Through his aura of conviction he also inspired people who in many
cases had already resigned themselves to execution to join in his actions and save themselves and
others.
Some would argue that the elusive quality we call "charisma" is a gift with which some people are
blessed from birth. But even if this is true, everyone can cultivate a positive attitude and an air of
self-confidence, within the bounds of his or her own personality.
This unique aspect of leadership tends to develop as a natural consequence from the qualities
previously discussed. As leaders learn about themselves and their opposition, they identify their
respective strengths and weaknesses and compose a creative strategy for bringing their own
greatest assets to bear against their opponents' most vulnerable areas. Wallenberg understood, as
did Napoleon, that "Strategy is a simple art, it is just a matter of execution." When leaders act
from a position of advantage, they feel confident that they will prevail ... and this confidence will
be perceived by friends and foes alike.
Further, the leaders' actions will be focused on a purpose which the leaders believe to be right.
This sense of the righteousness of the cause will also strengthen resolve. Conversely, where the
leaders do not believe in the virtue of their actions, they will lack commitment and will be
hindered by self-doubt. Such uncertainty will be apparent to others, undermining the confidence
of the followers and encouraging their opponents. It will contribute to eventual defeat and failure.
Wallenberg teaches us that it is important for each leader to become convinced of the worthiness
of the mission, on some deeply felt level. Even when the immediate objective seems questionable,
the leader must find justification in some indisputable value, such as support of the nation's honor.
Then, that conviction must fortify all of the leader's actions. Wallenberg is a clear example that
when a leader exudes a quiet confidence, surety, and decisiveness, followers will be inspired and
opposition will be weakened. Leaders have been described as "strong," "powerful," "magnetic,"
and "charismatic." But whatever else they may be, they certainly are self-confident, and from this
confidence leaders are able to mobilize and inspire individuals and groups to make their own
personal dreams and objectives come true.
5. Courage
142
When a sense of mission becomes powerful enough to motivate people to action, even in the face
of personal danger or certain death, that is courage. To be courageous one need not be fearless; it
is natural and good to be afraid when confronted with real risks. But so long as that fear does not
paralyze, there is courage at work.
Wallenberg knew he was entering a lion's den when he accepted his mission to Hungary.
Innumerable times he ignored armed soldiers and even flying bullets to continue his rescue
operations. He had the audacity to threaten high-ranking Nazi officers, who had proved their
willingness to murder innocent civilians, let alone troublesome opponents, under conditions
where they easily could have killed him. Although in constant fear for his life, he pressed on,
risking and ultimately sacrificing himself for his mission.
Can courage be learned? It can, in the sense that the development of deep devotion to a cause
galvanizes a person to act on behalf of that cause. This type of fundamental belief in the value of
the mission is essential to the cultivation of courage.
If self-interest were the most important then self-sacrifice would be out of the question. Only a
profound conviction that there is a good greater than self can spark a person to risk everything for
others. Self-sacrifice, and the courage to take that chance, are the antithesis of "me-generation"
philosophy. When the lives or liberties of others are valued more highly than one's own life, then
true courage can provide the fuel for remarkable accomplishments.
Wallenberg's life can help others form a series of constellations by which they can successfully
chart their own contributions to humanity. A key element of what we call the "Wallenberg Effect
is this idea: Do not give in to life nor its challenges. Dig in! Accept responsibility and in the
process make a difference.
To some people, life is like the weather; it just happens to them. But to those who display the
Wallenberg Effect (heroic leadership under adverse conditions) life is a great journey in human
accomplishment. Wallenberg, like the trees of the Avenue of the Righteous, stands tall in the
annals of man's "humanity" to man.
Few leaders will ever have the opportunity to help as many people as did Raoul Wallenberg. Still,
each victory is immeasurably precious for those whose futures are spared. They, their children,
their grandchildren, their entire posterity, and all whose lives will be touched by them, owe their
existence to that one heartbeat of time when a person took action, despite the dangers. Although
conditions may differ, the lessons for leadership that the Wallenberg Effect demonstrates should
be valuable for all who aspire to more effective Leadership. With patient application, it can be
transferred and applied to everyday leadership problems, whether on the level of nations or
individuals. As Wallenberg's medal testifies, "Whoever saves a single soul, it is as if he had saved
the whole world."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND IDEAS

What do you think motivated Wallenberg, a wealthy, young, non-Jewish civilian citizen of
neutral Sweden, to risk his life for the endangered Hungarian Jews? What motivates you
in the duties you perform? Why are you in the occupation you now pursue?
What enabled Wallenberg to inspire, in those he helped, a belief in the possibility of
success and a willingness to try, in the face of hopelessness and resignation to defeat?
Have you ever known leaders who could cause positive transformations in the attitude of
143
the people under their care? How did they accomplish this? What effect have you had on
the attitude of the people you lead? Why?
How could Wallenberg, who had no weapons and little if any official status or power in
Nazi-occupied Hungary, induce his Nazi and Arrow Cross enemies, including their
highest ranking officers, to do his bidding? Have you ever faced a situation in which you
had to "do more with less" and tackle a problem with seemingly inadequate resources?
What did you do? What were the results?
Was it morally wrong for Wallenberg to use deception, threats, and bribery in furtherance
of his mission? Compare and contrast his situation with examples from your experience in
which you were tempted to "bend the rules."
Consider the following two sentences. Which comes closer to your own personal view?
Why? For what, if anything, would you be willing to risk your life? Why?
"Nothing is worth dying for."
"If nothing is worth dying for, nothing is worth living for."
How would you define the word "hero?" What qualities or feats constitute heroism? Have
you known anyone you consider to be a hero? To what extent is heroism important to your
life and career?
Can leadership be taught? How do you identify potential leaders? What sets leaders apart
from other members of an organization?
How can you incorporate the Wallenberg Effect into your work?
How would you rate Wallenberg as a leader? Why?
144
Sunil Kumar Sonare

Sunil Kumar Sonare, A Faculty in
Management as permanent and visiting,
teaching in various Management Institution in
Central India. He also provides IT consultancy
to the various industries in the Software
Development, Product Development, software
application, including project facilitation,
project management, design guidance,
business modeling, data and process code
generation, testing and implementation.
He is providing corporate training on
Software Project Management, Estimation,
and Function Point. He is a trainer on soft
skill sets i.e. Leadership, Self Esteem,
Motivation etc.
He has got more than 14 years experience in IT industry and worked with public
sector enterprise, Indian IT companies in India and provided consultancy and
software to the manufacturing industries, hospitality industry, financial institution,
educational institution etc.
In recent years, he has served extensively as a consultant to industry, ranging from

startups to Fortune 1000 companies.
145

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LEADERSHIP

Leadership- A New Dimension

3 LEADERSHIP AND INFORAMTION ............................................................................................. 31

4.2 FORWARD-LOOKING AS A LEADERSHIP TRAIT............................................................................... 39

5 COMMUNICATION & RELATIONSHIP....................................................................................... 47

6 LEADERSHIP- GOAL SETTING..................................................................................................... 60

7 LEADERSHIP & MOTIVATION ..................................................................................................... 69

8.3.2 STEP 2: ENABLE ............................................................................................................................... 81

9 LEADERSHIP VERSES MANAGEMENT ...................................................................................... 85

10 GREAT LEADERS OF INDIA ........................................................................................................ 94

11 CASE STUDY .................................................................................................................................. 134

At 51, he was elected the President of the United States of America.

1. Leadership Skills- An Introduction

1.1 What is a Leader

 A leader sees opportunity and captures it.

1.2 Principles of Leadership

1.3 Factors of Leadership

There are four major factors in leadership:

BE a professional who possess good character traits. Examples: Honesty, competence,

1.5 Leadership Self-Assessment Activity

# Your Opinion Very Moderately Adequate Moderately Very

12. I criticize constructively and 5 4 3 2 1

30. I determine resources, 5 4 3 2 1

45. I admit my mistakes and take 5 4 3 2 1

Why Does Leadership Matter?

2.1 Leadership Characteristics

2.2 Leadership Models

2.2.1 Four Framework Approach

2.2.1.1 Structural Framework

In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a social architect whose leadership

2.2.1.2 Human Resource Framework

In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a catalyst and servant whose

2.2.1.3 Political Framework

In an effective leadership situation, the leader is an advocate, whose leadership style

2.2.1.4 Symbolic Framework

In an effective leadership situation, the leader is a prophet, whose leadership style is

2.3 The Process of Great Leadership

The road to great leadership that is common to successful leaders:

2.4 Ten Ways to Identify a Promising Person

2.5 What is the Role of Leadership?

 What do long-term school reform leaders view as their essential professional

2.6 Dimensions of Sustaining Leadership

 Partnership and voice

2.8 Leadership Behavior

Establish a clear direction

2.9 The tasks of leadership:

 Leaders establish vision and set direction

2.11 Understanding Leadership Styles

The leadership styles we look at here are:

2.11.1 Autocratic Leadership

Autocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leader has

2.11.2 Bureaucratic Leadership

2.11.3 Charismatic Leadership

A charismatic leadership style can appear similar to a transformational leadership style, in

2.11.4 Democratic Leadership or Participative Leadership

2.11.5 People-Oriented Leadership or Relations-Oriented Leadership

2.11.6 Servant Leadership

2.11.7 Task-Oriented Leadership

2.11.8 Transactional Leadership

2.11.9 Transformational Leadership

2.12 Using the Right Style – Situational Leadership

2.13 Leadership Style Survey

# Parameter Almost Frequently Occasionally Seldom Almost

A leader sees opportunity and captures it.

What do long-term school reform leaders view as their essential professional

Partnership and voice

Leaders establish vision and set direction

Maintain credibility: Once established, one’s image of expertise should be carefully

Keep informed: Expert power is exercised through rational persuasion and

Avoid threatening the self-esteem of subordinates: Expert power is based on a

If I enter a classroom this is what I might see…

Probing: Attempting to gain additional information, continue the discussion, or clarify a

Engage in extra-curricular activities.