Stress of Being a Leader

                                         

                                        Stress of Being a Leader

 

"You cannot make progress without making decisions."

                                                                              Jim Rohn

 

After having passed Union Public Service Commission’s Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Section Officers, I was posted in the Philately Branch of the Department of Post, in the background whispered in corridors that my predecessor had sought voluntary retirement to avoid regular departmental action as he could not keep track of an assurance given in the Parliament and the Department had to face embarrassing situation there. So I was little afraid and cautious too that put me in alert mode perhaps of the highest order. After two three days of my joining as Section Officer, all the dealing hands applied for leave except the one dealing hand lower division clerk and one Assistant Superintendent of Post Offices: thus out of nine, seven asked for leave. Proposition was critical. I was perplexed what to do and what not to do. I thought, if I refuse leave it will have to be for everyone and that would invite irk of all and their presence would be forced, they would spoil more and dispose of less and if I grant that would make management of work difficult being I had not mastered the things. In the evening, I returned application of everyone and went out of the Section without saying anything and when I came back told everybody to rewrite the application with the maximum extended period of leave they intended to take; a few amended their applications. After collecting revised applications, I told them everybody’s leave is sanctioned: they have to join on expiry of leave period otherwise rules will have their way. Dealing Clerk who had not applied for leave was too afraid. After everybody had gone, he came running to say that work in the Section is time bound: can’t be postponed even for a day, so we have to be cautious. Next day reached office a little early and asked that Dealing Hand present to place on my table all files and papers of the Assistant who had taken minimum leave. It took me 2-3 days to dispose of all his papers and files and while doing so prepared a list of papers which had been delayed than the prescribed period. When the concerned Assistant returned from leave; no action was taken against him for delay in submission of the cases but was told that delay has happened for the last time. Similar procedure was followed in case of others. This exercise gave me knowledge of seat of each and every dealing hand and put me firmly in the saddle and had the smooth sailing till I was selected as Desk Officer in Vigilance Branch after four years. This is how I learnt my first lesson in leadership.

 

Lessons were clear, determined, learnt hard way. Leadership is the name of realization of the fact of taking responsibility and discharging the same meticulously yourself; more you honour this fact lesser are the chances of things getting out of control, as you would take action to fulfill the duties and responsibilities entrusted or thrust upon you. In fact, in ideal circumstances a leader is fountain head of decision making and action-honest and selfless; as people see and believe him.

 

Decision taking-making is an asset, if you can decide, otherwise it is a stress; more you linger on, more you suffer. It is an activity that precedes action. It is a faculty, Lord has given perhaps more to human beings; sometimes it is built in your personality and character - courage, conviction, wisdom, prudence, capacity to work hard, learning from criticism, physical fitness  otherwise you can learn it through its attributes - skills, knowledge, analysis, experience, precedences, education, instinct to learn from others and the history. It is not everybody’s cup of tea, to decide and every decision can’t be right or wrong: without a decision one can’t move further. No decision is big or small. A small decision may change your life and big inappropriate may ruin your life and the situation. Taking decision is important, other things follow automatically. Decision making is a journey not a destination, a journey alone, lonely and with accountability; it is not something rigid and solid, it is flexible and amendable, solid is the target where one wants to land after taking a decision. Always remember once you decide, it evokes the desire to reach the destination fast; efforts and action with permutations and combinations thereof, and determination follows. Decision is the start- professional, pure, transparent and positive, better start is half done. Every decision is positive for the man who has to decide. Even fighting a war is positive, it is most of the times to save the unity and integrity of a nation. Decision taking is a pious activity, one helps Him to discharge the functions He has planned to be executed through you: so if you decide to take care of others you are already taken care of by Him. So decide, decide and decide and proceed.  

 

Once you make a decision, the Universe conspires to make it happen.

                                                                        Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

People always lead people: fundamentally biologically all are equal in the matters of emotions, requirements, mental faculties, basic physical activities too etc differences are only of degree not of division; so treat your people the way you would like you to be treated by others: People are better understood as friends than as subordinates or followers. Take care of the people and people will take care of you. Be with your men in difficult times: that way you build the road to lead.

 

A leader leads a group, an organization; no person can lead alone: it is always a team work: together everyone achieves more that is what a team is: lead without imposing: get done the way you like; make the things that the group likes and loves to do, the way you like them to do. Action should be collective, individual action seldom succeeds exceptions are always there. Always remember a leader is one among equals and not the first among equals that way he becomes the boss – something inferior to the leader and leadership.  

 

Honour all your commitments, even if they are insignificant and not important and those which are in favour of work culture may be against the individuals. Individuals are always important because every work is to be got done through them but they are not above task objectives. Be known that you keep the promises that is pleasure for you and others and a way to be stress free: be a man of commitment.

 

Time management plays an important role in honouring the commitments. Honour the time it will honour you and your commitments and you need not see the schedule again and again because one would always be ahead of the time fixed. One must understand that a day at the constant speed of the earth is of 24 hours, you can make it of 26 hours or 20 hours by varying the speed of your performance. So learn how to move with the work instead of the earth.

 

Action: execution: performance: delivery is the crux of all existence on this planet: everybody has to do some task not only animals but also other living things like plants, trees and also the non-living things like rocks and sand. Nothing is constant but the change is. Action is supreme test of a leader: even Lord Krishna in Gita mentioned as follows:

 

Whatever action is performed by great man, common men follow in his footsteps and whatever standards he sets by his exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

                                                                               Bhagwad Gita

 

It is the action: the most important and impressive tool in management; that sets examples and the standards and while doing so follow the Lord by His dictate:

 

You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.

                                               Bhagavad Gita, Chapter II, Verse 47

 

One must ensure that he takes positive action that brings fruits to reach the target: negative action whatsoever evokes only negative response; may be fruitful to some extent in short term: in the long run it will have its natural course of negativity as it keeps simmering the flame of revenge somewhere; hence can’t be productive. Replace negative thoughts and action with positive thoughts and action, one will have positive results hence nearer to the goal and equipped to lead. Positivity is convincing, assertive, prevails the logic easier, obstinates turn around: an action with no stress; transparent, open without fear. Positivity is the key to many difficult issues and a stress reliever.

 

Play the game of action well: goals and targets would reach you themselves: if one concentrates on goals game would be spoiled; targets would get farther and farther. Action makes the heap non-existent and inaction makes a heap solid and slippery. In public service, principle is dispose of a paper otherwise it will dispose you of. Action makes one the master and no-action makes one the servant. Preparation is important- it can make tough exam paper easy and results better and bright.

 

Action with your hands, yourself and that too of the lowest employee; the last follower, gives the leader the best of experience and inside into the intricacies of the team task. A leader is the man who is a substitute for every worker when need arises without disturbing the schedule of others. Leader is a prism that emits only that colour which is needed to save and solve a situation.

 

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

                                                                            ―Thomas Jefferson

 

Appreciation is the best management and leadership tool and trait. Appreciate ideas, analysis, views, emotions, problems, apprehensions, hardships, opinions, ways of working of others-yours followers, team members, workers, family members,  vendors, sellers all others interested, they will shower best of theirs for your consideration. It is also a tool of critical analysis and in-depth knowledge. Take care of your critics, they provide most valuable advice, look into intentions not the words and volume of voice.

 

Appreciation is always the enemy of ego: more the appreciation lessor the ego and vice-versa. Appreciation is also a tool of spiritual attainment and we believe that invokes His blessings always. Appreciate from the core your heart not perfunctory and no sycophancy: He understands the difference: they would also understand as they have His element in them. Genuine and real appreciation is always spontaneous real: it bursts from inside, do not withhold at that time you, if one withholds he would be acting against the nature: appreciation always for the cause and action: from the core of the heart.    

 

Initiation of action is always pulled back by inertia and the human nature to throw the responsibility on somebody else, postpone to some other time: at the same time unless one initiates nothing can be achieved. Start of action is always difficult, one has to commence from the scratch, have to be original, independent and of his own. One must get rid of inertia, start action here and right now: throw away the fear of failure and being criticized by others: one never fails it is FIRST ATTEMPT IN LEARNING, do it once more: when it is the first and last attempt like in a stage performance it is the courage, confidence, preparation and the prudence that matters most among other things: the way to motivate the people to perform and perform better. It automatically makes one a leader. Great leaders don’t tell you what to do: they show you how it’s done: that is the real initiation.

 

“God provides the wind, but man must raise the sails.”

                                                                                ―St. Augustine

 

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

                                                                          ―Dale Carnegie

 

"Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made nothing happens."

                                                                          Wilferd Peterson

 

Resources: men, material, money, technology, methods, power, environment, approvals, circumstances, environment, anything which helps you to reach, even the advice and guidance and above all the time, even one’s own effort etc are always limited can’t be enhanced, altered or changed overnight: can always be managed over a period of time: but situations are not uncommon when demands are made on leaders to deal with extraordinary emergencies: hence the need to adjust the resources as per the needs. Leaders must change with the time, assess the future demands, implications as accurately as possible, must know deeply the internal resources and external sources to meet emergent circumstances and always be resourceful. Resources and sources under one’s control are the assets and with others seldom available at the crucial hour so depend on what one has.

 

While performing always use organizational resources not personal ones; as the organization is supreme not the leader. Personal resources may help to tide over a situation once or twice but in the long-run it will damage the organizational discipline and decorum and set a bad precedent for your successors.

 

Organizations are perennial: except for specific short term goal or task: leaders are not: nobody has been at the top always: they have to leave with the passage of time. Most of the organizations are for human welfare: may be for earning profit: they provide employment to many and earn dividend and profit for others: hence above leaders. These have to be protected, preserved and developed: whosoever heads these must prepare somebody who can take over after him; this task is pious, must be performed with organizational benefit as supreme. No society can provide its citizens the best quality of life unless it has effective organization; take care of organizations they will take care of all of us.

 

Daring and different are the two most important words that must find a place in the dictionary of leaders. These are two words that help one to meet a challenge: vow to do under all odds like army war orders. These are not overnight qualities: they require knowledge, skill, experience, exposure and above all capacity and courage to take risk. It can be a learning processes or learnt exposure and expression.

 

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.

                                                                                    Pablo Picasso

 

Hard decisions are fundamental to discipline and decorum, they require seniors to follow established principles of public life: integrity, honesty, devotion, transparency, public welfare, be above board etc. and not be guided and impressed by compassion, individual gain and circumstances. It is requires clarity of thought, values to live with and aims of the organization above all strength of the character, otherwise it would put one under great stress on the question to do or not to do.

 

"Shelving hard decisions is the least ethical course."

                                                                                 Adrian Cadbury

 

Your emotions are making it difficult for you to accept hard decisions.

                                                                                 John C Maxwell

It is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.

                                                                                   Roy E. Disney

 

A leader must be the master of the skill of communication: not only speaking but also of listening: a skill which is more difficult to learn than speaking. One must speak in such a way that the people like to listen and one must listen in such a way that the people like to speak: must keep manners, tone, tenor, pitch, volume, vocabulary soft and polished and still in the language and manner understood by the receiver of the information.

 

Leadership is not a position; it is a privilege given by the Lord to serve others: you may be at whatever level, always have an opportunity to serve, at least the people whom you lead and sometimes those who have been neglected at one stage or the other. One can serve anywhere, anytime, anyone, at any place and even at a place where there is no body apparently: serve the nature, serve Him, and above all service yourself- be at peace, empty you mind, try to create internal vacuum so that He can come sit and talk to you, absorb yourself in yourself, talk to yourself, realize yourself biggest of the service on can do etc. Position to serve is a gift of Lord – honour His gift and the position you are occupying-President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Judge, Examiner, even a head of a small group: a Teacher in a school, every leader is His descendant, He governs the whole Universe and leaders anywhere govern a part of it may be insignificant and unknown to the governor and being governed. It is sin to malign what He has gifted. Service is the prescribed motto of a leader: that is what Devon Ke Dev Mahadev Lord Shiva told us in all His preachings and whatever He did was for the welfare of the mankind and also for individual satisfaction of those who were full of ego and every time these people proved wrong. Lead the people with service they should feel having come to the right person in case they approach in their difficult times: don’t exploit their miseries mitigate them to maximum: they should have father figure like feeling in you: father an institution of guidance and advice the supreme and always.

                                  

Frustration the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something is the opposite of achievement smooth: a way of life, a result of action as well as no action: it signifies   nothing happening as planned, results not as expected; everything   upside down, stress, slips, issues, generates thoughts to give up, may lead to suicidal tendencies and in some cases it does, bolt from the blue: negativity all-round that is what frustration is normally known. In any life situation frustration is not uncommon, it is more so in leadership: where you are the chief or head like your own family, even otherwise also. How to overcome: nobody has ready-made solution. Strength of character; belief in almighty and self-efforts are the wonder weapons to fight it out. Rationality of thinking, courage, confidence and patience are other savers. In fact, frustration is symptom only, disease lies somewhere else. Every problem has a life span, even if one does not address, it gets its due, may be in your favour or against. Some problems are addressed better if not responded. Try to find out the root cause, it may be hidden, a friend acting as a foe, your understanding of the issue is not detailed and has no depth or it is just over-confidence, continue the journey slow and steady with eyes and ears wide open, one may stumble the real cause solution too. Consider frustration as a friend. It comes to you to transform you into a better person. Feeling frustrated is quite normal, which can be due to work stress or dissatisfaction from self and people around. So, talk things out. Frustration is a teacher in taxing time: one must reap the harvest, need not collect the weeds after the harvest has been reaped by somebody else. Frustration is mine of ideas, innovation and creativity, one has to dig it, in dark, deep and hard. It is just like the journey through hard time one has to continue. Frustration is perhaps a signal from the Almighty just to stop, slow down and watch how things move for some time and catch the opportune moments. Don’t give up that is the message hidden and clear too, it is upto the individual himself the most important cause and effect. Frustrate the frustration.

 

Frustration, although quite painful at times, is a very positive and essential part of success.

                                                                                   Bo Bennett

 

You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.

                                                                                

                                                                                   Ralph Marston

 

“Undisputed leader” is the dream of every one who leads, but nobody has so far been: simply because we are human being not perfect beings. Fact is, everybody has his own way to lead; his preferences, priorities, values, alignments, leanings, strengths and weaknesses : may be tolerated as a respect and regard; differences are always there may be big enough for creating a rift or may be small but simmering. Leader should always be alert to the voices of dissent and correct himself in the interest of larger goals. Reconsideration is always a tool to correct and zero budgeting that is to rethink and review right from the beginning is one of the best.

 

Negotiations: transparent, open, honest, with complete knowledge of issue, respect for the opinion of others, appreciation of real facts, with cool temperament: are the essence of all business and disputes: table is always important. Never fear the negotiations but never negotiate out of fear. Negotiations are for building bridges not; for burning bridges; negotiation is a process of compromise: give and take; neither for give alone nor for take alone: it must produce a wise agreement and build relations stronger than before. It is win-win for both parties; nobody is a loser. To negotiate is a skill which has to be developed; an art to learn to lead; generally it is not inherited however some people are very good at negotiating table while others are not. Negotiations are for peace and tranquility: all of us made of: made for; love to live with. Always discuss the issues, problems not the persons negotiating: they are just tools not the essence. Always discuss with the person who can decide then and there otherwise it is just an exercise: prelude to negotiations: frustrating process. There is always better alternative than a negotiated agreement; continue the process as it is the only process that is positive and fruitful.

Never lose your goodwill for small issues and concessions: goodwill is an asset that adds slowly but melts quickly: has a place in the thinking of the persons with whom you deal: goodwill is another brand: in fact it is a super brand:  a small sacrifice would ensure many concessions and gains in long run.

 

“Negotiation in the classic diplomatic sense assumes parties more anxious to agree than to disagree.”

                                                                                – Dean Acheson  

 

“During a negotiation, it would be wise not to take anything personally. If you leave personalities out of it, you will be able to see opportunities more objectively.”

                                                                                   – Brian Koslow

 

All men make mistakes: a leader is no exception. All genuine mistakes teach and give experience: intentionally made mistakes are mischievous, they expose must be dealt with heavy hand and the rules if need be. One should always honour mistakes and accept them with a view to correct if possible: that gives strength and genuineness to the men who you lead. A true leader is one who is humble enough to admit their mistakes and strong enough not to repeat them.

 

A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying... that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

                                                                                  Alexander Pope

 

Leader is the epitome of the confidence reposed by the group, team, people and in fact by the Almighty the Greatest of the Leaders: the Creator, the Operator and the Maintainer of the Universe; everybody does not get to this position, so think to lift those who are behind and along with you with your presence and thereafter; relieve others of stress, make them happy and be happy: forget yourself, your person and family and their interests : if you are capable to do so, there no stress, it is pleasure, satisfaction, solace, sense of achievement and having done it and many more things you never dreamt of.  Try to find your place. If you feel you have the ability to lead; be led by your conscious - right in direction and decision. Great leaders don’t set out to be a leader: set out to make a difference - never about the role but the goal.

 

The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude;be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.

                                                                                                  Jim Rohn