Mahatma Gandhi once said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world“. It is important to know that there is a difference between being a leader and being a boss. Although both are based on authority. A boss most of the times demands blind obedience while a leader earns his authority through understanding and trusting those under him or her. Leadership is mostly based on action rather than on ones position.
At times you will find that a boss drives people while the leader coaches them. The boss will say ‘I’ while a leader will say ‘WE’. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says, GO; the leader says Lets GO! Such is the price of being either of the two as it is up-to you to choose that which works best for you.
They say that war is death’s best friend, but I must and I shall offer you a different point of view on that one. To me, war is like the new boss who expects the impossible. He stands over your shoulder repeating one thing, continuously: ‘Get it done, get it done.’ So you work harder and get the job done. Afterwards it is quite rare to hear a word of gratitude all you get is that more is required of you & to me that is just a sad state of affairs.
The sign of a good leader is easy to recognize, though it is hardly ever seen. For the greatest leaders are those who share as equals in the trials and struggles, the demands and expectations, the hills and trenches, the laws and punishments placed upon the backs of those governed. A great leader is motivated not by power but by compassion, therefore he can do nothing but make himself a servant to those whom he rules.
Such a leader is unequivocally respected, and loved for loving. Instilling fear in those who work under you is mistake, I opt for inspiring confidence in those who work under me or with me. Do not fix the blame rather correct the mistakes like any leader would. Let us not be the know it all but be inquisitive of that which is unclear to better the work environment & understand the situation at hand..
To be a good leader one takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit. For leaders who can stay optimistic and upbeat, even under intense pressure, radiate the positive feelings that create resonance. By staying in control of their feelings and impulses, they craft an environment of trust, comforts and fairness and that self-management has a trickle down effect from the leader.
In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people… they no longer can lead solely based on positional power.
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