Dear Students,
Ken Adelman mentioned, “ A leader knows what’s best to do; a manager knows how best to do it’.
Today, I wish to share with you two anecdotes I read, which bear out two points of leadership as under:
- A leader is not hellbent to hog the limelight; rather, teamwork is considered to be important.
- A leader strives to conceive innovative ways to make things happen.
Anecdote to prove the first point above:
A little child was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother knew that the child had set its heart on being in it. On the day the parts were awarded, she went to collect the child after school. When her child’s name was not announced, she was distressed. She was wondering what to tell her disappointed child. To her surprise, the child came rushing to her, his eyes shining with pride and excitement. “Guess what, Mom.” He shouted, “ I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.”
Anecdote to prove the second point above:
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him shovel dirt into the well.
A little child was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother knew that the child had set its heart on being in it. On the day the parts were awarded, she went to collect the child after school. When her child’s name was not announced, she was distressed. She was wondering what to tell her disappointed child. To her surprise, the child came rushing to her, his eyes shining with pride and excitement. “Guess what, Mom.” He shouted, “ I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer.”
Anecdote to prove the second point above:
One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him shovel dirt into the well.
At first when the donkey realized what was happening, it cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later when the farmer looked down into the well, he was astonished at what he saw.
When each shovel of dirt hit its back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step on to it. As the farmer’s neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would go on shaking it off and take a step up. Pretty soon everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off !
The core of leadership, therefore, as evident from the above fables, is never to stop with setbacks but be courageous and take one step at a time.
Best wishes,
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyay
(Globsyn Business School)
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