Leadership Types
The following essay was published in HTDM newsletter Hi-Touch in Jul-06.
7th of July, 1981 – a landmark event in the history of our country India, the day Infosys was born through the minds of seven great leaders – the story as we all know of visionary leadership transforming India and the society at large. Leadership is the key to transformation of society. Self-confident individuals and leaders are the buildings blocks for a caring and effective society.
From Sam Walton to Michael Dell, from Swami Vivekananda to Dr Abdul Kalam – are stories of people who have demonstrated personal leadership, taken charge of their lives against all odds to generate wealth, shown direction and taken people along to orbits not thought of earlier.
21-Sep-2000 was just another day in my life but a chance meeting at Food Court at Bangalore changed my life and many others in Infosys. That was the day when Infosys Toastmasters Club(http://toastmasters.org) was born. Along with four other friends, we spearheaded the Toastmasters movement at Infosys. Initially, when people heard of it, they would often mistake it for a cooking session. Good leaders are good communicators. They are able to articulate their ideas well, motivate, persuade people, be able to defend their decisions, speak up for injustice and again be diplomatic so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Toastmasters provide a very supportive club environment, where people present their speeches and get evaluated. Over a period of time many become confident individuals willing to accept any challenges. Hundreds of Infoscions have benefited from this program. And many who have left us has gone to open similar clubs in new cities, organizations and even in B-schools - a true example of communicative and motivational leadership.
"Leading" is influencing someone in some way. Swami Vivekananda with his fiery speeches and powerful words once awakened India and his established Ramakrishna Mission continues to provide stellar service to society. A great example of influential leadership that is still very much prevalent a century after he was born.
Leadership is built on trust and it’s the challenge for any Leader to win trust and respect of his followers which he can only do by respecting every team-members opinion, ideas and time but more importantly respecting his own decisions. This is how trust leadership is built that goes on to unify a team and achieve success. One may imagine the amount of trust moon and space explorers repose on each other on such mission critical explorations betting their life on other’s word.
It calls for moral leadership to ensure the growth and success of each individual team members for the team to attain its goal. Hence, a leader is often looked upon as a guide or mentor to help team-members work towards their career goals and areas of improvement. By proposing to work full-time for the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates is showing such moral and philanthropic leadership to give back to society and help the underprivileged.
In my view leadership should not be confused with controlling and monitoring. To be able to make a group of people work towards a common goal would call for leadership but controlling and monitoring them is what management is all about. As is often said, "Leaders lead people, managers manage things". True leadership, does not take away an individual's freedom, choice, accountability, or responsibility. Just as the leader is to be serving and taking into account the ideas and needs of those they lead, those following that lead are to be doing the same thing. In doing so, they, along with the leader, practice self-restraint, develop character, integrate discipline, and practice love and respect for other people. It promotes a self-leadership environment where all are empowered and working toward the good of the whole because it is in the best interest of all. Involvement and sense of belonging drives people to attain their maximum potential.
Again being a leader requires not only to maintain internal team-members but there are external stakeholders too and more often than not there are conflicting demands placed upon on which the leader has to make a decision. Many a time situational leadership is called for to steer the team through such rough weather. There is no Harvard M.B.A. course, no corporate strategy session, no business celebrity memoir that can prepare a chief executive to lead a corporation, and thousands of employees, when 110 floors fall out from under. Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York has exemplified this after 9/11 Terrorist attacks on WTC.
Passionate leadership combines passion and purpose together. To be an effective leader, one must first care. When you care deeply, you have a passion that is more than simply the spark that gets you started, it is the fire inside that will sustain you. It is a commitment so compelling that your whole self — body, mind, and spirit — are engaged. Passion is not the same as a single-minded determination to get what you want or to create the changes you think should be made. Rather, passion for a higher purpose is characterized by an openness to possibilities and the innate belief that people want to work together to create the best future imaginable. Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart stores, which is touted to have revenues several times the GDP of many nations, had shown how passion and possibilities combine to generate wealth and add value to everyone.
One of the rare characteristics of many leaders is charisma and sense of humour. Charisma is an intangible human quality that makes its presence felt, but can never really be measured. Some leaders have the subtle grace that makes them look almost unreal at times. Bill Clinton, the former President of United States has exemplified such Charismatic Leadership of being a professional coupled with a pleasing personality making his followers or subordinates go out of their way to do things for them. Leaders having a good sense of humour, to be able to keep a brave face and maintain their charm even in the face of extreme pressure command respect.
Throughout time, leaders who have exhibited the proper kind of custodianship - leaders who have sought service over self-interest - have been held in high regard. We gladly look to them for direction and guidance in times of indecision, turmoil and trouble. As Peter Drucker states, ‘Leaders should lead not only through knowledge and skill but through courage, responsibility and integrity.’
From Sam Walton to Michael Dell, from Swami Vivekananda to Dr Abdul Kalam – are stories of people who have demonstrated personal leadership, taken charge of their lives against all odds to generate wealth, shown direction and taken people along to orbits not thought of earlier.
21-Sep-2000 was just another day in my life but a chance meeting at Food Court at Bangalore changed my life and many others in Infosys. That was the day when Infosys Toastmasters Club(http://toastmasters.org) was born. Along with four other friends, we spearheaded the Toastmasters movement at Infosys. Initially, when people heard of it, they would often mistake it for a cooking session. Good leaders are good communicators. They are able to articulate their ideas well, motivate, persuade people, be able to defend their decisions, speak up for injustice and again be diplomatic so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Toastmasters provide a very supportive club environment, where people present their speeches and get evaluated. Over a period of time many become confident individuals willing to accept any challenges. Hundreds of Infoscions have benefited from this program. And many who have left us has gone to open similar clubs in new cities, organizations and even in B-schools - a true example of communicative and motivational leadership.
"Leading" is influencing someone in some way. Swami Vivekananda with his fiery speeches and powerful words once awakened India and his established Ramakrishna Mission continues to provide stellar service to society. A great example of influential leadership that is still very much prevalent a century after he was born.
Leadership is built on trust and it’s the challenge for any Leader to win trust and respect of his followers which he can only do by respecting every team-members opinion, ideas and time but more importantly respecting his own decisions. This is how trust leadership is built that goes on to unify a team and achieve success. One may imagine the amount of trust moon and space explorers repose on each other on such mission critical explorations betting their life on other’s word.
It calls for moral leadership to ensure the growth and success of each individual team members for the team to attain its goal. Hence, a leader is often looked upon as a guide or mentor to help team-members work towards their career goals and areas of improvement. By proposing to work full-time for the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates is showing such moral and philanthropic leadership to give back to society and help the underprivileged.
In my view leadership should not be confused with controlling and monitoring. To be able to make a group of people work towards a common goal would call for leadership but controlling and monitoring them is what management is all about. As is often said, "Leaders lead people, managers manage things". True leadership, does not take away an individual's freedom, choice, accountability, or responsibility. Just as the leader is to be serving and taking into account the ideas and needs of those they lead, those following that lead are to be doing the same thing. In doing so, they, along with the leader, practice self-restraint, develop character, integrate discipline, and practice love and respect for other people. It promotes a self-leadership environment where all are empowered and working toward the good of the whole because it is in the best interest of all. Involvement and sense of belonging drives people to attain their maximum potential.
Again being a leader requires not only to maintain internal team-members but there are external stakeholders too and more often than not there are conflicting demands placed upon on which the leader has to make a decision. Many a time situational leadership is called for to steer the team through such rough weather. There is no Harvard M.B.A. course, no corporate strategy session, no business celebrity memoir that can prepare a chief executive to lead a corporation, and thousands of employees, when 110 floors fall out from under. Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York has exemplified this after 9/11 Terrorist attacks on WTC.
Passionate leadership combines passion and purpose together. To be an effective leader, one must first care. When you care deeply, you have a passion that is more than simply the spark that gets you started, it is the fire inside that will sustain you. It is a commitment so compelling that your whole self — body, mind, and spirit — are engaged. Passion is not the same as a single-minded determination to get what you want or to create the changes you think should be made. Rather, passion for a higher purpose is characterized by an openness to possibilities and the innate belief that people want to work together to create the best future imaginable. Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart stores, which is touted to have revenues several times the GDP of many nations, had shown how passion and possibilities combine to generate wealth and add value to everyone.
One of the rare characteristics of many leaders is charisma and sense of humour. Charisma is an intangible human quality that makes its presence felt, but can never really be measured. Some leaders have the subtle grace that makes them look almost unreal at times. Bill Clinton, the former President of United States has exemplified such Charismatic Leadership of being a professional coupled with a pleasing personality making his followers or subordinates go out of their way to do things for them. Leaders having a good sense of humour, to be able to keep a brave face and maintain their charm even in the face of extreme pressure command respect.
Throughout time, leaders who have exhibited the proper kind of custodianship - leaders who have sought service over self-interest - have been held in high regard. We gladly look to them for direction and guidance in times of indecision, turmoil and trouble. As Peter Drucker states, ‘Leaders should lead not only through knowledge and skill but through courage, responsibility and integrity.’
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