Bring out the leader in you

Bring out the leader in you

Kautilya’s Arthashastra gives us tips on how the leader inside each one of us can be developed.

When you are alone, think about this, “Can I be a leader, can I be a winner?” There will be a lot of self-doubts that will arise. The mind will give a lot of excuses of why you cannot be a leader or winner. This is how the mind is trained till now.

But just think and reverse the thought and think, “There is a leader in me, how can I bring it out?” This will give you a new direction and approach to life. Yes, there is a leader in you. Each one of us is a potential giant. Sadly, we land up as ordinary people living ordinary lives. But, the reality is that each person is extraordinary and is born to be a leader.

Chanakya says, “When the (prince) is ready for it (knowledge), experts should train him.” (1.17.27).

Kautilya’s Arthashastra gives us tips on how the leader inside each one of us can be developed. We are like a seed. But, if the seed is nurtured rightly, it can not only develop into a tree, but every seed is a potential forest.

So what is the process to bring out the leader in you.

Get ready

We either need to push ourselves or need to be pushed by someone. But even if each one of us has the leadership quality in us, we still need to get ready to take the first step forward.

Hanuman had the full potential but he was not aware. The wise Jambavan, had to inspire Hanuman and tell him that he is born for great work and he has to fly to Lanka. A self-doubting ordinary Hanuman suddenly realised the potential and became a mighty warrior.

Like Chanakya says, when the prince is ready for it, meaning when the potential and dormant energy is invoked, the leadership journey starts. So, get up and get ready for your inner journey to become a leader.

Knowledge

Having high energy is not enough. You need to have the knowledge and skills of a leader. And this knowledge can be acquired. You require to study and understand leadership. Read books, study about great leaders, and also make it a point to develop an enquiring mind.

A famous quote says, “Leaders are readers.” That is a very important habit you need to develop in life. The habit of reading and acquiring knowledge through books will benefit you lifelong.

Chanakya was a teacher and author of leadership. He understood that even if you are developing this one quality to acquire knowledge, you will stand out among the others. That is why he had insisted on knowledge for a prince and future leaders.

In today’s world, we can gather a lot of good reading material over the internet. Even videos and talks by successful leaders can be easily accessed over YouTube and other platforms. So, acquire as much knowledge and skills as possible. Make the most of the lockdown period, enroll on an online course on leadership and get started.

Expert training

Take note, knowledge is not just about collecting information. It is always acquired through expert training. According to Chanakya, an expert is a person, who is a master in that particular field. The expert will show you the way.

The expert had done it, and will train you how it should be done. There are so many experts in every field. That expert can be your Guru, friend, philosopher and guide. An expert will bring to you ‘insight’ and ‘foresight’ through the experiences gathered over a lifetime. And when you get trained under a master, you naturally become a leader of that field.

Do not have self-doubt. Have confidence that there is a leader in you that is waiting to arise. And once we get the right direction, knowledge and training, success will follow.

Chandragupta Maurya was a potential leader. Chanakya spotted him and trained him in leadership. Chandragupta like all of us, in the initial stages, had self-doubt if he could ever become a leader. But with the right attitude and the training given by an expert like Chanakya, he turned out to be one of the greatest leaders India has seen over generations. Invoke the leader in you. Rest everything will follow.

Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai is an Indian management thinker, author, and Founder of Atma Darshan and Chanakya Aanvikshiki. Dr Pillai has extensively researched Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the 3rd century BC treatise and incorporated it into modern management.

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