Leadership

Sundaresan Rajeswar DTM Past District Director (116)

Why leadership is in a lean phase

The years 2020 and 2021 moved leadership to a new future vision. If ever there was a time for courageous leadership, it is now. Positivity, honesty, generosity, selflessness, and care matter more in good leaders' reckoning. Caring is an active process that is human and humane-centered. Rather than control over people, a new perspective of understanding intimate details of turmoils and trenches by listening to voices to know what is going on has emerged. Leadership thus shifted more about who you are than what you do. The shift currently resulted in a lean phase for leadership. People aren't aspiring to leadership is the primary reason. Typically people remain lackadaisical, languish, and lukewarm. 'I am content with the role I have,' fears of fortified work-life balance, anxiety about necessary expertise, and negative perception that 'I don't think I will get the opportunity; why bother?'. Human fallibility is that we don't use what we learn with inhibitory fears binding our leadership transition. Leadership design is turning out to be deficient. Jim Collins stated that it is critical to get the right people on the bus in the right seats, especially when they are a leadership chair. The ascent to leadership is now more for managerial prowess than leadership ability. These leaders end up filling the organization chart and carry a title but are not necessarily leading. Leadership is growing in numbers, but the practice of leadership is declining. Teaching leadership as a skill set rather than a mindset is part of the deficiency. The formulaic is 'when you encounter a situation, here is

What is needed is to take on leadership as a journey than a destination. Leadership should be a lifelong quest for learning, growth, and development. Lack of focussed leadership development is another reason for not enough leaders. 'Recruit' leaders than 'Grow Own' leaders is in vogue. There are also fewer people investing in one's skills and talent.

It is for people to escalate their leadership journey by being respectable, responsible, ethical, and professional. Finally, it is for us to look after ourselves to be well informed, helpful beyond the call of duty, possess plentiful ideas, prepare for problem-solving, and encourage others to step up. The critical qualities are sincere enthusiasm, excellent communication skills, good attributes such as integrity, decisiveness, and competence. Leadership is undoubtedly n the lean phase, but there are no universally applicable solutions. Toastmasters is the pathway to start or to stabilize or to soar your leadership journey.

Regards,

Sundaresan Rajeswar DTM