community Leadership, Sikhstyle

Activist andeducaror Ha.cinder Singh, from the USA,presented a thought provokingtalk on the Sikh leadershipmodel, with afocuson servant leader principles,at Swinburne University, recently. Several prominent members of the community, students, academics and otl1er representatives attended thefreeevent organised by the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria (SIC\').

Witl1 irspotential to createapositive change in society,tl1eage-old concept of servantleadership continues togrow inits influenceandinspireleaders today.There isgrowinginterest in understandingthe philosophy behind thisholistic way of beingthat offers hopefor thecontemporary world.The learnedspeaker discussedbow tl1is transformationalconceptcould be applied bothin workand life to improve self and strengthen thecommunity.

Harinder Singh is theco-founder of the PanjabDigital Library (PDL), a non-profit, voluntary organisation thatprovides digital archiving services for Punjabi heritageand rexes.Launched in 2003 the PDL colJecrs, preserves, digitisesand offers accessibility to thebiggestresourceof digital material on Punjab.Singhis also theco-founder of tl1e Sikh Research Institute (SIKHRI), an organisation thataims to connect people with the teaching of Sikhs.

Accordingco Harinder Singh,historically, tl1eoriginandrelevanceof the servant leadershipmodel in the Sikh religiongoes bad, to the times of the first Sikh Guru Sri NanakDev andtheprinciplesoutlined in the holyGramh.Clarity,consistency and currency is required to benefit from this belief system that incorporatesten core values of humility, submission,quality, service, self-sacrifice,justice,compassion, clarity,composureand courage.

QuocingJohn C MaxwelJ, Singh said a leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Aleader becomesgreat not becauseof their power, but due to theirabilitytoempower others Loveinspired leadership createsa creative excitement tliat is directlyproportionate to levels of leadership.

Duringhis talk, Harinder Singh invoked history and referred to tl1e Guru Granth to explain leadership in the current context.

The Sikh Gurus model for involvemenr in tl1epublic domain isbased on foUowing thepracticeof Nam (deepintrospection), Dan (philanthropicspirit) andIsnan (relevant experience). According to him the Guru's word is active and relevant inspiritual,political,economic or social arenas.Oneneeds to norjust read irbut needs to connect with it.

Thepresemacion reAected on current leadership cultureand possibilities for the future.Aninteractive Q andAfollowed whereaclueyaudiencepuc Harinder Singh'svastknowledgeof Sikh.ism,diverse interests in current trends and experience in leadershiptraining, to the tesr. Heanswered wiili intelligenceandauthority.

YoungSikhactivist Sukhjeet Kaur Khalsa raised aquestion in an attempt to understand why all ilieSikhGurus were male in a religiontharespousesgender equality.In response Harinder Singh said chat Guru Nanak proclaimed tl1eequality of men and womenas amandate that was continued andencouraged by alJ ilieSikh Gurus that succeeded him, This occurred at a rime when the prevalent political and social condition did not offer women equal status.InSikhism, both men and women areconsidered capableof reachinghighest level of spirituality.

1-larinderSinghpointed out that even today,despite ilie suffragettes and other movements, we stilJ live in apatriarchal world."Theneed is to createa society where women in leadership is a mandate not just tokenism," he said.

Speakingafter theevent,Ha.cinder Singh said,"I lovedoing what I do in making people tbinkabout tl1e doctrines of Sikhism articulated in the Guru Grantl1Sahib.M)' aim isnot to makepeople talk likea Sikh or act likea Sikh but it is to makepeoplethink likeaSil,h."

Preeti Jabbal