Dr R Balasubramaniam at AIMA’s 69th LeaderSpeak Session.
Dr R Balasubramaniam, Visiting Professor, Cornell University, USA and IIT-Delhi, India; Member-HR, Capacity Building Commission of the GoI; Founder of Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement & Chairman of the Advisory Committee, SEBI talked about the importance of integrity, empathy, continuous learning and navigating challenges and opportunities with purpose and authenticity while being in a leadership role.
Leadership is a widely discussed and written-about subject, reminiscent of Braatz’s observation that the more one delves into it, the less they comprehend. Annually, approximately 25,000 books are published on leadership in the United States alone, underscoring its global significance.
However, leadership isn’t about being a leader; it’s an ongoing activity. My book “Leadership Lessons” highlights the actions of extraordinary individuals, emphasising that leadership is about engaging in leadership activity rather than conforming to traditional leadership norms.
When confronted with challenges, the instinct to turn to the CEO for immediate solutions can create a false sense of leadership. True leadership, as emphasised in my book, involves understanding societal dynamics and taking actions that contribute to meaningful progress, rather than merely solving problems to assert authority.
Encouraging societally constructive actions involves mobilising oneself and others. In a real classroom setting, interactions would enrich the learning experience further, with everyone contributing to the acquisition of leadership knowledge. True leadership lies in combining collaborative learning and collective growth, rather than asserting authority and dictating information.
So to me, leadership means mobilising oneself, leveraging personal experience and knowledge, and rallying others to co-discover leadership through constructive activities. Although learning outcomes may vary, our commitment to giving our best effort remains unwavering, regardless of the certainty of knowledge acquisition within a given timeframe.
Understanding oneself, that’s what our Upanishads talk about, and then going a step deeper and saying, okay, I understand myself and my role and what I’m doing in society or in the concept of an organisation or the concept of a community that I’m operating in, understanding others around me. You know, there’s a whole set of people I’m interacting with. And how do I understand myself, others around me, and the actions that bind me to the others?
So in conclusion, I’d say that leadership is about guiding and inspiring others toward a common goal, promoting collaboration, and making impactful decisions that drive progress and growth. It involves leveraging one’s strengths, empowering others, and embracing continuous learning and adaptation to navigate challenges effectively. Ultimately, leadership is about influencing positive change and creating a shared vision for success.
Watch the full Session- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo8JHth6c-8&t=2584s
