Leading Responsibility

The sixth sense is the thing that makes a man different from other beings living on Earth. But among the blessed few who are born as human beings, there is only a negligible number that stands out as unique from the rest of the crowd. The mass is commonly referred to as 'laymen' and the noticeable little are hailed as 'leaders'. The only criterion that is special in the latter is again, the sixth sense - it's how they use it. One major character trait that is very essenktial for all leaders is 'Responsibility'.

Responsibility can only be assumed. It is a voluntary disposition that one has towards a particular job to be done. It arises purely from within oneself, and when it does, steps and actions taken in view of successfully completing the job at hand become sheer enjoyment and once it is over, there is undiluted, blissful satisfaction.

That which devolves from one person to another by way of delegation or instruction is merely 'duty'. It cannot be held as a responsibility unless there is cent percent acceptance of it. Thus, duty when mixed with whole-hearted devotion to the issue and total submission of one's efforts, is raised to the status of responsibility.

For a person to become a leader, he/she has to first get the feeling of oneness with his/her team. A leader is not an extraordinary person who walks in front of a group; On the contrary, a leader is an ordinary person with the extraordinary capability of making people follow him/her with trust and confidence. He/she holds the team together with a magical bond called 'leadership', created by plain, bland, transparent responsibility.

Assuming responsibility is the first step towards leadership. Once this is done, one starts leading, but one becomes a leader only when one sustains the same interest towards continuing the responsibility. Being a leader is, no doubt, not at all an easy task, for it requires additional work, care, effort, dedication and... responsibility. The essence of leadership leis in taking all these with a smile on the lip and a cheerful heart.

Though emerging as a leader is in itself acceptance of a great responsibility and staying forever in everyone's minds and hearts as a leader is a greater responsibility, enjoying being a leader and deriving wholesome satisfaction from the role is the greatest responsibility ever!