Saturday, August 9, 2014

Soul Sustenance

Wearing The Crown Of Servant Leadership Gracefully (Part 3) 

Servant leaders are sacrificial leaders, ready to make the sacrifice when required. We explain with an example - 

Jessica and Ruchika were close childhood and school friends. Jessica was the Head Girl of the school. One day there was a home assignment to be completed by the class. Jessica had forgotten to complete her assignment. She was afraid of the consequences and even more of the humiliation that she was not ready to face being in such a respectable post. She was also afraid of Ruchika’s assignment as being selected as the best one by the class teacher. Jessica’s mind was in a state of turmoil. On one hand was her self identity based on her role of the Head Girl and also the attachment to the same and on the other hand was her friendship and the voice of her conscience. If she chose the former and prevented Ruchika’s homework from being selected as the best, she would be seen in the same light as Ruchika and would save herself embarrassment. If she chose the latter and allowed Ruchika’s homework from being selected as the best, she would lose, but earn respect in the form of blessings and good wishes of her best friend Ruchika. Finally insecurity and the fear of loss of face in front of the class and the class teacher took grip over her. She chose the former, she harmed Ruchika’s homework and prevented Ruchika from submitting it on time and as a result prevented it from being adjudged as the best. She had won. Her ‘id’ – Head Girl had won. But the servant leader inside her had lost. Her relationship had lost. She did not pay heed to the voice of her conscience and her special relationship with Ruchika. As a result she brought about sorrow to her friend. Later on she repented and realized, that day she had not worn the crown of leadership well enough. She had not heard the voice of the servant leader inside her, a leader who could sacrifice the I and keep her friend ahead of her. She realized her mistake and decided to hear the voice henceforth. 

Many times, while playing leadership roles, we are also faced with similar situations as Jessica found herself in, whether it’s in school, in the family, in our social circle or at the workplace, when we have to make a choice,when the I has to be sacrificed and the other has to be kept ahead – sometimes we do that easily, sometimes we find it difficult. There is a servant leader inside each one of us, which favours the sacrifice. We need to awaken that servant leader. Spiritual knowledge helps us in doing the same. 

(To be continued tomorrow …) 

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