How Can India Transform into a Nation of Visionary Leaders and Innovators?

Hi all,

I have been lucky to be associated with Sangeeth, a visionary leader, and together we are trying to unravel the methods required to produce more leaders in India. While there is a lot of talk on leadership development, the subject needs to be dealt with a lot more seriousness and thought, to ensure further growth and development of India. If India develops, we all develop. Just below the surface of a much talked about economic growth, India is still left with a quagmire of problems to deal with - corruption, poverty, inadequate infrastructure.

To add to this, India's existing system focuses on creating a band of doers: managers and programmers to facilitate growth primarily based on cost competency. Unlike other developed nations (19th-century Europe, 20th-century USA), who developed by focusing on developing individual leadership and institutions which support leaders, India is focusing on short-term gains.

Our position cannot be more precarious than this - What is our way out?

- To move to the next level, India should focus on creating more leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who can bring in multifold value compared to the existing system. We should build India as a nation of leaders to develop her as a leader among nations.
- To be a leader among nations, India should focus on creating leaders who can create multifold value to the system than blindly relying on cost competency.
- To be a leader among nations, India should focus on creating more dreamers than just the doers - the managers, analysts, programmers. We should focus on creating more entrepreneurs, innovators, and change architects.
- To be a leader among nations, India should focus on creating leaders who can create more jobs in the economy, leverage scarce resources, sustain growth levels, and preserve our democracy.
- To be a leader among nations, India should create leaders who can envision, align, and motivate.

To be a leader among nations, India should be a nation of leaders. But how do we go about it? I wish to solicit ideas from you all.

Dear Navinder,

Leaders with no followers make them nothing special.

I don't know where you got the above-stated statistics. The Indian Economy is very strong and the only sustainable economy in the face of International Upheaval.

If you mean the US and other European countries are more leadership-oriented, then you are wrong. They have never been able to come up with long-term strategic growth plans and have always copied strategies from Asian countries, specifically Japan, India, and somewhat from Russia.

That is the reason for so many problems in their economy, and that's why the Dollar is very soon going to be outrun by the EURO in international business.

I am attaching a PowerPoint for better communication of my thought line. I hope you get the idea.

FOR MAN TO BE A LEADER, THEY SHOULD FIRST MASTER THE ART OF TURNING ADVERSITIES INTO STRENGTH.

TODAY, LACK OF LEADERS IS NOT THE PROBLEM, BUT LACK OF FOLLOWERS IS...

Thank you,
Octavious

PLEASE DON'T BE DISCOURAGED BY THE SHEER SIZE OF THIS POWERPOINT SHOW... PLEASE READ RIGHT THROUGH... IT'S REALLY WORTH THE EFFORT.

Dear Octavious

I had read ur comments a long time back, and was not in agreement. The basic problem in India is that we have more followers than leaders. It may have something to do with the centuries of domination by foreign rulers, one can't say - but definitely it surprises why Israel, being a smaller country, leads in so many ways as against a huge country as ours...and isnt the Olympics a fine example?

The article below will further enhance understanding and discussion on the subject.
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Do you wish to be a leader?

PARAMAHAMSA SRI NITHYANANDA

WE ARE built upon our identities. We are lost without them. As long as we feel we're a separate entity, a unique individual, we'll hold on to that distinction. We're all, each one of us, a part of the Collective Consciousness that unifies the entire universe. Holding on to the individual identity simply compounds our problems. When we cling to the idea of being separate, we bring many problems.
At the physical level, if we think we're separate from nature or universe, we'll be inviting diseases. In our mind, at the mental level, if we think that we're unconnected then we're sowing the seeds of violence. We turn selfish, dogmatic, and violent. We become terrorists.
We can unite only when we work within the spirit of Collective Consciousness. When we work from the level of individual consciousness, we begin to dissect. We examine these bits and pieces. Logic always breaks. Intuition always unites. At the level of spirit, or the spiritual level, the Collective Consciousness operates to unite. If we think we each are individuals, there is no possibility of any spiritual growth. Spiritually, we can't even take the first baby steps.
Let us look at ourselves this way. At the physical level, we're not individuals. Our body and nature are much closer than we think possible. For instance, the sun and our body are deeply interconnected. A small change in the sun triggers changes in our body. Logically, we might not be able to relate to it. This is true.
We're connected by thoughts, our mind. A thought from somebody's mind comes and touches us. Similarly, a thought created in someone's mind travels to touch another mind. A thought, sowed by someone else, can touch us. The thoughts have power to affect us. Thoughts are like ripples on the waters of a lake.
If our ripples are strong, like a wave, we create a strong wave. We'll create an impression with our thoughts. We'll be leading and inspiring others by our thoughts. If our thoughts aren't from our depth, other thought waves will impress upon us.
We can be a leader or a follower. There is nothing in between. We always think, ‘I'll not be a leader. I can't do that much. I'll not be a follower either. I'll maintain my own stand.' This is impractical. Lead or follow. You cannot stay in between. But, why would you want to be a follower when you can just easily be a leader?
Be a leader. Think of yourself as the leader. Influence others with your thoughts. People will follow. It is that simple.

Hello,

I am sorry, I just saw your comments today only. You're right, there is some effect of foreign domination. Otherwise, why would you, instead of turning back and looking into our own history and understanding the fact that, no matter how many foreign invasions India has witnessed, it has never lost its originality? You can cite an example of Israel.

Israel is a different nation altogether; their principles of governance are totally different as they have a completely different social and political origin.

Thank you for citing the example of the Olympics. The event of the Olympics clearly shows that we have leaders who can emerge from adversity in a victorious manner. However, here you choose to see how we only got so little, but not the fact that whatever we got was without any efforts that other nations' players received from their government. Again, you proved me right in my comment that there are very few good followers.

Thank you,
Octavious

Hi,

Great point for discussion.

India has had 400 years of foreign rule in one way or another. We have forgotten or lost some of our leadership skills. It is taking us some time to pick up leadership traits in the Western style, but once we do, I believe we will lead. It is not a long way to go.

We have learned about leadership in various ways. Just look at the teachings in Ramayan, Mahabharat, Gita, and Panchatantra; they all impart lessons on leadership and how to be a good leader.

Your comments are welcome.

Thanks and regards,
Chandra Sekhar

Another quote I came across today: "Leadership consists not in degrees of technique but in traits of character; it requires moral rather than athletic or intellectual effort, and it imposes on both leader and follower alike the burdens of self-restraint."

Considering the depravity prevalent in Indian society, it is a clear statement on the quality of leaders in our country. However, it is certainly not an indicator of potential, as our large country has the capacity to retain 'pockets of resistance' capable of creating a revolution. With many thoughts on leadership emerging and the youth stepping forward with great ideas and execution plans, things seem to be changing.

Would love more comments! Cheers

Dear Sir,

I agree with you entirely; India needs leaders with high personal integrity. In a country with a population of over 100 crore, it is ridiculous to study theories based on Western leaders. Mahatma Gandhi led this nation with 'truth and non-violence,' which united India. Until Gandhi, leaders were considered as army chiefs. As you rightly said, India has an abundance of spiritual intelligence, and I feel we should teach the world the spirituality that makes a difference.

To be a leader among nations, India should focus on creating leaders with high integrity who can make a prominent value addition to others' lives by demonstrating leadership.

Thank you for your views, Rahul.

It just occurred to me that somehow, we tend to always look upon some role model, like Gandhiji, to feel about leadership. Why so? Is it that we have eulogized him and others so much that we ourselves feel incompetent? Why are we always demonstrated the 'Power of One' that Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and the like have? Why aren't we motivated to feel 'adequate' about the leadership qualities that we all can develop and work collectively towards a common goal?

Leaders like Gandhi are rare; it's definitely not easy to shed the robe of materialism in search for 'truth'. However, we have sufficient candidates for the 2nd rung, 3rd rung, and further rungs of leadership, and many more waiting to be tickled, tapped, motivated to realize their potential and create the 'renaissance' required to garner the long-awaited glory of a 'Leader Nation'. I have deliberately avoided the word 'Super Power' as it reeks of ego, selfishness, and the beginning of the end of the entire process of development.

Maybe, if we have to become a nation of leaders, we need to dwell on and develop this thought.

To move India to the next level, the focus should be on creating more leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs who can bring in manifold value compared to the existing system. We should build India as a nation of leaders to develop her as a leader among nations. For this, there should be a vision for:

- Creating leaders who can create manifold value for the system rather than blindly relying on cost competency.
- Creating more dreamers than just doers - the managers, analysts, programmers. We should focus on creating more entrepreneurs, innovators, and change architects.
- Creating leaders who can create more jobs in the economy, leverage scarce resources, sustain growth levels, and preserve our democracy.
- Creating leaders who can plan, align, and motivate.

For all interested in knowing about a great initiative taking roots, please log on to www.leadcap.org.