Leadership Lessons from the Heart: Embracing Humility, Empathy, and Communication
Tags: leadership, learning, motivation
Published: 2023-08-17 12:28:15

In the journey of leadership, some are born with innate abilities, while others strive to develop their skills through hard work and dedication. For me, drawing inspiration from the armed forces has been a lifelong passion, even though I could not join them. However, this has not stopped me from adopting their profound leadership principles. Throughout my experience, I have come to realise that humility and empathy are the cornerstone qualities for any leader. Instead of asserting authority, true leadership lies in fostering genuine connections and earning the trust and loyalty of the team. With this perspective, I have been able to lead my team towards collective success.

**Humility and Empathy - The Essence of Genuine Leadership:**
I believe that leaders who embrace humility and empathy create an environment where team members feel valued and motivated to perform their best. As I strive to lead with compassion and understanding, my team knows that I respect them not just as colleagues but as individuals. This sense of camaraderie strengthens our bond and paves the way for success in both personal and professional realms.

**Emulating the Armed Forces - Leaving a Lasting Impact on My Leadership Style:**
While I could not fulfil my childhood dream of joining the armed forces, my fascination with their leadership principles has significantly influenced my approach as a leader. One vital lesson I have imbibed from them is taking responsibility for both successes and failures. I passionately believe in the mantra, "Success is ours, and failure is mine," instilling a sense of accountability within the team and promoting an environment of openness and learning from mistakes. Interestingly other day I was scrolling through YouTube shorts, and I came across former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam story. It goes like this, former ISRO Chairman Satish Dhawan took responsibility when a SLV-3 mission satellite headed by late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam fell into Bay of Bengal in 1979 however next year when mission was successful, Director told then Dr APJ sir to conduct the press conference, giving full credit to former President Dr APJ sir and his team keeping himself out of limelight.

**Knowing My Team Personally - Nurturing Compassionate Leadership:**
I value the power of personal connections with my team members. By being genuinely interested in their lives and understanding their challenges, including medical issues affecting their families. As a team when you lookout for your colleague in his challenging time enabling him to take care of his situation makes your team bond grow stronger. Empathising with their situations fosters trust and a sense of belonging, creating a unified and motivated team. A couple of years back I had a privilege to work with one of the best team. This was my first time lead the team. In the beginning I was clueless what I am doing and what needs to be done, slowly I got hang of the job and I started having meetings with my team as a whole and individually as well. Knowing them personally and professionally, aligning their goals with company goals. As a team identifying areas of improvements and giving them space and platform to highlight their abilities in front of client in client meetings rather than I am doing everything.

**Embracing Vulnerability - Fostering Trust and Growth:**
Sharing my vulnerabilities with the team has proven to be a catalyst for building trust. I encourage my colleagues to do the same, promoting an atmosphere of authenticity and mutual support. This approach allows us to complement each other's strengths and collectively tackle weaknesses, propelling us towards success with resilience and unity.

**Communication - The Backbone of Team Growth:**
In today's virtual work environment, effective communication is paramount. Regularly connecting with each team member individually and as a group helps me understand their perspectives, concerns, and aspirations. Moreover, it provides opportunities to groom potential leaders within the team, ensuring that growth is a shared journey, benefiting the entire team.

Through my leadership journey, I have learned that true leadership is not about wielding authority but about embracing humility, empathy, and effective communication. By drawing inspiration from the armed forces and cultivating a compassionate leadership style, I have fostered an environment where my team members feel valued, motivated, and ready to contribute their best. Together, we celebrate success as a team and face failure as a collective learning experience, reinforcing our bonds and empowering each other to achieve greatness. As I continue to lead with my heart, I am confident that our team will thrive and achieve even greater heights of success.

This is my smallest attempt to share my journey and learnings with you all. Hopefully, this helps upcoming leaders and/or who are already at managerial positions. Keep Learning, Keep Growing. Cheers.