Live, learn, laugh, and lead

There is a diverse range of leadership styles and leaders. Some people believe leadership is knowing the strengths and weaknesses of those who serve you and delegating tasks accordingly. Others believe leadership is delegating tasks that are not popular and convincing their followers they want to do it. In the words of former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” It was not just Eisenhower who said this, but several past leaders, such as Tom Landry and Harry S. Truman, acted under this principle.

I, however, adhere to a different set of values and beliefs of what it means to be a leader. I believe the most effective form of leadership is leading by example. One leader who I admire tremendously best epitomizes this leadership quality: Mahatma Gandhi. There is a story about Gandhi that resonates with me and describes how he leads.

One day, a very concerned mother and her son went to visit Gandhi. The mother admired him greatly and walked many miles under the scorching sun and little rest to meet one of the world’s greatest leaders. It turns out that the little boy had a colossal obsession with sugar, and she sought out Gandhi’s help to break her son’s sweet addiction.

When she and her son arrived, she asked him to please advise her son to stop eating so much sugar. “Bupa! My son consumes far too much sugar; will you please, please tell him it is ruining his health?”

After listening to the mother’s desperate plea patiently, he looked at the mother, then the son. Gandhi refused to give the boy that advice and simply told the mother to return in two weeks’ time. The mother asked “Why! Why can you not do it now?” Gandhi held steady and told her to return in two weeks. The mother left perplexed and somewhat disappointed at Gandhi’s request but nevertheless respected his wish.

Two weeks later, they returned to Gandhi. Gandhi pulled the boy aside and told him, “It would be best if you quit eating so much sugar.” The son, who was happy to listen to Gandhi, said he would and did his best to cut back on all sweets. The confused mother then pulled Gandhi aside and asked why he needed two weeks and not the first time they were here. Gandhi gently smiled at her and whispered to her, “Two weeks ago, I too had an obsession with sugar and was not qualified to advise your son. I needed that time to cut back on sugar myself.”

We should endeavor to do things ourselves first before asking others to do it. If we are unwilling to do it ourselves, then what right as leaders can we ask of our members to do that very task? Otherwise, how else could we empathize with the people we are supposed to lead, know which directions are good or bad, or understand how we could improve to be a better leader? Gandhi best describes what it means to lead by example in this famous quote, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” So strive to live, learn, laugh, lead with this in mind: how can I change the world?