You will never feel disappointed - Reason 55

The reason people feel let down by others is simple: expectations.  The solution is also simple: don’t have expectations.  It is so easy, right?

It is certainly easier if you don’t know the other person or if you don’t have anything to do with anyone else.  In other words, if you don’t want to feel frustrated, just isolate yourself and don’t try to meet people...

For a leader, things are different, because expectations turn into dreams and good wishes for others.  That is, if they succeed, the leader will be very happy; if they don’t, the leader will be there to help them dealing with it.

By not feeling disappointed, leaders keep their doors open; they continue to give new opportunities to others and to assist them to find new openings.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

 

Your past is a source of inspiration and values, but does not define your present actions - Reason 54

Past is merged in the present of all of us; for instance, look at the body and a person can even remember the type of food he used to eat that helped to shape it.

Past defines people, or to put it more accurately, many people allow their past to define their present state of existence. 

But, for a leader, past does not limit who she or he is, because leaders can change those traces that are not relevant to the moment.  After all, manage change and being an agent of change is part of being a leader.

Because of that, past becomes a point of reference from where a leader can take inspirations for improvement.  The past serves to show the leader lessons to be learnt, values to be kept and motivates him or her to make it better next time.

When past ceases to be a place for nostalgia, it turns into a source of teachings for life.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)

 

Everyone feels you are part of their lives - Reason 53

We live in a human society, which could be defined as a huge network of people who share values, resources, teachings and much more.  If it could be seen physically, it would look like an archipelago of connected living islands.

This definition does not cover however the feelings of belonging and that is exactly where leaders work more efficiently, while managing and dealing with people.

Dadi Prakashmani[1] was a leader who rose up to the head of an organisation of thousands of people at the time, after its Founder passed away.  She could have faced hard opposition if she was not able to make others feel part of her life and reciprocally, she made others feel she was part of their lives.

Her awareness as a spiritual leader was one of a pure spiritual attitude and the intention of serving others.  She went beyond the sense of connected-living-islands and entered people’s hearts, with her smile and practical support.  She would receive co-operation by stimulating others to be happier and more peaceful.

It does not matter who the other person is, a leader always finds a door or a window through which to enter their heart.

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[1] Dadi Prakashmani (c.1920 – 2007) was an Indian woman of Sindhi origin who administered the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University from 1969 until the time of her death 38 years later.  The number of students increased from about 3,000 to almost a million during that period.

(Excerpt from the book 82 Reasons to be a Leader)