The lost Monk : Leadership Lessons

I belong to a small village named “Yalodahalli”, which is in Karnataka state and Davanagere district.  A village 99.55% Indians may not have heard off, we are only counted in election cards as the citizens. Still It’s a beautiful place to live in, just so that you know ... My Village doesn't have proper transportation and roads are built 15 years ago. It’s covered by hills and mountains in all direction, there is not much of flora and fauna, whatever forest our village had was happily deforested. Having said that, it still looks more beautiful than any modern cities I have visited. And I have a simple and humble family living in an old house, which I still compare to any 5 star Taj hotels.

Recently I lost a great guy who inspired my childhood; I can probably say what “what I am today is because of what I was yesterday”. I lost my grandfather a man who was considered as the best advisor in my village. People would simply come to him to counsel, he had no formal education rather he worked to a landlord as a bonded labour. Every sort of problem had a simple solution, he had never heard of google, or any technology which we know of. But no matter who comes to our door with a problem he had the simple solution “Believe in yourself and things will automatically fall in place”. Most out of problems can be solved if we believe in ourself, in what we do, what we think, and comprehend.

He said something very wise when I last visited him “Live for the moment”.  He told me a story which I want to tell you today...

Once upon a time there was king named Maharaja Ravindra, he had a very big kingdom. He was tall, grey hair, had a long nose which suited his personality, a handsome man with and huge built. To add to that he had quite a moustache; whenever he met people he twirled his it with lot of pride. He was intellectual and read great books to gain wisdom of life; he was trained by one of the best known philosopher in religion and managing kingdom. He knew his happiness lies in the people of his country. He was happy and content, he had a beautiful wife and all anyone can ever dream off. Because he was happy he was content, because he was content he was happy.

People in his Kingdom were lived peacefully and he was an able ruler, who addressed people grievances with utmost honesty. He treated every citizen of his country as his own child and he was well known for charity. (Do not picture a well written Bollywood movie; very rarely they make a good one these days)

He had a son, who was young. A thin guy, tall and handsome, white complexion and every girl’s dream of a perfect young man in looks. The prince never understood the importance of education, he was arrogant. He spent his time gambling, drinking alcohol and enjoying with prostitutes. He had lost the way, so once the great king called him and said “ Dear Rajakumara, we are from a noble family and we are suppose to rule the country and our citizens are everything for us. Being the king in line you must spend time in doing noble deeds. But the prince was a cynic, a hopeless of all men; he had no qualities of great king.

The king Ravindra never trusted his son and minister. He was unhappy about these developments in his kingdom, he lost his sleep, and he had no time for his beautiful wife. He started spending more time in isolation; he was growing thin and week. He wanted to give a greater ruler to his people but there he was with a man with no qualities of leadership. He stopped meeting people and his grand vision of making the kingdom as the best was running in gutters. He asked his minister to help him find a way to get his son back to righteous path of noble leaders, but they failed.

One day he died, and the people did not accept the new king, because they knew that Prince was not capable of dealing kingdom matters. Some other king from far country conquered the kingdom....   And the young prince was killed....

As soon as he completed the story, I barged in... “Did the king role out an IJP to find another leader?

My grandpa was little amused with the word called IJP (Internal job posting). I had to spend almost ten minutes explaining him the modern concept to find an able leader. He was laughing at this Idea, he might not have heard of new CEO taking over old business houses. Well that’s not the part of the story right...

He Chewed a Paan (An Indian leaf with masala which I still love to eat) and started, on those days they had no IJP’s in place!!. A king son will rule the country its simple... That’s not the point I want to make... If you go back and rewind the story I told you a tag line “Live for the moment”.  The king did not do that, he lost his sleep and he did not meet people, he never felt finding any other leader. He not only lost his kingdom but also his son because he did not trust.

He paused for a minute so that he can spit the Paan, then he observed. In this story there are many things which we can learn. In this world full of technology like the phone and your laptop, people make too many plans for their life. But they never realised that days will pass by, like the river and they will be waiting on the bank to find the right time to do things.

When I married your Grandma I was 18 years old, had nothing apart from a house to live and small piece of land to live. But I did live well if I am not wrong, I worked for a landlord for ten odd years, I never planned anything but sometimes you need to let go things around you. “Remember my boy money is not happiness”. For the king neither the kingdom nor his son, but his self interest, attachment were the cause of unhappiness!!

When you stop planning and start doing things for your organization things will fall in place, I also told you always “believe in yourself and the people, they make wonders happen”. In any organization, people fail because they attach themselves with promotions, salary hike, or any other favour. When that doesn’t happen automatically, people either leave the organization or the plan will fail. Although it’s not employee’s mistake because they are motivated by money, promotions and favours, they act as per the organization and their motivation. (A profound thought to digest; I have left many organizations because of all these reasons, and there are research and articles which proves that money is not all the reason why people get motivated... We are still stuck to the old paradigm)

I was trying to digest my new found knowledge, meanwhile a questioned popped in mind and I interrupted him “Without plan we will fail”. I have heard someone wise say “If you do not plan you are sure to fail”.

He smiled and responded “Spending too much time in planning is never good for anyone, organization like the kingdom will be conquered by others if you spend too much of time in Planning”. Well let’s consider our family as organization, we need spend to more time in developing people to do right thing, than planning, if you teach people how to do right thing.. They ensure everything falls in place.. There is no time or very less time in planning... Like I did with your dad, although he was incompetent and not worthy of talking the responsibilities, I bestowed him all support he needed and see the difference he has made.

When he said that, I can recall many organizations where I worked for and the amount of time they spent planning but they never executed it. I think they never believed in themselves....I am a curious guy and I have learned from my experience if you want to learn something, you have to leave doing everything.

As always I wanted to know more from my grandpa.. So I questioned him “How can an organization or king lead his people without spending a lot of time in planning “?.

He frowned and as a wise mystic angel, he said time to sleep. We will discuss this tomorrow... He tapped on my shoulder and giggled like a small kid, a kid who had found a new toy to play with and he exclaimed... A Verse from Nitishastra dripped honey from his old mouth “knowledge is lost without putting it into practice; a man is lost due to ignorance; an army is lost without commander; and a woman is lost without husband”. If you read this verse twice you will realize in every statement there is leader. To add on to the above statement “an organization is lost (closed) without a leader. Good night my boy there is lot to discuss tomorrow.. Sleep well...

I was bit surprised, how could my grandpa an illiterate know about Nitishastra??

I went back to my bed, I asked my mom to offer me a Paan the one which my grandpa eats. I lay down on the bed and I could only think of tomorrow, the king and the prince.......