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Calling Hindu Leaders & Followers - Guest - 10-04-2004
<b>Calling Hindu Leaders & Followers</b>
<i>Veera Vaishnva
Veera_Vishnu@rediffmail.com</i>
<i>Leadership is not magnetic personalityâthat can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not "making friends and influencing people"âthat is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.</i> - Peter F. Drucker
<b>Introduction</b>
Hindu organizations all over the globe are suffering leadership crisis. Since the purported goal of all these activists is the reform and betterment of Hindu society, it is safe to assume and aver that Hindu society suffers from leadership crisis. With the crisis either acknowledged or not, by astute observers and established leaders, the question becomes for us, how do we curb the current crisis of leadership? Perhaps the answer is found in returning to the basics of leadership. The current crisis stems from faulty leadership discovery and complete absence of leadership development. There is also another underlying reason for the current crisis of leadership: selfish leadership and exploitation of their followersâ sentiments. In this article, a gentle hindu reader is given tips on how to avoid a leader or even become a better leader, and exhorted to increase emotional intelligence to wise up to emotional exploitersâ words/promises.
<b>Leaders (Political & Spiritual)</b>
Among the Hindus, who are not ashamed to call themselves hindus do acknowledge the need for a change or reform in the society, organizations and leaders - the results of which would - at least the hope - be better security and freedom for Hindus all over the globe. Hindu organizations have been oscillating between two extremes - Strategic planning initiates and âcall to armsâ (literal or figurative) approach. There are two common observations to both that sticks out like a sore thumb
- Commitment to an idea is far different from knowing how and when to take an action to transform a thought into action and set a path for it.
- Ad-hocism and Selfish leadership
The latter approach is not productive in the long term either. It is probably very effective under a visionary leader only for a short time. Once new members start getting into such reactionary groups, the vision starts to recede, and the leadership has to be autocratic to continue on with the vision. If a rational person thinks long and hard about ad-hoc measures taken by a leader, he/she will invariably get to an understanding of the selfish goals of the leader and futility of such reactionary movements - its attraction notwithstanding.
<b>Leadership</b>
The leadership crisis in many hindu organizations partially stems from the crisis in character of our leaders. The character of the leader ought to be grounded on core values such as integrity, trust, truth and human dignity, which influence the leader's vision, ethics and behavior. The moral literacy of the leader and the essentials of an ethical culture are connected to his/her character and not to his/her charismatic personality. The quest for leadership excellence is based more on character than charisma. The leader is also empowered through his/her character to serve as a mentor.
The selfish leader will attempt to lead others for his/her own gain and for the detriment of others. These people believe that life is a point driven, zero-sum game, with winners and losers. They encourage others to be losers in the game of life so that they can collect all the spoils for themselves.
<b>Charisma or Character</b>
Character not charisma is the critical measure of leadership excellence. While charisma is a personal attribute and is not connected to ethics, moral literacy, mentoring or the design of an ethical culture. It is the character of the leader that is connected to aforesaid elements of a leader's behavior.
Leader or âguardianâ concept is based profoundly on philosophical concerns, values, ethics and morality of a person. However lately even the study of leadership, since it came under the umbrella of psychology, has been demythologized, secularized, democratized, psychologized, Marxisized, Islamisized, and Christianized - as a result the current Hindu leadership and even followers excessively rely on Charisma and not Character, as all the leadership traits are now concerned trivial and irrelevant. The hindu leaders as the higher they go up in the food chain, the need to get de-hinduized grows higher. It is unfortunate that even the ardent followers either refuse to see it, or if they do, will be absorbed into the system that benefitâs the leaders and not the people.
Charisma focuses on personality attributes such as dynamism, style, image, inspiration, symbolic behaviors, impression management, emotional intelligence, extroverted style, self-confidence, empathetic understanding, and admiration for articulating a vision. Charisma represents a potentially key component of strategic leadership. Many a time, a young independent Hindu India has seen such charismatic leadership. A leadership that is self serving, self-aggrandizing, and exploitative of others. The leadership has always maximized it's self interest at the expense of hindus through the use of manipulation and deceit.
Most of the Hindu leaders whose personalities are characterized by a high degree of narcissism are driven by intense needs for power and prestige. The use of coercive power, intimidation, and deception are some of the strategies used to enhance the power visibility of these charismatic leaders.
Such leaders govern in a totalitarian manner, discourage questioning of their decisions, advocate goals that largely benefit themselves, disregard legitimate institutional channels, and use punishments and rewards to motivate. Among their followers, they prefer to foster dependence and unquestioning obedience over independent thinking.
<b>Organization and Society</b>
A leaderâs impact should be for the good of an organization and the good of society. Selfish leadership is as bad, or worse, than no leadership and its impact is utterly disastrous. The one main question that all the Hindu leaders fail to answer to themselves, much less to the followers is âWhere to lead and howâ?. Fortunately for these leaders, even followers seldom raise such questions.
The underlying value system of any organization cannot be managed by issuing an authoritative directive. It has little or no impact on an organization's value system. Organizational values are developed and reinforced primarily through value based leadership, a relationship between a leader and followers that is based on shared, strongly internalized values that are advocated and acted upon by the leader.
Leaders influence cultural and ethical values by clearly articulating a vision for organizational values that followers can believe in, communicating the vision throughout the organization, and institutionalizing the vision through everyday behavior, rituals, ceremonies, and symbols, as well as through organizational systems and policies.
<b>The Character of the Leader </b>
On the other hand, character is based on core values of the leader. Character is the leader's moral center . Character influences his/her vision, goals, self-concept, strategies, work ethic, attitude, perception, code of ethics, behavior, and the search for excellence Character, therefore, is an evaluation of personality. The subject matter of ethics is character. A leader can have a charismatic personality but a debased character. He/she is charming, inspirational, dynamic, magnetic, and glamorous but his/her core values are based on greed, egoism, and power abuse. From the core values emanate sub values, which express a leader's dysfunctional behaviors such as malice, deception, arrogance, intimidation, conceit, coercion, anger and an absence of trust, integrity, gratitude, and harmony. These toxic values will in turn influence his vision, strategies for using power, communicating, and decision making and will prove dysfunctional for all levels of the organization.
<b>Integrity and Character </b>
It is also defined as a state of "soundness of and adherence to moral principle." Since integrity is an aspect of one's character and behavior, the definitions are highly related. It has been argued that a leader's character cannot become whole and integrated unless it is grounded in a solid infrastructure of moral values.
<b>Character Flaw List </b>
The following is just a short list of characteristics of Hindu leadership or lack there of, that comes to mind. One can easily put a face of a â<b>Hindu Leader</b>â to every item in this list of character flaws that should normally disqualify anyone as a leader.
- Absence of humility: Displays Arrogance by becoming puffed up with their own importance, exaggerating their worth to the organization.
- Lack of concern for greater good: Promotes self-interest by exploiting the organization for own purpose and focusing on "What's in it for me?" when considering actions.
- Practices deception by making untrue statements, taking credit for the work of others, and using misleading facts to defend positions.
- Breaches Agreements by delivering promises late, or failing to follow an agreed upon actions.
- Deals Unfairly by making judgments without researching facts, discriminating in promotion of own ideas and of a favored few.
- Shifts Blame by declining to acknowledge personal responsibility, falsely accusing others, and denigrating the reputation of colleagues.
- Diminishes dignity by withholding recognition, declining to invite or accept input, exhibiting discourteous and impolite behavior.
- Leaving followers worse off than they found them.
- Consciously feeding the followers illusions that solidifies the leaderâs power and impair the followersâ capacity to act independently
- Playing to the base fears of and needs of the followers.
- Retains envy by begrudging others success, and Competing at every opportunity.
- Neglects followersâ development. Failure to nurture other leaders and clinging on to power and position.
- Avoids Risks by refusing to confront unjust actions, or declining to stand up for principle.
- Holds Grudges by failing to let go of hard feelings, and finding ways to get even.
- Declines to Extend Self by withholding help and assistance in times that matter, and being ungenerous in rewards.
Why do people, in general and Hindus in particular seek out such leaders? Among an intricate cluster of our needs feeds into the search of such leaders. Everyone wants a meaningful and safe position in the world, for hindus however, this place - according to current leaders, media and certain sections of elite and intellectuals - had better be anything but Hindu.
There are two psychological factors worth looking at in so far as the followers psyche is concerned. The need
- For Security and Certainty impelling followers to surrender freedom
- To feel chosen or special
In the Calvinist doctrine of predestination, the idea of being a chosen one for godâs grace or eternal damnation was a powerful force. The thought and concept of belonging to a chosen group, and a promise of a special place in the afterworld also motivates people to sacrificing their freedom. In the case of Hindus, the totally distorted view and understanding of Karma turned this âchosen onesâ concept on its head. Coming from the opposite end of this concept, Hindus are resigned to the fact and certainty of their extinction, and sacrifice their freedoms and voluntarily choose sufferings as if it is divinely ordained. A divine justification for this behavior is misplaced notion of Bhakti.
In short, Hindus neither feel they are special or chosen ones, nor do they care for their security. Is it any wonder that Hindus get the leaders they get or deserve?
<b>Not your Grandfatherâs Hindu or Hinduism</b>
â<b>Yatha Praja, Thatha Rajaâ</b> is how things work in a democracy and Hindus had better wake up to this fact. In this regard, they can learn a thing or two from Christian, Marxist and Muslim groups. Gone are the days, when the Dharma bound King/Ruler would protect a Dharmic society. Hindus, you are on your own. Neither you are chosen one, nor your security assured.
Frederick Douglass once said <i>âThe whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims have been born of earnest struggle. This struggle may be a moral one, or It may be a physical one, and It may be both moral and physical, but It must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without demand. It never did and it never willâ. </i>
Granted that Hindus are in the present situation due to factors almost exclusively on external economic and political causes such as, Islamic invasions and occupations, colonialism, neocolonialism, imperialism, communism, secularism, modernism, post-Marxism, post-modernism, neo-liberalism and now globalization. But are Hindus completely faultless and beyond reproach?
While focusing on the external and social, economical, political problems, hindus should not forget to improve the cultural & psychological underdevelopment and neglect. They should expect leadership in this realm as well. One cannot expect any improvement in lives if there is no internal development linked with external development. The betterment should be out on all fronts, and the ones that an individual can control are obviously the internal ones. The first focus should be on interior individual, exterior individual, interior social or communal (social systems), exterior social or communal (culture).
The interior domains are the ones which communists want to dominate and have dominated, while Mullahs and Missionaries and Bollywood will forever try to control exterior elements. The ultimate goal being âDe-Hinduizationâ of Hindus and India.
Once de-hinduized and de-humanized, you will be a fit case for mass elimination. And this fact should never be forgotten by any hindu. If Hindus do not see an immediate and obvious need for such development and a paradigm shift in their expectations of their leaders, well, you deserve the leaders you got. Otherwise, start organizing hindus, and march on with a purpose, and dislodge characterless leaders for starters. Until then,
Some useful tips and reminders for Hindu followers who do not wish to be a part of repeated history.
- Donât grudgingly, mindlessly follow and obey a manipulative, scheming survivor who abandoned all the values and promises of hindu betterment, passing off as a leader
- Donât hesitate to put the leaders feet to the fire and constantly encourage others with character among you who has the leadership potential
- Take responsibility. It is not just the leader who fails you, you are failing yourself.
- Set concrete goals - if the leader is incapable of or dilly dallies - for hindu betterment and make sure the leader acts on them.
- Challenge your leader (including Swamis) with specifics and threaten with non-compliance after verifying the accuracy of all the claims the leaders make. Make your leaders accountable.
- Hindusâ downfall is because of the erosion of martial spirit, thanks to Buddhism
- Treacherous fellow hindus within, including Marxists (who pass off as hindus when convenient).
- Indifference to sufferings of fellow hindus - remember our history is replete with such incidents.
- Let go of blind faith and develop critical thinking skills. Remember Somnath temple destruction and hindus waiting for Sun god (??) to come protect them? [???]
- You get the driftâ¦â¦ <b>And</b>
- Finally, avoid watching Bollywoodâs nonsensical maudlin tripe which turns ones brain into a Jell-O and kills any emotional intelligence development, objectivity, rational thinking.
It is about time all Hindus took serious stock of their respective organizations and groups and demand a change if needed. A fresh and open minded, progressive inquiry has to be made as to what is good of Hindu society and security. Followers have to make leaders and not otherwise, unless and until such leaders come our way due to our good fortune. Hindus can do a lot better by themselves without depending on their leaders initially, until the internal bleeding is stemmed. After that and until then, watch out for Hindu leadersâ non-verbal call <b>âWhatâs in your wallet?</b>â, while re-defining, re-learning and internalizing the actual meaning of Karma and Bhakti. Raise yourself, raise your expectations, raise your leadersâ accountability and hold them to Hindu standards - such as set by Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.
Calling Hindu Leaders & Followers - Guest - 10-28-2004
Not completely off tangent..
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With Leaders like these Who needs Enemies?
By Gary M. Cooperberg
The one trait which Shimon Peres can be complimented upon is that of consistency. He has consistently maintained that peace can be achieved by Israel backing down upon any of its principles which may interfere with negotiations with our enemies. He is convinced that this policy will eventually result in peace. What he fails to take into consideration is the fact that, were his policy truly implemented, the peace we would enjoy would be under the rule of our enemies. . . should they be kind enough to allow us to continue to live.
Ariel Sharon, on the other hand, has exemplified the quality of most politicians. . . the ability to become completely inconsistent. Who would have imagined, even a year ago, that Peace Now would be demonstrating in favor of Sharon? This fact is the clearest illustration possible of just how completely the Prime Ministerâs policy has changed. One would expect even a Sharon to take notice of the fact that the most vocal Israeli political organization dedicated to the self destruction of the Jewish State is now his new partner!
How ironic that, much like the thinking of Shimon Peres, Sharon has stated that one of the main reasons he wants to flee from Gaza is because there are so many Arabs there. Well the Arab population is growing faster than the Jewish one in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and all over Israel. Perhaps we had just better make plans to abandon the entire country. That would be the consistent conclusion one would have to arrive at should we follow through on this faulty logic.
Arabs living in the Gaza Strip are not âinnocent civiliansâ. They are enemies of the Jewish State and they have turned their children into living bombs in the war to destroy us. How dare we even consider the well being of our enemies above and beyond that of our own country?!
It has been said that this tiny country cannot take on the entire world. The USA and the European nations will never accept the idea that Israel include Judea, Samaria and Gaza as part of our country. What country in the history of nations voluntarily abandoned parts of its own homeland owing to threats, real or imagined, on the part of world powers? The only way any self-respecting nation would agree to give up its land is as a result of losing a war. Our hapless leaders have decided, in advance, that we would lose should a war break out and thus have decided to surrender even before the war begins! With leaders like this who needs enemies? The only wonder is why our government hasnât come up with a plan to change the name of Israel to Palestine and just hand the keys to Arafat. That would be consistent with the current thinking of our leaders, and would certainly result in the real peace that Shimon Peres envisions.
Voluntarily fleeing from any part of our homeland is not only treasonous, but a clear message to our enemies that we are afraid of them. This will guarantee an increase in terror and encourage our enemies to believe that we can be defeated. In a war either you crush your enemies or they crush you. What kind of mentality would find a leader inviting his enemies to destroy his country by giving him the implements to do so? What country has ever voluntarily given weapons and training to those who clearly use them to destroy you?
If you need proof that G-d is protecting us there is no better proof than the very fact that we still exist despite the incredible efforts on the parts of our leaders to self destruct. The very fact that a Sharon, in the office of Prime Minister, is working so determinedly to aid and abet our enemies owing to his fear of the nations of the world, will result in even greater miracles taking place as our G-d steps in to rescue us even from him. But woe to us for the deserved punishments we will suffer as a result of our failure to stand up to this bulldozer.