Leadership lessons

COVID-19 management across the world has many leadership lessons. First, leaders should tell the truth to the people. There should keep themselves abreast of developments and keep people fully briefed.

Second, the welfare of the people should always come first. Their own personal and party agenda, like elections should be subjugated to the wellbeing of their people. Elections come and go. Political positions also come and go. However, human lives that are lost, are lost forever. They leave gaping holes in families and lives of loved ones.

Third, leaders should acquire management skills. A person can be an astute politician. However, that does not make him an able manager. Whilst studying at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, I was surprised to note that a former Prime Minister of Tanzania had studied there. Presidents and Prime ministers have political skills. They should also acquire management skills if they wish to manage their countries sensibly.

Fourth, leaders must delegate, especially in large countries. No leader however smart, can manage all the portfolios like finance, health, trade, agriculture, etc., by himself/herself. Leadership involves selecting competent deputies and empowering them to work diligently.

Fifth, leaders should avoid authoritarianism and coercion. Some leaders just cannot handle any criticism. They deploy investigative agencies to smother any dissent. This is stupid.

Sixth, leaders must not hide like ostriches in a crisis. A leader must always stand tall, in an emergency. When everything is falling apart, the leader must take charge.

Seventh, a leader must not gloat. Many leaders have indulged in grandstanding on the basis on incomplete information, merely to bask in public glory. Chest-thumping and finger-wagging is not leadership.

Rajendra Aneja
Mumbai, India