Book Review: The Soul of Leadership

At the heart of this book is the idea that leadership emanates from the core of our being

“In eight areas of your life you have the power to be guided by your soul,” says Deepak Chopra in this slim but significant book: “Thoughts, emotions, perception, personal relationships, social role, environment, speech and the body.” The bottomline is that in all of them our behavior affects the people we lead. If we evolve, so will they, he avers. And that's the basic premise on which Chopra builds his concept of leadership that is soul-driven rather than one that exploits people or their insecurities.

Given that the very term 'soul' is attributed more to religiosity than spirituality, it might put off readers not in a mood for religious sermons or some such. But Chopra clarifies what he means by this word within the first few pages. “When I talk about the soul, I'm not referring to the soul as defined by any particular religion...I believe the soul is an expression of an underlying universal field of consciousness,” he says.

Equating the soul with 'awareness', Chopra writes that at the soul level you are seamlessly connected with everything in the universe, to the silent domain from which all matter and energy spring.

In keeping with this explanation, the book often dips into the realm of spirituality or philosophy of the Paulo Coelho kind. At the same time, however, it does detail the principles of leading from the soul and provides useful tips to any leader willing to look beyond personal aggrandizement or material gains.

For one, Chopra hands the reader a map of sorts by spelling out L-E-A-D-E-R-S, with each letter of the acronym unraveling what it means to lead from the soul (L = look and listen; E = emotional bonding; A = awareness; D = doing; E = empowerment; R = responsibility; and S = synchronicity). In further explaining how each element works, he gives examples from the lives of prominent leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Nelson Mandela.

A very important building block that Chopra uses and adapts in the book is Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Recognizing the two overriding themes in our lives as 'needs' and 'responses', he says, “As a leader [of a group], if you are aware of the hierarchy of needs and their responses, you will be able to continue to respond effectively as the group's needs move up the scale from basic to increasingly spiritual.” This is the most powerful thing a leader can do, he affirms.

At times, the book tends to get a bit heavy and repetitive. But thankfully, Chopra has peppered it with some interesting anecdotes and titbits. Going into the roots of words, he points out that the word 'inspiration' is derived from the same Latin root as 'to breathe' and 'spirit': “When you inspire others, you motivate them to breathe together in the same atmosphere.” Tales such as the one from his own childhood in Jabalpur in a newly-independent India, in which Nehru, passing by in his motorcade in front of his house, tossed his lapel rose towards his mother (who thus acquired a special status in the neighborhood), make for interesting reading.

Then there are the inspiring stories of two entrepreneurs-leaders who created and nurtured two completely different but similarly 'soul-connected' organizations (Jeremy Moon of Icebreaker and Renata Black of Seven Bar Foundation).

The Soul of Leadership could be dismissed by some who cannot bring themselves to believe the ideas of universal connectedness and core human values, but it will be lapped up by the many who are hungering for something far beyond the clinically logical or transactional.

Movies that Needlessly Fan Violence Deserve Ban

As I write these words, I shudder at the thought of what the wrong attitude to religion and religious leaders can wreak in human life - and hope that things get better rather than worse...

The context is one of the stupidest and most useless movies ever made in the name of religion or freedom of expression. Titled "Innocence of Muslims," the poorly made video is alleged to have been made by a California citizen curiously named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. It shows a rakish, shady character playing the role of Prophet Muhammad and indulging in all sorts of "obnoxious" behavior.

I happened to watch it when someone pointed it to me. But when I knew of the outrage it caused and its aftermath, including the death of several innocent people caught in violent protests that erupted in various parts of the world, I was aghast. Not that my watching it caused any of it, but I wish I hadn't.

Who would have liked to watch a movie such as this? And why did Nakoula, apparently a frequent financial fraudster as per several media reports, make it in the first place? Do Americans - or anyone else for that matter - have the right to express whatever they want, in whatever form they want to? And should that right be defended even at the cost of several innocent lives (that might be saved if some exceptional bans to the right are exercised)? To what extent should the right to free speech be defended and in what circumstances?

All these questions are being debated in American and other media right now - as they have been debated for some time in the past on other, similar occasions (such as when a US cleric was bent on burning the Koran on the anniversary of Sept 11).

There are stern men and women who think that it should be the perpetrators of overt violence that should be punished, why ban a movie or arrest its producer?

In my opinion, while the fundamentalist nature of a section of Muslims (as also of other religious followers) is for everyone to see and condemn, isn't there a "reverse fundamentalist" nature of many free speech advocates who want to defend it at any cost? And, in cases such as this, apparently without any justifiable noble cause.

If the idea of the movie is to criticize the Prophet or Islam or its followers, why not do it in less vulgar forms than the movie in question?

What would work better - to involve and engage a wider audience in a debate and discuss the core issues or to make a crass parody and enrage people (a majority of whom are uneducated, misguided youth and cannot grasp sophisticated arguments about free speech anyway, but can get angered if provoked unnecessarily and blatantly)?

5 Quick Tips to Gatecrash the Olympics

At a time when India and Indians should worry more about getting the medals (mostly Bronze, coz Gold will be snatched away by their wives and turned into jewelry), one Ms. Madhura is hogging the limelight for all the wrong reasons.

Or is it the right ones? I get confused so often these days.

Her brazen acts have inspired this shabby article - which, somehow, I hope is a tad less shabby than our prep for London2012.

So, here it goes, darlings. Don't procrastinate your entry into the world's biggest sporting event - for which millions are fighting for *empty* seats! (Check out the ticket trouble stories on the Web to know why seats went empty.)

Tip #1: Don't participate in a sport. No, never. Else, you'll be an invited guest and will miss the fame (or notoriety, take your pick) that comes with gatecrashing. Apparently, that's what keeps a lot of Delhiites in particular, Sheila Dikshit in very particular, and Indians in general from "coming out and playing."

Tip #2: Wear a red top. I'm sorry. I have a short memory. I can't remember Madhura's face but I certainly do remember that she wore a red, very very red, top.

Tip #3: Contact Danny Boyle. For his dance troupes can do a lot of extra calisthenics - apart from doing their bit in opening ceremonies. Now, don't ask me if contacting the Slumdog director is more difficult than slumming it out to break into Olympic venues. That's for you to figure out.

Tip #4: Pre-inform the Indian media about your impending adventure - and promise to give the story to whoever has the widest reach or promises back the best, consistent and repeated coverage. You see, most media guys are getting bored of repeated scams tumbling out of the incumbent government (which is hell-bent on producing them, somehow - never minding those Anna fasts demanding anti-corruption measures). They are really anxious to cover other interesting stuff happening around.

After all, what fun would gatecrashing be if the world can't get to see you in your favorite red top marching happily alongside a (mostly) incompetent contingent of athletes!

What's more, the media that goes along with your plans might even help you a bit (isn't their motto "Anything for a story" these days?)

Tip #5: Actually, there's no fifth tip. But I hated to begin the article with anything less than a list of five, which kind of seemed rounded. But hey, why don't I offer you a deal, like they do at Nirula's or Baskin-Robbins? Taking a cue from their creative sundaes, why don't you make your own tip!? Remember, you'll require a lot of imagination and ingenuity to break into the coveted rings.

Best of luck. And don't blame me if you still can't gatecrash!

How Secure Can You Be?

Security is not a destination but a constantly moving target. And the trick for solution providers and enterprises is to move faster than the 'enemy'

With due apologies to the uber brands of the automobile world, there are only two types of mass-market cars (considered from a certain standpoint): those that have some security products installed and those with just plain vanilla, factory-fitted locks. Then, even among the ‘secured’ ones, there’s an entire cornucopia of fitments – gear locks, ‘hockey sticks’, central locking...the works.

Nevertheless, both types of cars get stolen.

But if I were to ask you, Which cars get stolen more often and in greater numbers? you would promptly answer the question without consulting the stolen-vehicle investigation department.

Just as we try and secure our assets in the physical world (but often end up losing them), so it is in the more subtle realm of information flow. Companies can use the best antivirus on the market, set up advanced firewalls or configure multiple layers of authentication, but they may still not attain foolproof security.

Having said that, organizations have no option but to try as many ways to protect critical information – their life-blood in today’s competitive world – as possible. And keep at it relentlessly, because security is not a destination but a constantly moving target. The growing crop of thieves, hackers and anonymous groups lurking in the darkest corners of cyberspace are always ready to raise the bar for security vendors and solution providers by launching more and more sophisticated attacks (sometimes with alarming success).

Consider the enormity and reach of some recent security attacks. Around a year back, as many as 77 million Sony PlayStation Network accounts were hacked, resulting in loss of millions of dollars to the company as its site went down for a month. Even the top purveyors of security like RSA and VeriSign were not immune: RSA's parent company EMC is said to have spent over $60 million on “remediation” when a series of “spear-phishing attacks” were launched against its employees. In VeriSign's case, there was a debate about the extent of damage resulting from unauthorized access to the company's servers. But the point is, no-one is spared when it comes to security breaches.  

In the future, the problem is only going to get compounded, what with the wider adoption of social media, and trends such as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and enterprise mobility. Put this together with the increasing sophistication of Advanced  Persistent Threats (APTs) and organized crime syndicates – and you have a recipe for disastrous breaches.

There are some in the industry who think that adopting measures such as retina scans, fingerprinting and other biometrics will stem the tide of attacks. But there are experts who dismiss such claims. For instance, Professor Steffen Schmidt, co-author of the book The Silent Crime: What You Need to Know About Identity Theft, is of the view that identify theft will only increase with technological advances.

I think we are going to have more security but never enough of it. The only thing to be sure is that, in the fast-moving cavalcade of security, there will be no time for applying brakes.

The Flight of Life: A Poem

For a change, I'm posting a poem about a bird's flight I wrote sometime back. As you'll notice, a human being's journey and plight is not much different from this bird's :) Here goes... 

The Flight of Life

Soothing, serene, sumptuous,

Crisp, calm, and curious,

Pure, pervasive, piercing –

The eternal sounds of Nature

Seem to flow from within.

The sky wears

Sashays of myriad hues

With a stream of changing tones

The diverse life beneath

So tirelessly hones.

The trials of life

Are all too apparent –

In every whisper,

In every thunder,

In every glance discontent.

The bird flies back

To its broken nest,

And with bruised feather,

Peck by li’l peck,

Puts it all together.

Then, with dimming light,

Closes its beady eyes,

And dreams of a distant flight –

When the nest will not be broken,

When its young will have enough to eat,

When the wings will be stronger than ever,

When the chains of labor won’t tie its feet…

So said once a seer, mighty, old and wise.

Bounce: An Amazing Book for Parents, Teachers...Anyone!

A quick review of a truly amazing book, Bounce, written by an equally wonderful author, Matthew Syed

After you read this book, you'll think a thousand times before making statements like “How talented that guy is; excellence is in his genes.” Or, “Oh, she's such a gifted child – no wonder she won the figure skating championship.”

Matthew Syed (himself a Commonwealth table tennis champion) bursts several myths and lays down the principles associated with extraordinary achievement: the popular but ill-conceived idea of talent as a mystic, elusive thing; the myth of the child prodigy (Mozart, Tiger Woods, Shakuntala Devi); the workings of a motivational spark; and the most important of them all – relentless practice.

Unlike the schmaltzy self-help books, Bounce reveals in beautiful precision the inspiring examples of world-class performers and players. What's more, the author relates how “purposeful practice” followed by champion sportsmen can be applied to business or society – and what a lot of good it can achieve. This book can indeed change the way we look not only at the wonderkids of sport but also at the defining principles of education and success.

I highly recommend it...

The Essence of Leadership

At a time when our world is suffering from one of its biggest crises – the leadership vacuum – I think it might be worth our while to revisit the idea of leadership and the core qualities of great leaders


Few things move men and women as much as the inspiring words or daring examples of a great leader. Over millennia of human history, a galaxy of leaders have led people all over the world to achieve extraordinary things. Not just in times of war to win battles but in peaceful times as well to establish business empires, create things of beauty or make planet earth a better place to be. Some of the biggest names in leadership that immediately spring to mind: Mahatma Gandhi, George Washington, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ernest Shackleton, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr, Winston Churchill, Gloria Steinem, Buddha, Pope John Paul II, Dalai Lama, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs...

Not a comprehensive list for sure, nor does it belong to a particular eon or creed or flavor – but certainly worthy of our aspiration, emulation or, simply, following.

There are some key questions we have always been asking about leadership: What is leadership? What makes the people named above or hundreds of others like them across centuries so different, so influential, so long-lasting despite their limited tenure and many human frailties? What intrinsic or acquired qualities have made them win wars, inspire trust in people, heal their minds and souls, change the way we relate to society, or create organizations and objects that become the envy of the world?

Questions like these have intrigued the best of human minds and the answers still continue to evolve even after relentless honing and refinement. But given that the world is going through multiple crises which, I believe, can be better tackled with effective leadership, it may not be out of place to address its core principles and ideas.

First and foremost, the very term leadership, according to Oxford dictionary, means “the action of leading a group of people or an organization, or the ability to do this.” So the most essential thing about a leader is that he or she gets other people to achieve some goal.

But a mechanical get-things-done-through-people definition is not what leadership is all about. Let's look at what some of the world's best minds have said about leadership.

Dwight D Eisenhower: “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible...”

Stephen Covey: “Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall.”

John Quincy Adams: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Our chief want in life is someone who shall make us do what we can.”

Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”

Tom Peters: “Management is about arranging and telling. Leadership is about nurturing and enhancing.”

There are thousands of such interesting, inspiring or illuminating viewpoints and opinions. But the critical thing to note is, it is the leaders – whether of a country, a society, an organization or even a function within a firm – who make things move. Who take the initiative to urge people to come together for achieving something. Who are always taking it upon themselves to learn new things, try new ideas and leave a legacy of innovation, creativity, and can-do spirit. They may lean toward certain personality traits, but they are all distinguished by the integrity of their values and the emotional maturity of their actions.

They are all, without doubt, leaders.

We don't seem to have many of them left, do we? So, how can we create, nurture or empower more leaders?

Think about it...

Why the New Coke Ad is More Sad Than Happy

I also like the ad that shows happy kids singing, but there are unhappy truths behind fizzy drinks people should know as well

Before I write any bad things about Coke, Pepsi or any other carbonated beverage company, let me first make an admission. I have had plenty of these drinks in my life and enjoyed them as much as kids still do today.

But then, I was also ignorant like most kids (and though I'm still ignorant to a big extent, I've also learnt a few things along the way).

So, what has changed?

For one, I started drinking fewer fuzzy drinks and began reading more about health issues, water problems and environmental destruction.

But more importantly, I became a father twice over – and began to get worried not only about what I consume but what I allow my kids to have. And when I see my young kids crave for a Pepsi, Fanta or another carbonated drink, and when I relent and let my wife share some with them and see them get aggressive or irritable after that...that's when I realize that a lot has changed, must change, from how things are now.

And that's why when I saw the new Coca-Cola ad in which kids sing a paean of hope while joyous stats are displayed on TV screens, I felt that this is wrong, just so wrong.

It's a great ad and I really like it – I only wish it weren't promoting fizzy drinks in the name of happiness and hope. Not to say it comes from a company that allegedly has double standards and dubious practices in the name of an iconic brand (to throw some light on this, readers may point their browsers to this interview of Michael Blanding, who wrote the book The Coke Machine: The Dirty Truth Behind the World's Favorite Soft Drink. And if you search “Truth + Coca-Cola” on the Web, you'll be swamped with millions of links, many of them quite revealing).

But unlike me, there are millions of people, many of them impressionable children, who will watch this ad and find happiness in bottles of Coke rather than more health-giving fruits, milk or even water. Few would work for the causes espoused in the Coca-Cola ad; most would just sip a drink and be happier than before. Or at least live in an illusion of happiness. Like I had been doing, for quite a while, unfortunately.

My first eye-opener about our current state of food-and-beverage industry came a few years back when I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. In this book, Schlosser went deep into the working of McDonald's and revealed the smudges behind the golden arches – all in their gory details (the conditions and manner under which cows are killed and processed at a factory that supplies beef, for instance).

But I wouldn't like to single out Coke, Pepsi or McDonald's for the current sorry state of public health – which is increasingly getting riddled with obesity, hypertension, diabetes and scores of other ills. It has much to do with the entire process of looking at what we eat and drink from the profiteering lenses of giant corporations. Corps that are more concerned about economies of scale and the money they make rather than what ingredients are used and what effects the products have on people's health.

Kids in India (as probably in most places before the assembly-lining of food and beverages) used to enjoy home-cooked snacks and occasional indulgences of treacle toffees or aampapad (a locally made sweet of natural mango). Now they are gorging everywhere and all the time on industrially made 'addictive' wafers, fat-inducing burgers and large doses of carbonated sugar water. These and many similar obnoxious things is what you see all around you – in malls, at the local grocery shops, even at remote hill stations.

So dads like me (and moms, who aren't like me at all :) are forced to buy unhealthy things for their children if they ever want to step out of the house.

Some of us are trying to control and minimize the damage – but our little blogs and tweets get drowned in three-billion-dollars-a-year worth of massive advertising unleashed by the likes of Coke. And our tips and messages and efforts are lost in the sheer availability of “junk stuff” and the irresistible pull of the “convenience factor.”

Will someone please make an ad on that and highlight the real thing?

Let's celebrate and be joyous in the new year, but let's do it for the right reasons and for the real heroes – not for some cunning company.