Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders

© 2015 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved. This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S.Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. The use of this material is free provided copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.in. This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.

Friday, 6 September 2024

How Leaders Can Speak With Conviction When It Really Matters—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—The Father of “Soft Leadership” & International Leadership Guru

"The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men, the conviction and the will to carry on." —Walter Lippmann

Conviction is the key ingredient for soft leadership without which the soft leaders cannot lead successfully. It is their convictions that take soft leaders forward and make their people move forward toward achieving their goals. Some leaders died for their people due to their convictions. They never compromised and stood like a rock despite stiff opposition and challenges and threats to their lives. If you look at leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dalai Lama, and Aung San Sui Kyi they are the leaders who are the symbol of sacrifices for their convictions. Let us briefly look at convictions in this regard.

What is Conviction?

Convictions are strongly held beliefs and values that spring from the heart of the people. If your convictions are strong you will find strength in your words and deeds. You will not speak from your mind but from your heart. Nicolas de Chamfort said, "Conviction is the conscience of the mind." Some leaders are prepared to die for their convictions. Some leaders died for their convictions as they did not give up their convictions. Some leaders underwent trials and tribulations and suffered silently to stand by their convictions.

Convictions are not meant to please others. Convictions are meant for you as they allow you to be firmly on your feet. Sometimes people may not approve convictions of leaders. But they gradually realize and accept over some time when they are convinced. Therefore, acceptance and rejection of convictions are secondary. Fundamentally convictions must convince you first so that you can walk your talk.

Leaders can only lead when their convictions are strong. They will be able to influence others with their convictions. The people also expect their leaders to command strong convictions so that they can take pride in being associated with their leaders.

Convictions and Soft Leadership

It is hard to imagine leadership without firmly showing one's convictions. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. firmly believed in his convictions. He did not appreciate the inequality between blacks from whites. He sacrificed his life for the cause of the civil rights movement and, finally, became a martyr. People followed him because of his convictions. He could lead the movement successfully because of his convictions. Hence, convictions are the key things for leadership. He did not allow any violence to take place. He led the movement through non-violence and peace. He finally proved himself as a symbol of soft leadership.

Is Conviction a Double-Edged Sword?

Conviction can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes leaders don't care who gets destroyed as they are firm in their convictions. For instance, Adolph Hitler had convictions against Jews and put them in concentration camps and killed many Jews. He even persuaded Germans through his rhetoric and persecuted Jews. On the other hand, if you take soft leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, and Mother Teresa they made a lot of difference to their societies through their convictions. Therefore, the leaders have to be careful in their convictions.

Are You the Driver or the Passenger of Your Destiny?

You must become the driver of your destiny. Your destiny is in your hands. Your success is in your hands. You must not allow others to dictate your journey. Don't remain like a passenger, but behave like a driver to take your life towards the destination you want to reach as per your passions and convictions. After all, it is your life. You need to take calls where to go and how to go. However, you can seek inputs and guidance to reach your destination. Ultimately it is your call about your life and destiny. To conclude in the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward through the night"

Reference

https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Leadership-New-Direction/dp/1949003523

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“Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html

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Note: I had COVID. I had a brain hemorrhage. I was in bed for five months. My right hand is paralyzed. I am recovering. Thanks for understanding and empathy. https://youtu.be/BFJrSRLHPUk

Life is great!

Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

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This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S. Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. Please don't cut articles from my blog and redistribute by email or post to the web. The use of this material is free provided the copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.

#profmsrao #life #success #video #speaker Develop the Mindset That Trans...

A Calm, Clear, and Focused Mind is Superpower—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—The Father of “Soft Leadership” & International Leadership Guru

“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him." ―Buddha

Be cool, calm, and composed when encountering crises because a calm, clear, and organized mind is a superpower. Never become anxious when encountering challenges. Don’t react. Act. Take a pause, reflect for a moment, and explore solutions to address them. Don't panic. Don't make decisions at the spur of the moment. Don't make decisions when the tempers are high. Be cool-headed and stay level-headed to lead mindfully.

Do one Thing at a Time

Focus on a few activities to achieve the desired outcomes. When you focus on too many activities, you end up nowhere. Avoid multitasking. Take up the task that you are passionate about and competent to execute it. Move to the next task after successful completion of the task. In this way, you will be able to execute your tasks effectively. Avoid information overload. Avoid distractions. Limit the usage of social media.

Control Your Thoughts

There are many ways to control your negative thoughts. First, you can replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Second, you can eliminate your negative thoughts. The ball is in your court. Make your decision based on the issue, situation, people, and your principles and philosophies. Eliminating negative thoughts forever and deleting the folder is an ideal approach to lead your life with peace and happiness.

Challenges in my Personal Life

I am dyslexic with ADHD (Attention, Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). I had a chaos disorder. I used to panic about petty issues in my childhood. As I grew older, I overcame ADHD gradually. Now I can accept disruption and thrive on uncertainty. I am capable of overcoming challenges with a cool demeanor. I resisted change in my childhood. After I joined the Indian Air Force at the age of 18 dropping out of college to support my parents financially and serve my nation, I embraced change. I understand that the only thing constant in this world is change. I embrace and enjoy the change in life.

When you execute tasks under panic you are likely to make mistakes. I made many mistakes when I was young. Now I execute tasks slowly and steadily at my own pace and my success rate is higher. I prefer quality to quantity. I emphasize excellence over perfection. I am happy with what I do. I don't have any regrets because I am mature, calm, and clear in my mind. Life is the best teacher.

Conclusion

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” —Saint Francis de Sales

Accept the reality that the negative voice inside the head is natural and an integral part of life. Replace your negative thought process with a positive thought process by taking charge of your life. To conclude, control your mind to have clear thoughts and organize them effectively to lead your life mindfully and meaningfully.

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” —J. K. Rowling