‘Leaders become great not because of their power but because of their ability to empower others’ – John Maxwell
The expert talk by Mr. Mathew Abraham, Co-Founder – PeoplePro Enterprise for Social Impact, on the importance of leadership was very insightful. He made a very interesting connection between character and leadership. A person’s character is what he/she really is. Ideals of truth, simplicity, honesty, and purity should be constantly placed before us to be followed and lived up to. Being honest is one of the main points that our talk focused on.
Honesty is not just about telling the truth, it’s about being real with yourself. It’s the easiest thing to practice, in order to live a happy life. Writing down the values you should follow, and making sure you actually do it will definitely create a huge impact on an individual. No matter how bad the situation is, you will still keep at it. These values will help you hold on and stay grounded throughout life. If you stand up for what you believe in and stay honest, people will automatically follow you and your footsteps. Be that person. You should strive to be that person.
Leadership is not just a position of power or fame but is a skill that must be cultivated in an individual. He shared an instance where he had conducted research on employees meeting expectations at their workplace. According to him, the results were astonishing with only 10% of employees meeting the requirements specified. The remaining 90% were lacking in “Honesty’ – defined as one of the most important traits.
He asked the students to make a list of values that would define them and those which they want to work towards. Leadership has four important aspects to it – social interactions, personality, communication skills and last but not the least – character. Character is our support system in this bumpy journey of life. He mentioned the example of a bus to help students understand this concept. He explained that life was like a bus. As soon as we get on it we must brace for the twists and turns and the only thing that will help us do that is the rod. The rod signifies our character which keeps us grounded and gives us a solid position in life. This talk was definitely an eye-opener for all the students.
About Mr. Mathew Abraham:
Mr. Mathew Abraham is popular for fashioning extraordinary leaders out of people from ordinary walks of life. ‘Impossibilities are opportunities’ Mathew emphasizes with his ‘out-of-the-box’ facilitation skills and contagious energy. With about 20 years of experience, Mr. Mathew Abraham demonstrates his expertise in Motivational and Skill-building programs.
