CA Rajesh Pabari
Why this Article?
What we can learn from our mother about leadership? A simple truth to be brought to everyone’s attention is that we are so obsessed with observing the business tycoons and famous people around the world, that we are forgetting the simple lessons to be learnt from our own mother. Just like we feel that iPhones, iPods and Galaxy S4 or S5 will make us happier. But we have forgotten that sitting in front of the sea for half an hour gives a joy that cannot be given by those gadgets. Anyways, my aim today is to open our eyes towards what seems simple but profoundly impactful.
Leadership lessons from mom. I am here to list out some aspects of every mother’s life that says a lot about management and leadership and gives incredible lessons about what we should do in business.
| What | What She Does | What we learn |
| Look after children | She looks after children no matter whether she is working woman or housewife | Your employees are like your children. They need care and concern. No matter how busy a leader gets, it’s your primary duty to take care of your workforce. You cannot be disconnected with them. Your vision, mission, purpose, goals and targets everything goes for a toss if you are not connected with them or concerned about them (Personally not just by mails). As a leader, it’s your duty to show up in front of your workforce. No matter how busy you are, whether you are Mukesh Ambani, Anand Mahindra, Ratan Tata or whether you are Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg or Satya Nadella.And yes, in today’s time, even technology is improved so much that you just make a Google hangout call and let everyone of your workforce meet you online. There is no need to call for public meetings. |
| Contacts with relatives | No matter how busy life gets, mom keeps touch with relatives and near and dear ones, even neighbors. |
Your organization is a living entity: It’s very important to keep touch with your top customers and suppliers and those companies and organizations working around you (locality).If Your Organization was a human being, what would have been his family and Relatives? Think on this. May be nobody would have made you think like this, but I want you to.Answer will be – 1st Rank – Workforce (Human Capital) 2nd Rank – Your leadership team and Managers 3rd Rank – Your customers and suppliers 4th Rank – Companies operating in your locality (Neighbors) 5th Rank – Society at large (City where you live) And so on. My point is that, despite being busiest person on this earth (that’s what CEOs think they are), you need to keep personal contacts with these interest groups. It’s the best investment of your time. |
| Love, Care and Concern | Mom gives love, mom cares and mom is concerned about everyone in the family.Mom is genuinely interested in progress of their child and his husband and the relatives. | Love genuinely, Care naturally: Be genuine in giving and showing love for your interest groups. You can of course fake it. (Many does it). But, if you want your success to last longer (like Jamshetji Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, Narayan Murthy, and so on), you need to love the above mentioned interest groups genuinely. Care for their progress, show genuine interest in them. Think how they can progress. Think how you can serve the society with the help of your business. Think how you can meet those small small CEOS who are operating in your locality and guide them how to go ahead in business and life. It is worth sharing your knowledge with them, right? |
| Attend family functions | No matter how busy her days are, mom will make sure she attends family functions. | Social is popular: Never skip meetings with your employees and workforce. Don’t even skip parties with business tycoons. If you are a good leader, you should make sure you are there and share your lessons with those present. You never know how your kind words are going to change someone’s life forever, someone’s business forever. Its important to meet people in person and not just on whatsapp or hangout or emails. It makes us realize that we are still human beings and not robots. |
| Career Concern | Mom is concerned (and sometime worried) about career of Children | Be genuinely Concerned about your employees’ Career progress: If you are a leader, isn’t it your responsibility to care for career of your workforce. Don’t you think you should invest in improving their talents and making them better equipped to face the challenges that lie ahead on the growth path.I know what most of the ordinary CEOs think, they think “Aaj unpar kharcha karenge and kal yeh naukari chhod denge” (If we spend on them for their talent development, tomorrow they will leave job). I call this a kind of crap thinking and a third class attitude.Giveme one example in the world, a company or organization which invests enough in their employees’ career development and they are not doing well in business and the business growth. |
| Mom calls up at least two times in a day | No matter what you are doing or where you are. She will make sure that she will call you twice in a day to know you are ok | Connection with all is a must for leaders: If you are a leader, think yourself as a mother of those who are dependent your directions, your visions and guidance. Communicate with them at least twice in a day. Let the conversation or a message be very small but your two small messages in a day will work wonders for the progress of your organization. It has the potential of changing lives of thousands or millions and sometimes billions, if communicated in a right way. |
| Takes critical views also | I sometimes have arguments with mom and tell her things in a way which should not be said so. But she will listen and understand my point of view without hating me. | If you are a leader, learn to take criticisms and different points of views. You see, the best quality of you as a leader is displayed not when everyone will listen to you and does what you say. The best part of you as a leader comes out when somebody shows up his bravery and goes against you and shows you that you are wrong, tell you what you may not like to listen. Will you still be able to love that person? (Yes, you should because my mom does that even if I will say something that may hurt her for the time being).No matter what position you hold, you cannot be always right. Don’t ever try to show that you know it all. Don’t ever start feeling that what you say is all correct and it a line on a stone. (Patthar par lakir) Be open to criticism.Be open for advices. |
| Encourages you positively | No matter how bad I am, how poorly I perform, my mom always gives hope “Don’t worry, it will be all fine, we are here for you” | Make a difference: You are a leader and you are a mom. No matter how bad things go, you should always take them as learning lessons. Life is not fair always, so is business. Always encourage all, even those who is making mistakes. They will improve with the help of you love and advices (love in letters and spirit). You need to have a world class heart in order to have a world class organization. |
Few days back someone sent a video “Toughest job in the world”, if you will search in Google, it will take you to following video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB3xM93rXbY&feature=kp and you will certainly have tears in your eye after watching the video. It has got more than 2 crore+ views by now from all over the world.
Please feel free to give your feedback. (reach me at carajeshpabari@gmail.com or +919022780919)
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Thanks all,
Will keep on bringing out more lessons like this in future.
Really a good and worthy comparission of MOTHER activities with Leadership.
Feeling good to read like this articals.
Dear CA Rajesh Pabari,
You made an excellent comparision between the leadership qualities and mother’s daily activities. The comparision is worth and makes very close sense.It is very worthful and useful.
In the whole world there is no alternative to a mother.The Boss should act as a mother for the employees. Here is a wonderful comparison and also a fine lesson to learn.
nice comparison .worth useful for all
thanks
Good thoughts about Mother.