A GOOD LEADER - A GOOD FOLLOWER?

The pre-requisite to become a good leader is to be a good follower. This is a fact that confuses many people. However, this is absolutely true. How and why? A good leader always 'walks the talk'. I am sure no one has any doubts on this aspect. In case this is true then the only way that the leader can walk the talk would be by following all the rules that he lays down, because if he does not do so nobody else will take the rules seriously. So, he has to be a good follower. This realisation came to me when I was put in a leadership postion. I realised that I had to follow all the rules that I had laid down, whereas my subordinates could break some of the rules that they did not like/ agree with. I was thus the greatest follower of my own leadership. My leadership position also gave me an insight into the functioning of this universe.

I had always wondered as to why there was suffering in the world when God could eradicate it. Why did God not do it? On one occasion I was confronted with a similar problem. One of my subordinates whom I liked had gone against the orders and I was required to take action against him. My inner self did not want to take any action but my outer self wanted that action should be initiated against him, otherwise it would send a very wrong message to everyone else around. So, with a heavy heart I did the needful. I did not feel nice about it but had to do the right thing. God is probably in a similar position. He is just watching us do our part and we get the fruits of our karma. God does not intervene because even He is bound by his own rules. Once in a while, in exceptional circumstances, He grants His Grace. These are very rare occasions and only deserving cases can expect this - like the President can pardon a death sentence, but does so only in very rare cases. Even God is a great follower of his own rules and so should we, if we aspire to be good leaders.