By Sita-pati das
Hi Folks, check out my new e-book on the subject of Leadership: “On Leadership”, available from www.atmayogi.com. In this 30 page e-book I examine two Leadership paradigms and discuss their applications in ISKCON.
There are two types of people in ISKCON who want to be powerful – those who want to be powerful in the organization, and those who want the organization to be powerful in the world. This book is meant for the latter.
Don’t disempower yourself by adopting the victim mentality – complaining about “the leaders” and the state of the “institution”. It’s actually accepting a worldview that contains these conceptions, of “the leaders” and “the institution” that stops you from realizing your potential in Krishna Consciousness. It’s your life, and ISKCON is what we make it – all of us. You are a leader; now understand your own “response-ability”, step up, and set the example.
- Leadership is not a position, it’s an action.
- Leadership is not the province of a select few, it’s the prerogative of all.
- Leadership is not an artificial imposition, it’s a natural consequence.
- Leadership is not about being above people, it’s about being in front of them.
- Leadership is not about entitlement, it’s about contribution.
Leadership occurs when you respond to a need in such a way and to such a degree that it puts you out in front of others.
Since we are all unique individuals each of us is uniquely suited to respond a need in a way that no-one else can. Each of us is uniquely suited to be the best in the world at something.
We all have our unique significant contribution, an area in which we can step up and respond to a need in a way that “puts us out in front”. As unique individuals we each have our particular area where we can manifest Leadership. As devotees we share the responsibility to show people how to do this in Krishna Consciousness.
By following his qualities of work, every man can become perfect. Now please hear from Me how this can be done. By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work.
– Bhagavad-gita 18.45-46
Please read the ebook, put something into practice, and write me about your experience.
“Frankly, I didn’t like the book–and I would suggest you deeply meditate before publishing it in its present form.” – Kaunteya das, Secretary Congregational Preaching Ministry
‘I thoroughly enjoyed your piece On Leadership. Very refreshing.” – Sankirtana das (ACBSP)
“In this e-book, Sita Pati prabhu nicely elucidates the issues born of the fault of applying positional, hierarchical leadership paradigms in a volunteer organization, and shines light on nature’s alternative.” – Tri Yuga das
“Thought provoking but seems to be missing some of the challenges and downsides of the model. Otherwise Bhaktivinode Thakur’s nama hatta groups would have taken over the world already right?” – Prema Avatar das
You can read more responses to “On Leadership” here. You can even respond yourself.
I read your book, and I commend your attempt. I think it has good information. In addition, an important book in my library is Peter Burwash’s “The Key to Great Leadership”. It is concise, and provides information not only individual leadership, but service business. Our ISKCON is in many ways a service business, so his comments are welcome. Peter has been a devotee for decades and a well wisher of ISKCON.
Anyway, your book: you focus on leadership, which is understandable, since it your selected topic. However, you seem to treat management and leadership as one; however, they are separate, but interrelated topics, and some feel it is important to treat them separately.
I especially appreciate that you’ve included a section on “everyone is a leader”.
Regarding the parallel lines issues, I would not presume to give my opinion on this in a short note. However, I have worked in an organization (corporation) that used “matrix management”, which uses parallel lines of authority. A caveat is that such a system requires the rank and file to be more responsible than in the hierarchical methodology. I’m not suggesting that the ISKCON parallel lines be force fitted into matrix management. However, I suggest that we not necessarily think that ISKCON must fit into a strict hierarchical model.
I hope these comments are useful coming from someone who has wrestled with issues of management and leadership for about 42 years, as a non-commissioned officer in the military, an ISKCON administrator and senior member, and business consultant in the corporate world.
ys, d
Thank you for this thoughtful paper prabhu. Your main thrust seems to be that we co-operate together around a common mission or purpose and thereby dispense with formal authority structures. Is this correct? Forgive me if I have misunderstood. If though this is your suggestion I would be curious to know how you view the instruction that the GBC be the “ultimate managerial authority” in ISKCON? How would you see this authority being delivered through the organisational structure of ISKCON? Indeed, do you feel that there is a need for such a structure in the first place? I got the impression, perhaps mistaken, that you are averse to any kind of hierarchical model that places one person above another. However, could such a model not be acceptable in situations where the leaders are enlightened and actually leading their dependants toward emancipation, as per sastric direction? (vide. SB 5.5.18) Spiritual authority is surely the very essence of our movement, and one might argue that as a spiritual movement this authority should be reflected in our structure.
I would be grateful for your thoughts.