Page 13 - VIS - Newsletter

October/2023

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF GUEST

SHRI T. S. KRISHNAMURTHY
FORMER CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER OF INDIA.

What does leadership mean to you? How can students like us develop leadership
A leader is a person who is supposed to lead qualities?
people; he must be a role model. He must have Some leaders are born, some leaders achieve
certain qualities which will inspire the followers. leadership by working for it. Sometimes, people

In my opinion a leader has to be a very attentive automatically take up the responsibilities of
person; He must excel in the art of listening. leading a school or a class, as a monitor does at
Instead of talking all the time, which can result in the school level. They assume these roles because
one-sided communication, he should listen to they may have the inbuilt qualities of leading
others with the intention of understanding their people and asserting their authority. A balance
problems and grievances, then try to find the must be struck between being tough and being

solution. The art of listening is very important in gentle. To some extent it depends upon the innate
leadership. Similarly, patience is very important. qualities of the individual, but it certainly can be
Taking ownership and responsibility are also key developed. Now coming to how we can develop
qualities: when faced with a challenging situation, these qualities, it is partly by observing others,
he should not try to put the blame on somebody and partly by learning from others. Additionally,
else. He should try to find out the source of the one must read a lot of books. In India,
problem, communicate with his team, and unfortunately, the reading habit is not at a

acknowledge that it could be because of a lapse satisfactory level. However, in most foreign
on his part that something is not working. A universities they encourage you to read on your
leader has to be a multifaceted personality, with own. Read biographies of people you are
an ability to communicate, understand, listen, as interested in knowing more about. Read
well as be friendly and harmonious in the autobiographies of political leaders and social
workplace. leaders alike.