VOLUME VI – CHAPTER VIII
BECOME THE OLD SALT
Your ascent to the top depends on whether you are building your school for innovation or just for efficiency. And whether you have the managerial skills to convert ideas into impact.
Prof. Michael Jenson of Harvard Business School gives a new model of leadership when he say:-
“In MBA we learn about past leaders to know about leadership. This is an epistemological approach.
But you have to learn being a leader which is an ontological approach”
Read about them but don’t imitate. Face situations, take risks, meet challenging deadlines, organise big projects, go through fire, get baptized, get hammered on the anvil of experience. In Navy only one who has a manouvred a ship safely into New York harbour without kissing an iceberg, one who has safely taken his ship without getting close to the sargossa, one who has taken his ship safely through the Suez and Panama cannel, one who has moved his ship securely in the north sea near Scotland, one who has crossed the Somali coast and Malacca Straits safely without getting his ship high jacked by pirates, one who has gone round the windy tips of Falklands – Such a man only is called “old salt”.
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VOLUME VI – CHAPTER IX
CONSIDER YOURSELF AS GOD’S INSTRUMENT
On becoming a Principal you can’t expect everything to be picture perfect, smooth and safe sailing. Learn to appreciate and accept the differences and dissimilarities among your staff. You may find the owner of the shop employing boys of his own community, home town, language – you can’t expect to have staff like that unless it is your school and you are the appointing authority.
The customer – students expect more from you today than yesterday. You better find ways to be better.
Peter Dracker, management guru said “quality is not what you offer but what the customer should get out of your offer”.
You may not be in scout uniform but imbibe the scout motto “Be prepared” – always for anything, at any time, in any manner, at any place, by any one, for any reason. The author is a scout from 1940 and had been the Dy. Divisional Commissioner (KVS-BS&G) Madras region and the state Secretary ( KVS BS &G) for the whole country.
When you discuss/ negotiate with some one, if you come down to compromise, it does not mean you have lost, it means you value your relationship with your staff more than your ego. This is the way to the top.
You think you are busy from 9AM to 10PM, but your Maker he is busy 24 X 7 X 365 because he loves you. You are able to connect the dots one by one with his grace only, can you love your staff like HIM ?
This is the basic difference between the western and eastern concept of leadership. In the West they say “I have done it”, the predominance is by self but in the East, the leader says “I have done only God’s work, I am his instrument” I am the trustee of all his wealth. All staff are my family. If they are happy then only I can be happy. In their wellbeing lies my welfare, this is what GITA has taught this country.
Daily before starting your work, recite the two GITA slokas
“Uttareth Athmanaam”
And
“Sarva Dharman Paritnyayya”
These two slokas will become your sturdy ladder to the top
Much depends on who you work with and how well you work. You are a young principal, you are in the right side of your 40’s, have all the right degrees, known to much educational jargon, are full of energy and positive attitude, but often lack the sheer gravity as needed to make the cut.
In the fifties Dr.M.Aram, Principal of Sri Rama Krishna Mission Vidyalaya teachers college, Sri.S.Natarajan and Sri. S.Balakrishna Joshi, Head masters though young oozed leadership.
You can go the top by helping your staff to think through their next steps for themselves, simply hold up the mirror to them.
As Philip Farace, CEO of Kodak said “ every morning when we wake up, we have to run faster than our competitors, or we will get eaten”
Be an impartial observer who pushes the staff to exploit their potential, don’t pass judgement only. Point out strengths and areas needing improvement or correction ( never use the word weakness). Help them understand how things can be done differently. This is what the author used to tell the Principals who accompanied him on KV inspection tours.
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VOLUME VI – CHAPTER X
BE GRACEFUL TO APOLOGIZE
Adherence to punctuality is the most important and royal highway to reach the top. You must show life that value every minute it has given you. Think that your future begins today which hides your tomorrow.
Just one moment may change your course of life and catapult you to the top – from the plains to the peak
Only in a moment –
Naranderan became Vivekananda
Sankaran became Adi Sankara
George Bernard Shaw became a writer at the age of 30
Sidharth became Buddha
King Asoka became the Asoka the Great
Jesus Christ became Jesus Christ in his 40th year
Aurobindo became Sri Aurobindo on his horse ride in Baroda
To reach the top as Goethe said,
“Knowing is not enough – you must apply.
Willing is not enough – you must do”
One day the author raised his voice a little bit to a teacher with who has not punctual. That teacher left his room with a sullen face. For a few days that teacher avoided meeting the Principal. The author could not bear the feeling that his word has created a gap between them. One night the author read about a letter JRD Tata wrote to the Head on one of the Tata group company feeling sorry for having lost his cool. Immediately the author wrote a note to the teacher as under and sent it to him the next day
“I should have not raised my voice while talking to you a few days back. I am happy you did not raise your voice in return”. That day was a turning point in his life
Standing on the shoulder of others only we can climb up. Look up what are the principles and practices that have brought the following to the present level : –
- TATA
- Bajaj
- Murugappas
- TVS
- ABT
- Amalgamations
- Lakshmi Mills
- Aditya Brila Group
- TAFE
- Naryana Hrudalaya
Study the factors contributing to the mega image of the following educational institutions:-
- Doon School, Dehradun
- Mayo college, Ajmer
- Lawrence school Lovedale, Sanawar
- Delhi Public School, R.K.Puram
- Spring Dales, Delhi
- Mothers International School, Delhi
- Cathedral School, Mumbai
- Military school, Bangalore
- Sainik School, Udumalpet
- Shriram School, Delhi
- Mallya Aditi international school
- National Public School, Indra Nagar, Bangalore
- Bombay Scottish, Mumbai
- Sanskriti School, Delhi
- Vasant Valley, New Delhi
- Vidyaniketan, Bangalore
- Rishi Valley school, Chittoor
- Nelhams Girl’s school, Dehradun
- Bishop Cotton, Simla
- Sherwood College, Nainital
- Daly College, Indore
- Assam Valley School
- Military Academy, Dehradun
- Army Public School, Dagshai
- Pauls School, Darjeeling
- E R High School, Trichy
- Thirthpathi High School, Ambasamudram
- Kalaimagal Kalvi Nilayam, Erode
- Vidya Mandir, Salem
- National High School, Trichy
- Sri Akhilandeswari Vidyalaya, Srirangam
- Kshatriya Vidyalaya, Virudhu nagar
- Voorhees High School, Vellore
- Scottish Mission School, Dindigul
- Mani High School, Coimbatore
- Sri Rajalakshmi mills high School, Coimbatore
- Sarva Jana High School, Coimbatore
- Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore
- Madras Christian College School, Chennai
- Rani Meyammai Girls School, Chennai
- Sri Ramakrishna Mission School, Narendrapur
- TVS Lakshmi School, Madurai
- Shreyas, Ahmedabad
- Gujerat Vidyapeeth, Ahamedabad
- Sri Ramakrishna Mission School, Bangalore
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Everyone has a mother as the source of his life and body. So, the mother has to be strong in mind and body, ripe in culture and character, sanctified by holy thoughts and steeped in love and dedication. Good mothers make a good nation. Mothers have to be repositories of “Thyaga, Yoga and Bakthi”, Detachment, Discipline and Devotion. Their Karma (Activity) must be based on these three urges. – Sathya Sai Baba
