Leadership — A Way of Life

I have been a student of leadership for two decades. After seeing poor leadership widely, I was inspired to learn more about leadership and teach it. Of course there were exceptions, but true leadership was a rarity.

I have seen many egotistical leaders with strong attachments to their intellects. They thought they had all the answers but failed to lead their organizations. They may have outwardly manifested that they liked to collaborate, and asked others for their feedback. However, inwardly, they expressed a lack of concern for their subordinates.

These type of people were eventually deserted by those around them, who had lost trust in their abilities. They gained as much as they could for themselves, at the expense of their employees, with this self-serving behavior. They led people through fear and intimidation, destroying the creativity within their workforce. Because of their close-mindedness, they did not learn from others. They thought they had all the answers with their “know-it-all” attitudes.

They created stressful and anxious work environments. Eventually, they experienced an unfortunate fate. Either they were fired or they intentionally stepped down, knowing that the ship of their organization was on the verge of sinking. I am sure you have come across the above kind of “leaders” in your journey.

Leadership skills in the present time are very different than what we had in the past. With the advent of new technology and artificial intelligence, information is overloading society, rapidly changing the traditional workforce.

The new generation of millennials want autonomy, meaning, and a balanced lifestyle. Focus, humility, and living authentically are necessary to adapt to changing times. Self learning, social skills, and self-awareness are essential in order to live a fulfilling life. These are some of the crucial leadership skills of current times.

Great people live by these principles day and night, and this form of leadership is a way of life for them. Let me ask a question to you. Is this kind of leadership a way of life for you? If not, anyone can invest in learning and can hone these skills.

Imagine a world where our youth, students of knowledge, families, communities, and our workplaces produce individuals with the above mentioned leadership attributes. Our society would be a better place with these type of people. I call them future leaders.

I believe these leadership skills can be be acquired and anyone can learn to become a great leader. They can make a positive difference in the lives of others, and hence leave a legacy to be remembered. I have a passion and desire to educate this new style of leadership to our upcoming generation of physicians and individuals with leadership roles.

Zafar Ajmal, MD
Health Leadership Coach