Characteristics of a Leader

What are some of the important characteristics of a leader?

1. Physical Appearance: They say when in Rome, be a Roman. What do I interpret of it. If I have to be approachable, communicable and reachable - I need to be someone that the other person can relate to and feel comfortable with. Whatever that shape is. So if I appear to the other person as an elephant or an ant, it does no good for a perfect relationship. I have to be fit like him/her to facilitate an adult to adult communication.

2. Emotional Health: If they want to talk to me, I must be able to empathize with them. Understand them , clearly feel the system they are coming from to complete the 4 levels of communication.

3. Intellectual growth: Its always about growing, continuously growing. What was being taught by Rabindranath Tagore in Shantiniketan. He said, your only competition and measuring scale is you from yesterday. Compare yourself to what your knowledge was yesterday and keep growing. Its always about growing, continuously growing to serve. Miles to go before I sleep.

4. Spiritual depth: Spirituality is about past, present and future. What are the words that come to my mind about them
Past: lessons learnt, experience, accomplishments..
Present: life, happiness, sense of being, doing, giving..
Future: Anxious, guessing, speculate, eager,
What I am writing is absolute truth now, that is present. The same thing when you read (this is already past - for you), and what you interpret, give that a shape in your mind, give that thought a life- that is truth in future. Congratulations - you just gave that idea a life. Whatever that you thought, interpreted that is life for that idea.

5. Relationship Management: Look at the comments in the flame image. It tells you why relationship is so very important. All people around you are transmitting good thoughts to you. Its in your interest to get in touch with them and maintain a relationship to grow yourself. They are all contributing to your growth. Everyone has something to give. At least speaking to them, ignited those dormant thoughts in you with some fuel that they gave - with just their presence. So when you talked, built a relationship with them, you are doing the highest level of communication as spiritual transmitters and spiritual receivers are being formed.

6. Financial success: Financially I need to be very stable, so that I have a strong sense of giving. This need not mean I need millions, I need something that I feel good about, helps me put the thought of money outside my frame of mind for atleast 24 hours in a day. Necessities, comfort, luxury --- Comfort level.

7. Charitable Giving: Learning and giving go hand in hand, as mentioned in the purpose of this blog. Charitable giving is like giving away all the time. Imagine a overflowing jar of water. Continue to give that overflowing water a direction - give it off in charity. That way, it helps the jar and the system around it from getting wet. This also helps GOD , the almighty to continuously fill you up with water , the wealth of knowledge. That way, you are happy, they are happy , God in the shape of everyone around you are happy.


We get minimum of million ideas in a day. If we write that idea somewhere - a diary, a blog, an email - you are giving it a house. Then you nourish it - pour water, give air, and food that idea grows, it bears fruits, and they grow again.

My idea now on this subject is -- if you give this idea using today's technology to 100 people, their interpretation of the same will generate minimum of 10,000 ideas. and that will be the best knowledge management system. Those 100 people will keep educating you, reminding you that this was the original idea.

As I write this, there is one thing I am learning all the time. I am not telling you, I am helping you realize, that thought in your mind that is sparked to life.

These are other characteristics that are born out of these. A Leader should also have great capability to motivate and inspire - importantly to bring that idea of his/her colleagues to life. Continuously investing time and effort in the fellow team members. It need not be team members, just others, other leaders around you.