By Dr Jagdish Chandra Rout
The well-known term “Laxman Rekha” (clear-cut limit line) is said to have been derived from the mythological magnum opus “The Ramayana”.
It is believed to have originated from the episode: When Laxman, the younger sibling of Lord Ram, had to urge his left-alone sister-in-law, Devi Sita, with a caution not to cross over the divinely demarcated line of safety and security, that was etched around the solitary cottage by him before rushing to rescue his elder brother Lord Ram, who seemed to be in danger deep in the dense forest while chasing the illusionary golden deer that was a de facto demon deployed by demon king Ravan as part of his ploy to abduct Devi Sita.
Akin to the proverb “Honesty is the best policy”, thus is the human virtue of humility as evident from the quotes below:
1) “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men angels.”
2) “Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues.”
3) “Live a life full of humility, gratitude, intellectual curiosity, and never stop learning.”
On the contrary, we are also well aware of the adage: “Excess of everything is bad.” & “Nothing in this world is good if taken in excessive.”
“Being a humble leader is great — in most circumstances. But like many things, taken to an extreme, it can end up harming your career and your team’s prospects”, quips eminent leadership coach Tony Martignetti.
In the business world and leadership context, this leadership coach in one of his precious articles published in the esteemed Harvard Business Review (HBR), has reportedly remarked: “Humble leadership style is built on self-awareness, respect for others, and a focus on collective over individual success. But being overly humble can potentially diminish your perceived authority”.
Martignetti opines that the ‘humble leadership’ can be affected in the following three manners:
1) “You may be perceived as indecisive.”
2) “You may hinder your career advancement.”
3) “You may be limiting your team’s development.”
Hence, this leadership coach underlines, “The key lies in cultivating a balanced approach, combining humility with assertiveness.”
He further suggests: “It requires a leader to empower the team, trusting the teammates to rise to the challenge and fostering an environment where everyone can excel. This nuanced understanding of humility encourages leaders to balance their responsibilities and liberate their teams to realize their full potential.”
“True humility in leadership means acknowledging your team’s capabilities and ensuring that you’re leveraging them effectively,” avers Martignetti.
Browsing “SSRN eLibrary” on Mahatma Gandhi and his Value of Humility, we would stumble upon:
“A leader, who is to serve others, must be humble. (S)he is not to be served; if (s)he is not humble, (s)he cannot serve; (s)he will be more concerned with him(her)self.”
While Gandhiji has also categorically rejected the notion of “Ends justify the means” and has reportedly asserted that, “Moral means is an end in itself because virtue is its reward,” legendary philosopher-historian Niccolò Machiavelli has batted for “End justifies the means” that means – “If a goal is morally important enough, any method of getting it is acceptable.”
It’s argued that the “idea is ancient, but it was not meant to justify unnecessary cruelty. It was part of a political philosophy called consequentialism evolved by Machiavelli.”
(The author is the founder and CEO of JB Consulting and Strategies)
