To question, is to think. To think, is to introspect. To introspect, is to seek. To seek, is to be aware. To be aware, is when the journey begins.Who is your role model?
Not coming from a pedigreed family or a landed family can be a boon too. That’s what contemporary India is observing currently.
The ability of young Indian professionals and entrepreneurs from lower and middle-class backgrounds, and from smaller towns, to rise up above the obstacles to create their own stamp of arrival in the business arena has been unprecedented. However, let’s celebrate failures too, for they are the attempts to rise out of mediocrity!
In your own journey, who has been your role model?
Is it your teacher or parent?
Is it someone from your neighbourhood?
Or as many of us who get our ‘tips’ from various social media universities, is it:
That renowned celebrity?
That famous industrialist?
That popular CEO or startup founder?
Don’t go with only the message-forwards that glorify them… Many of them can afford to have smart writers to make some of that glorification and the budgets to spread it well. One can speak of success, once they are successful.
It is important to understand the context of their journey. Not everyone will share the same resilience to bounce back from stress, strain, obstacles thrown at them. And those who are successful for long have proven their mettle with such resilience.
Hierarchy and role models
Who is your current role model?
Is it your parent or that distant relative who rose above the ashes?
Or is it that local area merchant whom you have been observing since childhood?
Is it that friend of yours, whose family survived all odds and bounced back to success?
It is worth remembering that someone need not be senior in the hierarchy or highly qualified to be a role model. An operational manager, or team leader, is more likely to have a greater day-to-day impact on you than the most senior people in the company.
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It has been established by research studies that the existence of role models at all levels of an organisation positively impacts and builds its culture.
Values to valuations
As an entrepreneur or leader, you expect to increase your business valuations.
How about pegging a strong value system, and living by it?
Do you easily get carried away from the swanky cars or even over-awed by the fabulous boardroom decor of your potential and current investors?
Do you think that all is well with them, their lifestyle and quality of living?
Do you think that they don’t have their own troubles and demons to face?
Is their life lovely ever after?
It’s a myth to think that all those who are materially successful are in a happy state.
Or if material success is a criterion of overall success or even of well-being.
There are more role models, who depict material success and not on necessary values-based metrics.
Measurement
What does one emulate from their role model(s)?
Character?
Personality?
Style?
Panache?
Discipline?
Work ethics?
Sense of service delivery?
Sense of mission to achieve quality work?
Urge to create socio-economic impact with work?
Everyone likes a role model who is successful.
Most role models, accepted as being genuine leaders showcase few traits. They demonstrate confidence. They are knowledgeable. They don’t mind being a trendsetter, against all odds. They have the ability to accept their failures. More importantly, not all role models have to be public figures.
In short, they are worthy of being copied or imitated. They are comfortable with being who they are and what they stand for; with a definite sense of self, at ease with and able to co-exist alongside different types of people and personalities.
Have you figured out your role model yet?
And importantly what would you be seen as a role model to many others?
–The author, Srinath Sridharan is a Corporate Adviser and Independent Markets Commentator. For other articles in the Coach Soch series, click here.
(Edited by : Kanishka Sarkar)
First Published: Feb 19, 2022 12:59 PM IST
Note To Readers
Gender representation of his/he is only representative, and the leadership learnings here are gender-neutral // Disclaimer: The above observations are from the author’s experience in coaching-mentoring many individuals and teams across hierarchies, geographies, industries, and life stages of organisations and ideas.
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