Leadership Anecdotes : Bose, Gandhi and Mynah - Elephant

Jagdeesh Chandra Bose Story 

Here is a narrative drawn from the life of J C Bose.

Having graduated from Cambridge, J C Bose returned to India with a letter of recommendation from his professor to the victory. This letter smoothed his path into the Indian educational service and he was appointed professor of physics at presidency collage in Calcutta. His appointment was not the blessing it seemed, for it involved Bose in three-year struggle with authority. An Indian in those days of colonial rule, normally received two-thirds of the salary paid to a European professor but since Bose’s be paid only half rate for a European’s Bose was not the man to take this lying down and accept racial discrimination of this kind.

Bose for three years refused to touch any part of his salary, insisting that was entitled to the same reward as a European.  It was for him more than a question of his own self respect. Scientists have a habit of regarding the earth as one planet, and human beings as one species. Bose would consider no compromise, maintaining that the laborer was worthy of his / her irrespective of race or creed. The victory, in the end, was he.

Question: What is the LEADERSHIP in this anecdote ! 

Gandhi and Kettle Story

 “ There is an incident which occurred at the examination during my first year at the high school and which is worth recording. Mr Giles, the Educational Inspector, had come on a visit of the inspection. He had set us five words to write as a spelling exercise. One of the words was ‘Kettle’. I had mis-spelt it. The teacher tried to prompt me with the point of his boot, but  I would not be prompted’. It was beyond me to see that he wanted me to copy the spelling from my neighbor’s slate for I had thought that the teacher was there to supervise us against copying “ .  ( Source -  Gandhiji  Autobiography,  P. 6 )

Question: What is the LEADERSHIP in this anecdote !

Gandhi and Churchil Story

Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, was aghast that Gandhi expected the British to simply pack up and leave India after the war. On November 10, 1942, Churchill made his famous statement on maintaining the British Empire.  "I have not become the King's First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire." In addition, Churchill vowed to "crush the naked fakir."

Gandhi replied: “ You are reported to have the desire to crush the "naked fakir," as you are said to have described me. I have been long trying to be a fakir and that, naked -- a more difficult task. I therefore regard the expression as a compliment, though unintended. I approach you then as such, and ask you to trust and use me for the sake of your people and mine and through them those of the world. Your sincere friend – M K Gandhi."

Question: What is the LEADERSHIP in this anecdote !

 Mynah and Elephant : Leadership story

 

Once there were two friends a mynah and an elephant. 

One day the elephant said “ You know, all my life I have wanted to fly. I have always dreamt of what fun it would be to fly over the village and look down at the houses and people, to glide over the river and jungle. Do you think I can fly?”

 “ Sure, you can”, said the mynah. Reaching back with his beak, he pulled a feather from his tail.

“ Here”, he said, “ take this feather and hold it firmly in your mouth. Then flap your ears as hard as you can and you will fly”. 

The elephant did as he was told. He put the feather in his mouth, flapped his ears as hard as he could and, lo and behold, he began fly. Holding the feather tight in his mouth he flew over the village. He looked down at the people; he glided over the river and over the trees. He did things he had never done, saw things, as he had never seen them before.

When at last he glided back to earth, he ran to meet his friend, guarding the feather carefully with his trunk. “ Mynah, you have changed my whole life”, he said, I really can’t thank you enough for this feather.” 

“ That feather?” said the mynah, “ You didn’t need that, That was one of my old ones. I just gave you something to believe in. It was your flapping, your ears that did it, not the feather.” 

Source:  Mc Grath, Basic Managerial Skills

Question: What is the LEADERSHIP and FOLLOWER SHIP  in this anecdote !