Passionate Leadership at 104

Who is an inspirational leader?

How often do you meet someone you can call a truly inspirational leader? Christmas Day last year (2018) was quite unusual for me – extraordinary, inspiring and nurturing.  I spent the day at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University in Mount  Abu, India, the world centre of the BK’s as they are known. This spiritual movement now spans nearly every country and city of the world and is largely led by women. Even though I am not a practising member of the BKs, I really I like their meditation and their focus on service. It was then that I met an inspirational leader.

Over 20 years, I had observed the BKs grow massively under the leadership of Dadi Janki, one of the original leaders of the group. She joined the BKs as a young teenager. She is passionate about sending out inspiring messages through her monthly emails. I always look forward to finding these in my inbox as they are always wise and inspiring.

During my time in India, I had the honour of meeting with her. I had never spoken to anyone over the age of 100 previously, but I was stunned by her presence and her lucid conversation. She is 104 years old! 

Being in her deep presence is unforgettable. I think will remember her when I turn 104!

Qualities of An Inspiring Leader

The visit prompted me to think about why she has been an inspiring leader over the span of her whole life and what I could take away from meeting her. These are the main qualities she displays that I could feel:

Presence – being absolutely present to others we come into contact with; at work with employees, colleagues, clients, business and others and in our private lives with our partners, children, family and so on

Passion – being passionate about our lives and a bigger purpose and vision for life

Practicality – What is happening now and how may I contribute in this moment?

Humility – holding the attitude of being no better than everyone else and the fact that everyone can be our teacher

Wisdom –acting, writing and speaking wisely in any situation

My takeaway was that being a passionate leader requires other strong qualities in living our passions and inspiring others. We need to live them as well to successfully make the changes in the world that we are capable of making.