Page 47 - Essence - 8
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This time Gandhiji looked at the boy and said, “Young boy, you should stop eating sugar as
it is not good for your health. Listen to your mother and obey her.” The boy agreed.
The mother curiously asked Gandhiji, “Why did you not tell him the last time when I
brought him here?” Gandhiji smiled and said, “Mother, the last time you came, I had the bad
habit of eating a lot of sugar myself.”
Moral of the story: If we want people to follow or listen to us, we should lead by
example. By leading the way, you are building people’s confidence in you.
Do you feel that you are a good leader? What leadership qualities do you see
in yourself?
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Reflection Centre
Leaders who are authentic are trusted because they are unwavering, especially when faced
with the challenges of popular opinion. If you want to become a student leader, you have
the opportunity to develop skills that will prepare you for success in school and life.
Besides being personable and opinionated, exceptional leaders always practice the points
given below:
1. Practice Discipline
A good leader needs discipline. Developing discipline in your professional (and
personal) life is a must to be an effective leader and inspire others to be disciplined
as well. People will judge your capacity to lead by the amount of discipline you display.
2. Take On More Projects
A great way to develop your leadership skills is to take on more responsibility. You
don’t have to take on more than you can handle, but you need to do more than
simply what’s expected of you if you want to grow.
3. Learn to Follow
A true leader has no problem yielding control to another person when appropriate.
You should not feel threatened when someone disagrees with you, questions your
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