“Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career.”- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
These are the words of one of the most influential people to walk on the face of the planet, the 11th President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Before his tenure as the 11th President of the biggest democracy in the world, Dr Kalam was among the premier scientists in our country. He worked on various state-conducted programs, for instance, India’s biggest nuclear program Smiling Buddha. In his long and tenuous career, Dr. Kamal touched countless people’s lives and gave many lessons. Among those lessons are various lessons on leadership. In this blog, we will look at some of the best leadership lessons Dr. Kalam gave.
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Leadership Lessons We Can Learn From Dr. Kalam
People Die, but words live on. Dr. Kalam is a perfect example of this, as his wisdom and teachings continue to inspire millions. Here are some of his famous lessons everybody should know.
#1 An “Everything Is Possible Attitude”
One of the best leadership lessons from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is that the attitude of a person dictates their success. Everybody has fears; however, how you overcome those fears determines your success level. When people start a new company, they are scared, but a leader who does not think optimistically can never be a successful leader. So, every leader must have an ‘Everything is possible attitude’ to succeed in life and in career. Just imagine what would have happened if Google decided that the developme nt of Google Maps was impossible. The world wouldn’t be as it is today.
#2 Leaders Ignite The Minds Of Others
One of his leadership lessons is that a leader must possess the skills to inspire others, not motivate, but inspire. Dr Kalam believed that young people hold the key to a successful future, and inspiring those young minds is far more important than anything else. Just like Dr. Kalam inspired millions with his powerful speeches, a leader must have the ability to command respect from their peers and inspire them.
#3 Leading By Example
You might have heard the story that when Dr Kalam was in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, he only used to have 2 pairs of shirts and trousers. Why? Couldn’t he afford it? Well, because he was a man who believed in setting examples. His goal was not to buy clothes or live a lavish life, but to perform his duty as the President of India. Integrity is the identity of a leader. For example, Anita Roddick, the CEO of The Body Shop, never sacrificed her values, even if it meant a loss in profits. However, now, she has one of the biggest companies in the UK and India only because of her integrity.
#4 Care For People, Not Just Profits
One of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s leadership lessons was that people are more than just money-making machines. He believed in the power of human potential and placed a great value on the well-being of people around him, which made him a respected leader. A good leader will invest in employee welfare programs and ensure that his/her employees are taken care of. This increases the trust of the employee and results in better employee engagement.
#5 Learning Never Stops
Dr Kalam believed that learning can only stop when the person leaves the earth. To him, learning is an eternal process and any leader who thinks he has learned everything is doomed to fail. Among the best leadership lessons is constant learning. This shows how ahead of his time Dr Kalam was because in today’s world, where change is the only constant, adapting and learning new things are the keys to success for businesses and leaders. The perfect example of a forever learning are people like Satya Nadella and Elon Musk. Both of these people keep learning and enhancing their respective organisations, which led them to build the biggest tech and car companies, respectively.
Learn From Dr Kalam And Become Successful
Dr Kalam is one of the most achieving and loved Indians ever, and his leadership lessons are something that we can all learn from him. His beliefs were that a leader has to be visionary, empathetic, inspiring, curious and a good example to others. Only then can he or she be called a leader. As we deal with the problems of the 21st century, his teachings and leadership lessons are like a compass that guides us to a sustainable and successful organisation.
