Message From MD – December 2017

Dear friends,

Mehfil was an evening of entertainment, celebration, music and celebrity appearance, performed in an intimate setting. An audience of 3500+ witnessed the handing-over ceremony of our 50th project and participated with great enthusiasm and blessed us for our future endeavours. I am really
obliged and thank all the well wishers and our family members for their participation and efforts which made this event a grand success. The launch of our sales campaign “Jackpot Season 2” is gaining momentum and is going to be yet another successful campaign of Asset Homes.

The past ten years of our journey witnessed entry and exit of many great leaders from our organisation. A few of them have curiously lost their interest to continue their career with us. These talented leaders were
highly successful in their respective fields and at the peak of their careers. This makes their behaviour especially perplexing, raising questions about what caused them to lose their interest in being with us.

Why do leaders known for integrity and leadership end their career with a resignation?
Why do they risk great careers and unblemished reputations for ephemeral gains?
Do they believe their elevated status puts them above the organisational systems?
Have they been on the slippery slope for years?

Leaders who lose their way are not necessarily bad people; rather, they lose their faith in the organisation, often yielding to seductions in their paths.

Before anyone takes on a leadership role, they should ask themselves, “Why do I want to lead?” and “What’s the purpose of my leadership?” These questions are simple to ask, but finding the real answers may take decades.
If the honest answers are power, prestige, and money, leaders are at risk of relying on external gratification for fulfilment. There is nothing wrong with desiring these outward symbols as long as they are combined with a deeper desire to serve something greater than oneself. Leaders whose goal is the quest for power over others, unlimited wealth, or the fame that comes with success tend to look to others to gain
satisfaction, and often appear self-centred and egotistical. They start to believe their own press. As leaders of enterprises they eventually believe the institution cannot succeed without them. It’s lonely at the top, because leaders know they are ultimately responsible for the lives and fortunes of people. If they fail, many get deeply hurt. They often deny the burdens and loneliness, becoming incapable of facing reality. They shut down their inner voice, because it is too painful to confront or even acknowledge; it may, however, appear in their dreams as they try to resolve conflicts rustling around inside their heads.
Meanwhile, their work lives and personal lives get out of balance. They lose touch with those closest to them̬, spouses, children, and best friends — or co-opt them with their points of view. Eventually, they lose their capacity to think logically about important issues and finally fail as true leaders which leads to resignation and exit.

Leading is high stress work. There is no way to avoid the constant challenges of being responsible for people, organizations, outcomes, and uncertainties in the environment. Leaders who move up have greater freedom to control their destinies, but also experience increased pressure and seduction. Leaders can avoid these pitfalls by devoting themselves to personal development that cultivates their inner compass. This requires reframing their leadership from being heroes to being servants of the people they lead. This process requires thought and introspection because many people get into leadership roles in response to their ego needs. It enables them to transition from seeking external gratification to finding internal satisfaction by making meaningful contributions through their leadership.

The reality is that people cannot stay grounded by themselves. Leaders depend on people closest to them to stay centred. They should seek out people who influence them in profound ways and stay connected to them. They should seek out such people who aren’t impressed by titles, prestige, or wealth accumulation; instead, who worry that these outward symbols may be causing the loss of authenticity. We need mentors and advisors to advise us when facing difficult decisions. Reliable mentors and advisors are entirely honest and straight with us, defining reality and developing action plans. Let’s all learn from the mistakes we see committed by others and try to become a true great leader in our organisation.

Warm regards,
Sunil Kumar V.