5. CONSIDERING OTHERS BETTER

 5. CONSIDERING OTHERS BETTER

(To give space to others thoughts and feelings by giving importance to everyone)

1. Acknowledging others’ gifts/talents:

The soberness of Self:

Only when a person knows about the self, accepting the strengths with the limitations, the person will be able to consider others. Only when the person wants to do good for the others and wants the well-being of the other person, the person will be able to consider others better. A self-knowing person always takes the stock of the self for not thinking higher than what he ought to think about him. A leader should neither belittle nor boast about the self and acknowledge others in everything.

Unity in Diversity:

There is a wide diversity amidst us, based on the differences in our being, practices, followings, beliefs, and backgrounds. We also have a lot of interests and talents that don’t comply with each other, all the time. Though there are diversities, there is great productivity when there is unity among us. The unity would support one another, encourage one another, and help each one to be themselves without compelling them to what an individual wants.

Unique Talents of all:

All human beings have something special that others don’t have which may be their way of doing, way of being, and way of thinking. Each one possesses some talents to offer to others, but most of them don't work to find or make their talents better. Unique talents help not only the self to earn prosperity, power, or possession, but also it is helpful for others to provide something productive for the common good. It also compels us to consider others better.

Helping to Identify Talents:

Sometimes it would be difficult to mentor and guide others, especially when there is a greater disappointment after letting know that the person, whom we trusted to have some skills, didn’t know it the way expected. But still, it is not fair to leave the person as they are, and it is needed to help them to identify their talents and skills by pointing out the limitations to develop more healthily, for their improvement, by considering what is best in them.

Allowing each to execute:

Though everyone has something to contribute to others, it would not be helpful unless or until some opportunities are provided for everyone to find and execute what is in them. A good leader should always help the people to identify and sharpen their attitude to utilize their best for the common good, as well as provide opportunities for them to execute what is best in them by acknowledging their talents or interests, trusting them, and considering them better.

Activity:

Writing one good thing about one another and for one another:

All the participants will be given an A5 sheet of paper. Each of them should write their name on the top of the paper and pass the paper to another. Another person should write one good thing about the person or one good thing for that person. The papers should be circulated around till everyone writes about every other participant in the room. Finally, the sheet of the person who wrote their name on the top will be given back to them.

 

2. Encouraging others:

Admonish one another:

It is very easy to go at ease with others either by accepting everything or neglecting everything from others. But a real concern for a person is not just upholding a person but also upholding a person based on the right values and virtues, as that alone could make a person complete and independent. So, it is necessary to admonish and say to a person when he errs that the thing is wrong and it is not for the common good. It’s difficult to admonish but it is necessary to make a person better.

Warning with Esteem:

When we care for the person, we need to help the person by giving the right ideas and thoughts at the needed times. Whenever the person thinks in the wrong direction that affects something or someone, we need to express and warn him about the consequences that could follow. The person should be made to think about the pros and cons and should be made to think about the common good and wiping out selfishness for the sustenance and goodness of all.

Supporting one another:

There will be surely difficult times when there are two or more people. It’s easier doing a task alone than delegating the task to someone and asking them to do the same. But when the task is to be done 10 times faster, it becomes difficult and when there are 10 people, it would be done easily with greater efficiency and with little support. A task could be entrusted to a person, only after considering that the person could do better in it. A want for a person to do better in a task could be possible by supporting one another.

Holding on Patience and Humbleness:

Sometimes it would be a little tiring and annoying to train a person or make a person understand certain things the way it is needed, but still, when we have a real concern for the person to be better, we would surely hold on to Patience and Humbleness. We will not dare to teach a person every time he misses out on something and as well we will not boast about our self-esteem or capability but be desirable.

Giving hands to a successor:

The time will be soon passing and no one will be left in the world, with immortality. Everyone has to face their destiny at some point in time, which is uncertain. No one could be the one and only leader who will be the only one who always leads everyone or even a single person. There should be a successor for everyone at all levels, at all times. A good leader considers the other person, his successor to be a better person who would become better than him, and always gives hands to the people and his successor to come up.

 

3. Giving Space and Responsibilities:

Giving the Responsibility:

A lot of trained and skilled or qualified people could be produced, but if there is no space for them to execute what they learned and utilize their skills in something, then the whole of the training or the qualification would not be appropriate. A good leader would take responsibility when there is a need and give off the responsibility after finding out the successor or someone who could be more useful and make the progress better. It is important to give responsibility to others for applying what they know and learning new things so that they would become better.

Defining the Role Clearly:

Sometimes some responsibility would be given to someone, just for the sake of delegating something and being free from it. But when we want the other person to do better and consider the other person better, we would clarify their specific role in carrying out the responsibility. A person needs to have role clarity to execute the responsibilities given or taken, to be in line with everyone else.

Delegating the Works:

The overall idea about what is supposed to be done may be very clear at times, but it could not be effectively carried out unless or until a proper delegation of different parts of the work to the different person is done. Something that is not delegated properly creates a lot of confusion and sometimes some part of what is to be done will remain incomplete. A leader not only provides the responsibilities to other people but also clearly defines their role and properly conveys what is expected of them by delegating their tasks.

Hearing from the Experienced:

There will be surely someone in the crew who would have been exposed to different things, heard about different things, and have hands-on experience with different things. So, it is much necessary to hear from everyone and learn from their exposures or experiences, to avoid tragic mistakes without experimenting in vain, after analyzing what is been discussed. A good leader utilizes the potential of the crew for the common good, by carefully observing, listening, and analyzing things.

Taking the overall responsibility:

It would be easier to plan, define the roles, and delegate the responsibilities. It is very important to check on whether the roles are well taken and the responsibilities are carried out properly by being an overseer over everything. A good leader gives credit to the crew when something goes well and productively and at the same time takes the blame on the self when something is not in the way that it was supposed to be. A good leader is not a controller but a caregiver, not one who orders but gives opportunities and not who blames but boasts others.

Activity:

Building a tower using the things given: 

All the participants are divided into groups of 5-8 members. All the groups are given a packet of straw or a set of newspaper and cello tape. They are given a time of about 10 minutes. Each group must make the highest tower using the materials in the allotted time. Then there shall be a discussion on the pros and cons.

 

4. Accepting the limitations:

The goodness of being together:

There will be always a difference of opinion and conflicts in the practices and thoughts when two or more people come together for a purpose. Though there are differences, there are always a lot of positive things when two or more people come together. There will be support and sharing towards one another physically, intellectually, or emotionally that will make us more productive and efficient unconsciously. Also, there will be continuity in everything as when one person is weak, the other person takes charge.

Everyone has something:

We always appreciate those who are popular and well-known for their characteristics, knowledge, achievements, or position. And we always seek something from those people. The people who had been recognized indeed have something to offer to us. But at the same time, it is equally true that even the people who are simple without popularity or position also have something to offer to us, that we are not exposed to. The personal knowledge of everyone in the world varies widely based on their exposures and experiences, and it makes everyone valuable.

Forgiving again and again:

No one is ever perfect without any errors. Though there might be anger at times when someone makes a mistake, we should accept them and help them to rectify the mistake or overcome the same, when it is not retrievable. The weaknesses of every human being can be different based on their situations and mindset. Everyone should acknowledge each other, by accepting their limitations and forgive each other till they excel at a certain thing.

Give Consequences to the worst:

It’s undoubtedly true that we should accept the limitations of one another and forgive the mistakes but at the same time, there will be and should be consequences for certain things to be righteous and avoid the mistake further. Certain mistakes were done unconsciously and certain mistakes were done consciously. The root cause should be analyzed for the mistakes that are done consciously and the consequences should be in such a way to realize the mistake and set the attitude aright.

Remember the limitations:

Sometimes we will not be cautious about our limitations but will be trying to always fix things with others, which would not be giving better results. We are not right always and need to recheck ourselves whenever something is not in the direction, as it needs to be. We should try to know about the self, with an open heart, willing to accept corrections, even through the subordinates. A good leader accepts the limitations of others as well as the self and takes the overall responsibility to rectify or correct them.

5. Working together:

Identify the Likeminded:

Everyone may not get along with one another or mingle together to carry out a common purpose. It is necessary to identify the people who can get along with the group to progress toward the objective and common good of one another. Though opportunities should be given for everyone in everything to get involved, it is also necessary to check the commitment and the capability of someone in something and the like-mindedness of an individual along with the group.

Sharing the Burden:

To work together, a person should either have a reward or recognition or should have the burden towards a responsibility by personalizing the needs around. A good leader shares the concerns, the problems, and the probable right solution to the crew, to make the crew realize their needs and responsibilities. Also, sharing the burden from the heart touches the heart of another person and it gives the intrinsic motivation to act towards something. 

Wipe out the differences:

There will be surely a point of conflict when different people come together for a common task to be accomplished. There will usually be people with a different culture, religion, gender, race, physical structure, education, etc. that makes a wide difference in the group. Only when the differences are wiped out and a sense of unity and harmony is felt in the group, there will be a possibility to carry out the work more smoothly.

Defining values and purpose:

It may not be constantly smooth when a group of people come together and start something with a common purpose. Everyone has different ideas and each one of them may want their idea to be executed. When everyone stresses that their idea should be only considered, there will be a lack of coalition, so the values and the purpose should be very clearly defined. And once there are so many opinions, the best of all should be considered.

Hold hands and move forward:

Everyone in a team may not be at the same pace and same strength when we come to work together. But it is a necessity to accomplish things with the contribution of everyone. Sometimes the faster one and the stronger one must wait till all others have to accomplish their part. A good leader guides everyone and encourages everyone to be supportive of one another to accomplish the common purpose efficiently.

Activity:

Human Machine

All the participants are divided into groups of 5-8 members. All the groups must discuss for 2 minutes and consider forming some working machine and decide the same. And then they should form a human-machine in 5 minutes.