Mrs. Patoliya was very happy. After a long ten years of their marriage, she was expecting. This was her eighth month. Her husband, Ramesh Patoliya is a middle level government officer hailing from a very small town called Radhanpur situated in the middle of the “great salt desert of India”—Kutch, Gujarat. She fondly remembers those days when she got married and came to her husband’s house at Radhanpur. It was after a lot of visits to the doctors and temples she became successful in getting pregnant. She used to hate those stares and jibes from the elderly women of their family. She was intentionally boycotted and also prevented from attending any auspicious family ceremony. Her crime? She was supposed to be “barren”. To avoid his wife from getting into any of those uncomfortable situations Ramesh Patoliya voluntarily opted for a transfer to Jodhpur in Rajasthan. A wise decision and a new approach to find out a solution ---- it paid off. He was overjoyed.
Sardarji the Chief of the office at Jodhpur is anxious. Only ten more days left for his son’s wedding reception at Jodhpur. Many a rough notes have been made and thrown as paper bundles into waste paper basket. Sardarji’s chamber is now usually busy with his “advisors”. The whole government machinery has been put into action which otherwise remain idle. Two of Sardarji’s trusted lieutenants --- one middle level officer and another assistant have been working round the clock. They were preparing the list of invitees especially the special gentry of Jodhpur city. Two types of invitation cards were made. The costlier cards are for the nobles and the lesser ones for the lesser types who are below his rank and pay. But here the Sardarji has made an exemption ---- “Give the costlier cards to those who are rich and has social status”. His two lieutenants were in a fix. Now how to determine who is where in the social status. A number of guest houses of different government departments were booked for the guests of Sardarji. After all he has to show his kith and kin what position and status he holds in Jodhpur as the head of a government Office. Sardarji was very much particular in inviting the erstwhile Maharaja of Jodhpur. He went to His Highness palace to invite the Maharaja and Maharani to his son’s wedding reception. Sardarji was very pleased but surprisingly none of his own staff members and their families were invited including his two trusted lieutenants.
The D day arrived. The whole campus comprising the office portion and the residential staff quarters were bedecked with the finest lighting. The army band was playing right from the morning. The whole residential portion was cordoned off from the rest by a bamboo made barrier. There were two main gates. One used for the office and another one goes to the residential staff quarters. Sardarji type V bungalow is in between the office and the staff residential portion. Sardarji bungalow has a spacious lawn enough to accommodate a basketball court. The lawn is being used for all the action. Sardarji went a step further. He issued an order to all his staff members and guards --- “No one should use the residential gate from seven in the evening till the party gets over”.
The residential quarters wore a deserted look as if a curfew has been clamped. The music was playing in the Sardarji lawn. He wore a Jodhpuri suit with a crimson turban eagerly waiting for His Highness to grace the occasion. The Maharaja arrived along with his security. High ranking army generals, police officers, bureaucrats, businessmen all of them arrived but no staff members were seen. Only Sardarji’s 2IC (second in command) came with his spouse.
Mrs. Patoliya suddenly felt an uneasy pain. She told her husband. He ignored her. The pain was coming in quick succession. Not knowing what to do Patoliya rang the intercom to talk to his colleague. They decide it was better to shift her to a nearby hospital. They put her into a colleague’s small car and headed for the hospital. They were stopped at the gate by the armed guards. It’s an emergency. What orders? I care a damn of Sardarji’s orders. They just drove away. Mrs. Patoliya was in great pain. At 2.15 AM Mrs. Patoliya gave birth to a girl.
The wedding reception was over. Sardarji arrived late the next day to the office. He ordered his PA to take a dictation. It was a transfer order of Ramesh Patoliya to Shillong with immediate effect and in public interest. In the evening every staff member was given a packet of sweets one by Sardarji and another by Ramesh Patoliya.
The next morning the residential waste collection dustbin contained all the packets of sweets given by the Sardarji. After eight months Sardarji went on superannuation. None of the staff went to the airport to bid farewell, including his two trusted lieutenants.
Lessons Learned:
1. More than skill or competence any Leader worth his salt needs a great character to lead. Otherwise followers desert.
2. A leader quickly loses integrity by differentiating amongst his people. He/she then loses the right to lead.
3. Without empathy one can't lead. Empathy brings Respect and Respect brings with it Trust. These would be the keywords in leadership of the 21st century where more and more people would participate and contribute to the economic and social development.
Sitendu De is the author of this post.
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