Lessons learned as a class rep
Always look at the big picture
I read somewhere — when you love it, set it free. If it is yours, it will come back else it was never yours. This isn’t true for your dreams. The dreams are kind of self responsibility which cannot be compromised. A responsibility to achieve. It requires courage and determination to go with your dreams. A dream is achieved after a long struggle — that one tear when you see the finish line. So be brave and never quit!
Do things which support the big vision. One of my fellow told me — big goals are difficult. Do one thing. Every day just do one very small task in the direction of your vision. The theory behind — we may not cut a mountain in one piece, cut it in pieces.
Maintain the balance
Everything needs to be properly balanced. When you focus too much on one thing, you lose share in other areas. When you are holding several guns, shoot all of them at least one shot each — one by one.
A few text read during graduation:
The key to substantial improvement is a balanced attack across several interrelated dimensions.
The best administrators are those who strike the right balance between maximum productivity and maximum safety.
In one of the sessions, the speaker asked — “Can we let it go for the sake of harmony?”. So we don’t hold on always, yes we don’t…
I see this as the rule of maintaining balance — when you lose something, you gain something else but when you sacrifice — you don’t lose anything. Here I’m trying to emphasize the importance of taking risks (in the form of committing to sacrifices).
Be a visionary executive
Most important — be a visionary. Make long term win-win strategies. The coolest task is to make them happen. So why don’t I brag less and do more.
Be confirmed
One of the most important lessons learned so far is that we can always be wrong. What we see, hear or speak and whatever we understand can be wrong. So be very careful and confirmed. Keep doing research. Keep learning. Keep asking. Keep knowing.
A cool guide is knowledgeable and without doubts.
Be always true, no worries if you are
Even if we keep things to us with a good intention and work over it. Also we know that it won’t hurt anyone, still we might be wrong. You are not necessarily need to become a saint to be true, so do not worry too much.
One of my mentors told me — when things looks so complex, just do your best and leave the rest.
Emotional disturbance is not allowed
In life, we go through many situations. Some make us smile, some bring tears to us. When we have lost something so important, we feel a little frustrated. Even so wise can lose control. Spoiling relations and themselves. A lost soul will only kill itself and others around
It’s great to move with love. It’s good to move with support. It is easy to move in opposition and when there is hate — you become more humble.
Because sometimes what matters most is not what you have gained but what you have lost…
The statement may be very confusing. I wanted to keep it that way only.
Feelings are what makes us human but emotional disturbance make you look creep. Never intermix too much personal life in work and too much professionalism in relations.
At the same time emotions are what makes a leader look human — being able to understand his people. An unbiased mind is a powerful tool for making decisions and taking actions.
You have to stand strong
When something stop working, it is thrown in waste. We certainly cannot keep lamenting for whatsoever reason. Sometimes recovery is very urgent. The most important thing is to keep learning and moving. Everyday we are meant to become better than our past, not others. Feedback from your people can help.
When you look weak, people behind lose their faith. If you ask people to join you, you have to anyways look integrated. If not, then go out of the ring.
Understand different kind of people
Someone love something but there is someone who hate it. We need to put ourselves in their shoes. We need to become blind for our own selves and see from their eyes. Sometimes you have to take tough decisions and your people may oppose it. The greatest adventure is to merge all objectives in one direction, keeping win-win for everyone.
People need someone to listen them, not to make them listen. When you listen, you say them:
“Hey! I’m listening you. You are important to me and I’m humble towards you!”
Having a soft tone is sometimes better than having a sharp brain. A sharp mind and interested ears enhance your abilities to learn people. The best way to be with your team is to understand them. Give them what they like. Ask a few questions to make them feel that they are being given importance. This requires intuition and empathy. The cores of a powerful communication strategy.
The most distinguishing factor — take risks, initiatives and their responsibility. This require you to always keep your own self behind your duties. You will automatically be pushed forward- just wait and see it happening.
The best revenge is to forgive. Collaboration and cooperation add plus to it. Forgive people if they fall weak, because you need them. If you are a leader, that’s because of the people who follow you. Position can make a manager, but never a leader.
Go polite with with your group. Admit mistakes and quickly correct them. If bending a little helps a big vision, break your icy ego.
Invest in relationships
What if you reach where you want. Is it worth alone? Really not! I remember, when my colleagues at Next Services helped me raise funds to pay my educational expenses. The trust factor is very important. So, take time and effort to build your relations.
*** Exposure is one of the best teachers. Like any skill, leadership skills cannot be learned by reading or writing. The best way to learn it is to… just do it. Above is a series of lessons I learned as the class rep at NMIMS, MU and AUHS. I’ll keep updating this list as and when I go back in flashback. This role helped me transform myself in many ways — both professionally as well as personally.
Originally published at xameeramir.github.io.
