Leadership masterclass

When a leader mobilises nearly 350 mn people to follow him, there must be something to learn from him. M K Gandhi had five great leadership qualities that propelled his ability to lead our nation into a unified movement.

First, he had a vision of a free, self-reliant nation that could give wings to a people enslaved for centuries. It was a powerful purpose and goal, and every Indian found their calling in it, regardless of ethnic or religious background.

Second, he was, and was widely perceived to be, a man of integrity. His followers could trust his motives and take his words at face value.


Third, he showed empathy and emotional connection by living like some of the most impoverished sections of Indic society. He listened to his opponents as much as he listened to his followers, and that gave him the unique ability to bridge gaps between the two sides.

Fourth, he had a powerful ability to enforce his will on matters he believed in. His fasts unto death to change behaviour of his own followers on more than one occasion were a case in point.

Finally, he was a mastermind at execution and large-scale organisation. He selected a great team of leaders such as Sardar Patel and Nehru, and his satyagraha movements in South Africa, the non-cooperation movement, the Dandi March, and the salt tax agitation were masterful ideas executed on a national scale. Albert Einstein said about Gandhi, 'Generations to come will scarcely believe that such a man ever walked the earth.'