Walking a tight rope

Effective leadership demands empathy, but make sure it is used in the right measure.

- DR ASHUTOSH KUMAR

Traditionally, the world of business and the world of ethics were considered as being wide apart, with the overwhelming notion that the former is profit-driven whereas the latter addresses humane aspects—that one is growth-oriented and the other concerns the avenues of human happiness.

Robust mechanisms of profit conventionally governed the world of business and, consequently, instilled a sense of hierarchy in the minds of managers and their co-workers. The manager exercised his authority over those low in the organisational ladder—the way bureaucracies have also been functioning in other fields. However, lately, with the many transformations in the socio-political sphere (such as anti-patriarchal movements, globalisation, and the celebration of a pluralistic ethos), the paradigm of the business world has witnessed a revamp. The hierarchical model has made way for the concept of a more equitable workplace that demands attaching value to collective efforts. Rather than being just ‘bosses’, business heads have started pondering on the ways to become effective leaders—those who are visionaries, can inspire their team members as well as other employees, and are more communicative, thereby abandoning the age-old notion of authority.

Also, the business world has started considering concepts that were earlier sidelined as being in the domain of ‘soft skills’ and hence were not considered as essential for business excellence. Leadership in the business world has become a much discussed and deliberated topic, and, in this new millennium, there is no denying the fact that managerial leadership is one of the most challenging trajectories that is inviting more and more nuanced insights each day.