Leadership Lesson from Sandalwood

 

Leadership Lesson from Sandalwood

A senior Manager from a large corporation approached an Old Monk to get some advice to sharpen his Leadership skills. The old monk was rubbing his hand on Sandal wood and started smelling the same.

The senior Manager sat opposite to him and said “Master, I am facing tough times and my Leadership is being tested”

The old Monk gave the Sandalwood in the hand by instructing the Senior Manager to smell it and asked him how is the smell?

The manager said “it smells good”

The old Monk instructed the Manager to rub the sandalwood with his fingers & asked him to smell his fingers and asked him how is the smell?

The manager said “it smells good”

The manager was puzzled, and he was eager to know what the old monk was going to tell.

The old monk asked the Manager

If you go to the place where the sandalwood trees grow, will you feel the same smell

The Manager replied -Yes

If you go to the place where the sandalwood is being cut, will you feel the same smell

The manager replied-yes

If the same Sandalwood is burnt, will you feel the same smell

The manager replied -Yes

The Manager intervened and asked “Master why are you asking so much of questions about Sandalwood when my answer still remains “yes”

The old monk said, “You will understand it shortly” and said

The character of the sandalwood is such that wherever it is and whatever form it is, it still smells the same. Whether you cut it, rub it, or burn it still retains its characteristics, in fact, it can make the other person smell better too

The old monk asked, “Can you repeat your statement?”

The Manager said: Master, I am facing tough times and my Leadership is being tested”

The old Monk said “ Connect with your Values, your values will be seen in every interaction, every responses and your behavior” it is like the Sandalwood, irrespective of whatever is done to sandalwood, it still spreads the good smell, remember as a Leader it is your quality that is being tested and it is your values that is seen and experienced”

Let there be different kinds of tests, but still let your values remain the same. It not only proves who you are, it also spreads the importance of values to people around you

Explore the Sandalwood in you to express the Values in you

M.L. Narendra Kumar