It was a deep African forest and a group of people were dropped by Helicopter to carry a task of survival in forest. They were given survival tools to get out from the deep forest to win the forest survival challenge. They were 12 people and they had some food, 5 saws and 2 saw sharpening tools, few ropes, medicines, etc.
The forest was so dense that they were required to cut off the trees in their way to make a way out of forest. All were enthusiastic to complete the challenge and they all began to cut the trees to make a way out to forest, turn by turn. Few days passed and they were tired, hardly had they found a way out of the forest. Their efforts didn’t work.
One night, they gathered together near night fire of their camp and contemplated on the solutions to get out of forest. They realized, their way didn’t workout so far, as everyone was working hard without any planning or direction. Now, they all need a person who can motivate them, manage their tasks to give equal chance for all of them to work, identify the risks and manage them in their early stages.
Ben stood up and said, “I will be happy to take this responsibility. I can use my management skills learnt so far in my 20 years of experience in production industry.” As a goalkeeper you need to be good at organizing the people in front of you and motivating them. You need to see what’s going on and react to the threats. Just like a good manager in business.
Everyone agreed, as they need someone with management skills to manage their tasks. Ben planned for every little thing he could see through his management eyes. He divided tasks into chunks and assigned it to each of them according to their strengths & skills. Everyone was happy, they got their tasks according to their skills and the management of work was so good that everyone would get fair chance to work without any exertion.
Everything was going smoothly and the important thing is ACCORDING TO THE PLANNING…. But Roger’s mind was not happy with what they were doing. Roger was more inclined towards thinking WHY WE ARE DOING ? and WHERE WE ARE GOING ? Roger’s mind rebelled to check him in what direction they are heading ? He climbed up on the nearby tallest tree to see where they were and are they progressing in right direction.
And to the mind Roger was surprised to see from the top that they were heading in wrong direction, instead of going out, they are entering the core part of forest. Roger shouted, “Behold ! We are moving in wrong direction, we are moving exactly the opposite we need to move.” All looked at Roger, but Ben said, “Come down you Roger, do not distract minds of my people. Don’t you see how well managed is our work going on and can’t you see all men happy with their tasks ?”
The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon.
Roger replied, “Management gains its important only when it is used in right direction. Well managed work doesn’t always lead to right destination.”
Ben said to his team, “Ignore this man on the tree, he wants nothing to do and also wants us all to be like him, so lets continue our work, you all are doing well.”
This is what we do with our life. We Manage well rather than lead our life. We plan for everything, we plan for retirement pension, insurance, investments, properties and many more…(you may be having more in your list than specified here) But hardly we look at the direction we are heading.
It is well said by a poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
“Life is real ! Life is earnest !
And the grave is not its goal;”
We have mis-understanding with concept of management and leadership. Not well managed life always leads to right destination, but if your direction is right well managed life helps a lot.
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way -John Maxwell
All great achievers in their fields be it musician, sportsman, author, scientist or an actor, sets their direction first and manage their tasks later to advance in that direction.
Be a leader of your life and management will follow you !
I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a Lion. – Alexander
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