Step out
Raise a helping hand
Start the journey
Build the confidence
Get surprised to see a queue behind
As if
Everyone was just waiting for you to begin

Life is a constant journey towards excellence. "Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is achieved" - Swami Vivekanand. Every moment we have to explore the possibilities for self development. The potential is infinite, but most of us fail to achieve what we desire and deserve. The reason is that we fail to get the great leaders who can inspire us. We are able to stretch ourselves beyond our imagination, if we can get a spark to become a great person. It is said that 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration can help us in success, but this 1% inspiration is the most important, because it is this inspiration that can motivate us for putting out efforts so that 99% perspiration will follow it. There is a perspective that there is dearth of great leaders and therefore the great talent among us remains under utilised. We fail to get inspirational anecdotes, and fail to get inspired for doing something great.

There is another side to it. Probably, we are ignoring the great leaders who are spread around us. We look for leadership lessons from the developed countries and wish to attend leadership trainings being offered in the developed countries. However, there are plenty of great leaders spread around us, who are not labeled as great leaders. We have to have the keen insight to observe them, identify them and learn from them. This will help us rise beyond our imagination and solve our present leadership crisis.

Society is an evolving organism, where leadership roles by people put the people in a new journey. Aspirations change, destinations change and the course of the societal transition changes. This is evolution and this is the end-less pursuit. What seems impossible is made possible by the collective will power of the people. The initiatives of a few people can converge as a great beginning, where masses do join to give it the shape of social transformation. The path of social transformation can be smooth or full of hurdles, but it is what the society is looking for.

Let me take you to the living legends who are practicing leadership in their everyday life. Mr. N.K. Chaudhary leads Jaipur Rugs, which is a strong community of 44,000 people. He leads an exemplary role of transforming lives of these people through his innovative approach to people development. I will briefly present five characteristics out of this gigantic personality:-

Humility: When I first met Mr. Chaudhary, I couldn't believe his humility and down to earth approach and this happens with everyone who meets him the first time. In spite of his amazing success, he bears the same down to earth approach and that enables every person in the organisation to respect him. He is always accessible and available to everyone. He always assets that he started his journey as a carpet weaver with a small handloom in his home.

Openness & Transparency:Mr. Chaudhary regularly organises discussions and dialogues to share the vision, mission, direction and working of the company. His ability to create openness and transparency across the organisation has enabled him to create an organisation where people freely and openly exchange information with each other and there are no rumours. He himself is open to criticism and welcomes people to share their ideas openly. This has helped him in converting the organisation into a family like network with high level of trust and collaboration. Lot of people from across the world visit Jaipur Rugs to see the open ecosystem created by Mr. Chaudhary.

Communication: Mr. Chaudhary encourages clarity in communication and himself talks with every employee so that there is proper clarity with regard to the vision and direction of the organisation. He regularly organises open discussions and sessions to help employees make comfortable in speaking out.

Empowerment: His ability to trust his employees and empower them has enabled him to convert his employees in to entrepreneurs, and he proudly assets that his organisation is a network of entrepreneurs.

Collective initiatives for excellence: Mr. Chaudhary organises an open session in which he invites everyone to openly criticize him so that he can improve himself. He encourages others also to take similar initiatives. He records and documents complete feedback and listens to it again and again to overcome his weaknesses. He encourages everyone in the organisation to welcome constructive criticism and strive for self development.

People whom Mr. Chaudhary represents are from lower class of the society. They have been working as carpet weavers and farmers for generations. They undertake carpet weaving when there is not much in agriculture. They have never witnessed an organised initiative. Mr. N. K. Chaudhary has been able to convert carpet weavers into entrepreneurs and has given them a better understanding of their business. His support organisation Jaipur Rugs Foundation helps these people by providing them social security and support system. The innovative designing and innovative presentations by the creative team of Jaipur Rugs has enabled these carpet weavers to prepare carpets of better design and earn higher income.
To conclude, I wish to emphasise that the leadership is not an option for you, but it is the only path for progress. You must embrace and take initiatives to change and influence the society around. The best leaders are next door, just take inspiration from them. Let the leader inside you take the charge and give top priority to your mission.

First Step that Liberates
Liberation from ignorance
Liberation from self decrepit
Liberation to move to new dreams
The dreams that pushes us for initiatives
The initiatives that create a new path
The path that people will choose with confidence
The confidence that puts people in charge
The collective choir that gives them a voice
The voice that commands action
The actions that give inspiration
The inspiration that transforms us
Let us salute,
The leaders,
The initiators,
The innovators.