The Couplets on Leadership Quality

Leadership is the ability to inspire or influence people to make a whole, willing and voluntary commitment to accomplish organizational goals effectively.

Here are the excerpts of Thirukkural, how the ancient literature taught leadership thought and no wonder it is applicable to whole mankind of all time.

Thirukkural is a collection of 1330 couplets ( a pair of successive lines of verse, typically rhyming and of the uniform length) written by "Thiruvalluvar".

Each pair of two lines comprises of 7 words, 4 words in 1st line and 3 words in 2nd line. ( Please ignore the in-between tamil verses, it is only to maintain the originality of admiring lines for those readers who are Tamil literate )

Most inspiring Leaders are Humble, Vigilant, Strategic, Righteous, Courageous and Expressive Leaders. These six qualities are inevitable to become a leader though there are other elements have been identified as statistically significant for inspiring others. 

Being Humble

The world will eulogize a leader , who is easily accessible and refrains from rude rebukes.

???????? ??????? ?????????? ????????

???????? ???? ?????


?Kā?cik ke?iya? ka?u?colla ?alla?ēl

mīkkū?u ma??a ?ilam

Unless one is an intense, attentive aural learner, it is unlikely that one will have a humble tongue.

???????? ??????? ??????? ???????

????? ??? ?????


?Nu?a?kiya kē?viya rallār va?a?kiya

vāyi?a rāta laritu

For those who, with sweet words, are capable of giving generously and protecting their people, the world is how they wish it to be.

??????? ?????????? ??????????? ?????????

??????? ????????? ?????.


?I?colā lītta?ikka vallā?kut ta?colāl

tā?ka? ?a?aittiv vulaku.

Being Vigilant

Vigilance, erudition and boldness; these three never abandon a competent Leader.

???????? ????? ?????????? ????????????

?????? ??????? ??????.


Tū?kāmai kalvi tu?ivu?aimai yim'mū??um

nī?kā nila?ā? pava?ku.

A vigilant leader:

• focuses externally and stays open to diverse perspectives,
• applies strategic foresight and probes deeply for second-order effects and
• encourages others to explore widely by creating a culture of discovery.

Lack of vigilance can be a career killer: A study examining why CEOs were fired found that 23% were terminated for "denying reality".

Being Strategic

Strategizing, earning revenues, preserving and allocating resources : a leader should be capable of.

??????? ????????? ????????? ?????

?????????? ???? ????.


Iya??alu mī??alu? kāttalum kātta

vakuttalum valla taracu.

A strategy of execution with reference to the capability, time and measure, is important for a Leader. At times a leader must have a deterministic approach to their approach to accomplish his goal.

Assign a task after assessing the person, the task and the most suited time.

???????? ???? ?????????? ???????

????? ????????? ?????


Ceyvā?ai nā?i vi?ainā?ik kālattō

?eyta vu?arntu ceyal

Assess and determine that he can do this task, using these resources, and empower him to do the task.

???? ????? ????????????? ??????????

???? ??????? ?????.


Ita?ai yita?ā liva?mu?ikku me??āyn

tata?ai yava?ka? vi?al.

The Leader should review progress regularly, as long as his officials don’t falter, his state won’t falter.

?????? ????? ?????? ????????????

???????? ???? ?????

Nā?ō?u nā?uka ma??a? vi?aiceyvā?

kō?ā?aik kō?ā tulaku.

Does any impossible task exist, when the right resources and strategy are deployed at the right time?

??????? ????? ????? ?????????

??? ??????? ??????


Aruvi?ai ye?pa vu?avō karuviyā?

kāla ma?intu ceyi?

Being Righteous

Righteousness is all about removing the four flaws – envy, desire, anger and harsh words. Following ‘dharma’ (righteousness) is his/her foremost trait. Being impartial and just is another.

????????? ????????? ??????????? ????????

??????? ??????? ????.


A?ukkā?u avāveku?i i??āccol nā?kum

i?ukkā iya??atu a?am.

True moral integrity lies in being flawless in your thoughts; everything else is loud and blatant posturing.

??????????? ??????? ???? ??????? ????

???? ??? ???


?Ma?attukka? mācila? ātal a?aittu a?a?

ākula nīra pi?a

True joy blossoms only due to righteous deeds; all else cause unhappiness and disrepute.

???????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????????

?????? ??????? ??.


A?attā? varuvatē i?pam ma? ?ellām

pu?atta puka?um ila.

Being courageous

Fearlessness, generosity, wisdom and vitality; these four are persistent characteristics expected of a king.

??????? ???? ???????? ????????????

??????? ??????? ???????.


A?cāmai yīkai ya?ivūkka minnā?kum

e?cāmai vēnta? kiyalpu.

Courageousness is the Prime characteristic, a leader should always have.

Being Expressive

Leaders must be a natural flower. The difference between a flower and a Paper Flower is this aroma. Communication is the aroma of leadership ( of mankind).

Like scentless flower in blooming garland bound; Are men who can’t their lore acquired to other’s ears expound.

???????????? ???? ???????? ????

???? ??????????? ????.


?I?arū?ttum nā?ā malara?aiyar ka??a

tu?ara viratturaiyā tār.

Those who cannot convey, and make others comprehend, what they have learnt, are like a bunch of bloomed flowers that have no fragrance ( a paper flower).

Leader will not say any word without knowing its second word around it.

Say a word such that no other word; can surpass that word.

??????? ???????? ???????????? ?????????

???????????? ????? ???????.


Colluka collaip piritōrcol accollai

vellu?col i?mai a?intu.

Leaders speak capably, flawlessly, and fearlessly, it is impossible to confront and defeat him.

??????????? ????????? ??????? ????

??????????? ?????????? ?????.


?Colalvalla? cōrvila? a?cā? ava?ai

ikalvellal yārkkum aritu.

Leaders speak with such quality that it binds those who lend their ears, and casts a spell on even those who don’t.

?????????? ?????????? ?????????? ????????

????? ????????? ????.


Kē??ārp pi?ikkum takaiyavāyk kē?ārum

vē?pa mo?ivatām col.

"?????? ???????????? ??????? ????, ?????? ???????????? ??????? ??????????, ?????? ???????????? ??????? ???????????" - Dr.S.Jayabarathi in an Introduction to Thirukkural 

The Words spoken by God to the Man know as " Bhagavad Gita", The Words spoken by the Man to the God, known as "Thirvasagam" , and The words spoken by the Man to the Man, known as "Thirrkkural";