A Guide to Leadership & Creating a Vision

If you recognise this and had a chance to visit this monument, my friend, you would probably know that this is not some normal building in ruins.

This is the great Taj Mahal, the pride of the world’s largest democracy (India) and a monument so majestic, that it sees more than 6.5 million tourists (2018–19) every year.

Built during the early 17th century (1632–53), the Taj Mahal was built by the most influential ruler of the Mughal Dynasty, Shah Jahan, in the memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, on the coast of the Yamuna in Agra (Uttar Pradesh, India). It is the symbol of infinite love (and as some would agree, a symbol of Power) towards his wife, who died in childbirth.

During the construction of the Taj Mahal over 22 years, it is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. It took the efforts of 22,000 labourers, painters, embroidery artists and stonecutters to shape the Taj Mahal. Made of translucent white marble brought in from Rajasthan, the total cost of building it has been estimated to be about 32 million Indian rupees, which is around 52.8 billion Indian rupees ($827 million US) based on 2015 values. (source Wikipedia)

Now, why did I share a story about a marble mausoleum, centuries-old and data which you probably could have looked up on Wikipedia?

Rest assured. It was not to waste your time. It was a hot sunny afternoon, and when I say hot sunny afternoon in a tropical country like India, you should be able to guess how hot it should be.

A guard was walking down the streets supervising the group of stonecutters who were toiling tirelessly trying to shape the pieces of the white marble which would form the magnificent structure of the Taj Mahal.

Click-clack…..Click-clack….they went as their hammers pounded on the marble.

The guard went up to one of the stonecutters and asked him what he was doing. ‘Can’t you see?’ came the unfriendly reply, as the man looked up and wiped the sweat from his forehead using his gamcha (towel). ‘I am breaking these huge chunks of marble and trying to get some work done. Would you please let me do so’? The guard was angry at first, then he realised that it’s probably the heat speaking. Like a good man, he walked away.

Walking a little farther, he saw another man, also working on the same job. He had a smile on his face and with every hammer, his eyes seemed to lit up in satisfaction. Intrigued, he went to him and asked the same question. ‘Hey, what are you doing?’. ‘Me’ he replied. ‘Oh, I am helping build the world’s greatest monument!’

Dear reader, I don’t know whether this incident happened or not. But it has taught us a lesson, that is important today, more so than ever.

Think about it. Apply this analogy to your life. How do your colleagues, teammates and your organisation perceive their roles? As mere stonecutters or as the builder of the world’s greatest monument?

Does your company’s frontline salesperson see himself as just another ‘sales-rep’? Or does he pride himself that he is part of an organization aiming to become the best in the country? Does the janitor in your office see himself as just another ‘sweeper’? Or does he pride himself that he is part of an organization that can generate millions in revenue because of his job of keeping the office clean and hygienic? Are your people working tirelessly and mindlessly towards something that they can’t relate to? Or do they have a vision?

The difference in the way your frontline members — your ‘stonecutters’ — think can easily be used to differentiate between an extraordinary organization and an ordinary one. A test of resilience as to say. If I asked you, which organization would prosper and succeed, what would your answer be?

An organization’s success is not just driven by the CEO’s passion. It’s the carefully articulated Vision, that is shared with each and every employee working in the association, to which they can relate to and have a higher purpose into why they are doing, what they are doing. Simon Sinek has very rightly pointed out, that a company’s CEO is not just another boss. He is a Chief Vision Officer (or at least who they should be).

Just imagine the atmosphere that you will get in a company where each member understands his/her roles and is doing his/her bit into helping to realise the vision and every member is respected, honoured and given due credit for what he/she does, won’t that be magnificent?! Thus, every individual focuses not only on delivering the best in his/her assigned role but also take pride in being a fruitful part of a larger winning team.

Is your company an organization of mindless workers? Or are you a leader who can articulate a vision that your people can relate to? Are your people just employees or are they trying to build the greatest company in the country?

Decide and Take Action! Create a Vision!

Because it’ll be a telling of your legacy and probably a testimony of your success (or your failure)!