Swami Vivekananda’s blueprint for transformative leadership

We are celebrating the 162nd birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda this year. He was the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Vivekananda is a youth icon and a spiritual giant. His ideas and philosophies resonate in today’s world grappling with wars and conflicts, intolerance and selfishness. His life teaches us the very idea of humility and reverence.

It also provides the essence of leadership qualities – a quality that is most important to develop by the youth of a nation.

In today’s world, the distinction between leadership and a leader has become increasingly important, as the challenges we face demand a collective and conscious approach to problem-solving rather than individual charisma alone.

Leadership is a dynamic process that involves empowering others, creating a shared purpose, and aligning individual efforts toward a common vision.

Swami Vivekananda’s exhortation, “Arise! Awake! and stop not till the goal is reached,” captures the essence of this philosophy by emphasising the need for the relentless pursuit of purpose-driven goals.

Leader & leadership

Conscious leadership, in particular, is about fostering self-awareness and mindfulness in decision-making, ensuring that every action taken serves. It is not just organisational success but also societal and environmental well-being. Leaders in this context are not mere figureheads but facilitators who inspire trust, cultivate collaboration and further elevate the potential of those they lead.

In contrast, a leader without conscious leadership often risks falling into the trap of ego-driven or short-term decision-making. Such an approach can hinder sustainable progress, as it overlooks the long-term impact on people and communities. Leadership in today’s interconnected world requires resilience and adaptability, as global challenges like climate change, technological disruption, and socio-economic inequality necessitate innovative, inclusive, and empathetic approaches.

A conscious leader ensures that their team’s success aligns with a broader, more meaningful purpose, effectively transforming individuals into stakeholders in the collective vision. By doing so, the leader transcends the traditional hierarchical role, embodying leadership as a shared responsibility that uplifts everyone involved and drives sustained progress toward the ultimate goal.

Humility & humanity

Swami Vivekananda’s life is one of humility with profound devotion to his Master and eternal reverence for the Holy Mother as he continued to serve the order of the Monks taking forward the principles of humility in divinity taught by his Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa for the service of the poor and towards their upliftment.

Sri Ramakrishna would more often repeat to his disciples “Jeev Seva” as “Shiv Seva” (service towards the poor and marginalised as service to God).

Similarly, Swami Vivekananda, in the footsteps of his Guru, carried forward this idea with profound humility. Vivekananda said, “If all understand one day for one minute that one cannot become great by the mere wish, that he only rises whom He raises, and he falls whom He brings down, then all trouble is at an end (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, 9 vols [Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama]).

In the present-day context, the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and his emphasis on humility as the hallmark of true greatness hold profound relevance. Leadership today is increasingly defined by its ability to inspire collective progress, foster inclusivity, and uplift the marginalised.

A leader’s humility reflects their recognition that individual success is intertwined with the well-being and empowerment of others. In a world marked by social inequities and widening disparities, the principle of “Jeev Seva as Shiv Seva” (service to humanity as service to God) underscores the moral imperative of serving those in need with dignity and compassion.

As Vivekananda observed, true greatness stems not from self-aggrandisement but from becoming an instrument of transformation in the lives of others, a sentiment echoed in modern servant leadership models.

Leaders who embody humility acknowledge their position as a conduit of collective potential, recognizing that their influence grows when they elevate those they serve. By aligning their actions with values of equity, empathy, and service, they not only foster sustainable social progress but also leave a legacy rooted in the infinite power of selflessness and shared humanity.

The phrase ‘Servant Leadership’ was coined by Robert K Greenleaf – the initiator of the ‘servant leadership’ movement.

In his essay, ‘The Servant as a Leader’, published in 1970, he writes, “A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the cumulation and exercise of power by one at the ‘top of the pyramid’, servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible” (https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/.

Further, ‘servant leadership’, a concept or philosophy where a leader’s primary goal is to serve others, embodies humility, compassion, and the empowerment of the people they lead. Swami Vivekananda exemplified this ideal in his life and actions – even though he didn’t coin the term – as he dedicated himself to the upliftment of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed, following the teachings of his Guru, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Vivekananda’s philosophy of “Jeev Seva as Shiv Seva” reflects the essence of servant leadership, where service becomes an expression of pure devotion and love for the divine manifest in others.

Selfless service

Through his establishment of the Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Vivekananda institutionalized selfless service, emphasizing education, healthcare, and spiritual upliftment as tools to empower society. His tireless efforts to inspire the youth, his profound empathy for the poor, and his vision of a world rooted in unity and equality remain timeless examples of servant leadership.

Swami Vivekananda’s life teaches that true leadership lies in selflessness, where devotion to others’ well-being creates a legacy of transformative love and service. On this very essence of service to which he dedicated his life as a monk, Vivekananda had once said, “The shadow of a big tree will not let the smaller trees grow up. I must go there to make room”, (His Eastern and Western Disciples, “The life of Swami Vivekananda, 2 vols [Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama, 2004]).

As we remember Swami Vivekananda on his birth anniversary again, being celebrated as also ‘National Youth Day’, it is necessary that we adopt in our day-to-day life the practicality, that the more we work selflessly towards the development of the nation, we build on the dream of that rising (read Viksit) Bharat, Swami Vivekananda had dreamed of. It is then the broader concept of ‘leadership’, as a ‘privilege’ and not as an ‘entitlement’ would manifest in others, awakening them to their greatness.