'Use Data, Facts for Decisions'

I have written several articles in Business Today on leadership. In these, I have focussed on, perhaps, the most important attribute that a leader has to demonstrate to earn the trust and confidence of his or her people. That attribute is leadership by example, or walking the talk, or practising the precept. Mahatma Gandhi earned the confidence and trust of the entire nation by his adherence to leadership by example. He would insist on travelling by third class in trains, eating the same food as everybody else, and meeting large crowds at stations. This required lots of plainclothes people to guard him, to check his food to avoid food poisoning and ensure that his health was okay. Sarojini Naidu is reported to have said that it took a fortune