I had the opportunity to meet, the Hon' Minister for HR&CE, Govt of Tamil Nadu, Thiru P.K.Sekar Babu. Depending on the political spectrum one is, we tend to have strong ideologies and form opinions about people whom we may not even know. This bias is there with nearly everyone, including me. But when you start interacting and get to know the person behind the designation, power, or position, it could be an entirely different story altogether. This is what I learnt from the interaction.
1. Energy
Always up early and always with a smile. Being a politician is mostly a 365-day job and you have to be up to date 24 by 7. No doubt they have to keep themselves fit and healthy. But beyond that, not everyone is the same. A few have their energy levels up a notch and are able to carry it throughout the day.
2. Multitasking
This goes with the role no doubt. I'm not a big fan of multitasking and prefer deep work over handling too many tasks. In business too, leaders often have to juggle multiple priorities. But this is entirely different. Managing such disparate related work - department related, constituency related, party related, other general work etc is truly amazing. He is constantly on his toes and allocates quality time to ensure each issue is taken care of. I witnessed this first-hand. Within a short span of 10–15 minutes, at least 6 different people were given clarifications, instructions, or guidance related to their work.
3. Keep smiling
Irrespective of the nature of the conversation with the previous person, he welcomes the next person with a huge smile that immediately makes them feel welcomed and at ease. He doesn’t differentiate. However big or small the person is, he receives them with warmth. I think this is something many business leaders miss out on with their own employees.
Leadership often reveals itself in small behaviours rather than big speeches. Energy, the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and treating every person with warmth are qualities that stand out when you observe closely. My interaction reminded me that behind every designation or position there is a human being and sometimes the lessons we learn from them are simple but powerful.
