E book-1

Towards Excellence – DG Team Perspective

Foreword
Working in lions clubs and districts offers a rare opportunity to sharpen skills that belong to
the realm of management and leadership. Although the vision of non-profit and non
government organizations is pretty different from that of for-profit ones, the basic business
models remain the same, albeit with some adaptations and adjustments. More specifically,
the concepts of innovation and drive for excellence, group dynamics and working in teams,
planning and execution, feedback and evaluation, and the like remain the same. These are
issues which have differing perspectives for varying situations, and also depend on the
persons involved in each case. But learning from each other, from success and challenges
alike, has become the life line of our times. As we deal with thousands of members in each
district, and since we also influence allocation of various community resources and utilize
man-hours that may have an astronomical valuation, it becomes even more important to
keep this process of conversations within ourselves stronger.

The various issues dealt with in this compilation of personal views and experiences are like a
beginning of a story. I would urge you to share your spontaneous feedback and comments on
any topic that you may desire. It will give us the opportunity to further make revisions and
expand the scope of discussions included here.

Although I have had the good fortune of inter acting with lion leaders from across the world,
and that has continually changed my personal lens through which I view the contribution that
we make (or have the potential to make) in our communities, I have no hesitation in stating
that it has been an experience of transformation for me. I believe that this process will go on
so long as engagement in our activities continues. Change is a constant that we must accept.

I must also state that the comments and strategies suggested in some sections are my
personal observations and deductions. Although I have bounced these ideas with a number of
my colleagues, you may still have your viewpoints which may be at variance with what is
included here. And that’s a welcome feature. Write back, it will give us another chance to
relook, review and improve.

Eastern India Lions Leadership Academy Page 1


Contents
Why Governorship? ................................................................................................................................... 3
Whose Governor are you? ....................................................................................................................... 10
Financial Discipline ................................................................................................................................... 16
What is leadership? ................................................................................................................................. 18
The Popular District Governor ................................................................................................................. 23
Competent Governorship ........................................................................................................................ 28
Your role as a trustee for tomorrow ........................................................................................................ 33
Launch the ship and then steer it ............................................................................................................ 41
Walking The Tight Rope ........................................................................................................................... 43
From The Atom To The Atom Bomb ........................................................................................................ 48
They Want To Be Heard ........................................................................................................................... 51
What Will You Achieve? ........................................................................................................................... 54



Why Governorship?

The office of the District Governor is a coveted position in every district. The person who
occupies this office represents the choice of the membership to lead the district in the
matters of framing of policies and execution thereof for a particular year. The person is given
due honour and recognition from the clubs of the district and the leadership of the
Association. But there is a price for leadership-there is nothing called a free lunch. If you want
to enjoy the glory that is generally associated with the office of a district governor, you must
be prepared to make the sacrifices. A governor’s views and opinions always matter, and are
often sought by the Association. However before the person reaches this position, he or she
must ensure that one possesses the kind of experience and exposure that must be a pre-
requisite for making studied and sustainable decisions. One must have the ability to weigh all
options, accept criticism with an open mind, offer oneself for scrutiny despite what we may
believe to be successful completion of initiatives, and most importantly encourage contrarian
views to develop. A leader is essentially a facilitator, one who is responsible for developing an
environment where the members could contribute their best. One must realize that progress
has come often from designs that emerge from diametrically opposing viewpoints as
compared to the generally accepted trends. One needs to balance between what is the
current stand point and what demands of the future are. Leaders in lionism are trustees of
the future generations in their own communities and countries. He, in fact, becomes an
officer of the Lions Clubs International to implement the plans and projects, for which
decisions may have been made.

Every leader with potential in the District aspires to become District Governor one day. This is
a praise-worthy ambition provided the candidate's motives are clear at least to him or her.
Since this is a high office in the Lions' set-up and carries both an enormous amount of dignity
plus onerous responsibilities - it is essential that you ask yourself, in moments of deep
introspection... why governorship? Remember that, for one Lionstic year, you will have to
sacrifice a great deal of your personal, social and public life in order to serve the District. Your
initial motives may be status and position; they could have elements of power; you may even



feel that you could be more effective than the present or past incumbent; or you may be
powered by a deep sense of mission. In all probability, you will have a mixture of motives. It is
good. Because, regardless of why you wanted to be Governor, what the Lions' movement and
your district and members expect from you is now important. You may have been driven by a
set of your personal desires to attain the office of a district governor, but the dynamics
change so rapidly as you occupy or even prepare to occupy that office. The vision shifts from a
personal perspective to that of an organization, your approach alters from one aimed at self-
development to the augmentation of the common good, you suddenly become answerable to
so many ( may be, more ethically than legally) and the levels of expectations from you take a
quantum jump (both in your own eyes and in the eyes of others). There is a tremendous
demand on your private and personal time, and that is only expected. You have arrived at a
“public” podium.

To understand this dichotomy - what you expect from the District Governor post and what
your "constituents" or stakeholders expect from the District Governor's post - you need to
understand that every position consists of two elements: a job and a role. The job is the
duties and responsibilities of the District Governor which are clearly laid out in the District
Governor’s Manual. They include the ceremonial installation (of club officials, creation of the
cabinet, creating project teams, managing funds, membership acquisition and retention
measures, continuity of ongoing projects, etc). But, over and above the job is the ROLE.

The role consists of two powerful sets of factors - what you expect from the position and
what others expect from you in that position. The difference between job and role can easily
become clear, if we take an example. The job entails the minimum standards without which
you cannot be allowed entry at this level, the role sets the bench-mark for leaving a legacy.
The role come more from the heart, even the soul. It leaves impressions that time cannot
easily erase. If not realized, it is bound to cause aches in the deepest corners of your heart in
the years to follow-what some may like to call the prolonged pangs of conscience emanating
from the regrets associated with losing major opportunities. If properly realized, it is this



feeling only that remains within each person’s mental and spiritual realm as it would forever
“flash upon the inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude”.

We could take the classic example of Florence Nightingale. She joined the Services to serve
the wounded in times of war. Gradually, she redefined the concept of nursing. That was, in
fact, a stage where she developed her role. Today, she stands out as a role model for every
nurse in the world. Defining moments in life are those when one leaves a mark on the sands
of time. One does not have to a Florence Nightingale or a Mother Teresa, but one can
definitely be an individual who has lived a life of purpose, and occupied the public office of a
district governor with a head held high, and a spirit soaring even higher. There must be at
least some impact that such person ought to make, beyond making annual visits to the clubs
and enjoying fellowship.

Why do you want to get there? The answer to this would be in the lines that have been
mentioned above, but priorities and the degree of emphasis on each of the issues may vary.
What is most important is to remember that the year of Governorship must, essentially, be a
year of results. Continuity of programmes may need to be ensured, and yet changes may be
required to be incorporated. But, on the whole, each year must have its own share of
achievements. Remember one of th major inputs that your members bring with them is their
man-hours. No individual spends time in lions clubs today; everyone invests time. And there
should be a good return on the investment made. If the ROI is not above the market rates, we
can expect no premium (enhanced public acceptability) and may even not be able to retain
the loyalty of the investors (our members). Each member must have a life enrichment
experience, and the district governor is like a gardener who must ensure that plants in the
garden continue to flourish; the gardener gives out no good fragrance-it is the flowers that do
so; but the gardener must maintain the quality of the soil and the water levels, and adequate
and just enough sunshine for the flowers to bloom; similarly, the great experiences will come
from within the clubs, but the district governor must maintain and sustain the momentum
and direction of the association.



So, the next question that each incumbent must ask himself is: What do I want to achieve as a
District Governor? The answer to this would lay down the priorities and would, thereafter,
assist the District Governor (Elect) to chart out his course for his year of Governorship. This is
the most critical and the most neglected part of the story. I have often met so many district
governors almost half way though this office, who are still not certain what their priorities
are. They confuse statutory duties with the purpose of life. How could I explain to them that it
is important to breathe if we are to remain alive, but do we remain alive just to breathe? They
are the ones who would regard reproduction as the purpose of marriage, not understanding
that it is only the fruit of a much more purposeful communion.

The story of leadership essentially never ends with the conclusion of Governorship. For the
rest of his life, the person continues to be the Past District Governor of his / her district. As a
Past District Governor, it is definitely the duty of each individual to continue to work for the
plans of the Association at various levels where he is placed, and the quantum of respect that
the person would command as a Past District Governor would, to a large extent, depend on
the quality of the leadership that the person portrays during his year of Governorship. Hence,
one single year of Governorship would determine the image of a Past District Governor to a
large extent for many years to come. Does one really have to help you to take a brief moment
and try to remember each great district governor that your district had? Do you re-count
every PDG in that category? If not, why? Each one of them had similar emotions and the
desire to be a successful DG when they got elected; each one had worked that hard, even run
around asking for support to be elected in those parts of the world where the elections are
fiercely fought; then what went wrong that you do not include them in the category of such
governors who made a difference?

From here follows the next logic: How do you want to be remembered as a Past District
Governor? Quite naturally, each individual desires that his year of Governorship should be a
deserving one. And, if so, each District Governor must develop for himself a Master Plan of his
intending contribution during his year of Governorship. Are you ready with a statement that
you could use as your governing principle during the year of your governorship? Do you have



a set of priorities beyond the bare minimum? Do you see your responsibility to the future
generations of your country and your community? Do you believe that you have a role to play
in making life more meaningful in your part of the world? Do you believe that your job is to
lead the clubs to where they want to go, or where they ought to go? Do you allow yourself to
understand that you are driven by the circumstances that exist in your district, or whether
you are responsible for the way things are at present? Are you ready to accept status quo as a
price for comfortable leadership, or do you believe that leaders must always reside in the
zone of constructive demolition? Actually the choice is simple: You will definitely enter the
museum of lionism, but whether as a curator of that museum or an exhibit to be placed on
one of the shelves will depend upon your attitude.

Your ascent from a member through the club hierarchy to this lofty position has usually been
marked by a tremendous sense of enthusiasm, even aggressiveness. But it is noticed that the
achieving spirit levels off when you become District Governor. What did you want to
accomplish? Did you want to be a district governor, or a past district governor? I am serious:
there are such individuals who find pleasure in having their name included in the list of PDGs
of the district; if they had any other way of achieving this, they would have opted for that.
Hence, they represent such individuals who have no identified purpose of life; they are such
whose bodies are alive while the soul is dead. This is usually because we see the office of the
District Governor as a destination, and not as a high point in an ongoing journey of service. If
you have a Master Plan for your year as Governor, that should continue in the forthcoming
years as Past District Governor, and should be a shining beacon of inspiration to your
successors to the post of District Governor. Remember that the "4-minute-mile" in athletics
used to be seen as an impossible target. Then Roger Bannister of UK broke the barrier. After
that event, breaking the four-minute-mile is standard. It is being achieved at all international
and even in some national meets all the time. So the fire that ignited your drive to this high
office should burn undiminished during your year as governor, and throughout all your future
years as Past District Governor, shedding bright light to inspire generations of future Lions. So
the allied question that should arise in your mind as you design your master plan is "How can
I be, not just a District Governor, not just a good District Governor, but a great District



Governor, a memorable District Governor, whose year as District Governor will illuminate the
legends of the Lions International?

You will, of course, attend the pre-District Governor training and orientation programme.
They will equip you with the process and contents of Governorship.

But, my friend, no training and no orientation can create that fire, that hot, burning internal
combustion that powers you from within. That conflagration will mark the difference
between the adequate, the good and the great governorship.

The difference between the average and the outstanding governor is usually in the passion
that the latter brings. The average governor "manages" the job - the "nuts & bolts", and the
daily routines. He may even enhance some practices and introduce something new. As he
rises above the average, he develops strategies, integrating changes and making connections,
and finally raises his people's capabilities to move the district forward effectively, not just for
this year but even thereafter.

There are many philosophies that help one in increasing one's circle of influence towards the
outer concentric boundary of the circle of concern. Reach out your dreams, your visions, and
your passions. The extent of your accomplishments is directly proportional to what inspires
you.

For God’s sake let not your year expire in pursuit of the trivial, the ongoing, the immediate, as
against the really important and vital.

In almost all religions, preparation for priesthood is arduous. In the Roman Catholic Church,
the candidate undergoes a long and strenuous novitiate. The priest has to be celibate and
must take the triple vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. Because the decision is so
onerous, during the first few years the candidate is encouraged to examine, re-examine, and
test his motives.

A very similar exercise has to be undertaken by the candidate for governorship. What drives
me in this quest? If I am elected, what will my contribution be? When I become Past District



Governor, will I look back on a stupendous year of achievement? Will the promise that fired
my ascent to the post be fulfilled when I actually have the post?

If this chapter inflamed you, then come, let us explore your role further. Together, with our
prayers and your passion, we will scale the highest peaks of Service, the Lionistic way. The
World, the District and the Lions are yearning for leaders. Ask yourself, are you a leader?

*******



Whose Governor are you?

The District Governor's leadership, both for vision and for execution, is a very special blend
most suitable for a voluntary Non-Government / Non-Profit Organization. The post of District
Governor in the Lions context is, itself, very highly regarded and guarantees the respect of .all
Lions, everywhere. One of the finest administrative measures in the organization is the
protocol that has been established so strongly. Hence, when an individual becomes a district
governor, that person automatically assumes the highest office in the district hierarchy and is
given adequate respect. But there is a subtle, and rather important, difference between
respect that is demanded and that is earned. The former may be a result of the badge that an
individual wears for a period of one year; the latter is what comes from the hearts of the
members who develop a rapport with their leader and wish to show respect for the sacrifices
that the person may be making in leading the district. Even further, as they say, “The world is
becoming flat.” The concept of rigid hierarchy is outdated and all modern associations have to
be hyper-linked. There has to be direct connectivity between constituents of the organization
irrespective of the offices they occupy, and that has to be accompanied by transparency and
informality. Information flow is the life line in the modern world in any set up like ours, and
information can never ever be elite commodity as it was in the past. It will rather be
interpretation of the available information that will distinguish the visionary and effective
leaders from the common lot.

First of all, no one person can lead an entire district alone. The District Governor is definitely
expected to have guidance and wise counsel of senior Lions - Past District Governors and core
thinking groups. But the District Governor is in personal command, not only in practice but
also has a highly visible style throughout the District. Any pronouncement or instruction,
whether on policy, programme or practice, uttered by anyone, is assumed to have the explicit
and prior consent of the Governor. He is the fountainhead, the focal point of every project,
programme and function of the District. In other words, though you have many advisors, the
responsibility is yours, and yours alone. Do not regard this even for a moment that any district
governor has dictatorial powers. That can never be the truth. Rather, each DG is required to



be able to build opinion behind ideas that are important to the success of the plans of the
organization. In doing so, many formal and informal meetings may be required to be set up,
and even various diametrically opposite views may have to be considered. The ability to keep
one’s cool even when opposition surfaces to what one considers primarily crucial to the
success of certain initiatives will be the hallmark of a good leader. It is in listening and being
able to appreciate diverse views that the seeds of a sound decision are sown. The governor
should never allow oneself to be disconnected with the ground realities, as that would
amount to snapping of “leadership” lifeline. Yet, the announcements that are made need to
be coming from the district governor, that is what is meant by being in command of the
situation.

Leadership cannot be delegated. It is a lonely position, surrounded and deafened by advice,
counsel and criticism. But the Governor is essentially alone, at the summit of the District.
Everest is not only World's highest mountain-peak. It is also the most weather-affected -
whipped by high winds, blanketed by snowstorms, all because it is so high above the rest. The
mental training of the governor to be able to deal with criticism is important. There will be
some people who are compulsive critics based on political alliances, and may most often need
to be ignored although at times they too may have relevant issues; then there is a regular
quota of “trash” criticism which needs to be just dumped; but there is also a third variety that
is genuine. It is this kind of criticism that promotes and prompts ideas and visions for the
future; it is this criticism that is the mother of true introspection. And as for advice and
counsel that is always available, the district governor needs to differentiate between what is
sound advice and what is straight forward sycophancy that can be fatal for the leader and the
organization.

Every district governor needs to be in touch with members who bear different opinions, and
may even come from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Some of them may make
suggestions that seem apparently ridiculous, or for that matter even so radically non-
confirmative with the policies of the association. But these may include the seeds of creative



changes and paths for the future. The price paid for disregarding them or shutting them up
may be too heavy. But is always dependent upon the leader to be tackle such situations.

Why will people follow you?

As Commander, you have not just official or functional responsibilities. You need to have, and
demonstrate, extraordinary personal qualities, which make your command members
spontaneously accept you as undisputed leader. The position does not make the leader. The
leader makes the position. If it is said that, when Dr. Radhakrishan accepted the position of
President, world opinion was not that the position enhanced him, but that his eminence
enhanced the post. So also, for Nelson Mandela. So in your attitudes and behaviour, you must
earn the trust and confidence of both your officers, advisors and members.

"Leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing."

You and you alone can interact with all, cabinet, advisors and senior Lions in order to enable
them to execute. Remember, "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader
takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." But people follow
provided they share the visions. Let not the plans and programs of the district be the plans
and programs of the governor alone. If as a DG, you cannot make them buy into your ideas,
and rather cause the emergence of roadmaps and compasses that are born out of joint
discussions and deliberations, it will be difficult to retain the enthusiasm level of the cabinet
officers through the year.

This implies that you see a vision for the District and then convince others of its viability, so
that you provide the goal, the direction and energy. You remain open to include, delete and
alter plans based on genuine discussions and points of view that may emerge. They achieve,
since "the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not followers".

And how will you convince people of your great vision? "Treat people as if they were what
they ought to be, and help them to become what they are capable of being." But the success
or failure will still be of the leader. "An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of
lions led by a sheep." First believe in yourself and in the principles that guide you; put them to



test to check on their contemporary validity; believe in the power of the organization; believe
in the strengths of your team; and only then lead them into believing and realizing their
individual strengths to the maximum.

Let's look at your immediate team. Your team has to deliver. Essentially, your team consists of
your handpicked Lions as the District Cabinet. You have to assess each person against the task
profile. The most pertinent question that arises here is: Do you have a work profile for every
appointment you make, or are you including people just to make them feel good. Remember,
there is a vital difference between being good and feeling good. Nowadays, we are often
guided by the feel good factor, and that is illusory. Being good is permanent and that comes
only with being able to provide life enrichment experiences and opportunities to make a
difference.

Occasionally, a person is foisted on the District Governor for political compulsions; in that
case even communication with the appointees may be indirect. This is an organizational
reality. Along the long and twisting road to Governorship, you had to enter into alliances, take
help from people and perhaps, promise them high office. This can never be justified, but at
times it may be a reality. These, then, may be "passengers" who see their positions not as an
opportunity for service, but as a reward for service rendered earlier. With this group, you
must probe their motivation to find that trigger which can, and will, make them productive
members. If you don't, they will be on your liabilities list, and your Governorship will suffer.
The ideal interaction is 1:1 to ensure absolute loyalty and smooth flow of communication.

To ensure common purpose and commitment in your team is an important initial and on-
going task. If it is there, then the horsepower of the co-leaders will be focused; otherwise, it
will get dissipated and lost. Obviously, the very first requirement is in very clear, progressive
and challenging plans, programmes, policies and the road map for your year of governorship
and beyond. Individuals who are nominated to the cabinets and do not appreciate any role
they could play will most probably not even be found in the cabinet meetings through the
year. They may well become a demotivating force for those who are there for a larger and
constructive purpose.



Of course, as intelligent people, your team will have disagreements, diverse points of view
and, occasionally, criticism. It is a sign of great leadership to ensure diversity of viewpoints
during discussions and plans, moving towards needle-point focus in execution and follow-up.

Above all, be politically realistic, leading a coalition, if not a massive mandate. You may have
to accommodate people not committed to your cause, but politically important.

Sometimes, fatigue and pre-occupation makes availability less. 3,000 horsemen of the
Moghul Army lay exhausted on the banks of Sabarmati. The soldiers had traversed 960 Km of
difficult terrain in 9 days. The rebels lay beyond the swollen river. Suddenly, a warrior charged
into the torrent - it was the emperor Jalal-ud-din Akbar - with a roar! The soldiers followed
him and, within 2 days, suppressed the rebellion. (Extracted from "Inspiring people: Fifty who
made a difference~ A Reader's Digest Selection).

How will you lead? Emotional Intelligence is a fairly new discovery. Until recently, we only
knew I.Q. (Intelligence Quotient). Now we talk of E.I. (Emotional Intelligence), which consists
of knowing why you feel or react in particular ways; learning to manage those reactions;
understanding how and why other people feel certain things; and managing relationships. It is
a challenge of thinking with the head and also feeling with the heart. The reliance on your
"intuitions" or inner voice. It is the ability to break out of the negatives cage into the positive
sky by using your sub-conscious powers.

We also refer to problem-solving as using both sides of the brain: the left which analyses and
is logical and linear, and the right which has emotion, intuition and insight. You will need both
sides of the brain to be a leader who inspires.

To summarize this chapter 'Whose Governor Are You?", you must clearly understand that the
Lions movement has conferred on you the great honour and the great obligation of
Governorship.



Your first and major constituency is Lionism. Next, you have the District and all the clubs and
members. They expect leadership - to help weak clubs, to encourage strong clubs, to reduce
and stop "drop-outs".

Other constituencies are government and its administrators, to whom you are a major Non-
Government I Non-Profit Organization leader. Donors for our projects also see you as an
activist leader.

Then, there are your advisors, Past District Governors, Past International Directors, Senior
Lions. Finally, you have your core team and cabinet.

Not all the members are your avid supporters. In fact, there may even be dissidents.

Your task is to enlist your immediate team and also the individual clubs, members and even
external resources to achieve your goals.

So whose governor are you? You are the chosen head of the Lion's district. But the difference
between the chosen head and the effective head can be large.

In the ensuing chapters, we will see how you can bridge this divide. For the moment, what
you need to ponder is:

(a) How will I increase my circle of influence to cover my entire circle of concern?

(b) How will I, not just enlist, but empower all the resources human, financial, creative,
towards my goals? Here your interpersonal skills of Emotional Intelligence will give you
results.

(c) How will I raise our concerns from the mundane, the routine, the egoistic, and the
ceremonial, to the effective, long-lasting?

(d) And the skills you will need will flow from both left and right sides of the brain.

This chapter has addressed the constituencies you must satisfy, the resources that you must
deploy and, finally, the skills you will need. So, now you know whose governor you are.

*******



Financial Discipline

During your term, large sums of money may flow in and out: Grants-in-aid, Donations, &
Ticket Sales. The projects, both old and new, could swallow funds. Ensuring strict
accountability and complete transparency in all transactions should be the hallmark of your
Governorship. Nothing besmirches a crystal reputation like ugly allegations of financial irregu-
larity.

Funds cannot be raised in panic or against exigencies. People are always willing to fund
longer-planned ventures. And most Lions' projects build for the longer term - eye hospitals,
ambulances, etc. The return on . investment is between generations, and may take decades.
We don't plant wheat, rice and chillies - we grow teak.

An astute District Governor builds a donor constituency. Before, or very early in your term of
office, establish good, trustworthy ties with those on whose resources your projects will
depend. An ounce of good early PR will yield a pound of returns when needed.

In all these fund-raising and allocations, your office and you must be like Caesar's wife - above
all suspicion by choice, not by default. Transparency in all financial matters should be the
hallmark of your governorship.

It is not even necessary to stipulate that no action or transaction by a District Governor,
individually, or in council, violates the law of the land, whether taxation, building codes,
licenses or whatever. The reputation of a large international organization lies in your hands.
Treat it with care and ensure that, whether from accounting, legal, taxation or moral view
points, the district is clean.

The challenge is to your integrity. On one spectrum, ethical behaviour, on the other
manipulative. On a perpendicular spectrum, political awareness on one end is balanced by
naivete on the other.



If you are ethical, but naive, you are innocent, credulous. If you are unethical and naive, you
could be stupid or inept. If you are unethical and politically aware, you could be cunning, and
a manipulator. The ideal is to be politically aware and ethical- though wise and credible.

*******



What is leadership?

Managing is about systems and procedures, leading is about vision and direction. "Manager
works in the system; leadership works on the system" -. Stephen Covey.

Before retirement from international cricket, Steve Waugh played a Test match against
England with a leg injury. He scored a century without asking for a runner, though he limped
through his innings. While fielding, he spent the whole day without a substitute. This type of
leadership prompted his teammates to remark that they would run through a brick: wall for .a
leader like Steve. This is leadership by example. More recently, Mahinder Singh Dhoni
demonstrated leadership by example in the finals of the world cup against Sri Lanka. He was
ready to expose himself to the most critical situation when he could have easily held himself
back in the batting line up; rather he promoted himself in the batting order even above Yuvraj
who was in the running for the Man of the series award. This way he showed that there is no
way out except to assume 100% responsibility.

Nelson Mandela recalled a lesson he had learned as a boy. "When you want a herd to move in
a certain direction, you stand at the back with a stick. Then a few of the more energetic cattle
move to the front and the rest of the cattle follow. You are really guiding them from behind.
That is how a leader should do his work." In the District Governor's style of leadership, this is
called delegation. You need a lot of confidence to delegate. The weak District Governor
abdicates the strong District Governor delegates. What this means is that you encourage
those of your team who have initiative to act. Others will follow.

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants
done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it." - Theodore
Roosevelt. It is the best definition of delegating. Pick good men, brief them, agree on check
points and let them get on.

How do you surround yourself, not with "yes" men, but with skills that complement yours? It.
is said that Indian Cricket Coach helped Virender Sehwag reach his full potential. He used to



make 40 - 50 runs in quick time and chuck his wicket. He would still get cheered. Wright sat
with him one day and told him that he was batting in a spot sacrificed by

Sachin Tendulker - a spot where Sachin scored a 100 every 3 matches.

This changed the way Sehwag benchmarked himself. You may have to. counsel particularly
the young and head-strong members who may not heed elders' caution.

And what standards will you set? R.M.Lala, In "A Touch of Greatness", writes about an
interview with JRD Tata. "Of course, Sir, you believe in excellence". JRD retorted sharply, "Not
excellence. Perfection. You aim for perfection, you will attain excellence. If you aim for
excellence, you will go lower." So if you aim always for the highest level to be achieved, the
actual will be well above average.

And how will you lead? "To lead, people walk beside. Then…..As for the best leaders, people
do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the
people fear; and the next, the people hate. When the best leaders' work is done, the people
say, 'We did it ourselves" - Lao-Tzu, Chinese Philosopher. All followers need to feel that you
are always with them. Not taking the credit, but giving them the credit. This way, they will
feel they own the task. This is also the way you build potential leaders. If you handle every
initiative, then you will be like a huge banyan tree under which nothing grows.

General Motors grew to become the largest company in the world. The founder Alfred Sloan,
merged over 30 organizations to create it... Once he suggested a plan to his Board of
Directors. They unanimously approved it. He promptly adjourned the meeting saying "if
everybody agrees there must be something wrong with the plan." Encourage opinion,
particularly dissent. You must have the ability to listen to contradiction and arguments to
move towards the best course of action. Remember that unanimous approval may mean that
nobody has scrutinized the proposal, or that all are trying to please you instead of studying
the course of action. So encourage contrarian views and such arguments. That way, every
idea is examined before acceptance. In all meetings of lions clubs, we seem to have
developed a special kind of liking for unanimous views. Sometimes we take pride in saying
that all decisions taken during a particular year were unanimous. More important than



unanimity is unity. The discussions should be frank and candid. Each participant should be
encouraged to speak out one’s mind, even the most revolutionary and imaginative ideas.
Once that is done, we will succeed in creating ownership of decisions. Otherwise people may
keep quiet during the meetings but their commitment to the decisions taken will be
questionable.

There are many role models. You have the mentor or guru model Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin
Tendulkar. You could be flexible like Kerry Packer or self-sacrificing, like Mother Teresa. You
could also follow the Bhishma model, whose life lay in empowering others.

Leaders also model on Christ - Service with humility. Lord Christ’s service with utmost humility
at the final supper is one of the greatest leadership lessons. Or on Alexander - lead from the
front; on Gandhi - strict code of morals, one who believed that the conscience of every
person could be invoked to awaken; on Mandela with no prejudices or pre-judgments, one
who believed in building South Africa as a safe nation for its citizens irrespective of the color
of the individuals even after such long stints behind bars. Or initiate relationships like
Vajpayee; radiate wisdom like the Buddha, or be flexible and willing to change like Gorbachev
for who can forget the challenge he faced when he introduced the radical changes that
dramatically brought down the iron curtain. These are all leaders who provide us models. For
each situation a different model may be appropriate.

It is a common phenomenon that the whole district is dependent on you. That real test is
when you mature your members from dependence to independence and finally to inter-
dependence. This means, initially, people depend on you. Gradually they may find
independence. But the highest level is when they realize how much they need others and
others need them.

Again, on two perpendicular planes of co-operation and trust, the lowest is a stage with low
level achievements as the team members do not have mutual faith; halfway is compromise
where better results begin to show; and the highest in synergy where the levels of
performance far exceed what may even have been thought of.



Your leadership can be evaluated using three interlocking scales. The value and purpose, the
vision and strategy, and the community. If there is only vision and strategy for the
community, the risk is the despot or tyrant. If there is value and purpose, and also vision and
strategy, but no degree- of community involvement, the risk of anarchy is high. If value and
purpose... vision and strategy, and the community, all are taken together, performance can
result.

Before we end this chapter, one semi-final word on managing the' district versus leading ~."
The manager does things right, the leader does the right things." The manager's obsession is
planning, control and predictability. The leader, on the other hand, is concerned with
transformation through commitment and empowerment of members.

Another great pitfall is the absence of information, or worse, only good news. Bad news never
comes to bad leaders. One may get surrounded by people who do not allow the real feelings
and feedback of the members to reach the governor. That situation can be fatal. Temporarily,
that is intended to please the District Governor, and may be dangerous. People must feel
encouraged to report factually and in time, without worrying that you will get upset, or
attribute motives to the messenger. The moment any governor gets in a position where real
feedback is kept away from him because of his inability to accept the same and his reaction
that may not be absolutely justified, it becomes a serious issue.

A young man and his adoring wife stood by the seaside. In a poetic mood, he announced "Roll
on thou dark blue ocean, roll." His wife looked at the sea for a minute and then turned to her
husband and wondered, "Darling, it is doing exactly what you asked it to do!" Beware of
sycophancy.

Let's put leadership in context as a practical skill set.

First of all leaders develop a vision. A vision is not a prophecy - it is a concept of what is
possible, and it has a challenge or "stretch" built in. Next, the leader communicates the vision
to all stake-holders. Not just informs and instructs, but infects and inflames, till people are
enthused and excited. A vision statement is not just a few words or lines that are framed and
put up on the walls of the offices. They are like the unseen magnetic fields that influence



every activity and each individual. We never get to see these fields, but we know that they
exist and that every planned initiative needs to be validated as per their properties.

Even before you take office, you will become aware that there a thousand issues - some
trivial, some routine, that need your time and attention. How you will rise beyond
administering to transformation will test your abilities.

Communication is the life blood of a Non-Government / Non-Profit Organization. When
people don't know what is happening, why it is happening, when and where - the usual fall-
out is speculation, rumor and lack of involvement. This can lead to alienation and even
hostility. You must encourage free and frank information-flow, whether pleasant or
unpleasant. Transparency is not an option anymore; that is the only way organizations work
and survive today. At one point of time, information was elite commodity; today it is available
at the click of a mouse; and in this scenario, it is interpretation of information that is more
critical.

You are obliged, not just to lecture or inform, but actually discuss the pros and cons till people
feel informed, involved and committed.

Remember, there will always be yes-men around any centre of power. Critics will be less
frequent but more useful.

*******



The Popular District Governor

You can either achieve, or be popular. Usually the two don't go together. But that’s not
impossible, only rare. Taking tough decisions may sometimes ruffle feathers. The easiest way
out may be to bow to popular sentiment. But this will almost always lead to diffusion of effort
and failure in task achievement. ."A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back
on the crowd."

Indira Gandhi once said, "My grandfather once told me that there were two kinds of people:
those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first
group. There is much less competition." So don't use your year as District Governor to seek
applause - let your results speak for you.

Even before your term starts, there may be pressures to induct some individuals in important
positions in the district cabinet that may not be justified by considerations of credit. During
the year, the governor may often find himself in challenging situations for politically correct
decisions that essentially marginalize merit and performance; the governor is called upon to
honor and recognize individuals whom he believes have not done their best. At such times,
the concerned person has to take a call. The rightful decision may temporarily annoy an
individual but will definitely benefit the association. I have seen important changes in long
term appointments, at times the best performers being removed on flimsy grounds just to
send out politically strong messages. This kind of a strategy may work out in the short or
medium term, but in the long run it only helps in institutionalizing mediocrity as an
organisation’s culture. The moment this process starts, be prepared to accept average results
and decline of reputation as a top class association.

Stop worrying whether people like you or appreciate you. Your work is your best spokesman.
In the game of cricket, let the bat do the talking, or as they say, let the bottom line speak for
itself.



Jim Whitaker successfully climbed Mount Everest. At a felicitation, he spoke, ''you never
conquer the mountain. You only conquer yourself'. Examine in yourself the personality flaws
that hold you back. Conquer them, and the world is yours.”

Selecting those who deserve power is a very important task for the District Governor. He
begins to plan his key people even before taking office. To achieve, in the limited period of a
year, his chosen few need to be empowered. If all are empowered, few will perform. Some
will be enamored of the post and the status at the cost of effectiveness. Empower, empanel
and endow only those who can and will deliver. Kiran Bedi once said, " I like to be on the shop
floor to understand what is going on. This drives the enthusiasm." Picking your key people
well, and then giving them the trust and confidence to perform, may be the difference
between success and failure. Although I have used the word “power” above, it may not be the
best choice. In an organization like ours where we believe that each individual is as important
as the other, power may be replaced by influence. A good leader should try and enhance his
level of influence that will stay on for a long time. If one is wedded to an official position, then
the respect for that individual vanishes as soon as the term of office is over. They say that as
you go up the ladder of hierarchy, keep smiling, shaking hands and winning over friends; if
you have no time to invest in relational chemistry as you are going uo, no will have time for
you as you are coming down. I once met a lion leader who said that the real test of popularity
for a district governor is how many clubs want you among them 5 years after your term of
governorship is over. During the year of office, there will be many who will crowd around you;
but you must have the ability to sense who is holding on to you as a person and who is
hanging on to an officer in an official position.

The badge of office is a huge responsibility. You are doing this demanding job for our
Association, only incidentally gaining personal prominence. . Recall what Peter Drucker, the
management thinker, wrote. - "Leadership is not rank, privileges, titles or money. It is
responsibility." The1.ions expect, not a public figure, but a true leader with vision and drive.
Don't let them down. Say a district has 2000 members and if every member allocates just 2
hours per month for lions activities, then you could be at the helm of taking decisions that



would determine how 48,000 man-hours are invested. Can you value the worth of such a
large investment, where the persons concerned could be lawyers, engineers, businessmen,
architects, scientists or just plain simple good human beings whose intrinsic valuation is
beyond mathematical calculations. A friend of mine once defined lions as “the trustees of
future generations in their countries”. What a great salutation for lions, and the leader of the
district must then understand what the expectations and perceptions of the community are.

''The capacity to generate and sustain trust is the central ingredient in leadership", writes
Warren Bennis, a popular writer and professor of management. Trust-Loyalty-Trust are
mutually re-inforcing factors to build strong teams. Remember, reward high and trusted
positions to those whose loyalty to you is selfless. But, in doing so, check the portfolio
carefully against the candidate. It will never do to assign a key task to somebody only because
he is loyal, regardless of his ability and willingness to perform the task.

Henry Ford used to say "I am looking for men who have an infinite capacity to not know what
can't be done." When you select your team, outline your vision and test their reactions. The
sycophants will say 'Fantastic", and do nothing. See if your vision truly excites and, perhaps,
frightens people. Above all, look for people who want a challenge and are prepared to give it
time, energy and creativity.

You have the power to recognize and reward. Use it judiciously. The US Constitution provides
for many high offices to be appointed by the President. Many times, key portfolios have been
given, and great honours bestowed on otherwise undeserving individuals, purely as a reward
for loyalty, vote-getting or campaign fund raising. But just consider the appointment of Hillary
Clinton as the secretary of state by President Obama. It’s a very different approach
altogether. In cases like this, faith ina leader increases. But if a person is driven by petty
considerations and awards are made on extraneous considerations, the result is that the
value of the award diminishes. Witness the number of distinguished Indians who have
politely, but firmly, declined the Padmashri, Arjuna Award, etc., because they felt these were
indiscriminate or politically motivated in many cases. Quite sadly, I have witnessed high
awards in our association being recommended for individuals who have hardly been seen at



the ground level and rubbing shoulders with the lions in programs and projects that are our
identity.

There is an ongoing and fierce debate in our organization. Many senior Lions, Past District
Governor and such believe that the District Governor's contribution to the District is like
Emperor Nero's to Rome- bread and circuses. They believe that the District Governors get
strung upon a few lavish ceremonies alone (in some parts of the world). Such governors, they
believe, visit clubs ceremonially, not having done homework on each club's needs,
interpersonal tensions, member drop-out rate, etc. But a good District Governor is an
administrator who identifies the weak clubs, member drop-out rates and encourages more
club level, local community driven projects, to create ownership and pride of. membership. In
other words, rather than organize spectacles, he goes to grass roots and makes clubs own
their projects and develop a sense of pride in their membership.

This chapter has given you some tips - sometimes appearing mutually contradictory.
Achieving a judicious blend between loyalty and merit is a real challenge. But achieving this
blend is a must if your goal is to be a memorable lender.

In other words, there are certain organizational realities.

In order to achieve your goals it may be necessary to be tough e.g., not nominating a
faithful member to a key post, though he may have worked hard for your elections;
particularly when he is not suitable.

Even so your final team or cabinet might have some people who are not your
supporters.

Above all the District Governor's post is neither for personal gain or glamour. It is a
Lion's office for service.

To do justice to this post you have to reward only performers. This will send a strong
message throughout the district that it is work and not loyalty, performance not praising,
that will be recognized.



A great deal of discretion is needed to differentiate between those you want to
reward and those whom you have to reward.

*******



Competent Governorship

The District Governor in our Association is the Chief Executive Officer for the District. It is not
a ceremonial office. In his role, he has to meet the expectations of the stake-holders, Lions
Clubs International, members of the clubs in his district, elder lions, Past District Governors,
his cabinet, donors and well-wishers. Further, the governor shall be assisted by other
members of the district governor team that includes the two vice district governors.

To achieve this with a team consisting entirely of volunteers who belong to a variety of
businesses and professions which are time-consuming, needs awesome interpersonal skills.

You have to be a tactful diplomat, striding purposefully through minefields of individual and
political egos, skillfully balancing others' expectations with your objectives, eking out results
from inadequate resources including time.

Two major streams converge to create this mighty river - competence and integrity.
Competence is ability - the "hard" skill of planning, organizing, executing, controlling, and the
"soft" skill of communicating, bonding, motivating and counseling. Integrity is honesty to
oneself, to the job, and to all the stakeholders. We all grow throughout our lives in these
competencies. These two sets of skills are the essential tools of leadership in a Non-
Government / Non-Profit Organization.

But in your case, the space of one year in command and afterwards in counsel, will test these
competencies to the breaking point.

Integrity is being honest to your mission. "Leaders don't do what they are asked to do. They
rather do what they believe in", says Arun Maira, Chairman of Boston Consulting Group:
Transparent in intent, transparent in methods of working, transparent in commitment to your
cause.

At Sangam near Allahabad, three great rivers meet - the visible Jamunand Ganga and the
invisible Saraswati. The invisible third river converging on the competent District Governor is
passion. Tom Peters, formerly of Mckinsey, says, "Leaders wear their passion on their sleeves.



Leaders dream in techni-colour. They erupt, they flame, they have boundless enthusiasms".
Without passion, hardly anything may be possible in our association. This may apply largely to
all organizations, but where we are concerned with a humanitarian service sert up, it assumes
special importance. Have you tried to estimate what it means to plan and conceive programs
for community development? How much time is consumed in garnering resources and
seeking various approvals? And then the direct and indirect costs that have to be met must
also be matched by appropriate fund raising and donations; that too is a mammoth task. How
could all this be possible without the burning desire that alone be our guiding light as we walk
the roads of our association? You will find that every district has individuals who have never
become governors, nor do they have such an ambition. But they are at the fore front and may
even be the primary person behind a program to which they are 100% committed. They serve
in that capacity without a badge or a medal of recognition. In fact, it is the glory of such
individuals that we reflect on our head tables and reap the dividend of their labour as the
community recognizes us as people who care.

So, competence and integrity lead to trust. And when this engine is powered by very high-
octane fuel of passion, you are truly unstoppable.

And it does not come automatically. Great athletes spend hours practicing for mindsets of
peak performance. Executives, on the other hand, and District Governors included, don't
practice at all, but jump into fulltime performing. This is why, in our hierarchy, you would
have held other leadership posts before becoming District Governor. The introduction of the
office of 2nd Vice District Governor was meant to provide a platform and time to prepare for
the year of governorship while continuing to assist the current year’s incumbent.

High achievement is never static. As things change, what seemed like Everest becomes merely
a hill. In early computer days, kilobytes were impressive. Now we have crossed megabytes,
giga bytes, and are talking of terra bytes. So, as you progress during the year and beyond,
needs will change, environments will shift.

There is an old proverb. "Those who don't know, and don't know that they don't know, are
stupid. Avoid them. Those who don't know, and know that they don't know, they are simple;



teach them. Those who know, but don't know that they know, they know they are asleep,
wake them. And those who know, and know that they know; they are wise, follow them.”
Making such choices may not be easy, that is the challenge of leadership. The years that an
individual spends as the 1st and 2nd Vice District Governor should ideally be utilized for this ind
of talent identification and human resource building. You may be amazed that we have
tremendous talent available amongst our members but we may not be aware of them. We
have often spoken of the power of networking in our association. It refers to establishing
contacts with those who are located in other parts of the world and also includes building
relationships who are existing in our own clubs but we are bliss out what they can do to foster
our aims and objects. We were planning to hold a snooker tournament for fund raising but
always felt the absence of a technical person to assist us in this regard. It was when the Asian
Games were played that it came to our notice that the silver medal winner at these games
happened to be a member of a club in Kolkata for past many years, but he had hardly been
involved in the programs at club or district level. Not many in his club even knew that he
possessed such talent. On yet another occasion when the board meeting of LCI was being
held in New Delhi and the then president wanted a local civic leader to inaugurate the
opening session, wefaced a tough challenge. This meeting was being put together in almost
less than a month because it had been shifted to Delhi due to law and order disturbances
elsewhere. While we were brain storming to find some leads, a most unassuming lion in a
semi-urban club of eastern India happened to visit my office in connection withsome issues
relating to his club’s hospital that was undergoing expansion. When he overheard some
telephonic discussions, he chipped in with his possibility to help by asking the Speaker of the
Parliament of India to join us for the occasion. I wondered if he could really help, and then he
informed that Mr Chatterjee, the then Speaker and a brilliant parliamentarian for over 30
years, was a member of his club and a regular donor to his club’s hospital project as well. It
took only a day to have the chief guest tied up, who came in with a background knowledge of
our association and related wonderfully to our mission in his address.



Another version is of unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious
competence and unconscious competence. What this means is that, through sheer practice,
the great leader exercises these skills unconsciously.

It is sometimes said of Christopher Columbus, discoverer of America, that "he did not know
where he was going, and did not know where he had arrived."

"YOU can't get what you want unless you know what you want." And if your dreams are
small, your accomplishments can never be big."

And even a vision is hopeless if it is too early (Leonardo Da Vinci's vision of Helicopters!), or
too late. Shakespeare says it well: ''There is a tide in the affairs of men which, taken at the
flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and
miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves,
or lose our venture". You have to strike when the iron is hot. Choose the occasions for
announcements, celebration, etc.

Many Lion members play the role of commentators and critics. Some of them make lavish
promises. As District Governor, you cannot be a commentator, you are a player. You cannot
be a critic, you are a performer. And people want, not promises, but performance from you -
the bottom line. As a member, you must have heard others who prefer to observe, comment
and criticize. As the on-field captain, you have no time to comment, only to perform. Your
team, and all the clubs and members want to know, need to know where we are going? How
will we reach there? How will we know that we have arrived? Are there milestones in our
journey? Are there roadblocks, diversions, rough tracks? Leaders take people where they
ought to go, not just where they want to go.

As District Governor, whether you like it or not, you must provide your constituents with
directions. This means you give them a road map to guide the routine issues, and a compass
for them to focus on the critical change areas. In today’s fast changing scenario, it may have
been easier if a leaders job was just to provide directions to follow a road map; rather the
challenges are much more as they include tracing new paths based on the expertise of using
the compass. Many of our destinations may be such as have never been planned earlier; they



may be a new concept altogether. The compass here represents the validation on the scales
of the association’s code of ethics and statement of purposes. Each time we are confronted
with a situation that calls for choices between alternatives (and that is the purpose of
leadership), let us remember that ultimately the quality of such decisions alone will
determine the future of our association. How well is our research about our capacity to
undertake the challenge that confronts us, what kind of involvement have we been able to
generate in the team, how prepared are our colleagues to unlearn and learn as the situation
may demand, what shall be the impact of any changes we wish to introduce, how are such
changes viewed by the constituents, and so on, are some questions that must be answered
before any radical and long term policy decision is made.

Are you a thermostat or a thermometer? One sets the temperature required. The other
shows the temperature. The thermometer is passive. It merely states the temperature with
no comment on whether it is too high or too low; nor will it advice on what can be done
about the temperature. The thermostat sets the temperature limits, high or low, when
something must happen. So, it is a more active participant. It is said that there are three types
of people. There are those who make things happen. There are others who watch things
happen and, finally, there are those who wonder what happened. To which category do you
belong? Leaders make things happen.

Leaders are not mere tourists who admire the Taj. They are the conceivers and the builders
who create, rather than observe; perform, rather than promise.

*******



Your role as a trustee for tomorrow

When a stone is dropped into still water, concentric circles of waves form, each bigger than
the last. Interesting to watch. But it is a sobering thought that the Tsunami follows the same
principle. Tsunami has been the major cause of natural devastation in the recent past, but
nature has great lessons for us to be learnt from its structure and leveraging principles. Great
leaders build increasing circles of influence that reach out to donors, well-wishers, Lions
officials, bureaucrats, media and public. No person has authority over such a wide area, but
the intelligent leader develops influence, and that is both a softer and stronger force. How
does one develop influence? First establish a wide range of contacts. Keep in frequent touch
officially, socially. See if you can be of some help to each one - even regularly sending them
news-cuttings of importance to them, keeping them informed about Lions' activities, inviting
them to Lions functions, projects and meetings, sending them greeting cards, etc. Whatever
you achieve, 80% is through persuasion and influence. Your authority comes from your
credibility and influence.

Develop humility by emulating the truly great. The seventy-seven year old Mahatma Gandhi
was in rural Bengal on India's first Independence Day. He was met with banners that read
"Leave, you have been warned", etc.

His path was strewn with glass pieces and human excrement. Cutting a small branch, the
Father of the Nation began to sweep the glass and excrement. In a Non-Government / Non-
Profit Organization, humility, and not ambition, is true greatness. Demonstrate true humility
while facing the truly awesome responsibility that has been placed on your shoulders.

Among the various models that are suggested by experts, none applies more to our
organization than servant leadership. Some of the great examples of such leadership come
from the likes of Christ, Ram and Guru Angad. The lessons learnt from the last supper where
Lord Christ washes the feet of his apostles, Lord Ram’s acceptance of exile and Guru Angad’s
literal sermon of “Sewa” (service to mankind is service to God) can be our motivation. Ours is
an association where no one is above another, we are all equals. At best, the district governor



may be the first among equals. But success comes by appreciating the leadership mantra
states, “Walk not ahead, as I may not be able to follow; walk not behind, as I may not be able
to show the way; walk beside me so that together we may serve as we lead, and lead as we
serve.”

Influence achieves much more than authority. It is "soft", using tact, persuasion, cajoling,
negotiating, rather than sanction or force. How did Gandhi mobilize the entire nation? With
what authority? How did Nelson Mandela, after 28 years in prison for fighting against
apartheid, lead both the rich whites and poor blacks in a united South Africa? What was the
magic wand of Martin Lurther King Jr that he could lead perhaps the most powerful nation of
the world to its path of emancipation and renaissance? The answer to each of the questions is
the same: By personal example and utilizing influence over key constituents and stake-
holders. What these great men have achieved was not as dictators, but as leaders. Most
district projects begin with a grand vision based on great enthusiasms, but rapidly dwindle
into low energy, low participation activities. Just think of the last eye surgery camp or blood
donation drive in developing nations, or a fund raising campaign in a developed part of the
world for rehabilitation projects in areas hit be natural disasters. How many members turned
up at the site regularly? How many brought friends and future Lions? How does the number
compare with the turnout for a club picnic, and dinner get-togethers? This means that
fellowship takes precedence over service, or inclination for hands-on involvement is on the
decline. It may also mean that the Lions Organization has become transaction-centered.

Leadership may be distinguished by whether it is transaction oriented or transformation
oriented. The former is driven by a give and take relationship, often with a myopic view,
whereas the latter is identified with mutual enrichment and enhancement as the driving
force. In one case, the leader may promise certain benefits in exchange for support and in the
other case, the leader would empower his followers to take up leadership positions in future
and be a part of solution providers. This is exactly what each district governor would be
expected to do. The strength of a leader in an organization like ours is not determined by the
number of followers he has, rather the number of leaders he creates. The governor would



foster development of a learning environment wherein the vice district governors feel
comfortable as they prepare for future leadership, and at the same time the next level of
leadership too begins to blossom through opportunities of service and knowledge
enhancement by attending various institutes and similar programs.

It is a difference of spirit. The essential difference is in the quality of leadership. The
Transactional Leader is obsessed with the adinistrative details - the nuts and bolts, the
procedures. The Transformational Leader is also concerned with the details and the
procedures, but more important, he looks at the purpose of the project - inspires, ignites the
members to thcause - so that people are driven inspite of themselves. They set aside the
petty wrangling and their day to day preoccupations in order to be associated with something
greater than themselves. When the transformation leader is at work, people do something
because they are committed and feel elevated by their actions.

Lions are the trustees of future generations in their own communities and their countries. So
much of public resources are placed in their hands, more specifically, the time hours that are
committed to any district governor by the commited bunch of lions that compose the district
cabinet and are elected as club officers are tremendous. Ever try estimating this, the results
will be mind boggling. Then, the funds and public infrastructure that is also entrusted in their
hands is no mean matter. Have we not seen the highest of civic officers and community
leaders deeming it a privilege to address lions conventions? The Heads of states across the
world meet our lions officers, the Pope always grants audience to our President os the
Association and the celebration of Lions day at the UN is a salutation by the highest placed
individuals for what lions continue to do. This legacy can be maintained and grown further
only if we understand our trusteeship role, a fact that we are answerable by the ethical spirit
of fraternal living to our stake-holders which includes the government agencies, people in
general, or donors and supporters and the beneficiaries of our programs. We need no legal
provision to be transparent in our conduct that is the minimum price any organization has to
pay to be sustainable in today’s world.



We have all seen great projects bedeviled by crises. Fund shortages, government permissions,
lackluster field force, poor planning. The great leaders pre-empt problems. They anticipate
difficulties; they inoculate members against falling motivation. Time spent in anticipating
problems, before they appear, is an investment in success. For your project juggernaut to roll
out smoothly, road blocks must be spotted and avoided, side-stepped or removed, so that the
momentum continues unabated. Your job is to spot the blocks and to prepare people for
contingencies, otherwise they get dispirited and down. The trend analysis provided by LCI
regarding membership development and club health assessment reports need to be studied
to anticipate any impending challenges. A leader is not one who solves problems when they
arise, he should be prepared with solutions even before they raise their heads. As the average
life-span of citizens is going up across the world, handling the senior citizens and their health
related issues is naturally going to be a concern. How many of our districts are getting
prepared for this? As mobility of human beings increases with the world becoming a playing
field for the new generation, how long can we expect that lions will continue their
membership in the same club for 30 or 40 years? Are we prepared to meet this situation? As
associations like ours are joining hands with global bodies to assume projects that may have
been inconceivable even a few years ago, how many of our districts are gearing up for such
corporate partnerships where the impact will not be marginal, rather monumental? If we rae
not doing this, then what kind of trustees are we for the legacy of our movement? We had
struck a chord with the realities and expectations of early, mid and late twentieth century;
but now the socio-economic dynamics are different. How do our plans match the community
needs today? We will definitely find a place in the grand museum of human civilization; our
contributions can never be denied. But what is debatable and challenging is: Will we be there
as a curator of the museum or a museum piece?

But, to anticipate problems, one must have great practice-adaptability to change. We live in
an era of constant and turbulent change. Today's youngster grows up with MTV, AXN, Cell
Phones, Internet and SMS. For many of us, even computers and e-mail are wonders. For this
generation, space travel holds no great excitement. To a credit card and ATM generation,
change is the only constant. While we plan each year’s activities, continuity is a must but that



does not mean that was done in the earlier years automatically finds a place in the current
year’s curriculum as well. It has to be validated by the needs to today and tomorrow; its
inclusion is not justified by reference to needs of yesterday. That will mean we are not being
cautious and vigilant as a trustee with the resources that are placed in our hands. Many
programs that had undoubted value some years ago may have become redundant today. Just
because something has been a continued success is all the more reason to evaluate whether
it is time to move on. The greatest example in this relation is the way our Sight First program
has developed. The figures for millions of surgeries have come from the activities conducted
in make shift operation theatres in parts of Asia and Africs, But over the lastr decade, as per
advice from WHO all such surgeries have been phased out with the development of base
hospitals. Now even the base hospitals are being encouraged to move ahead from cataract
treatment primarily to the more challenging fields of diabetic retinopathy and child
ophthalmology. This does not mean that what we did earlier was not correct, but that there is
a time for everything. We need to grow our program for it be sustainably effective and
produce the kind of results that will make our association stand out as a leading fighter for
restoration of sight. Support from Sight First is expected to be available for social enterprises
that bring greater stability to the lives of the sight impaired by making them more employable
and assisting them to stand on their own feet and be positively integrated into the
mainstream of society. This may be far removed from just physical treatment of blindness,
but the new position papers of Sight First contain reference to such funding that may be
available. As a rule, our Foundation (LCIF) does not provide support in response to man made
disasters, only natural disasters. But in case of 26/11, it is only natural and rightfully so that
exceptions were made. Thje extent of loss and the enormity of the situation demanded that
the Foundation takes a call, and it did. Trustees act today based on the experiences of the
past, but make investments that are justified for future on a scale of inter-generational
equity. Every application of resource today must be evaluated in terms of the returns it will
give tomorrow; and what the ground realities tomorrow will be can be anyone’s guess; the
only thing certain is that it will be far removed from what the realities today are, Thus the
trusteeship function demands leadership to pierce through the fog of the present, assisted by



the vision of tomorrow. Our clubs and their projects must exist not only today but for many
more years, perhaps many decades. The leadership at club level will need motivation and
vision that must come from the slightly more experienced.

Re-examine your values and attitudes. How relevant are they to the dynamics of today? If
they are not, if you are not with it, then you are Jurassic. And we all know what happened to
the dinosaur. Today's value systems no longer revere mere age or designation. To motivate
youngsters, the vision should have meaning for them. This generation will join our association
only if it finds that the returns on investment justify their decision. The biggest and costliest
resource they bring is man-hours. This is a generation that demands to be paid not in terms of
monthly salaries alone, but with reference to hourly inputs. They may have no time for our
lengthy systems and protocols; they may like to see the ambience more informal. At least we
have had one president who invited his board to meetings without the famous black suits and
ties, thank God. But that is not the only thing. Look at the way the organizations have been
created today, fluid in hierarchy and purely driven by the desire to make life more meaningful
for its associates and for its customers. What are we doing to make our clubs more women
friendly and youth friendly? Are we expecting them to come and learn the ways of running
clubs from us? Or are we just wanting them to learn our values and then teach us how the
same should be applied for best results today? I feel the latter is not the best, but perhaps the
only option. Are we prepared? If not, then no matter how much we profess to love and
admire our lions clubs, were not promoting their future existence and prosperity. As a district
governor, it may be a good idea to demonstrate modern ideas without only lecturing around.
The lesson of technological upgradation can be better taught if the governor uses the mode
of video conferencing either to personally address the lions from a distance or invite a top
leader to speak to a convention from maybe thousands of miles away. The lions are always
ready to accept the process of change, but they must see the actual demonstrations and
success models, not be merely lectured in that context.

The greatest leaders of today - the Jack Welch of General Electric, Ratan Tata, Aditya Birla -
are always scanning their horizons with the intention of picking out, from mountains of ore,



the nuggets of gold - the performers. Find them in your environment, identify them, publicize
them and you will set performance standards to which others will aspire and rise. People will
alter their behaviour towards those things that are rewarded. In Management, this is known
as Positive Reinforcement. So, find the leaders in your district. Each time they do well,
publicly compliment them.

Perhaps the most frequent explanation for mediocrity and nonperformance is the statement
"I didn't know". Informed members are active members. Informed members are involved
members. Our perennial problem in the Lions movement is the "dropouts." One significant
reason for dropouts is the fact that involvement is low. Involvement is directly linked to
communication - multi-directional communication.

One of Tata Steel's secrets of resounding success is the frequent "dialogue" session, where
upto 500 officers meet with top management for informal information exchange. “Verticle
slice” communication with associates from all levels-executive officers speaking to the LCI
staff at Oak Brook is just one example. Everyone is encouraged to speak up and express his /
or her views without fear or favour. Important issues raised are noted and acted on quickly.
Have we not heard of whistle blowers in the corporate world? This is the NGO face of similar
whistle blowers. This has made the exercise worthwhile in people's eyes and not merely an
"adda" (an empty discussion).

So, encourage frequent meetings among members with Club and District leaders. Let there be
dialogues, not monologue lectures from leaders alone.

But watch out for a big pitfall. While we have been discussing the nuts and bolts of
leadership, there is a danger that you miss the big picture. Our eye for detail must never hide
the big picture - the vision.

Some District Governors lose most of their vital year in meetings and conferences. They are
important only to the extent that they resolve issues, highlight actions and control events. So
the wise District Governor balances the need to meet with the need to act; the need to
motivate with the need to control; the need to inspire with the need to perform. Quite



frankly speaking, district governorship is sometimes management oriented and sometimes
leadership oriented. Its called turn-coats, but that is the level of adaptability that is expected.

Both, the Association and its members, are reciprocally accountable. One for producing the
results the members want, and the other for their self-supervised performance. One of the
important features of professionalism is the ability to deliver more than what was promised,
to do so in time and even unsupervised. No one should be peeping over the shoulder of any
leader in action. Why only the district governor or vice district governors, even the zone and
region chairpersons or district chairpersons, or club officers must all be responsible for
themselves, That is the kind of integrity that is expected of any professional, one who has the
attitude to walk the talk.

As trustee leader, your first task is to create a wide influence network. Being humble is a
discipline for leadership. If your vision is great and powerful, then the nuts and bolts tend to
take care of themselves. There will always be blocks and setbacks. It is your constancy that
will give your people the spirit.

Another important area to watch is succession. Who are the up and coming leaders? Create a
multi faceted communication environment where no one feels left out, or uniformed and
non-participative.

There is the risk that meetings and conferences consume most of your previous year. Keep
the meetings to the minimum, and miserly in time. Is it compulsory that all officers speak at
every meeting? Have you seen the 2nd international vice president speak at international
conventions’ opening or closing sessions? You have not been elected to hold meetings and
conferences only. They are the only tools to help you achieve your vision. Some District
Governors get excited about elaborate meetings and conferences, without realizing that such
encounters may be good for communication and involvement but meetings don't generate
concrete results on the ground.

*******



Launch the ship and then steer it

Whenever one sets out on an ambitious mission, the initial enthusiasms starts to wane after a
while. The wise leader knows when to refuel his team. He also knows that, facing the truth
today will avert a bleak tomorrow. So, plan to keep the enthusiasm's fire burning brightly. Do
it by leading and by congratulating every achievement.

And, the biggest danger is if you wear ego-coloured glasses to look into the future. You are
obviously fond of your own plans and projects. But be objective and change it, if necessary.
And ensure that the ownership of the project is shared by every team member. The projects
should be owned by all involved. Free India is not just Gandhi. It is our collective and
individual treasure.

In fact, launching a great ship is only part of the job. Once it is launched, the ship needs both
power to move and direction to steer. You, as the captain, have to continuously "read" the
tide and the storm, changing neatly and quickly to adapt your vessel to its environment. As
Chief of the district, you always strive to adapt, keeping the voyage in. mind lire-presenting"
as often as necessary and responding to the winds of change. The District is large and
populated. As you respond to reality, keep others informed / involved.

One way of "response-ability" is to review with the core members frequently and objectively
how far the plans are succeeding, what is blocking them and what needs to be done, and how
to get it done. These reviews are fact-finding, not fault-finding, so the spirit has always to be
"how do we cross this obstacle?"

When the great Crusades of the Middle Ages took place, European knights repeatedly tried to
take control of Jerusalem from the Arabs. Great wars were fought. The Europeans used
swords called "sabres", which were big, and heavy, and strong - could split a rock. The Arabs
fought with fine, light, extremely sharp and flexible swords of the famous Damascene steel.
Their challenge to the Europeans was always, .See if your sabre can cut this soft silk pillow". It
could not. A leader has to have not only the strength and courage to preserve, but the ability
to adapt, to review, reconsider and change. Neither extreme is of much use - too stiff to



change and too flexible to prevail. You should be known not only for the strength of your
commitments, but also for your accessibility to opinion and criticism.

And while events unfold and, perhaps, dazzle the teams, the leader must always be scanning
the further horizons, anticipating well beyond the immediate. It is said that Alexander's
greatness lay not only in seeing the far frontiers that were yet to be conquered, but also in his
uncanny ability to inspire his legions whose vision was limited and to repeatedly re-inspire
tiring troops.

The lesson for us is crystal clear. While steadfastly keeping our long term goals clear in our
minds, we also have to charge and recharge the team towards bashing on regardless.

In this brief chapter, we have looked at 'sets of so-called contradictions.

Keep the initial enthusiasms from dying out. Initiate projects but let others own them. React
swiftly to change but ensure others are aware. Review progress frequently, but as a well
wisher, not an auditor.

Show constancy and strength, but coupled with being available and willing to change.

*******



Walking The Tight Rope

The Wallers were a famous family of high-wire walkers. They frequently walked on a single
wire strung between the 60th floors of two buildings. They even walked on a wire high above
the Niagara Falls.

The tight rope that you must walk is the constant balancing act between all the stake-holders
of the district. There will always be views, divergent, contradictory and conflicting between
Past District Governors, Past International Directors, local administration, well-wishers and
donors. Your tact, diplomacy and the ability to lubricate the friction points will be fully tested.
There is no doubt that you are the recognized leader, but the leader of a group of proud,
intelligent and outspoken volunteers.

So, how will I learn to walk on this tight rope, where conflicting forces are pulling me in
different directions?

Some lessons are waiting to be learnt from history. It is said that "those who don't learn from
the past are destined to repeat it." But the past and the present are not the same, and the
future is even more different. What worked once may not apply today. Or, it may need to be
altered to suit today's issues. And all of this cannot be a rule-bound guide book to the future.
The only truth which time cannot rust is that the leader is responsible for the results, though
not in control of the conditions. The clubs are independent identities, and yet the district
governor must assume responsibility for the service activity levels and administration issues
in the entire district. When you are pulled and pushed in different directions, what should you
do? First, be sure in your mind what you think is the right thing to do. Second give each
counselor / critic a patient hearing before explaining your viewpoint. If the situation is
intransigent'- people are sticking to their points and not willing to change, then diffuse the
tension by appointing a committee to go into the situation and submit a recommendation.
Distance yourself from the committee so that it is seen to be objective, and your acceptance
of the recommendation is not automatic. Not only must the district governor be fair, but also
appear to be fair.



During World War II, the Allies initially suffered grievous losses against the German Desert
Fox, Rommel. He used Shivaji's famous tactics of moving fast and killing the enemy in
different places, so that they just could not regroup and fight a set piece battle. Then came
the British General Montgomery. After carefully studying the situation, he realized that,
against such guerrilla tactics, something dramatically different needed to be done. So, instead
of facing these random attacks, he concentrated on hitting Rommel's base depot which
maintained and supplied his vehicles. We call this situational leadership - improvising,
innovating your response to your unique situations.

The end point of your year as District Governors is, and will always be, "what was achieved"?
Has our membership grown, is the member "stickiness" more? What projects have been
commissioned? All gold medals and trophies are given at the end of the race, neither before,
nor during. The price of applause is accountability. And every recognition must be rightfully
earned. I would rather deserve a medal and not have it, than have it and not deserve it.
Means to success are very important in an organization like ours. Even when membership is
growing, what is equally important is to check that such growth is sustained. Attrition rate has
been a cause of concern to us for long and every district governor needs to be careful. Yet
that is no excuse for not producibg growth by saying that more stress ois being laid on quality
control and hence the speed of induction is slow. We have to recognize the challenge: loss of
membership will always be there due to death, transfers, ill health, economic issues and the
like. Hence, the process of inducting new members and extending new clubs must always
continue, of course with all associated controls. It must always be remembered that we are a
service organization and that more clubs and members will mean greater resources and
opportunities to serve. Naturally this would also mean that the members and new clubs are
doctrinated into service culture of our association; anything without this is redundant and
baseless.

Some of history's greatest leaders were faced with innumerable barricades. Often they had to
seek others' permissions to proceed. One option many used was to go ahead and do it, and
retrospectively, seek forgiveness, rather than to sit and wait for the green light. So everything


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