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Well! That’s the question with which an eminent international Leadership Trainer began his seminar. I was, at the time an AM or Assistant Manager and was a leading a team of ten members. We were part of the sales team with the responsibility of increasing business and profits for the organization for a specific geographical region of the country.“You have to learn to become a good leader and hence I am nominating you for an international seminar on Leadership Development” Saying this my boss handed me the letter of nomination and left.

I must seminar

confess I was

at the most

end of the pleasantly confused. I was not sure whether I was an ‘Authoritative’ or ‘Innovative’ or ‘Democratic’ or ‘Autocratic’ or ‘Transformational’ leader. I returned to my office with a whole lot of knowledge but without relevant clarity about what type of leader I was or I should be.

It was during dinner time at home that the most positive thing happened to me. It was my father’s friend who had been invited to join us for dinner. He had just retired as the Managing Director of a large manufacturing organization.While we were eating my father mentioned to him about the leadership seminar I had attended. “Oh! That’s great Mayur. So how was the seminar? I am sure you

FIJISUN.COM.FJ have become wiser and a more effective leader for your team” he exclaimed in enthusiasm. I paused for a moment and then responded in complete honesty. “Dear Rajesh uncle, to be very honest, I am still very confused about the seminar and especially about the leadership styles.After investing my two full days I am unable to understand what type of a leader I am. Hence I really don’t think I have become wiser, rather I have become a bit more confused!” I saw him smiling at my helpless expressions as we continued to have our dinner. We completed our dinner and then sat in the balcony and then he began speaking to me. “Mayur, I must confess, I totally agree with you about the seminar and I have something to share in this regard. In today’s world it is not correct to rigidly bracket a professional as a particular type of a leader. It is almost foolish to do so.” “Really!” I exclaimed in anxiety. “Yes! I have been the managing director and CEO and have been leading an entire organization for eleven years. In this time I have realized that a leader must be a ‘SITUATIONAL LEADER’. He or she must have, the confluence or the ‘coming together’ of all the STYLES of a leader and this must be totally based upon the situation that he or she is in” I was dinding all this extremely new and interesting.