Stephan Polomski is director human resources, coach and trainer

These days I conducted job interviews for a middle ranked management position and one of the candidates was a young German of Indian origin – smart, structured, straight forward, with excellent social skills and high ambitions – basically someone you would hire on the spot for a middle management position. Although I knew that my interlocutor grew up in Germany, I was amazed, how seemingly westernized he was in his attitude. And I told him, when we discussed leadership issues, how deeply I for my part was moved visiting Dehli standing in front of Mahatma Gandhi´s cenotaph, the spot of his cremation, and later seeing his last garment still spread with blood.

I always admired the way and the approach, how Gandhi – using peaceful means – lead the heterogeneous Indian cultures towards greater unity, freedom, responsibility, and autonomy unlashing until today the enormous potential of his people, a result, we fully acknowledge today, decades later. This is what until today makes him “Bapu”, the father of the nation.

“What made his leadership successful was – I think – a steadfast purpose and his listening to his inner calling. Both, purpose and calling were built on values like truth, justice, love, non-violence, and charity.”

What made his leadership successful was – I think – a steadfast purpose and his listening to his inner calling. Both, purpose and calling were built on values like truth, justice, love, non-violence, and charity. He neither benefited of personality development- nor communication-, organization-, management- or leadership-trainings nor good looks. What made him strong was his inner voice, his beliefs and convictions, which were giving him guidance and credibility, because he lived what he preached: one man can make a difference; strength comes not from physical capacity but from an indomitable will; leadership by example is the most effective.

The encounter with the young and self-confident German-Indian man I interviewed brought me deeply back to Gandhi, his way of life, and the idea, that to be a good leader it is sufficient to keep some certain, very simple – meaning essential – rules – rules, obviously difficult to keep unless you discipline yourself (like Gandhi did). I again took a look to some studies and to Richard Attenbourough´s film featuring Gandhi´s life in order to get a point of reference reviewing my own thinking and acting: Do I live in accordance to my life purpose? Do I really listen to my inner calling? Am I faithful to my values?

-          Gandhi was known for the trust he was granting everyone. He saw the good in people and believed in them.

-          What he developed were caring relationships which – aside trust – were built on mutual respect and non-violence.

-          While managing relationships Gandhi showed an immense integrity – towards himself and towards others, who were sometimes harshly opposing stakeholders. Like this he remained transparent, credible, and trustworthy.

-          Hence, he could openly, freely follow his path and his purpose.

-          And he was a master in changing small things with an enormous effect for the big picture. This is how he reached his vision: with short term targets and a great patience.

Nowadays, it is the business schools which are studying Gandhi´s teachings and combine them with key findings like emotional intelligence or positive leadership.

Many of his sayings are praised by Westerners, because they are so close to Western leadership teachings about solution-oriented managing which allows mistakes – “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes” – or what Americans use to say by “Walk the talk” seems to be included in Gandhi´s “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”

Gandhi´s experiments with truth are a way to find self-management and self-reflection, the prerequisites of excellent leaders. Gandhi´s values, beliefs and convictions are a clue to a leader´s attitude shaped by care and by deep motivation. They are also a powerful means for conflict management, a basically daily reality of every manager or leader around the world.

The five items I put together are simple to understand. To practice them, though, they are a tough challenge for most of us.