I was packing up for the festival holidays that mark 5-days of Diwali in India. We know of Diwali as the festival of light that drowns the darkness for the light to brighten our lives. It also marks the homecoming of Lord Rama after the Vanawash (exile) of long fourteen years. We’ve just come out of a series of big festivals in this part of the world- Ganapati, Navaratri, Durga Puja.
Truly, there are proverbial thirteen festivals in twelve months. I am no expert on mythologies or religious practices but what I could distinctly make out of the common theme in many of these festivals is of ‘Creative Destruction’. Simply put, letting the old guard die for the new to emerge! Most of these festivals will have ‘Havan’ (the pious pyre) that burns wood and other ingredients for the heat, light and ‘senses-filling’ fumes for the so-called purification of air and the environment. They are really, refreshing and inspiring for most of the practitioners.
What lessons does ‘Creative Destruction’ have for the leaders of today?
I conclude three critical leadership lessons from ‘Creative Destruction’.
- Self-renewal: Most of such religious or mythological practices allude to creation of new and something better than what was present before. Incessantly discovering oneself by selectively destructing the past is hallmark of a great leader. They create changes. They allow stability and status-quo to die in order to let newer patterns emerge. Someone in tech-world let the Pagers die for Mobile phones to emerge.
- Strong bonding around a common act or purpose: Devotees of all hues perform their religious acts during such ‘Havan’ for the hope of self-good and good for the society. Leaders rally their people around with such profound purpose which is bigger than these individuals themselves. Such act of greater good for the organization or society make a Tata or Gandhi out of ordinary mortals.
- Compelling sense of a better and brighter future: These ‘Havans’ are carried out with the inner belief of a better tomorrow for the society at large irrespective of the present state. So are the true leaders, who have a deep sense of a brighter future whatever be the present situation. ‘The Stockdale paradox’ characterizes the unwavering faith that good will prevail at the end despite having the realization of the harsh realities of today.
Thankfully, every year we are reminded of the virtues of self-renewal and unwavering faith in a better tomorrow through the festivities and myriad practices therein. Leaders not only should participate in these religious practices but more importantly, make these inherent messages stick with them, the larger organizations and society.
We talk of VUCA world so often these days, interestingly, our century-old practices always reckoned change and self-renewal as integral part of everyday life.
Reinvent, reinvigorate and renew yourself this festive season!
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