The Utterances of a Peculiar Mindset

What makes a leader? I’d say, really good acting skills. The most effective way to lead is not to show that you are doing it. People hate being told what to do, and what not to do. No one likes to be led by the nose. You must not make them feel you are the boss, guide, whatever. You just have to carry people along with compassion, love, and not least of all, a sense of humour. In fact, not only should others not feel the burden of your leadership, the leader himself should lead without realising it, without donning the grand mantle of setting some maha example. Achievement is the destination, leadership is showing the way to it.

Secondly, I’ve seen that every true leader treats people well. That’s crucial. You can get away by treating some people badly some of the time, but you cannot make a practice of it. I’d say the best leadership is like parenting. You don’t have to instil awe; you should create loving respect.

Thirdly, you have to have focus. But it is important that the leader’s focus does not become heavy, aggressive, pressuring, troubling, aggravating for others. You should do the planning and what you have to do, and then leave everyone to get on with his or her part of it. It’s most important to believe in everyone else as much as you do in yourself. It’s your team. You’ve chosen it. The people on it should be good, right?

I know that the film industry gets a great deal of flak for not putting itself in a leadership role. On the contrary, it is accused of sending the wrong signals, as happened in recent cases. We are constantly told ‘you guys should be doing so much more considering the extraordinary, even


absurd, influence you wield’. But, when people say ‘industry’, it should encompass all media: not just films, but newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, the works.

Everyone in this multifaceted industry must work together on providing the right leadership. But everyone functions as an independent segment, does whatever it wants to. Besides, at the end of the day, we are just doing a job. We are an industry like any other. We are all in a commercial state of mind. We don’t take all this importance upon ourselves.

I understand that, yes, I should be taking up real-time roles, but I’m an actor. I know what to do when I’m acting. However, I need to be told how to play the roles which set an example, or use my position for the larger good. I am truly glad and proud that the Times group asked me to do this film to kick off their Leadership campaign. If you think I am a youth icon, use me by all means.

In the Times campaign, my role is to lead people into action. It’s about getting up and doing whatever it takes. I did not think of this as lines in a script. It is 100% my personal belief. I am not a thinker. I’ll read about something, and do it.

Even if I know the outcome will not be what it should, I have to physically work it out myself. It’s fantastic if you get it right. But it’s equally all right if you get it wrong. Just do it. That’s what I tell my son and my daughter. There’s always a second time to get it right. I simply don’t believe in not doing anything because you are afraid it won’t work out as planned. For leaders as for followers, there should be no don’ts; just do it..