Recently I attended a funeral prayer meeting for the mom of one of the facilitators that I have had privilege of working with for the past two and half decades. Over the years she has spoken to me about how kind, understanding, loving and caring her mom has been. Sitting in this prayer meeting and listening to family, friends and relatives who echoed the life of the deceased was a good reflection of what I have experienced over the years. Lesson learnt here is to leave a legacy, a character, and a mean to the life we live. In a business context, this is also meaningful. As a leader, lead your people who will be your followers. Once again, when you are gone as a leader, your legacy stays on.
At this same meeting, while prayers were being intoned and chanted, a very serene atmosphere transpired. The serenity also ushered in a meditative mood. Everything was so peaceful and I was delighted to have attended this prayer meeting. Then it happened. Someone’s mobile phone rang. Disruption and mood change could be felt. The individual whose phone rang must have considered it a privilege and honor to receive the call and had the audacity to sit there and speak like as if he was the only one in the hall. The staring and and non verbal signs by others did not deter this individual to turn off his mobile. Lesson learnt here, be courteous, be humble, do not disrupt the peace and quietness that others are experiencing.
A similar incident occurred again this morning when I was at my physician whose phone rang while he was diagnosing me and he just proceeded to receive the call. I realized from his conversation that he was talking to a patient. At the same time my mind wondered off to years gone by. No way would a patient be calling him directly. They would have to pass many channels before they would be able to talk to a physician. The problem is not modern technology but the use of it. Once again a lesson learned is to be considerate of others and when explore a business context this too is applicable. As a leader, be considerate of others. Doing so would put others at ease to communicate with the leader.
