The Hindu Business Line : `Leadership qualities can be imbibed'

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Madurai Feb. 6 To say that leaders are born and not made is a myth and the qualities of leadership can be imbibed, according to Mr P. Selvaganesh, Additional Director of Investigations, Department of Income-Tax, Madurai.

A leader is one who makes things happen and is distinguished from the others who either watch or wonder or remain ignorant of things happening around them. Leadership is the elegance of conduct that inspires and shapes a team into a viable cooperative behaviour towards a common goal, he said while addressing a Business Line Club meeting on `Leadership and management' organised by the MBA Department of Fatima College (Autonomous), here.Distinguishing between leadership and management, he said while a leader tries to innovate originally in his approach through trust, a manager, as an administrator, on the other hand, builds relationships to control a situation or an event. Leadership has no relationship with age. It is attributable to the quality in a person who is always willing to learn, educate others, analyse situations and evolve solutions for problems with a sense of empathy. In an organisation or a team this is reflected in working not for personal records but for a common goal set. Every problem is a test of excellence, he said.

Mr Selvaganesh said the quality most necessary in a leader is emotional intelligence reflected in terms of warmth and appreciation at work that contributes to motivation, time management and assumption of responsibility for action that may be either right or wrong. Passing the buck is easier for people than to accept mistakes. This needs courage. A true leader does not give up till the end. Everyone knows that a game is not lost till it is over. Perseverance in effort is the secret of success, he said. Mr T. Murali, Regional General Manager, The Hindu, Madurai and Dr V. Kubendran, Director, Department of Management Studies, Fatima College (Autonomous), were present.