Leadership is an Act not a title

Leadership is action and not a title. It is when an ordinary person showcases extraordinary grit to take charge of a situation and takes people along. It doesn't have to be in the workplace or a larger than life setting but even in the small daily things. In that sense everyone is capable of leadership in their own unique style for things they feel passionately for.

Today I want to share something closer home. My wife (Akhila) is passionate about saving and giving back to the environment. She keeps trying different things, some fail and some work well. But she never gives up and keeps looking at newer ways to make a difference. As a family it keeps us on our toes all times, sometime in an exciting way and many times in a not so comfortable ways. We try and protest, but that doesn't deter her.

One such adventure has been trying to compost the left over food waste and convert it into manure. The first time we tried it in Bangalore, it was a mess, and we had to abandon it. The second time, we again missed some part of the routine to compost and we had maggots to deal with. It wasn't a pretty site!! A few months back she was reinvigorated and wanted to try composting again. We weren't that supportive, but she marched on agreeing to handle it all by herself. Elated to share that this time she has nailed it. We have reduced our garbage disposal by almost 70 percent and our composting is working well. We have had two rounds of composting done, that's converted into manure.

It's a firm reminder that if you feel passionately about something and keep at it, you can make a difference. Her care for the environment has rubbed on to not just me, but to many in the society. Now she is on the journey to get more people onto the waste segregation and plastic recycling bandwagon.

It's not what we do when it's easy or when we get it right the first time itself, but what we are willing to persevere for that makes the difference.