WHY LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE?

(This article was originally published in the Leadership Excellence Journal. All 78 issues of LEJ can be found in the Bhaktivedanta Vedabase 2003 and 2011)

Maybe you were wondering how Leadership Excellence Journal came into being. From 1992 I started to study leadership books and articles, both from devotees and others. I came to realize that leadership is most important for personal and collective success. 


By studying I saw that Srila Prabhupada gave us all principles for effective spiritual leadership in his books, lectures, conversations, articles and letters. Somehow I felt the need to make it more easy for devotee-leaders to focus on these topics and thus become better servants as leaders and also more happy in their devotional life. 

It is not easy to be a leader in a spiritual organization. First one has to be a good example, which is itself a big task. Then one has to develop trusting relationship with devotees. One must respect each devotee and facilitate his service. Then one must know how to listen and deeply understand. That is very demanding.

Knowledge is empowering, especially when applied consistently and with faith. If we know the principles of spiritual leadership and sincerely put them into practice, then we will be better protector and facilitator of the people we lead. The idea with Leadership Excellence was to facilitate leaders' service. 

Leadership Excellence Journal is concise and focused on higher principles. It is meant to recharge your batteries weekly and give you new impetus and ideas on how to perform better for Lord Krishna. If after reading Leadership Excellence weekly you come a step closer to becoming like a patient, loving father of devotees you lead, then Leadership Excellence is accomplishing its mission.

Leadership Excellence's main message is that leadership means you are constantly working on your heart and your motives and striving to gain the mercy of the devotees by serving them as a leader. My hope is that Leadership Excellence will also give you solace, so you can persist to lead in spite of all challenges. 

Leadership Excellence should give you a sense that Lord Krishna and his representatives know what you are going through as a leader and that they appreciate your struggle. We wish you all the best in your leadership journey. Please never exploit your position but always serve and facilitate. That will bring you greater rewards.