Embracing Egolessness in Leadership

Uncover the transformative power of embracing egolessness in leadership and its ability to propel you to unparalleled success

King Prithu was the king of the planet Earth. He stood as a paragon of rulership tending to his subjects with the great care and diligence - known to tend to them like a devoted father.

It was tradition for the kings and leaders to perform fire sacrifices or yagnas offered to the Lord- these were believed to bring peace, prosperity and divine favor to both the people and the performer. King Prithu, inspired by this tradition, resolved to undertake a monumental endeavor – a series of one hundred sacrifices. As he was about to perform the 100th sacrifice, he invited the envy of King Indra (the celestial monarch), who was the only person known to have performed 100 such sacrifices.

Consumed by insecurity at the prospect of Prithu's burgeoning power, Indra sought to thwart the king's plans by stealing the horse, a pivotal part of the ritual. Despite his repeated attempts to disrupt the proceedings, Prithu's steadfast resolve remained unshaken.

In the ensuing confrontation, Prithu's son, retrieved the stolen horse from Indra, yet refrained from taking the celestial monarch's life, as Indra had cunningly disguised himself as a holy ascetic( who are to be respected and protected and not killed). Undeterred by Indra's deceit, Prithu pressed on with his sacrifice, prompting a divine intervention.

Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, appeared on the scene and admonished Prithu against slaying Indra, urging him instead to halt the ritual to dissuade Indra from further misdeeds.(Indra's misdeed being disguising himself as in ascentic of various orders and thus disturbing the faith of people in spiritual leaders and holy saints).

Ever obedient to divine counsel and alert to the well-being of his subjects, Prithu acceded to Brahma's directive, bringing an end to his one-hundredth sacrifice.

Lessons from their diametrically opposite attitudes

The contrasting attitudes of Prithu and Indra offer profound insights into the importance of egolessness in leadership. While Indra clung fiercely to his title of "performer of a hundred sacrifices," driven by attachment and a desire for personal glory, Prithu demonstrated remarkable detachment and a sense of responsibility towards his subjects.

Recognizing that the welfare of his people transcended personal accolades, Prithu willingly relinquished his ambitious endeavor for the greater good. While Indra to protect himself while stealing the horse created various false holy ascetic identities thereby reducing the faith of people in honest holy men.

King Prithu's consistent actions, focused on the well being of his subjects, earned him their love and trust. They loved him as their own and were ready to do anything for him. He was able to rule the planet with ease because he had their cooperation and his own transcendent leadership.

Have you earned their trust?

We live in very competitive times driven by AI and social media. It is hard to know what is true and what is not. It is a world of images and posing we live in, where it is increasingly difficult to sustain the trust and connection of our stake holders, employees and customers.

The timeless virtues of egolessness, servitude and purpose over personal gain can help leaders and their companies come out tall & striking.

Egolessness and purpose-driven leadership play integral roles in earning trust and delivering the best outcomes for a company.

Egolessness cultivates an environment of transparency, humility, and authenticity, allowing leaders to connect with employees, stakeholders, and customers on a deeper level.
When people see a leader prioritizing the collective good over personal gain, they find it easier to trust their leadership. Employees are more likely to follow a leader who is not driven by personal gain, who values their input, respects their contributions, and genuinely cares about their well-being.

What can you do?

What needs can you transcend within yourself to come to the point of egolessness in your leadership? What inner transformation do you need to make to work for the greater good? What can you do in your leadership, that benefits your employees, stakeholders & customers more than you already are?

As you read this, is there anything within that is revolting at this thought? What is it and how can you dissolve it? (Serving others includes taking care of yourself)

Egolessness liberates you

No matter what I say here, you will be more convinced to follow it when you experience the benefits yourself. Egolessness lends to a calm inner world and a sage like increased effectivity in your outer world. This egolessness invites us to serve at our highest level in a purpose-driven way- a purpose larger than ourselves. (More about that in my next article.)

Egolessness frees you of your own self, your fears, your limiting conceptions and intelligence- it helps you operate on a much wider canvas.

Whether you follow the Bhagavad Gita, Buddhist philosophy or ancient wisdom from other native cultures, they encourage you towards this state of egolessness. It helps you connect with your inner wisdom and divinity, it helps you go beyond the limitations of your own body and mind and access a higher spiritual energy. That spiritual energy can empower you beyond measure and help you do things beyond your greatest estimated capacities. All, while acting as instruments of the higher energies invested in you for the greater good of your customers, employees, stakeholders and your highest self.

Are you looking to transcend to a higher leadership?

DM me if you are looking to transcend your leadership to a higher dimension.

I offer 1:1 coaching for leaders - C-Suite, VPs, Business Owners & High Potentials.

All details here: https://www.namitapurohit.com/exec

I am also building a community for leaders to partner with their inner wisdom and partner with each other.

Categories: Leadership