A historical joke. Many years back once the US ex President Coolidge was in a dinner programme at the White House. He was surrounded by senators and his colleagues. They were taking a little drink there. Suddenly a fat and ugly lady from his opposition party violently rushed to Mr. Coolidge and started shouting at him saying, ‘you are a drunk, a pimp and a barbarian’. The president solemnly looked at her and replied, ‘You are right, lady; but tomorrow morning I will not remain drunk but you will remain as ugly as forever.  This may be an example of outstanding leadership and a sign of sound mental health and attitude towards a situation. Leadership is always needed to all areas of life; political, economical, social, cultural, in sports, in science and technologies and even in non-profit enterprises. But without sound physical and mental health nobody can achieve his due managerial performance and tasks, visions and goals.

A few months ago US President Bush Senior died at the age of 90. He has been known as a good leader for his wisdom and diplomacy by his countrymen. He was also a very good family man who loved his wife for more than 50 years. He once said, it is not necessary for politics to be ugly and dirty. He also set a vision of his countrymen that his countrymen should be law abiding and gentlemen. Leadership needs many kinds of attributes, qualities and skills. Some of them people get by birth and some are acquired by learning, through practiced and going through experience. One of the most difficult qualities one can achieve is tolerance. Tolerance can bring difference come closer.

With tolerance one can avoid his mental reaction on the coming matters and thinks with more space and takes decision wisely. Legendary leader Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy once said, leadership is all about tolerance. Some said, tolerance is a patient mental condition where one is stable under any outcome or circumstance.

Here is a story of tolerance. A fox, a rabbit and a turtle were watching a cricket match between India and Pakistan on television. The fox said, Oh! I am thirsty. How can I get a coke. The rabbit said, I am also thirsty. The turtle said, okay. I am going to bring some coke for us. An hour gone. The fox and the rabbit said. Oh! The turtle is too slow. We should not have sent him. After half an hour the turtle came and said, ‘You see, if you both criticize me that so much I will not go to bring coke for you!!!

I don’t mind to be so slow and steady and being criticized but not like the turtle who missed the train!!! Sound mental health is essential for survival because the world is about information, disinformation or misinformation. We act on what we think, with or without information. Thinking needs receiving, processing and analyzing information. Our mind thinks, perceives and reacts based on information, Our experience, sentiments and surroundings have impact on our minds. When we have biases, prejudices, difficulties in cognition, anxiety, phobia, disorders, mood problems, depression, difficulties in expressions; we lack perception and understanding and good judgement about our inside and outside. We become imbalance which effects our decisions. We become prone to error and have less control over ourself and the surroundings and situations. Our life becomes a disorder, we have less control over our work and destiny. That is why we need a good and sound mind and heart in a good and sound body.

A story:

Doc: Don’t make tension, Ok, now tell me what is your tension about? Patent: Will I tell you the truth? Doctor, now I have tension about your fees!!!

A sound mind is a social mind; which allows criticism, diversity and plurality at a grown up age. It has always control over itself so it can control over its situation. A good leader is always a good observer and listener. He knows the spirit of time and situation and acts on it. Study shows: socialization gives power and information. The more information one has the more connected he is and the better decision making power becomes. He has information about different strata of life and seldom gets imbalance because of foresight, insight and presumptions and wisdom of his situations. He better manages his mind, his issues and surrounds people and situations. It immunizes his body and increases his intelligence, makes growth in heart, mind and soul. It also increases life’s durability and longevity.

A joke of the opposite poles:

Barnard Shaw:    I don’t drink, I don’t have girl friend and I    don’t smoke.

I am 80 years old, I am 100 per cent fit!

Churchill: I drink, I have girl friends and I smoke. I am    80 years old, I am too fit!!!

We need to understand the right brain and the left brain people. Right brain people are dominated by belief, imagination, philosophy, creativity, spirituality, wisdom, motivation, compassion, empathy etc. And left brain people are based on logic, organising capacity, analysis, calculation, reasoning etc. Some of them are goal oriented and some people pursue their passion. There are some people who rise early and become successful early. Some takes time. There are also people who are morning bird and some are night owls. The more we learn the more we will know about the plurality, diversity and duality of the people. The German Chancellor Angela Merkel organises her country from the Principal: diversity is strength, which is followed by many countries of the world. Though there is some criticism that it melts originality and there rises the far rightist extremism. But manyfactors like climate change, war, terrorism; migration    is imminent and refugee crises going global and yet to be resolved.

Abigail Adams, mother of John Quincy Adams, (the former American President) once wrote to her son, ‘The greatest necessity demands of greatest virtues.’ Churchill says, he is the optimistic man who sees thousand opportunities in hundred difficulties and he is the pessimistic man who sees thousand difficulties in hundred opportunities.’ Leaders see possibilities and opportunities in problems and difficulties. The world is facing many challenges and leaders of the people can make the difference.

The people of Bangladesh make the difference in history during the Independence War by the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by rising above with martyrdom; from ordinary people and bring up us the nation and the red green flag. It is the virtue we all can do great things. But great leaders like Bangabandhu unlocked the true human potential of Bangalee leading by his example and sacrifice.

 A success story (marketing perspective)

Dad: I hear that you bought a piece of land?

Son: Yes, dad, any problem?

Dad: Do you know it is under the water of a canal? I see, the land broker made you convinced to buy that land. You have been cheated.

Son: Is it really? Ok, I am going to ask him.

A day later

Dad: Did you get the land broker?

Son: Yes, dad. At first the broker did not agree. After that he convinced me to buy a boat to go and see my land!!!

Study shows that over 80 per cent of our personal happiness and professional success depends on our relationships and connections; how we deal and manage these. A good leader knows why he wants to be successful and how he will be successful. To go to Rome there are many roads.

But we also need to have compassion and realization for the poor and the downtrodden, minority, disabled, deprived and underprivileged.  They have and can have aspirations, emotions, and talents too. But where they lack they need to have a system to uplift and protect them and to fill in the gaps. Then it would be a better world for all of us.

Satirical leader: I wanted to travel all over the world and got admitted in the navy and was under a submarine for 10 years!!!

The writer is a motivational speaker and

leadership consultant