First meeting with Ambassador Bodde

I have had the opportunity to meet with US ambassador to Nepal his Excellency Peter W. Bodde in the embassy premises today. Around forty young people from diverse background were invited for professional CV writing and successful interview training.

Before the training, the ambassador gave a welcome speech and it was quite impressive. It is one of the truly inspiring speeches I have ever heard. Based on his 30+ years experience in the diplomatic field, he provided some tips to be true professional in one’s career. He asked everyone to believe that there are always better solutions, better answers ad better people to do the things. The groups seems to have left mesmerize when the ambassador declared that he is meeting with the best and brightest youths Nepal has to offer.

More than ever, we are bedeviled by the distractions and interruptions and they always tend to pull us away from the task at hand. Therefore, it is very important to do very few things that are truly important so that we can get work accomplished. So, his first advice was—stay focused.

All are rushing to find financial independence, social recognition and happiness in their life. However, very few people find them. It requires continuous effort. The people who act with regularity in their action reap the most success in the long run. So, his second advice to the group was- tenacity.

Learning is a continuous process and it requires time and commitment. There are some people who assume that they know all and they don’t need to bother to ask any more. Other people are afraid that by asking questions they will look either weak or ignorant. He wanted the Nepalese youths to speak up. Therefore, his third advice was- dare to ask questions.

We constantly meet new people in our daily lives and promise for future meet ups. The problem is that many of us never meet them again. Sometimes, the time is so short that we hurry to get back to the life and work. Despite our business, we need to take time out of our schedule to call and connect with the people. This may also open the doors of opportunities. Therefore, his final advice to the group was- regular follow up. 

After hearing Mr. Bodde, I also realized that these four words are very simple and can produce incredible result if executed properly. 

Charismatic Leadership

William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli were two of the fiercest political rivals of the 19th century. Their epic battles for control of the British Empire were marked by intense animosity that spilled over from the public arena into their personal lives. Ambitious, powerful, and politically astute, both men were spirited competitors and masterful politicians.

Though each man achieved impressive accomplishments for Britain, the quality that separated them as leaders was their approach to people. The difference is best illustrated by the account of a young woman who dined with the men on consecutive nights. When asked about her impression of the rival statesmen, she said, "When I left the dining room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest man in England. But after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England."

What distinguished Disraeli from Gladstone was charisma. Disraeli possessed a personal charm sorely lacking in the leadership style of his rival. His personal appeal attracted friends and created favorable impressions among acquaintances. Throughout his career, Disraeli's charisma gave him an edge over Gladstone.

UNDERSTANDING CHARISMA

Of all leadership attributes, charisma is perhaps the least understood. At first glance, charisma appears to be an invisible energy or magnetism. There's no denying its presence, but it's hard to put a finger on its source. Some mistakenly believe charisma is a birth trait—embedded in certain personalities, but completely absent in others.

I believe charisma is both explainable and learnable. I also believe charisma helps to boost a leader's influence. That's why I included it in my book, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. I'd like to examine the causes of charisma and teach you how to increase the charisma you display as a leader.

THE QUALITIES OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER

Charisma is defined as, "The ability to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection in others by means of personal charm or influence." Leaders who have this special ability share four things in common:

1) They Love Life

Leaders who attract a following are passionate about life. They are celebrators, not complainers. They're characterized by joy and warmth. They're energetic and radiant in an infectious way.

Look no further than the smile to illustrate the power of charisma. When people see a smile, they respond with a smile. If you're skeptical, try it. Smile at cashiers, waiters, co-workers, etc. You'll find your smile earns a reciprocate smile almost every time. We are hardwired to take on the energy of those around us. Leaders who love life have charisma because they fill the room with positive energy.

2) They Value the Potential in People

To become an attractive leader, expect the best from your people. I describe this behavior as "putting a 10 on everyone's head." Leaders see people, not as they are, but as they could be. From this vantage point, they help others to build a bridge from the present to a preferred future.

Benjamin Disraeli understood and practiced this concept, and it was one of the secrets to his charisma. He once said, "The greatest good you can do for another is not to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." When you invest in people and lift them toward their potential, they will love you for it.

3) They Give Hope

People have an inner longing to improve their future and their fortunes. Charismatic leaders connect with people by painting tomorrow brighter than today. To them, the future is full of amazing opportunities and unrealized dreams.

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." They infuse optimism into the culture around them, and they boost morale. While attentive to the current reality, they do not resign themselves to present circumstance.

4) They Share Themselves

Leaders with charisma add value to people by sharing wisdom, resources, and even special occasions. They embrace the power of inclusion, inviting others to join them for learning experiences, brainstorming sessions, or simply a cup of coffee. Such leaders embrace team spirit and value togetherness. As a result, charismatic leaders are not lonely at the top.

When it comes to charisma, the bottom line is othermindedness. For leaders, the greatest satisfaction is found by serving. They find great pleasure celebrating the successes of those around them, and the victory they enjoy the most is a team triumph.

SUMMARY

In closing, charisma has substance. It's not manipulative energy or a magical gift endowed upon select personalities. Rather, it's an attractive blend of learnable qualities.

Furthermore, charisma compounds a leader's influence. Without it, leaders have trouble inspiring passion and energizing their teams. With it, leaders draw out the best in their people, give the best of themselves, and find the greatest fulfillment.

(Note: This article is used from www.refresher.com)

Zakaria's Projected Post-American World

Reading books is my passion. So, I spent holidays and weekends catching up on some books that interests me. I recently read Fareed Zakaria’s The Post-American World second time and found that it bears repeating. Here are my impressions after reading this book.

In this book, he has analyzed the global influence of the United States. There is no doubt that the United States is one of the most powerful countries on the planet and will continue to enjoy this title for some time. He also spoke of how its influence is waning in the political order and system. He believed that there were three fundamental power shifts in the last 500 years that reshaped international politics, economics and culture. The first was the rise of the Western world that accelerated the development of science and technology, commerce and capitalism, and agriculture and the industrial revolution. The second change brought U.S. as a global superpower since the late nineteenth century. The change of power in third place, which has been called rise of the rest, is about to change the power of emerging countries like India and China, including the enormous influence of non-state actors.

He also talked about the various factors that led the world into the current power balance. Europe dominated the world in the nineteenth century through its trade and labor force established on the basis of the industrial revolution. Then the power moved to the U.S. due to its market-led U.S. democracy. By virtue of this system, power is shifting gradually into the hands of countries like India, China and Brazil, etc. Despite this, he further argues that U.S. continues to maintain its dominance in the coming decades.

Nobody denies the impressive progress made by China in recent times. China is No. 1 reserve currency in the world. It is also second largest country consumer of oil after the U.S. There is a commercially valuable historical progress of China is third position. In the past 15 years, China has developed 8 00,000 kilometers of roads that are enough to go around the world 19 times. They are preparing their youth for the challenges ahead by sending training at Harvard, Cambridge learning strategic thinking, overall planning, international vision, international connections and skills management practices. It is easy to imagine that this group of highly learned will be of benefit to China competes with the world. Chin is seen as the next superpower. However, it will take decades for China to surpass U.S.

He has also written his thoughts on the world's largest democracy, i.e. India. Despite its flaws, it has also made remarkable progress in the field of economics and technology. He says the large and growing population of entrepreneurs is the competitive advantage of India. They are familiar with Western business trends and most importantly they have a grip on the global language. Like China, the Indian government is also encouraging their young people to go abroad to study because they understand that they will return to India with money, investment ideas and global standard. On page 154, he has written that Gautama Buddha was born in India. I wondered why he wrote he was born in India, where Buddha was born in Nepal?

The image of the United States is being tarnished due to its intervention sort of nature. Therefore, the book suggested the improved image of the world. It has asked U.S. to play the consultation, cooperation and the role of compromise in the writer’s project post American world. He has also recommended six other practical guidelines for US to follow. 

हार्दिक समबेदना !!!

प्रिय आरोन,
मलाई यस कुरा प्रति सधै अफसोच रहने छ कि तिम्रा उपलब्धि हरुको जानकारी मलाई तिम्रो मृत्यु पछि मात्र भयो । २६ वर्षको कलिलै उमेरमा तिमीले हासिल गरेका प्राप्ति दुर्लभ छन् । त्यसैले तिमि हाम्रो समयका एक ठुला प्रबिधिज्ञ हौ ।

पछिल्लो समय तिमि depression बाट गुज्रियौ । तर त्यो नै तिम्रो मृत्युको एक मात्र कारण हो जस्तो मलाई किञ्चित पनि लाग्दैन, सूचना र ज्ञान लाई सिमित मान्छेहरुको परिधि भित्र कैद बनाएर राख्न चाहने सिंगो प्रणाली र त्यसका पक्षधर हरुको सिकार भयौ तिमि । तिमीले खोजेको त केवल - खुलापन र न्याय मात्र थियो  ।

तिमीले जे समस्या भोग्यौ, त्यसको समाधान आत्महत्या पनि होइन । तिमिले लडेको लडाई हाम्रो पुस्ताले लड्नु नै छ । कारागार भित्रै बाट सही, तिमीले यसलाई हाक्न सक्थ्यौ । त्यसले इन्टरनेट स्वतन्त्रताको  लडाईमा अर्को कोसेढुंगा थप्थ्यो । खैर, त्यो एक सम्भावनाको कुरा मात्र न रह्यो ।

अन्त्यमा, यस दुखद घडीमा तिम्री मायालु टेरेनलाई गहिरो सोक बाट माथि उठी तिम्रो सपना साकार पार्ने सामर्थ्य मिलोस, तिम्रो मृत आत्माको चीर शान्तिको कामना पनि गर्दछु  ।

तिम्रो सुभचिन्तक,

रुप सुनार
काठमाडौँ, नेपाल