10 leadership lessons from the book Celebrating Silence
In the summer of 1995, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar began a weekly tradition of creating a short talk, often on a subject relevant to current events. Each week, this knowledge flowed by electronic mail, by fax, and by post, all around the world, and each year, these talks were compiled into volumes. Celebrating Silence is a collection of excerpts from these talks, from the first five years. These excerpts are for everyone seeking to find authentic solutions to life’s dilemmas.
As a leader, you can find wisdom in this book that can strengthen your leadership skills. You will gain a new perspective on the challenges you face and insights that can alter your leadership style.
Here are some of the best leadership lessons from Celebrating Silence.
1. The way out of humiliation is to get humiliated.
Reaching out for something you want and taking up responsibilities on your own are traits of a leader. However, when you do either, you risk rejection and consequent humiliation. So do you stop trying for other opportunities after that one humiliation? In the book, ‘Celebrating Silence’, Gurudev says, “Know that humiliation does not weaken you - it strengthens you. When you have a sense of belongingness, you cannot feel humiliated. The more egotistic you are, the more humiliation you feel.”
He adds, “When you are committed to truth and not to your ego, you do not feel humiliated. If you are afraid of humiliation, you can make progress in neither your material life nor in your spiritual life. When you stand above humiliation, you get closer to the Self. So the way out of humiliation is to get humiliated, be childlike, be crazy.”
2. Do not defend your mistakes; just accept them and move on.
When a leader accepts mistakes, they gain the trust of those they are working with. It also gives confidence to their teammates to admit their own mistakes without the fear of judgment. The practice builds trust and transparency in any setup - be it home or office.
In the book’s knowledge sheet ‘Fear’, Gurudev says, “I say, drop all your defenses. Anyone can make a mistake - even you. Do not defend your mistakes; just accept them and move on. When you are totally defenseless, that is when you will be completely strong.”
3. Decision comes only when there is confusion.
If as a leader you ever feel stuck in making decisions, know that it is normal. Here is an excerpt from the book that shares the secret about making decisions: When there is no confusion, there is no decision. If there is a piece of wood and a biscuit on your desk, do you decide which one to eat? A decision is always about choice and choice is always confusing. So, all decision-makers are confused.
Action is spontaneous when there is no actor. In you, there is an actor and there is a witness. An actor is either confused or decisive, but the witness smiles and realizes that the action is spontaneous.
4. Do you seek harmony in a situation or widen differences and prove righteousness?
The mark of a true leader is their ability to resolve conflicts: in their mind and the ones in their environment. Gurudev points out the nature of the mind to pick conflicts. He says, “In a harmonious environment, small things are enough to create tremendous turmoil. And in a contentious environment, you tend to seek harmony. Ask yourself this question: Do you seek harmony in every situation or do you seek to widen the differences and prove righteousness? The tendency of conflict in you can only be annihilated by spiritual practices.”
5. Aggression and assertiveness overshadow intuition.
Good intuition is a necessity for a leader to be able to make quick decisions and solve problems. But, the stress of a leadership position can also make one aggressive. And aggression and assertiveness overshadow intuition. Meditate daily to overcome aggression and come closer to your intuition.
6. Do not look for respect from others - that makes you weak.
Every leader expects respect from others. But what to do when you don’t get that respect? An excerpt from the book answers this question: Someone does not need to be great in order to be respected. Respecting life makes you great. Do not look for respect from others. Have respect for the Self and no one can take away your self-respect.
7. You cannot avoid politics, but choose to either harbor it in your mind or let it go.
Does office or group politics bring your morale down? Here is a friendly suggestion from the book:
“When you recognize politics in any group, it is a blessing for you to be centered and go inward. You can do that without blaming the group, without running away from people, without giving up. It can enhance your skill to act and to remain detached. Politics amplifies the diversity in people. It confronts you with different viewpoints, approaches, and tendencies. It enhances your communication skills. It makes you realize that life is a game.”
8. Have faith and confidence that results will be much better than you can imagine.
Every leader experiences stress over results. However, this stress is unproductive when all efforts have already been put in. This is where faith helps. Gurudev says in the book, “Have faith that the results will be much better than you can ever imagine. When you are doing something important, take a moment to do something totally unrelated. Relevant action keeps you bound to action. Irrelevant action makes life a game. Meditation, breathing, listening to flute music, cold water baths can calm you down.”
9. Intuition and new knowledge go beyond the rational mind.
We usually do only that which is purposeful, useful, and rational. But intuition goes beyond the rational mind. The rational mind is like a railroad track fixed in grooves. An airplane has no tracks; it can fly anywhere. A balloon can float anywhere.
Sometimes, leaders must break away from their schedules to find breakthrough ideas.
10. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game.
Uncertainty is a way of life as the world is always changing. Sometimes this uncertainty can be frustrating and stressful, especially when your survival as a leader is at stake. However, the only way to ace through an uncertain world is to embrace it. Gurudev says, “Often people who are uncertain do not act; they simply sit and wait. Acting in uncertainty makes life a game, a challenge. Being in uncertainty is letting go.” He adds, “You can be at ease with the uncertainty of the world when you realize the certainty of consciousness.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Q) Has Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar written ‘Celebrating Silence?
A) No, Gurudev has spoken on various topics included in the book. The book is a verbatim record of those discourses that he mentions in the above article.
Q) Is it recommended for a certain age group?
A) No, it is for anyone who can read :)
Q) Who do you recommend it for?
A) It is recommended for anyone who wants inner peace and happiness. Anyone who is looking for answers to life’s mysteries and problems.
Q) Can it be read in one go? Is any particular way recommended to read it?
A)It is recommended to just open it randomly whenever you feel like it, or whenever you need a solution to a life problem; the page that opens up is your exclusive read for that moment. Reading it in one go won’t have much impact on you. Reading it sip-by-sip like tea will help you appreciate the knowledge in this book more fully.
