Wit & Wisdom – Gandhi and Yeltsin

I have always been fascinated by Ghandi.  In fact, one of the most popular articles published on LeadershipVoices is an article about Gandhi and his leadership style.  And today I came across this quote.

“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”
Mohatma Gandhi

I have been doing a lot of research lately on the subject of Emotional Intelligence.  One of the factors in determining your level (identified as your “EQ”) is to measure the way that you get along with others.  The practitioners in this field of study generally recognize 4 areas with one of them being Relationship Management.  This area of study is rich with insights into the way we view ourselves and the way we view others.  And more importantly, how we relate to others.

Gandhi lived long before this area of study came about.  But I would submit to you that Gandhi must have had a very high EQ.  His leadership style and his personal and public life proclaims his understanding that leadership involves using our relationships and influence more than our physical presence as an advantage.

Boris Yeltsin may have been expressing much the same understanding when he once said:

“You can build a throne with bayonets, but you can’t sit on it for long.”
Boris Yeltsin

I hope that you find a little bit of wisdom in these witty quotes from 2 very different world leaders.

Photo credit: AlbinoFlea / Foter / CC BY-NC
Photo credit: ITAR-TASS / Foter / CC BY
Photo credit: U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv / Foter / CC BY-SA