Don't stand out and shine out

Ruchira Darda

What makes people stick out in a crowd?

Their appearance, their clothes, their acquaintances? What makes people stand out is their courage to know who they are, what matters to them and to fight for it. I had the privilege of being in the company of Kailash Satyarthi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, an activist fighting for the rights of children around the world. Most people you’ll meet spend their life figuring out what it is that drives them. They experiment with experiences and crib about stress and workload. But there are these people who see the world for what it is and demand change, without the fear of consequences and headaches. We should all find these opportunities to sit in such company and learn not only about their cause, mission and work but about characteristics that can make you stand out in a crowd.

Sharing with you a few observations that I have made over time. Every leader is very well read. I know we focus on reading skills for our children but you realize the importance of being informed in such a company. There is not a single topic that they cannot confabulate about. They all have excellent memory for details, from quotes to finer details about things you have probably told them when you introduced yourself, they will remember it all. They are all extremely eloquent, there will never be a single word out of place, whether you try to provoke them with a tricky question or a comment. They know how to dodge the bullet and say the things that they want to say, versus expressing things you want them to confess. They have a single focus area, a cause, a goal and their conversations are never centered around misery but around the fact that they were ready to do whatever it took to get there. But most importantly, they all speak of human skills like compassion, companionship and communication. They all display leadership through clarity, confidence and charm. And indubitably they all advocate hard work, sacrifice and dedication.

No wonder they are always OUTSTANDING personalities. Even in a plain white kurta they won't let your attention waver from them. Because it is not the clothes you wear but the contentment of having been true to yourself and your work that makes them shine out.