Diamonds in the Rough...

Diamonds in the Rough is someone or something that is generally found in unlikely of the places, but has certain exceptional attributes or incredible potential to develop into marvelous entity. It usually lacks the final touches or formal recognition of any kind that would make them (or it) truly stand out. They are the underdogs of the competition, unpolished diamonds found like rocks in a coal mine, unsung heroes silently plying their talent, dark horses of long lost bloodlines & saviors harassed by the people in power.  Yet, when they come to the fore, they set the scene ablaze with their capability. The humble beginnings and the unprecedented triumphs make the success story even more sweeter & maybe that's why we just love these Diamonds in the Rough.


There is a story of a 'diamond' who was ridiculed, insulted, mocked, harassed  ignored & consistently discouraged. Yet, she would battle all the odds and emerge from the adversity like a phoenix  The trials, however, would mould her & following are the seven reasons why she was a competent leader:

She believed in serving the greater good.
Yes people have their motives and objectives. however a sure shot way to inspire people is to bring value to not one, but many. The greater good is for the masses, the community, the organization, the nation & the universe at large. The critical aspect is while the quantum of the service is huge, it is also difficult to restrain someone from serving the greater good. She, like any great leader, would believe in settling or even ignoring personal squabbles and minor disagreements for the benefit of the people. Thus, people would invariably side with her for their interests inevitably sided with her vision of a better tomorrow.

She became self reliant.
Self reliance is as life saving as it can be fatal. Yes it can teach you to be independent and provide you full control over yourself  yet it can also make you self sufficient to the extent where you never need any other soul.  Great leaders however can strike a balance in being self reliant and connecting with people. She would delegate task, she would entrust people with responsibility. She would often take up a task only when she felt absolutely no one would take it up. This would nurture leaders, those who in turn who respect & adore her.

She was humble.
Humility is a true mark of ones character, and she had it in abundance. The stronger ones roots, the higher ones flight, and she would go on to display it. The obscure beginnings would grant her the ability to never forgetting her origins and always appreciating the ones who gave her life and taught her the ways. The dedicated connect would often serve inspiration to her people, who would soon adore her for her humility.

She would be calm in the face of adversity.
Lets face it, shit is does hit the fan. Yet when it does, we panic and scurry and scream and shout. Effective leaders keep their cool and composure and thus get things back on track. She may not be the sly serpent that seduced Eve, or be the legendary Larissa that enamored Poseidon or be alluring like a apsara to distract a sage, yet she would engage you.Her disarming smile, polite manners, virtuous morals or appeasing approach would aid  you to focus on the positive and fight your way back to normalcy. Maybe, just maybe, she had been through much worse, that she has learned it by heart, that life does go on.

She values people.
It isnt easy to listen to people when you are more concerned about how to lead them. Yet she would listen to them, understand them, pacify them, discount them, heal them and make them feel cared for. She would genuinely value them, in spite of how immature and selfishly they have behaved. She would respect them, cherish them and value them, & they would in turn learn to value her.

She befriended change and learned to love growth.
Changing is inevitable and anything that refuses to change, eventually dies out. Change can only be countered by growth, and growing effectively and holistically is something she learnt by heart. She made lots of friends throughout her life, yet the most special friend was :Change. He would never leave her, and she somehow found his presence most comforting. He would talk about growth and learning new things and exploring new worlds, and about a better tomorrow  She would soon fall in love with him, and her ability to leverage the evolution would egg the people to follow her.

She was just.
She meant different things to different people, yet being just & fair was something which was inherent to her every role and relationship. Its like she she felt it was her moral imperative to be unbiased and righteous, even when the world was unfair and unethical. She would face several hardships due a stubborn, but pious approach. Yet she would never regret being virtuous. Her people would treasure her virtues  her values and her morals, and gladly accept her directions.