Palki

Published on 17th October, 2015, in the Economic Times. Imagine a palki, or palanquin, and those carrying it. It’s a good symbolic representation of a team or an organisation. The leader sits on it and wants his followers to take him where he wants to go. He gives the directions. He gives the motivation. He gives the reward. The followers carry him around. He is the head and they are the arms and legs. This is the classical model of leadership, popular among many. The opposite is also true. Those who glamourise the ‘servant-leadership’ model often imagine the leader carrying the team on his shoulders ..