Hi all,
My leadership story on how I was inspired by my aunt Swapna to choose my profession and how I have developed the leadership skills are narrated shortly. I hope you will enjoy my story!!!
Below is the story to be read instead of hearing..
No one is born a leader, he or she develops the leadership skills in a course of time. Some of them might have attained the skills with thorough learning and observation. Some might have developed based on the situation. We all wish to be good in others’ perspective and we often try to do for others around, rather doing for self. This is just because we are human, and we love appreciation and motivation. Everyone thinks if I just call myself a leader, I won’t be a leader, but if the ones who are around me and observe me gives me that title, then I am. But the fact is that, if an individual has a serious urge to put his heart and mind into anything that brings out a positive or negative impact, is a leader. That is the reason why there are leaders with bad and good intentions and it’s all in the eyes of people who perceive it and gives them the title leader. And if a person is considered as a leader at least in the eyes of one or two then he/ she becomes a true leader.
Being a very active child since childhood, first born child to my parents and first-born grand child to my grand parents in a typical south Indian large family, I was pampered a lot and on the other hand everyone encouraged my curricular and extra curricular activities molding me into a strong person. As a child I wished to be a doctor or study civil service so that I can gain name and fame and bring good name to my family. I never thought I would be a nurse when I was studying grade 10 . But all those dream positions flip flopped during a train journey with my aunt Swapna who was an oncology nurse in Carithas cancer center, Kerala, India. Our trip to our home town was a planned one after I had graduated from my grade 10 in 2007. She was neither a leader in her profession, neither I considered her profession to be a great one. To make it to the point I will focus on telling the key points during our journey, where we had few passengers who were also nursing students heading back to home town for vocation. Around 10 past 11 at night, as we were waiting to use the lavatory, my aunt Swapna noticed an alcoholic person lying on the floor unconscious and bleeding from unknown injury to his foot. I was in panic and couldn’t understand what was going on. She asked me to open the suitcase and take few clothes to cover his wound.
I literally saw a critical thinking leader evolved in her, who with no worry about transmitting infection or any other factors, immediately did the first aid dressing and controlled the bleeding. She asked me to call the other nursing students in the train as they could even help her save his life. As it was a running train, emergency alarm chain had to be pulled to stop the train and move the person to nearby hospital. Meanwhile everyone put in their efforts upon her guidance and the transit security along with the emergency service team transferred the patient to the hospital. She was appreciated by everyone for her kind deed and bravery for which after few years she received the best nurse award in our town. That incident was a turning point in my career, and I saw a leader in nursing profession which was and is considered a low-grade profession in India. I asked her how she could do that, she answered me, ‘if it was one of our family members won’t we put the best of abilities to save him?”. Then why can’t we do for another person.
Later after my grade 12, without any dilemma, I chose to be a nurse and I wished to erase the stigma about nursing profession. I studied harder, wanted to prove that nursing degree is not a joke but It’s the hard-work of people who are called for this profession, who is the owner of a compassionate, caring and strong hearted people like many nurses and nurses yet to come. I always co related my profession with the bible verse that I love from Mathew 25, verse 40, ‘what so ever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me’. I have seen the value in my hero, my aunt Swapna in this wording and I do want to be a great leader where I am aught to be, spreading the seeds of love and compassion in all that I do and all that I come across. what would have happened if she didn’t react? She was not a nurse manager, nor a nursing instructor. She was just a nurse who did her duty as per the duty schedule. If she would not have responded, nothing would have happened other than the person losing his life bleeding. She should not have been held responsible for his injury either, as he was a stranger. This is where I saw a difference in her and her mind didn’t be judgmental, rather her heart was filled with compassion for him. We don’t have to choose to be leader to act as leader but if it is supposed to be, and if we have a strong motive to do it, the universe will create a space and situation for us to be a fruitful leader. Just wait for it and gain lots and lots of knowledge to solve and critically act accordingly. I have been trying to excel in my career not only as a nurse, but in church and other social activities as I really do not know what my call is. What is God the almighty wanting me to do for his children? I am just following the path He is showing me and am being a helping hand to my fellow beings as he guides me with his constant strength. Remember we all can be leaders. Plant the seed in your own house so that you can reap the fruits with confidence anywhere you travel. The seed of my skill was planted safely at my home from my very own aunt Swapna, so I will reap my fruits where I am. That’s my motto and principle. Each one should identify each other as a leader and let’s say ‘we can do it ‘to bring a change in the life of someone .