What I Learned About Leadership from the Dalai Lama

This month, the Dalai Lama is in Washington, DC for a couple of weeks to lead a multi day series of Buddhist teachings called a Kalachakra.  This past Saturday morning, he came out to the West Lawn of the US Capitol to talk about world peace with about 20,000 people.  I was one of them.

You can read a nice account and see some pictures of the talk in a blog by Matteo Pistono for The Washington Post.  Here are a few leadership impressions that landed with me from being there.

First, it’s amazing how polite and considerate 20,000 people can be when they’re showing up for a talk on world peace. Everyone was really conscious of everyone else’s space. There was a lot of unprovoked smiling and people engaging in conversation with people they didn’t know.  Obviously, there was a lot of self selection in the crowd that showed up but I thought the event was a good example of the power of declaration and suggestion. If you tell people that the talk is about world peace, they act peaceful.

Second, the Dalai Lama seems to really enjoy his job. He smiles a lot. He laughs a lot.  He loves to talk. (He went about 15 minutes long in the Q&A segment and his MC, Whoopi Goldberg, had to gently wrap him up.)  The Dalai Lama waves a lot too and people wave back at him. Towards the end of the event, I moved close to the area where he was going to leave. You could tell he was coming before you could see him because the hands of the people in the crowd started going up in a wave.  That was true for the tourists who just happened to be on the other side of the security perimeter at the right time. The Dalai Lama likes to wave back. And bow too. It seems to make him happy.  It definitely makes the people around him happy.

Finally, the Dalai Lama’s approach to leadership and peace starts with an emphasis on individual action and relationship building. Here are a few (highly paraphrased) ideas he shared in his talk:

• The biggest mistake people make is looking externally for happiness. Happiness starts with a calm and peaceful mind.
• Too much formality creates barriers to communicating on a person to person basis. We should practice heart to heart interaction instead.
• Warm heartedness leads to self confidence. Humans are social animals. We need to interact. Self centeredness is counter to true human nature.

It seems to me that if more leaders consciously followed some of these ideas, we’d have a lot less toxicity in many organizations.

What do you think?  Have you heard or read anything from the Dalai Lama or other spiritual leaders that you think is relevant to leaders?  If you have, please share it with the rest of us in the comments.

Comments

[Shirley @ gfe]

I've read some of the Dalia Lama's wisdom before, Scott, and it always resonated with me. These words are golden nuggets for sure. Thanks so much for sharing them! I think the last one is my very favorite. Also, I absolutely love hearing how differently the audience behaved from those at most events with thousands of people--that fact makes sense, of course, but still, it's so good to hear!

Shirley

[Marlene Chism]

Great article Scott, and it says so much about the power of focus and attention. There is always an energetic starting place with ever interaction and if we can become more intentional, there will be less drama.

[Natanya Anderson]

Thank you for summing up what you heard in an actionable way. If leadership across the world's major organizations took these ideas to heart I believe we'd have a happier and more effective global workforce.

[Kit]

I saw the Dalai Lama in Sun Valley, ID several years ago. The huge crowd spontaneously got quiet about 5 minutes before he came on stage. If more people learned how to spread good will and benevolence just by their mere presence, the world would be a far better place. Just being in his presence is a life-changing experience, and makes you try to be a more compassionate person (though he would probably say that there is no "try", there is only "do"). Thanks for the reminder!

[Marcialrivero]

Great #Management lessons from a peaceful mind & soul #Buddhism

[Mary Jo Asmus]

Thanks for this great post, Scott.

Your description of the Dalai Lama (his smile, his engagement with the crowd, the peacefulness of the attendees) reminds me very much of seeing Desmond Tutu a couple of years ago in my home town. He had a very similar demeanor - even after spending much of his life in prison!

I believe these wonderful people are at peace with themselves and it truly radiates to everyone around them. I think this may also be why you and I do what we do - to see people learn to be at peace with themselves - so they can then lead others well.

[timage]

Great insights from the Dalai Lama. Stuff you wouldn't normally note about him, yet it really shows the human side of his role.

Thanks for sharing! I just tweeted the link out for all to enjoy!

[David Belden]

Scott,

Having met the Dalai Lama in a very small group many years ago in Copenhagen, I concur with your observations of his powerful presence. Yes, we need to embrace the humility and benevolence, especially in leadership.

Thanks for spreading the word.

[Scott Eblin]

Thanks everyone for the comments and for sharing your experiences with and thoughts on the Dalai Lama. What a powerful spirit he has. Mary Jo, you'll be interested to know that Bishop Tutu introduced the Dalai Lama via video at the event I attended.

[Sanjiv Chopra. Md.]

The Dalai Lama truly embodies serenity , wisdom and compassion. He is a true leader.. humble ,authentic and inspiring.

Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful experience.

[Paul Nicholas]

This is magnificent and moving - at once both humbling and inspiring. I'm reminded of so much of what I've read of and by Gandhi. The gestures, words, behaviours and ideas of great souls like these dissolve barriers between people - "I" dissolves into "Us" - and we become truly human.

[Sandy Mobley]

Hi Scott,

As always, your musings are thought-provoking for me. What you see reflects who you are - warm, open hearted, generous, confident and humble. I am glad there are coaches who model what we want to see more of in organizations.

[Scott Eblin]

Thanks again to all who offered such thoughtful comments. And, Sandi, I'm blushing and could (and will) say the same things about you!

Namaste

Scott

[Debthemack]

This is definitely the way to humanize the corporation - and boy, do we ever need it today!