As Lok Sabha polls draw near, PM Modi highlights his leadership prowess, describing himself as ‘god-gifted’ in managing distractions and remaining fully engaged in his tasks. In an exclusive interview with Newsweek, he emphasized the importance of listening and staying present in the moment.
Modi explained, “Listening is an important quality for leadership. I am god-gifted with this quality, and I have also cultivated it. Another quality that I have is that I am always in the moment. I am not distracted by phone calls, messages, or anything else. When I am doing something, I am 100 percent involved and engrossed in that task.”
Discussing further leadership attributes, he stressed the significance of establishing effective feedback mechanisms, connecting with the grassroots, and receiving unfiltered feedback. Reflecting on an incident during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi recounted a late-night call reporting an explosion in a town, highlighting the importance of direct communication channels and prompt response to citizen concerns.
Modi also underscored the importance of delegation in leadership, stating, “I spend long hours understanding and discussing important matters and developing consensus. Once there is consensus, I believe in empowering people to execute it.”
Furthermore, he emphasized the need for empathy towards people’s emotions, citing his practice of personally reviewing letters from citizens and the inspiration behind his radio program, Mann Ki Baat. Modi acknowledged the role of communication in his leadership journey, remarking on his discovery of this skill upon entering politics and his subsequent utilization of it for public engagement.
