What Makes an Individual a Great Leader: Lessons From Life

Introduction: Pio's Background and Journey

My friend Pio came to America in the 1990s when he was just under 30 years of age. He had been born and raised in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. For the previous ten years of his life he had been in a Catholic seminary in India, on his way to becoming a priest. However, before reaching the final stages of that journey, he took some time away from the seminary and decided to enter secular life in order to provide financial support for his family, whose business was failing. He enrolled in school for Information Technology (IT) and, after earning a degree in a short amount of time, was approached by headhunters from America who hired him to come to the US and work in the IT department of a major American financial firm.

His first destination in the US was the Midwest, but Pio found life there difficult: it was too quiet and he felt that he stood out among the many unfamiliar faces all around him. He asked to return to India, but his employers found him too valuable and asked what the trouble was. He told them honestly that he was uncomfortable in the quiet environment of the American Midwest. His employers decided to transfer him to New York City, where Pio immediately felt more at home. Here was a more chaotic, busier, livelier, and more diverse environment that reminded him of life in Chennai, the city where he had grown up in Tamil Nadu.

He once more set to work as a junior IT engineer, constantly sending money back home to support his family. He lived in a small apartment and endured a long commute to work every day. After a while, however, he felt the situation was untenable and complained to his supervisors that he should return home: he barely had enough to live on, as prices were so high in the city and everything he could spare went back to his family in India. His employers could not understand: they said, "But you're making $50,000 a year — how is that not enough?" He replied, "Yes, you are paying me $50,000, but my headhunters are taking a big cut of that and what is left goes back home to my family." His employers again did not want to lose him, so they bought out his contract with the headhunters and gave him a raise — and Pio was once again a happier man.

Then Pio received a call from his parents back home telling him that he was to return to be married: they had found a wife for him. Pio dutifully returned and married the woman his parents had selected for him, meeting her for the first time at the altar where they exchanged vows. While he was away, the September 11 attacks occurred, and his return with his new wife was delayed for some time — but eventually he was back in New York, and together they began a small family.

Over time, Pio continued to impress his supervisors and developed many new skills, working his way up to the top of his IT department. He was not satisfied with simply doing okay — he wanted to be the best so that he could provide the best possible life for his family. He was driven by faith and virtue to work hard and constantly develop himself. He eventually became a manager of his own team, and when he realized he was putting on weight and that all his subordinates were doing the same, he declared, "All right, that's it! We are all going to the gym to get in shape!" He found that exercise invigorated both him and his team, pushing everyone to be the best versions of themselves they could be.

Today, Pio is a consultant for various firms around the US, offering expert advice on IT with respect to the latest advancements in the industry and what firms can do to upgrade their infrastructure. His pay has increased dramatically since arriving in the US in the 1990s, but he is always looking for ways to share his wealth with others — because he sees it as his duty from God to work hard so that he can provide support to those who may not have been as fortunate as he has been.

What Makes Pio a Great Leader

What makes Pio a great leader is his vision and his character. He is what one would call an authentic leader — someone who is honest and who acts according to a moral code rooted in his religious convictions. He not only talks the talk, as many do, but also walks the walk: he practices what he preaches. Moreover, his example of good conduct inspires others to follow in his footsteps and strive to be the best versions of themselves. He is such a happy and outgoing individual that he instantly makes one feel warm and welcome. He displays great emotional and social intelligence, always aware of how others might be feeling — a trait and skill he developed over his years in America, first as a stranger in a new country and then as a valued colleague who learned quickly how to connect with others.

Since his humble beginnings in the US, Pio has risen to the top of his field and now leads others in the service of assisting firms in updating their digital and technological infrastructure to meet the demands of the digital age. His communication skills are excellent, as they must be in order to produce the kind of results he is known for. He prides himself on delivering projects on time and under budget, and he is consistently the pride of anyone who employs him. That kind of steady performance is an inspiration to others, for all are motivated to be better when they are in the company of someone who commands himself with such noble qualities.