Catchy title isn’t it? But this truly was a comment I made to someone while at the Net Impact conference in Nashville a few weeks back. Now, Net Impact is a group of students and professionals who want to make a positive difference to the environment and/or the society. It’s a noble mission and everyone’s heart at the conference was in the right place. This year however, I felt that Gandhi was re-emerging. Why? Because everyone used that same one line of his, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
How many times have you heard this quote or heard any other quote being repeated by many because it’s in fashion. Just at the conference, I heard it many times and felt that it was being used and abused. I found it on presentation slides, either in the beginning or at the end. I found it on business cards, on banners, people’s speeches or comments -wow-who would have ever imagined Gandhi to be a capitalist with a heart. But no, the point of this conversation is not to look down on those individuals who have used this quote. My intention here is to challenge them to “think and explain” what this statement means. And I emphasize THINK and EXPLAIN.
The first part of the statement is, “Be the change”. Clearly he is asking us to change our ways of life and behaviors. So, for those of you who have used this statement I would invite you to think about what changes have you made in your life and to what extent. Because, as they say in the non-profit sector, it’s not what you have achieved but how large of an impact you’ve made. So, if the change you’ve made in your life is to decide to donate money to a non-profit that helps the poor in Africa. Do you then wipe your hands of it and forget about it in the actions of your daily life, or did that experience change the way you live your life? You definitely did a good deed by donating to the cause. But were your actions out of sympathy or out of empathy. Was what you did sufficient, even if you decided to work for that non-profit institution? What have you changed deep within you, fundamentally that can unfold into a truth or a belief that becomes your flagship “mantra” to change the world? How else would the world be able to see the change you talk about if they don’t feel it in you? How else will you be a true leader?
I challenge all of you to think about this!
Frankly, I don’t have the right to use this statement as well and I’m guilty of using it on some occasions. I don’t feel I’ve achieved the ‘aha’ (defined here as a sense of achievement) aspect of life yet. It is the experience of permanent and full embodiment of change in self. I can only think of names of few people who I feel achieved this to some degree independent of Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolence. Social entrepreneurs like Mother Teresa, and Anderson Sa (http://www.favelarising.com/). These are people who changed themselves to change the world. They wouldn’t be considered compassionate leaders if they are not living that change. The question then is, “how do you measure this change?” This change does not happen in a few months. It takes years to develop and transform. For Gandhi it was a number of small steps; I’m not talking about practicing non-violence, but the concept of non-violence which started with giving up meat (this includes fish as well for those of you who think fish is not meat), then to refusing to speak ill of anyone and further still of not even thinking bad of anyone.
So, if you personally haven’t achieved this ‘aha’ moment, is it right then to preach Gandhi’s philosophy on your presentation slides or elsewhere appropriate.
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