My Reflections on Leadership

What makes someone a true leader? Is it vision? Decision-making? The ability to inspire? Or is it something quieter like the courage to listen, the discipline to reflect, and the humility to admit you’re still learning?

As I sat with these questions, I realized how much leadership, for me, has always been more about being than doing. Titles, strategies, and systems matter. But the real test of leadership, especially in the social sector, lies in how we respond to complexity with clarity, compassion, and connection.

In a moment of curiosity, I typed into ChatGPT: “Dear respected ChatGPT, what’s Dr. Kiran Modi’s leadership style?” The response made me smile. It described me as a transformational and empathetic leader someone driven by social impact, inclusivity, and resilience. I don’t claim to embody these perfectly but I strive toward them. And perhaps, in the striving, we shape what leadership truly means.

🌱 Rethinking leadership competencies

There’s often a rush to define “leadership” in terms of frameworks or traits. But perhaps we need to shift the focus from competencies to consciousness. These are five personal reflections I offer not as answers, but as invitations to think deeper:

• Are we self-aware?

💭Beyond just knowing our strengths and weaknesses. Do we recognize our emotional triggers, blind spots, and the ripple effects of our words and actions?

• Do we listen to understand or just to reply?

👂Deep listening is the starting point of transformation. It begins with how we tune in to our teams, our communities, and ultimately, to ourselves.

• Can we step beyond our own lens?

🔍Perspective-taking goes beyond empathy. It’s about translating understanding into meaningful action, grounded in the lived realities of others.

• What drives our decisions?

🧭Is it ego? Emotion? Or a mission greater than ourselves? In complexity, purpose-aligned choices become our compass.

• Do we bring clarity in chaos or add to it?

🌪️Crisis reveals character. Our clarity of purpose and presence becomes the anchor others hold onto.

🌸 There’s a concept I love from psychology: the “good enough mother,” by Donald Winnicott. She isn’t perfect but she’s present, consistent, loving. That’s how I see leadership too. We may stumble. We may not always have the answers. But we show up, we learn, we listen and that’s enough. Often, good enough is powerfully transformative.

Leadership is a Practice, not a Destination

At Udayan Care, we’ve walked through uncertainty, resistance, and moments of crisis. What carried us wasn’t strategy alone- it was trust, shared vision, and the strength of our people.

To every person who has walked this journey with me- staff, partners, youth, and friends- THANK YOU. You inspire me every day. I carry each of you in my heart, and I hope a little piece of Udayan lives in you, too. Wherever your path takes you, know that this shared vision of dignity, care, and justice for every child and youth will continue to bind us. Once an Udayan, always an Udayan.

And to those stepping into leadership- especially in the social sector:

You don’t have to have it all figured out. Just show up with awareness, openness, and the courage to grow. ✨