I asked my friend YJ Prithvi Raj Bhupal, who runs a chain of successful educational institutions in Bellary, Karnataka (including BITM) about the secret of how his late grandmother always had a 100% success record when she stood for elections.
His late grandmother, the popular politician Basavarajeshwari who was the Union Minister of State for Women & Child Development in India in the P.V. Narasimha Rao Ministry had never lost an election. Being elected 5 times as an MP, she was always a people person. She could connect with them at a personal level addressing their issues.
‘How did she manage to have a 100% strike rate in all her elections?’ I asked curiously.
‘She had an almost photographic memory. I used to be amazed because whenever she met anyone, she addressed them with their correct names. Be it rich or poor, young or elderly, everyone was floored when they realized she knew them by names,’ he replied.
He told me many of her success stories, but this one stuck in my mind.
It was true, the sound of our name is the most pleasant. What a great way to build a connect! I was amazed!
Bottomline – A leader can talk about mighty things, but if you cannot connect with people at ground level, they will never follow you. Period.
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