LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF SARDAR

VALLABHBHAI PATEL

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a leader of the people has been provided with a general introduction
of the article. The in-depth analysis of his leadership from different viewpoints such as
emotional intelligence, authenticity, communication, managing people, leadership, incidents
that made him a leader are covered in the body of the essay. In the discussion part, an analysis
of Sardar Patel’s leadership from the perspective of TREAT model is presented and followed
by a holistic conclusion on Sardar Patel’s Leadership Lessons.

INTRODUCTION:

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born in 1875 in the Nadiad village of Gujrat, came from humble
background with his family coming from the farming community of Leva Patidar Patil. He
pursued his education with utmost determination and commitment despite the financial
constraints. He has studied law from the Inns of Curt School in London. Patel got married at a
young age of 16 to Jhaverba, who later came to be called as Sardar Kasturba, and their marriage
was one of mutual respect and support.

Sardar Patel has been evident since childhood, one noteworthy incident is the instance where
Patel organised a small group of boys to clear a pond near his village, displaying a sense of
community service and responsibility. Patel’s love for the nation, desire for seeing an
Independent India and his commitment to work made him the leader he is remembered for as
of today.

Vallabhbhai Patel gained the title of Sardar (meaning “Chief”) on account of the display of his
exceptional leadership during the Bardoli Satyagraha. Since then, he is renowned as Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel. The various traits of leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel are discussed
under the following heads:

1. Sardar Patel’s Personal Qualities

2. Sardar Patel and events that led him to become a leader.

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 3. Sardar Patel’s Leadership style.
4. Sardar Patel managing people.
5. Sardar Patel- Emotional Intelligence in his leadership.
6. Sardar Patel- Display of Integrity and Authenticity.

1. Sardar Patel’s Personal Qualities:

Sardar Patel was a man of word, who preached what he did and did what he preached. He
is a man of exceptional leadership skills, and his qualities are elucidated below:

• Administrative Acumen and Organisational Skills: He is a meticulous planner

who possessed a sharp mind, with an exceptional ability to plan and strategize.
He is an efficient administrator who delegated tasks effectively, managed
complex situations and ensured smooth execution of plans.
• Unwavering Resolve and Determination: Unwavering Commitment to his goals
and determined to achieve them through his Iron Will.
• Political Astuteness and Persuasive Power: Shrewd Negotiator with
extraordinary political skills and acumen. He followed a proper mix of hard
headedness and Diplomacy in his approach to a situation.
• Integrity and Transparency: Upright Character with utmost honesty and
Integrity. He was open in communication and Transparent in his working.
• Empathy and Understanding: Connecting with the masses through a deep
attachment to their concerns and aspirations. He was a compassionate and Fair
individual who directed efforts towards fostering unity and tolerance among
diverse communities.

2. Sardar Patel and events that led him to become a leader:

Sardar Patel’s qualities propelled him as a leader among his peers. The journey of Sardar
Patel to greatness was not merely decided by one event, but a test of time and effort in many
incidents throughout his life. A journey of the incidents that made Sardar Patel the leader
he is known for is elucidated below:

• Awakening of the leader within happened after meeting Mahatma Gandhi in

the year 1917 in Godhra. This meeting ignited the passion for public service and

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 Gandhi’s call for swaraj appealed to Patel, that made him join the freedom
struggle for Indian Independence.
• Kheda Satyagraha was led by Patel. It was a non-violent protest against the
British government’s usurious land revenue demands during plague and famine.
This was the entry of Patel into active politics.
• Non-cooperation Movement (1921-22) was a playground for the display of
Patel’s organising skills and administrative acumen in mobilising millions of
Indians across the country.
• Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 was a Patel led peasant uprising that was targeted
against the excessive land revenue hike. His strategic planning, resolve and
success in securing concessions from the British earned him the title of “Sardar”
and a reputation as a formidable leader in India.
• Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) saw Patel leading Salt Satyagraha in
Gujrat and organising nationwide protests against the British Salt Taxes. This
movement was successful on account of Patel’s strategic acumen and
organisational skills.
• Unification of Princely States was the greatest challenge that wrought India in
1947 at the time of Independence. Patel’s political shrewdness, persuasive
negotiating skills, and unwavering commitment to national unity enabled him
to unify the diverse states under the Indian Flag, earning him the title “Iron Man
of India”.
• Patel as the Home Minister of India played a crucial role in maintaining
internal security, curbing communal violence, and overseeing the integration of
princely states. He was practical and pragmatic in his approach of governance.

The above incidents shaped the qualities of Patel to leave behind a legacy of leadership in
the history of India.

3. Sardar Patel’s Leadership style

Sardar Patel stands as an iconic figure of leadership, remembered for his decisiveness and
unwavering commitment to national unity. His leadership style comprises of the following
traits:

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 • Iron Will and Decisiveness of Sardar Patel is visible in is firm commitment for
national interest and his action-oriented approach towards administration led to a
targeted achievement of goals.
• Political Astuteness and Strategic Planning of Sardar Patel played a crucial role
during integration of Princely states at the time of Independence. His Long-Term
vision complemented by strategic planning enabled anticipation of future scenarios
and plan ahead of time for handling the same.
• Pragmatism and Flexibility was a signature quality of Sardar Patel. His pragmatic
approach allowed him to compromise on certain details to achieve larger goal of
national unity during the integration of India. He was natural at adapting fresh
tactics to achieve his goals. This adaptability prevented him from being rigid in
negotiations.
• Delegation and Trust was immensely witnessed in his approach towards Team
Building and Empowerment of others.
• Integrity and Transparency was witnessed in his Ethical standards and Open
communication.
• Empathy and Understanding in Connecting with people contributed to his
popularity and influence among people. Respect for Diversity and the rich cultural
diversity of India was natural to him.

4. Sardar Patel Managing People:

Sardar Patel was a team man. He empowered his team and delegated authority to his men.
He was very good at managing a team as explained below:

• Collaborative Leadership was promoted by Sardar Patel as he handled all

situations with a team of trustworthy people.
• Empowerment of the team members through delegation of powers and authority
to get the work done. The prime example refers to the empowerment of V P Menon
by Sardar Patel, through delegation of power to negotiate and discuss with the
princely states. In essence, sufficient autonomy was provided to his subordinates to
work independently.
• Empathetic at connecting with people and respecting the diversity.

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 5. Sardar Patel- Emotional Intelligence in his leadership

Sardar Patel was empathetic and pragmatic in his approach. He was a good listener and
approached an issue with a velvet glove as much as possible. He avoided conflict where
possible and always attempted to resolve a situation amicably through negotiation and
persuasion. He is a person with immense Emotional Quotient as described below:

• Empathy and Persuasion:

o In understanding the Rulers, Patel recognized that mere forcing the princes
to accede would not foster long-term unity. He emphasized on the organic
integration with the princely states with willingness and acceptance. He was
pragmatic about handling crisis situations in Hyderabad and Junagarh,
nonetheless.
o Calming Tensions in Junagadh, In Junagadh Sardar Patel took stock of the
public outcry against accension to Pakistan. He exercised restraint, avoided
military intervention, and engaged with local leaders of both communities
to peacefully resolve the issue through a plebiscite.
• Effective communication and Crisis Management
o The Hyderabad Issue- Sardar Patel anticipating the failure of negotiations
with the Nizam of Hyderabad, addressed the concerns of the Nizam leading
to a peaceful integration with the nation. The tactfulness and effective
communication of Sardar Patel led to a integration of Hyderabad state to the
Indian Union.
• Building Trust and Relationships:
o Sardar Patel exercised his Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove through his display
of iron resolve and pragmatism during his integration. He paid heed to
outcry’s of public and also the leaders with attention and proceed with
pragmatic solutions.
o Respecting Cultural Sensitivities of the diverse community and cultural
fabric of India.

Sardar Patel’s undeniable skill in handling the volatile and delicate emotional dynamics
of India’s integration remains a testament to his excellent emotional intelligence.

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 6. Sardar Patel- Display of Integrity and Authenticity

Sardar Patel displayed high integrity in both his personal and professional life. He was not
just a political leader known for his decisiveness and administrative prowess, but also a
man of immense integrity and authenticity as described through the incidents below:

• Unwavering commitment to Truth was his hallmark throughout his life. He

refused to bend principles and always vouched for truth and ethical conduct
from his officials. He even refused to accept the position of Deputy Prime
Minister after independence, as he believed it would undermine the authority of
the position of Prime Minister.
• Exposing Corruption as Patel had zero tolerance for corruption and never
entertained corruption in the government. He is considered a champion of good
governance for this nature of his.
• Living by his Words: He believed in plain living and simple thinking which
got reflected in his lifestyle. He had a simple and austere life, free from
ostentation and extravagance.
• Actions speak louder than words as Patel not just preached integrity and
authenticity but followed them till his last breath.

Sardar Patel was a man of his word, who embodied elements of ethics and authenticity
in every action of his life.

DISCUSSION:

Sardar Patels leadership as analysed from the TREAT leadership model is summarised in
the table below:

TREAT MODEL EXAMPLES FROM SARDAR PATEL’s

LIFE
Task Oriented • Integration of Princely States
• Bardoli Satyagraha
• Non-Cooperation Movement
Relationship Oriented • Teamwork
• Empathy towards People

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 • Building trust and relationships
Empowerment • Delegation of Authority
• Open Communication
Authenticity • Man of word
• Against Corruption
• Commitment to Truth
Team Oriented • Effective Team Management
• Empowerment of Team

Sardar Patel was task-oriented individual with clearly laid out goals and plans to achieve
them. Patel during the integration with princely states had chalked out the scenarios and
challenges that may arise ahead of time and approached the integration with a pre-
determined strategy. However, he was not rigid in his approach and was open to change his
strategy as and when new information was received. When the approach of negotiation had
failed in Hyderabad, he chose the option of police action to persuade the Nizam to accede
to the Indian Union.

Sardar Patel had a team involved in his activities. He displayed confidence towards his
team and empowered them to get the most out of them. He was empathetic towards the
people of Bardoli on whom usurious tax rates were imposed. He conducted a satyagraha
that endowed the title of Sardar to him from the people. His belief and respect to Mahatma
Gandhi, made him let go of his contention for the post of Prime Minister post independence.
Sardar Patel was a man who treated relationship with value.

Sardar Patel empowered his team with authority and work independently. He had
empowered his aide V P Menon to negotiate and discuss with princely states independently
to accede their territory to Indian union. He was open in his communication with his team
and was a good listener of their views and opinions.

Sardar Patel was a man of his word and never went beyond the clutches of his belief in
Truth. He was intolerant towards corruption and led from the front. He was a person who
preached what he did and always adhered to an ethical way of life.

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 Sardar Patel was a team-oriented individual who always empowered and delegated
authority. He was a tough task master but rewarded hard work with appreciation. He always
maintained the morale of his team and motivated them at times of crisis as discussed earlier.

CONCLUSION:

Sardar Patel, A quintessence of leadership, who displayed high standards of ethics and
authenticity throughout his life, is known for his integrity and teamwork. He was pragmatic
in his approach and optimistic in his outlook. Sardar Patel was not idealistic, but realistic
in his approach. He displayed courage and resilience in times of crisis and always supported
his team to deliver on results. Patel was a task master, and intolerant about corruption. In
essence, Sardar Patel was a leader of the people and thrived for the betterment of the nation
till his last breath. The above qualities of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is still remembered and
cherished by Indians even till date.

REFERNECES

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• Gandhi, R. G. (1990). Vallabhbhai Patel: A biography. Navajivan Publishing House.

• Wolpert, S. A. (2011). Gandhi: Why India and the world need him today. Yale
University Press.

• Dasgupta, C. (2002). The Oxford India world history. Oxford University Press.

• Bose, S. (1997). History of modern India. Orient Longman.

• Mathew, P. (2013). Crossing Divides and Building Bridges: The Intergroup

Leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Integration of India. Journal of
Leadership, Accountability & Ethics, 10(4), 62–72.

• Shakti Sinha, & Himanshu Roy. (2019). Patel : Political Ideas and Policies. Sage
Publications Pvt. Ltd.

• Neerja Singh. (2015). Patel, Prasad and Rajaji : Myth of the Indian Right. Sage
Publications Pvt. Ltd.

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