Powerful leaders consider it demeaning for themselves to ask for advice. The leadership across the 57, nay only 56 (because one does follow consultative mechanism) Muslim countries can’t respect the process of consultative decision-making. They alone take decisions –mostly perilous.
Leadership here is of unqualified and unquestionable power. There is inherent reluctance to receive and accept advice.
Although good counsel is invaluable; regrettably, advice when needed is least heeded. With such leadership advice may not necessarily inspire action.
Individuals who make it to leadership positions through either sheer talent, abilities and skills or through capitulation that is housed in favouritism and nepotism, have a common trait –they consider themselves as the “Mr/Mrs Know Alls”. This attitude pervades through leadership positions regardless of the sector. Politicians, corporate managers and the bureaucracy, all of them suffer equally from this ailment.
These “know-alls” refuse to listen to others; their arrogance dominates proceedings making the offer of good advice and counsel by colleagues not only difficult but almost unthinkable. A good manager/leader gathers around people (colleagues) who are subject matter experts (SMEs) for the purpose of seeking their input into policy making and implementation. Sometimes, it is the pelf and power of office that becomes an impediment for them, to then “listen to the very same handpicked experts”. They “hear” them only and hence make no impact on actions.
Leaders must wisely choose the people upon whom he/she can place reliance for good advice. These are found lurking in the corridors of power in the shapes of consultants, confidants, right-hand men, aides, special assistants, helpers, teachers, coaches or even gurus or by whatever nomenclature that indicates hired for “intelligence “and not necessarily for “wisdom”.
Leaders must select and hire advisors for their intellect, specialised knowledge, ability to handle negotiations with tact and skill and above all for their personal commitment to the “cause” of the leader. Sometimes, as is proven in history the closest advisors can be an active “fifth columnist”. Lack of these qualities renders advisors to be called jesters, clowns and jokers for comic relief. Advisor must be those who avoid centre-stage and spotlight. They must seek obscurity. If they are driven by ambition and covet the leadership position, they must be watched very closely because they can equally qualify to be ‘Et tu, Brute’!
Those not ruled by the rudder have propensity to be ruled by the rock – such tend to learn only by experiencing disasters. Both old men and quiet nights are “mothers of sound counsel”. As it is said rightly so, the best advice is found on the pillow. Even those considered fools can come up with good advice; it follows that it is unimportant from where the advice comes, so long as it is worthy and good.
No leader must hesitate to take counsel and advice. Those who do hesitate fear looking stupid, it is better to be one-minute fool than be one for a lifetime. Leaders in the developing world or the South have tendencies not to share decision-making; they seek no input but take decision. The outcomes are apportioned based on the results of the decision, if positive the cheers are for the leader but if the result is negative, blame the followers for not offering sound and proper advice.
It is not only in the political arena that we see court jesters than real advisors; they are present in hordes in the corporate sector and the bureaucracy too. In the business world, CEOs enjoy and relish the presence of a boardroom jester, who would have skills of excellence in boot licking and does so with a spectacle to watch. I recall one board member, who always began his statement with praises “for the choice of necktie” adorning the collar of the chairperson. He wasn’t stopped at least publicly by the Chair, which suggests that the observations were welcomed. Vanity with great dosage of narcissist tendencies– a man’s vanity is most fragile.
If the state of mind is filled with feelings of anger and agitation they tend to screen and reject any sound advice. A whispered advice is laden with motive and intent and that usually is in the domain of suspicion and ill intentions. Bad- and ill-intentioned advice is the worst enemy of a leader/manager. While consultation may throw up good solutions, it is also a pond where a lot of advices embrace death. After dinner conversations must not be taken too seriously. They aren’t meant to counsel; they are made only to please. Leadership must remain alert to the presence of such counselors.
Agha Hassan Abidi in his now stigmatised (wrongfully though) financial institution practiced a management precept, christened and baptised by him as the “concept of joint personality”. The basic premise of the concept was as simple as that it is two heads are better than one. The management structures that he created were based on this concept – where leadership was checked and counter-balanced.
In yet another financial institution, whenever the leader called for the “extended management committee”, we knew nothing of importance would be discussed; when “central management committee” was convened, we knew some policy issues would be tossed at the participants, more as a bait for discussion than any serious input and finally when “significant decisions” had to be taken, the various management committees, shrank to just “one person” – the leader only decides!
On the pages of history, there are many individuals who as advisors made the leaders excel in their pursuits. To mention a few for highlighting the thought – Henry Kissinger to Richard Nixon; Liaquat Ali Khan to Muhammad Ali Jinnah; Jawaharlal Nehru to Mahatma Gandhi; Chou en Lai to Mao Tse Tung; Akbar - the Mughal Emperor, like King Arthur’s Knights, had his “nauratans” (nine jewels of excellence in their respective fields and vocations). In the corporate world I know of one senior investment banker, who had his “nauratans” executives who would move with him from one organisation to another.
Leaders have to be wary of the advice and counsel offered. Since advice is free hence it is given lavishly. Those who receive it, profit rarely from it, if taken with no intent to listen or act upon that advice. From the Aesop fables are classic perspectives on advice: “never trust the advice of a man in difficulties” and “distrust interested advice“. There is a Danish proverb which says: he who listens every man’s advice will have a crooked advice.
Consultative management practices are extremely important. The consultations between, say the board and management, are crucial for improving engagement and for fostering an environment of a positive and collaborative work culture. Consultation leads to harmony, resolution of conflicts, a greater sense of participation and above all, ensures adherence and compliance. Consultative process makes a marked difference upon the entities’ work culture that tends to become representative of increased sense of participation, engagement and heavily boosted morale.
Since most countrymen are adherent to a noble religion, they all know the significance of a “consultation” (mashawarat) in everything they do. It is best to seek advice. Those who can harness their ego and vanity can draw upon easily others for sound counsel and advice. Leadership at all levels must amend itself by jettisoning arrogant narcissism and by becoming receptive towers for receiving sound advice and counsel.
Leaders usually perish in the mire of their mis-beliefs of being the “best“– most are not. In fact, the reign of mediocrity in leadership has been and continues to be a very long one. Will it end, ever? Fingers crossed.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Contributor
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