Today, I took sick leave due to a severe fever. By noon, exhaustion took over and I drifted into sleep.
I woke up to the sound of the TV—my toddler was
watching a cartoon. The rhyme playing was “Aaj Mangalwar Hai, Chuhe Ko
Bukhar Hai.”
Through pure innocence, my child seemed to connect
my fever with the little mouse’s fever in the song—finding meaning where logic
wasn’t required.
Being “reduced” (lovingly 😄) to a cartoon
mouse by a toddler was a gentle reminder that no role is bigger than life
itself. Those who can laugh at themselves tend to stay grounded.
That simple connection was also an innocent act of
concern. Recognizing it—and valuing it—is emotional intelligence in its
earliest form.
This is the same empathy leaders need to bring to
their teams. After all, leadership is the ability to learn, stay human, and
find meaning—even when you’re not in control.