The Blind Spot of Leadership
As children, most of us saw Dhritarashtra as the blind king of Hastinapur.
But growing up, I wonder if his physical blindness was really the problem.
Perhaps his bigger blindness was attachment.
Over a cup of tea recently, I found myself thinking about Dhritarashtra.
By birth, he was the rightful heir to the throne. Yet because of his disability, the crown passed to his younger brother Pandu. One can only imagine the disappointment and the unfulfilled desires that remained buried within.
And then history repeated itself.
When the time came to choose the next king, he found himself facing a familiar dilemma.
Should the throne pass to Yudhishthira, the rightful heir and arguably the more deserving candidate?
Or should it go to his son, Duryodhana?
We know what happened.
And perhaps most of us have judged Dhritarashtra ever since.
But over chai, I wonder.
Would many of us have acted differently?
As founders, leaders and project managers, don’t we face similar dilemmas?
Not kingdoms, perhaps.
But promotions.
Appraisals.
Succession.
Team building.
Client relationships.
Sometimes loyalty gets rewarded over competence.
Sometimes familiarity gets mistaken for capability.
Sometimes we tolerate mediocrity because losing a person feels more painful than retaining the wrong person.
And sometimes, we surround ourselves with people who tell us what we want to hear, rather than what we need to hear.
Which made me wonder if Dhritarashtra suffered from what we today call ‘founder syndrome’.
Not because he lacked intelligence.
Not because he lacked power.
But because attachment clouded judgment.
The interesting thing is that Duryodhana’s ambition was never a secret.
Yet Dhritarashtra continued to defend, appease and enable him.
Not unlike leaders who continue backing poor decisions, toxic high performers, or loyal lieutenants long after everyone else can see the damage.
Perhaps the biggest blind spots in leadership are not ignorance or incompetence.
Perhaps they are attachment and fear.
Fear of losing people.
Fear of conflict.
Fear of letting go.
…and attachment to “my people”, “my decisions” and “my legacy”.
Which leaves me with a question.
Can attachment become the enemy of good governance?
And another uncomfortable one.
How many Mahabharatas could have been avoided if leaders had the courage to disappoint those they loved most?
I don’t have an answer.
But perhaps the question itself is worth asking.