This article written by Bhanumathi Narasimhan, sister of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Recently, i invited a new mother to model in the fashion show at our upcoming International Women’s Conference. Her radiance and beauty should get some spotlight, i thought. The young lady had taken a break from her work to fully attend to her motherly duties. During our conversation, i suggested that she could let her two-year-old son accompany her on the ramp. The mother’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Can he be the model and i will help him from behind?”

The brief chat got me thinking about this tendency in women to push others forward and into the limelight and they themselves, stay in the background. This could be construed as a sign of weakness, in today’s competitive world. On the other hand, it may be reflecting the deep confidence that doesn’t seek attention.

The delicate, nurturing and sensitive nature of women allows them to create an environment of peace and harmony wherever they go. Click To Tweet

Like flowers in the forest that go unnoticed, there are women who shine not for recognition but because of their innate nature. The contentment and happiness they carry in their lives spread to their families, social circles and communities. This is especially true of rural women. They are comfortable behind the scenes. They focus more on getting things done and helping others become the best they can. This ability to make a difference quietly and with humility is something that all of us can learn.

Good leadership is not just about occupying platforms where one can be seen and known. It is often found in quiet places where a leader is secure enough in who she is and comfortable enough with herself. Such a powerful space emerges when one finds a balance in qualities that complete the circle of life – passion, dispassion and compassion. This balance comes easily to women in all their roles as wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, leader, mentor, teacher and more.

Without passion, they wouldn’t have the strength to go through the pains of pregnancy and childbearing; without passion, the dedication with which they take care of the family day in and day out would have been an unbearable burden. It needs passion, tempered with dispassion and compassion to raise children and grandchildren of integrity.

The delicate, nurturing and sensitive nature of women allows them to create an environment of peace and harmony wherever they go. Even in the professional world, you find in her a far greater readiness to share the credit of success with others compared to her male counterparts. Often we hear comments like, “it was a team effort” or “it was just a small piece of work” when a woman is praised for an achievement. The passion for goals, dispassion for recognition and compassion for those around are the hallmarks of great leadership that serves the highest good.

These feminine virtues are not the prerogative of one gender; they can be nurtured by men and women alike, wielding positive influence on our world and make the circle of life magnificent and colourful. This inner journey from head to heart is the most potent catalyst to transform our outer world from conflict to peace, from competition to collaboration and from greed to generosity.

Happy Woman’s Day!