He alone can command who knows how to obey

“He alone can command who knows how to obey”. Explain this sentence.

The success of a society depends on the coordination between the various components which make up that society. This involves some command from some which has to be carried by some or many. As the saying goes no man is an island, nor is everyone having the same talent in the same way. It is the nature’s order, a few could think and plan while others must execute. Then society can be stable and function for long.

It is a question of leadership. There are very few leaders but most of them are developed. Accidents find them in positions where they could develop into leader. But those positions they should learn from others until in their own day they could bloom in to leaders.

Great men of industry, great doctors and great lawyers have come up the hard way. Usually they all apprenticed to a big one from whom they learn the art of their respective trade. They may have the basic knowledge and they may know all the fundamentals but these do not make them leaders. They have to work under a senior and gradually they evolve.

This apprenticeship calls for humility, hard work, sustained interest and above all obedience. Obedience is to obey. So the apprentice has to obey his master. Juniors under as lawyers plod long hours so that they can master the intricacies of law. Young doctors have to sweat and labor in an operation theatre such that they may succeed as soon as they wear the uniforms, and for them obedience is the first and the last word. There is no profession like that of a soldier where unquestioned and unstinted obedience is called for. The great generals then and now ought to have learned the value of obedience the harder way. Leadership needs discipline and dedication.

These people know the value of obedience. They know how thing may go wrong if obedience is lacking. It was said of a business magnate that he insisted on all those who worked under him to be punctual. If anyone was late he used to fine them. If he himself was not punctual, he would pay the fine from his pocket and thus he was able to set an example.

It is clear from the above that those who would command must know how to obey before they can expect others to obey.