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Tips from an autorickshaw driver

I was trying to hire an auto-rickshaw to an unfrequented place – almost ten rickshaws refused to travel to that place before one agreed. Amused, I asked the driver why he agreed, the answer he gave set me thinking.

“Sir, most autowalahs only keep running in a particular direction. They run away from home in the morning, as the day progresses they change their direction towards home. But what each one of them forget is that, our job is to ferry passengers – to travel in a direction which they desire; not to pursue our own agenda.

I am ferrying you to the place you want to go now, I will earn my bread by the money you pay – then even if I have to ferry back empty to my home – it will still turn out to be a small profit; never a loss. On the other hand the other rickshaws which refused you will probably have to ferry all the way to their home empty – not earning any fare and burning his fuel anyhow. Very few auto drivers realize this.”

There was a lesson for all leaders in the above lines. Leaders are like rickshaw drivers – their job is to lead the people for the people's benefit. They should stop chasing their own vested interests and try to 'ferry' policy or political decisions in a direction in the nations' interest, not a direction which favours their personal agendas.

Else in the long run, they would end up ‘ferrying’ alone without any followers and most probably ostracised by the public for misusing their positions of power.

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