Human Development : A Holistic Perspective for Developing Transformational Leadership from Within

Despite so much of knowledge, the world is experiencing economic and psychological depression. More and more companies are becoming sick and bankrupt every day. The study provides some of the distinguishing features of the financial capital and the human capital and the need for focusing on human capital. HRD managers are basically engaged in training and developing required skills in the human resource so as to enable them to become knowledge worker in this information age. We need to change directions of development from only working to achieve knowledge and efficiency to achieve wisdom leading towards effectiveness. The author believes that managing transformation (Singh 1998) developing transformational leaders and focussing on human capital are the keys to success. In essence HRD treats humans as a resource which is instrumental in attaining organizational goals. The pivotal crux of the evolution of HRD is currently in the process of a radical change in terms of treating humans as end rather than means to an end i.e., a resource. The basic change in focus has given birth to a new term Human Development (HD). The important dimensions of human development include (1) empowerment, (2) equity, (3) productivity, (4) security, and (5) sustainability. The author believes that human development can take place only if transformational leaders (Singh 2000a, Singh 1998b) are developed in the global village with a holistic perspective where the urge for development comes from within. Sustainability of development with particular focus on human development must find central focus in all our decision making. War or cut throat competition are not sustainable in nature. The author conducted a research study on employees of various public and private sector organizations covering 125 respondents from organizations scattered over 26 cities from 12 states covering all regions of India. (Singh 1996) It was found that the organization intends to retain existing human resource having positive human resource value upto the age of retirement is the strong view of the respondents. It was recommended that at the organizational level an environment should be created where human values get the prime importance to provide satisfaction among the human beings which is the ultimate objective of human development. This can be achieved only when the society and organizations in general and individuals in particular decide to transform knowledge workers into wisdom workers and transformational leaders for which purity of mind is the most essential pre-condition. Leadership from within values human life for itself taking into account the holistic perspective. Any leadership styles can’t be sustainable unless it takes all the aspects of human existence. The fundamental truth that economic development is for mankind is lost and there is a mad race for achieving economic goals at any cost. The author visualizes a world where all human beings can develop their potential capabilities, where the quality of life is respectable for everyone, where no one is denied of the basic needs, and everyone enjoys the sense of fulfillment. Leadership from within is the only way to achieve this noble cause and ultimate end of humanity. The author visualizes a new weaponless global civil society based on human values putting people at the center of all concerns to enable them to become transformational leaders from within and achieve the ultimate objective of human salvation