Leadership Alchemy No.25T: Timeless Lessons from Teachers

By Dr. Anupama Vaidya (h.c.)   

5th September has always been a special day since childhood. Year after year, I recollect vividly, how we would come together and put up programs to honour our teachers. Those beautiful moments remain etched in my heart. To my alma mater, and every teacher from St. Ursula’s who instilled rigor, discipline, dedication, and sincerity towards life, and then onwards at Fergusson College, Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, and throughout my professional journey - I carry deep gratitude for the many teachers and mentors who have shaped and influenced me. Each has left behind a unique imprint of character, courage, and conviction.

Today, as I find myself often switching roles between being a student and being a teacher, as well as I coach leaders to embrace this duality – I realize that teaching is not merely a profession. It is a way of leadership: quiet, profound, and timeless.

On this Teachers’ Day, what better tribute than to honor all my teachers by viewing their influence through the lens of Leadership Alchemy — drawing out the timeless lessons they bring to leadership. For to truly be a leader, one must also be an integrated teacher at heart. If doctors heal the body, teachers heal ignorance and awaken potential. Teaching is, in many ways, the crucible where leadership itself is forged, and every teacher — knowingly or unknowingly — demonstrates traits that are foundational to enduring leadership. This is the enduring gift of teachers, and one that every leader must embody. For in every great leader resides the heart of a teacher.

From Unformed to Unfolded

I still remember those moments in school when my teacher would notice the blank look on my face and, instead of moving on, pause to explain again – this time differently. That patience did more than clarify a subject; it awakened possibility in me and made me feel capable.

As students, we all begin unformed — with raw, curious minds, sometimes indifferent, often unsure. My teachers saw not just the ignorant child before them, but the imaginative adult waiting to unfold. They looked beyond the surface, recognizing rawness not as limitation but as possibility. Their true gift was in igniting interest where none existed, kindling curiosity, and patiently shaping the journey of learning. With quiet perseverance, they nurtured what was hidden, guiding it until it blossomed into confidence, character, and capability.

Leadership Alchemy: In the same way, leaders are called to see beyond what is — to look at a hesitant team member and glimpse the potential waiting to unfold. Leadership is not confined to managing outcomes; it is about sparking belief where doubt resides, igniting curiosity where apathy lingers, and holding the vision of what can be until it becomes real.

To Teach is First to Learn

I still remember my first real teaching moment — rote sharing more than explaining, realizing quickly that knowing something myself was not the same as helping others understand it. As a young student, I often marveled at how easy a teacher’s job seemed — to stand before us and explain a lesson. But when I stepped into teaching myself, I realized how untrue that was. To teach is to prepare, to simplify, to anticipate doubts, and to adapt in the moment. It is far from easy; it demands that you learn twice over — once for yourself, and once more so you can give it to others.

That’s when I understood: a true teacher knows that teaching is never a one-way act. They never stop being a learner. To guide others, they must remain learners themselves — curious, evolving, and open to new perspectives. Every lesson prepared, every question raised by a student, every challenge in the classroom is also a mirror for the teacher’s own growth. The authenticity of teaching comes not from knowing it all, but from the humility to learn first.

Leadership Alchemy: Likewise, leaders cannot inspire if they stop learning. To lead is to stay curious, to unlearn and relearn, to remain open to feedback, and to grow alongside the people you guide. For it is only the leader who learns, who can truly teach others to rise.

Meeting Each Where They Are

I recollect how, in the same classroom, some of us grasped ideas quickly while others struggled to keep pace. The best teachers never let that divide become a barrier. They would slow down, simplify, or even reframe the lesson entirely — making sure no one was left behind, including involving us who were at a faster pace, helping us to slow down, empathize with the others and learn together. It was never about bringing everyone to the same speed, but about meeting each of us where we stood.

A true teacher knows that no two students stand at the same level of understanding. They do not demand uniformity; instead, they descend to the learner’s world — simplifying, adjusting, and shaping the lesson to meet the student where they are. With empathy and humility, their quiet art lies in bridging the gap between confusion and clarity, between hesitation and confidence, patiently lifting each learner towards growth.

Leadership Alchemy: In the same way, meaningful leaders recognise that people progress at different paces and from different starting points. True leadership is not about expecting others to rise instantly to your level, but about stepping into their world with empathy, simplifying complexity, and guiding them upward. For leadership, like teaching, is an act of humility — to bend before you lift.

Planting Seeds, Nurturing Saplings, Trusting Time

I can still recall words my teachers once spoke — advice I barely noticed at the time, only for those very lines to return years later, guiding me through decisions and crossroads. Teachers know that not every lesson blooms in the moment it is taught. Some words, some sparks of encouragement, some gentle corrections lie quietly like seeds beneath the soil, unseen yet alive.

They trust the seeds they sow, believing that the learnings they share will one day bear fruit. In time, when the season is right, these seeds germinate into thought, conviction, and character. Their faith is not in instant harvests, but in the slow, silent miracle of growth that unfolds in its own rhythm.

Leadership Alchemy: Leaders too must embrace this patience, selflessly – sowing seeds, nurturing talent, cultivating cultures without expectation of instant return. Not every effort bears fruit in the moment, and not every change is instantly visible. True leadership is about planting generously, tending faithfully, and trusting that in time, those seeds will rise into forests of impact.

Guiding Without Claiming

Recently, when my school celebrated its golden jubilee, I had the joy of meeting many of my teachers across the years. What touched me most was the unmistakable pride in their eyes — not quiet, but radiant, open for all to see. It wasn’t pride for their own recognition, but for the joy of watching their students soar higher than even they had imagined. Their happiness was not in being acknowledged, but in seeing every student become a testament to their faith and effort.

A true teacher gives without possession. They shape minds, open doors, and light the path — but never seek ownership of the learner’s journey. Their fulfilment is not in control, but in release, in watching the student outgrow them, fly further, and become their own. Their true pride is to become unnecessary - for that is when their work is complete.

Leadership Alchemy: Great leaders too must lead without clinging to power, position, or credit. Their task is to mentor and enable, and then to step back with grace, letting others shine in their own right. For the highest mark of leadership, like teaching, is measured not in how many follow you, but in how many you grow and set free.

 

Teaching, I have realized, is an act of patience and perseverance — repeating, re-explaining, and encouraging until lessons take root slowly, just as leaders nurture growth through trial and error. It is also an act of empowerment, where the spark of curiosity matters more than the delivery of instruction, much like leaders who enable their teams to think, create, and own. Teaching becomes an ethical anchor, shaping values not through words alone but through example — reminding leaders that cultures are built by the integrity they embody. And above all, teaching leaves behind a legacy of influence — a quiet impact that often resurfaces years later, just as leadership is measured not in titles, but in the lives and futures transformed.

On this Teachers’ Day — a day dedicated to honoring the legacy of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, from whom this tradition of celebrating teachers began — it is only fitting to return to his words. As he so profoundly reminded us: “The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.”

Perhaps the greatest alchemy of teaching is this: to transform knowledge into wisdom, and individuals into contributors. And perhaps the greatest alchemy of leadership is the same.

Too often, I see leaders striving for results yet missing the very heart of leadership – the essence of teachership: to guide, nurture, and set free. In the rush of targets and milestones, the deeper art of shaping futures often falters. To lead without teachership is to forgo the very essence of guidance, growth, and legacy.  

As I reflect on leadership today, I find many leaders still grapple with this deeper art of teachership. And so, as we express gratitude to the teachers who have touched our lives and continue to do so, perhaps the more urgent question is: what does it mean to lead as a teacher?

With that thought, I leave you with a few questions to pause and reflect:

Whose unseen potential am I holding today, and what spark can I offer this week to kindle it?

Where must I unlearn or relearn before I can authentically guide others?

Do I meet people where they are, or expect them to rise instantly to my level?

What seeds am I sowing now that will bear fruit only in time — and do I have the patience to nurture them?

Where am I clinging to control or credit instead of setting others free?

What legacy of influence do I wish to leave — one of titles, or of transformed lives?

Finally, I bow to all my teachers, who believed when I doubted, who invested when I hesitated, who nurtured when I faltered.

To them I owe my being, my becoming, the leader I strive to be; not only who I am, but all that I am yet to become – the unfolding of all that is still to come.

Happy Teacher’s Day!!!

With deep respect and gratitude to all our Teachers, Anupama