When Gurudev was in Flint in the late 1980s, trustees from a nearby center came to him to resolve a dispute. Gurudev suggested that some of them resign from the board as they could not get along, and so they did. He was never concerned about his popularity.
He always said, “You can’t please everyone all the time, but we should do what is good for the organization.” Devotees who were not team players were let go. Swamiji did not hesitate to say no, did not hesitate to let someone go, and did not mind breaking a relationship if it was good for the organization. He used his authority effectively. The buck stopped with him. He took full responsibility for the actions taken.
One of the devotees in an organizational position at Chinmaya Mission had become quite argumentative with Gurudev. Another devotee felt that they should relieve her and suggested it to Gurudev. His answer was: “No, let her continue. Her commitment to the Mission is real, but she has no diplomacy. This is because of the background that she was raised in. It is not her fault.” A successful chief executive is smart, has a good heart and courage. Gurudev had all of these. The most important is to have a kind heart