The document shares 11 leadership lessons derived from how tea bags are used to make tea. Some of the key lessons include: 1) A leader's character is defined by their core beliefs and attitudes, not superficial qualities like titles or appearance. 2) A leader's true character is revealed during difficult times or challenges when they are "in hot water." 3) Leaders should actively seek out challenges as opportunities to demonstrate their abilities. 4) Leaders must be willing to collaborate with and be influenced by others to achieve their full potential. 5) Leadership is defined by one's influence and impact, not their formal position in an organization.

1. Leadership Lessons from Teabags
By Ramki

2. Teabag- Its arrival


In around 1908, Thomas Sullivan, a New York tea
merchant, started to send samples of tea to his customers in
small silken bags. Some assumed that these were supposed
to be used in the same way as the metal infusers, by putting
the entire bag into the pot, rather than emptying out the
contents. It was thus by accident that the tea bag was born!
Responding to the comments from his customers that the
mesh on the silk was too fine, Sullivan developed sachets
made of gauze - the first purpose-made tea bags. During the
1920s these were developed for commercial production, and
the bags grew in popularity in the USA. Made first of all from
gauze and later from paper, they came in two sizes, a larger
bag for the pot, a smaller one for the cup. The features that
we still recognize today were already in place - a string that
hung over the side so the bag could be removed easily, with
a decorated tag on the end. (UK Tea Council)

3. What counts is what is inside the Teabag

4. Lesson 1- Beliefs, Attitudes & Values –Core of a Leader
 You will notice that some tea bags have very nice-looking labels,
while others have very ordinary looking ones.
 Some have delicate silk tassels while others have ordinary
strings. But here's the thing to remember: The quality of the
beverage is determined by the tea inside the bag -- not by the
label or the string.
 What's true for tea bags is true for all of us too. The titles, the
clothes we wear and the cars we drive are like the label and the
string. They may make you look nice. But what really matters is
the kind of person you are, deep down within.
 Your beliefs and your attitude -- that's what defines the person
you are. The tea masters know that to make a great drink, they
need to focus on the tea. Not on the label and the string.
Focus on being a good human being. Fix your attitude. Get your values
right. And don't fret about the small stuff.

5. The real flavor comes through only when the teabag gets into Hot
water

6. Lesson 2 –Leadership – Where you stand when you are challenged
 If you take a cup of lukewarm water and put a tea bag in it -you won't know how strong the tea is.
 To get the best flavor, you need to put the tea bag into hot
water. And then the real strength will show!
 Likewise, the true character of a person actually shines
through in adversity. How does a person behave under
pressure, when he is in 'hot water'?
 The hot water test is a good one -- to judge the quality of the
tea. And the true character of human beings.
The true character of a Leader actually shines through in adversity

7. Good Teabags look forward to Hot water

8. Lesson 3- Leaders face challenges
 They know it will give them a chance to show their true worth.
 So next time you see a challenge, a tough situation, think like
a tea bag and dive headlong into it. It may be the opportunity
you've been waiting for to show what you are capable of.
 Some of us are so scared of the hot water that we stay away
from it. Too scared of getting scalded. Afraid of failure. Don't
let that happen to you!
 Give yourself a chance to show the world what you are really
all about!
 Next time you pick up a cup of tea, enjoy the moment. And
think of the lessons too!
Next time you see a challenge, a tough situation, think like a tea bag and
dive headlong into it

9. The Teabag must be Porous

10. Lesson 4- Leader should reach out
 Imagine you have the best tea leaves in the world.
 And you put it into a bag that's impermeable. It won't work. You just
won't be able to make a cup of tea.
 For the tea bag to work, it needs to be porous. You need the tea
leaves and the water to come in contact. In our lives too, we cannot
survive and thrive in isolation.
 Be careful not to build a wall around yourself that prevents people
from reaching out to you. You need to be able to touch other people
too.
 Else, all that's inside of you will remain wasted -- untouched by all
the good around you, and unable to impact all that's around you.
 The tea was meant to mingle with the water. Just as all of us were
designed to work with other people, with teams, with society at
large.
Be careful not to build a wall around yourself that prevents people from
reaching out to you

11. Teabags Never mind where they are in the cup

12. Lesson 5- Leadership is not a matter of position
 Notice wherever the tea bag is placed inside the cup – high,
low, vertical, horizontal, it does not matter at all.
 The tea bag would influence hot water. Likewise, for true
leaders will influence the team, organization & business
 It does not matter which position they hold within the team.
They would always stand out and benefit the whole teamPosition is irrelevant.
 It is a mistaken notion that Leadership is only about the
person at the top of the Organization.
 Don’t let your position in the hierarchy limit your impact as
Leader.
 Leaders derive their strength from within- not from title or a
position.

13. Sometimes one Teabag is just not enough

14. Lesson 6- Leaders need Leaders under him
 If the pot is very large, then one teabag may not be sufficient
to make a good tea.
 The tea will not be strong enough.
 The solution is simple – add another tea bag
 It is true of organizations too.
 Sometimes the enormity of the challenge could call for more
than one Leader.
 Leaders don’t need to feel inadequate- or incompetent- when
asking for help.
 Good leaders can fail not because they were not good
enough, but because the challenge was too big for one man.
 Asking for assistance is not a sign of weakness.
 It is sign of great strength & self confidence.

15. Sometimes you need to add Sugar & Milk

16. Lesson 7- Networking & Influencing non-reporting relationships
If what you are looking for is a cup of tea with milk and
sugar, no teabag in the world can give that to you by itself.
Sometimes tea itself is not enough to serve as a perfect
beverage.
We add milk and sugar to enhance its taste.
Similarly, the leader also need support of his team
members and he himself need to add more qualities and
knowledge to himself so that everyone is able to extract
their own requirements and are satisfied.
Good leaders learn to hunt in packs.
They find partners, colleagues who complement their skills
sets and fill in the missing pieces.

17. Someone else holds the strings always

18. Lesson 8- Stakeholder focus/ Mentor
 Teabag cannot stand by itself.
 No matter how strong the teabag is, it recognizes that
someone else holds the string in his or her hands.
 They can pull the teabag out and throw it away any time they
like.
 A leader should never lose sight of this.
 No matter how powerful a leader becomes, he must
remember there is string tied to him that is in the hands of the
stakeholders.
 Leader is also never independent and he is interdependent.
The leader himself also has someone mentoring him, or
leading him
Don’ t let the power go into you head . Have Humility

19. How good the Tea is , Not the Teabag

20. Lesson 9- How good the Tea is , Not the Teabag
Do we ever wonder talk about the tea bag?
We always enjoy the tea inside that.
The tea can be taken out and brewed other ways as well,
but the teabag does not mean anything without its
contents.
Same holds true for leaders. It is the work, the qualities
that speak and shine out.
A leader is nothing without its achievements.
Thus, if you want to be a leader, stop focusing on yourself
and let your work speak for you.
It is not about me , It is about them

21. Teabags need to make way & get out

22. Lesson 10-Leaders should develop the Second line
Once the tea is brewed, we throw away the tea bag.
Even if we keep it inside the cup, it’s the flavor it has imparted
into hot water that we drink not the tea bag.
This teaches us that eventually, leaders need to get to a side
and let their team sparkle.
Like tea, they can always be with them, but in the end, it’s the
work and their team that matters.
Remember, leader does not exist without a team.

23. A refreshing cup of tea needs time to brew

24. Lesson 11-Leadership Traits
Notice that the tea is not ready at the very instance we dip the
tea bag into hot water.
It takes time to brew perfectly.
Tea and leadership qualities are very similar.
We
cannot
acquire
all
leadership
They are imparted into us time to time
traits
at
once.