New Delhi, Jan. 26 -- The Venezuela-US episode, stripped of its geopolitical costume, exposes a familiar leadership illusion: the belief that leadership is about takeover, leverage and quick fixes. This behaviour smacks of dealership: oil reserves, compliance, and administration by force if necessary. There was no pretence of shared destiny, only of enforced order. Many Indian leaders, in politics and business, think similarly, though on a smaller stage. Control is valued over consent. Loyalty is purchased, not earned. The deal replaces the relationship.

Dealership is transactional. It asks: What can I extract? How fast can I show results? Who can I blame if this goes wrong? Leadership, on the other hand, asks unsettling questions. Why a...