Leadership Archives - TODAY INDIA

Small Business Owners: Your Leadership Style Can Increase ‘Profits’

Covid-19 pandemic has forced a lot of business closures. Government leaders are issuing stay-at-home orders and the government is reopening in phases, which has limited customers sizes to 25%, 50% and 75% for the health safety of our community. How can you lead in constant changing environment? How do you motivate employees and simultaneously look for the next product to keep the doors open? How do you change your management style to be an effective leader in such a uncertain future and ‘doing more with less’ employees.

Leadership

I suggest send out a survey of what qualities they want to see in a CEO (then pledge to do everything you can to live up to these expectations)

Leaders need to provide coaching, because no one ever got to be the best without the constructive feedback, probing questions and active teaching. Be honest and positive in all communication messaging.

Search for opportunities to improve

What’s new?
What’s next?
What’s better? And not just for yourself but also for those around you.
Find a significant purpose for addressing your challenging and most difficult assignments.

Who you are and what your values are (then you give voice to those values)

Leader must affirm the shared values of the group.

Inspire a shared vision

Envision the future by imagining, exciting and enabling possibilities
Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations
- Imagine the possibilities
- Find a common purpose

Leaders who focus on the future attract followers more readily

Read trends
Listening to Podcasts
Watching documentaries

People regard most favorably those leaders who regularly talk about the ‘why’ of work and not just the ‘what’ of work

People who are leaders want to do something significant, accomplish something that no one else has yet to achieved.

Motivating Employees

Cross Training Employees about each other roles/responsibilities
Mentoring
‘how can I help you?’… walking around 30 minutes a week
Delegating responsibilities
Brown Bag lunches (training)
Praise and Work for work above normal day activities

Sending them to seminars

Have them to do presentations

Quarterly Corporate Town hall Meetings (teleconference)

Weekly recognition of outstanding performers

Email
Walking around
Must be based on ‘visible’ performance (daily if outstanding)
- Monthly meeting (recognize your performers)

Social Media interaction with customers

Do you have a scalable website (WordPress)
Do you have LinkedIn profiles about employees and products
Engaging with customer markets about current happenings
- Facebook
- Instagram
- Reddit
- Twitter
- Weibo (china)

Finally, some business owners will make the necessary changes to keep afloat and some will drown. Navigating in rough waters, takes a team effort, innovations and commitment to ride it out!!!!

Your job as a business leader is to communicate, communicate with honesty and positivity to build trust in customers, employees and shareholders.

Define Your Position: Values, Ethics & Leadership

Some call it wearing one’s heart on the sleeve; others call it wearing their emotions. If the discussion is of values and ethics, leaders must wear them openly, constantly encouraging, mentoring, and coaching others to operate within values-based and ethical standards the leader expresses. Values and ethics exist in a philosophical arena and often mistaken as the same. Values explain that who you are is what you were when. Ethics demonstrates values through behavior. This paper takes the position that values exist on a higher plane than ethics.

Dr. Gyertson6 shares an insight on value and ethic sources. He says throughout human development, there are socio-cultural influences in family and tribe. In the time of prehistory, these values meant survival and extended family. Exploring present value development offers a very different view of family and tribe. Family is nuclear now and connection to extended family is often limited to the July Family Picnic. Tribe, community, is multifaceted people have small neighborhood tribes, work tribes, social tribes, and others. They move among tribes and behave differently in different settings. While core values remain, behaviors shifts when moving among groups. Interacting in work groups is an example. Consider a group of university administrators working to satisfy the needs and desires of applicants and students. Administrators work to put applicants and students at ease as they enter classes. Faculty works with students lecturing, and facilitating to grow students knowledge. The student is the same person yet is interacting with the different elements of the university.

Value deals with the worth, utility, moral virtue, aesthetics, and, may be singular or a collective of each. Values are at the core of what a person believes. In June 2006, article in USA Today, Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Jennings tells the reporter that players for the ball club hear the value of character and good living from the top of the organization all the way down. In the locker room, one does not see pornographic pictures or magazines. There are sports magazines, racing and car magazines, and prominently seen throughout the locker room are bibles. This ball club believes in Christian values and Christian ethical behavior. A fan tells of not hearing the usual trash talking or player showboating among members of the Rockies. The leadership in the Rockies organization provides evidence of expected behavior in the clubhouse, on the playing field, and among players of other teams. The Rockies are not the “winningest” team in major league baseball; however, they display the near the highest behavioral ethics.

Ethics comes from the Greek ethikos, meaning arising from habit. Ethics is a study of living, a study in which we discover things as being right or wrong or true and false based on how we know things. Therefore, ethics is the outward manifestation, the acting out of a belief.

Values versus ethics

Values and ethics do not exist separately from each other. However, they may develop differently over time. A child’s values grow from the values of parents. A child’s ethical behavior develops from observing what parents do. Trust in parents’ grows as a child sees their parents obeying their beliefs (values) through their ethics (what they do) consistently. It is a leader’s responsibility to an organization, workers, and her- and him-self to do no less. Followers of a leader will loose trust quickly if they observe attitudes and behaviors that do not match expressed ethical standards and values.

Values must identify or embody who a leader is. Values are the bases upon which leaders make judgments on what is important. Ethics identifies a leader’s moral compass, the leader’s understanding of good and right. Ethics are a set of moral principles.

Leaders must commit to personal values and organizational values seeking a fit between both. Moreover, leaders must manifest values in a way that leaves the observer fully aware of the leader’s commitment.

A leader studies the community in which an organization exists to know what the community values. Another consideration is the ethical behavior that leaves a leader questioning whether the community acts as it believes. These observations of what a community believes and how it behaves tells a leader the scope of normative order within a community. However, organizational leaders must operate on a higher plane.

A consideration for leader examination when establishing a code of ethics is that ethics and values do not fit a neat categorization into specialty areas. Melissa Ingwersen1 of JPMorgan Chase Bank supports the foundation of ethics at home and school before applying them to business. She says JPMorgan Chase does not want to compromise it banks or bankers by doing business with questionable clients. Therefore, JPMorgan Chase selects clients carefully attempting to maintain their reputation and the reputation of their clients.

What does the above example tell us about values and ethics in an organization? For Chase Bank, the value is honesty, integrity, and character building of clients by selecting clients who have similar values as the bank. Chase Bank does not compromise their core values for the sake of gaining business. Another view of this provided by Brenda Joyner, et al2, is a sense of corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR includes such elements as economic, legal, discretionary activities and ethics. She says these exist within what are the values of the public.

Working standard – values and ethics

Stated above, ethics is the outward display of values. In some organizations, leaders are content to accept the ethic of responsibility to shareholders. Although this was the generally accepted behavior in economic boom years, most long-life businesses recognize that the bottom line is not an ethically symbolic way to engage.

Joyner, et al, relate the work of Paine (1994). In this, they attempt to put a value on following the letter of the law versus following spirit of the law. While obeying the letter of the law is legally and ethically correct, seeking the higher value to obey the spirit of the law propels a leader to higher trust, reducing cynicism, ultimately adding value to the ethical standard. The ethical standard is a leader and organization’s integrity strategy and values are the core beliefs driving the strategy.

Ray Coye3, writing in 1986 saw the need to differentiate values and ethics. In his view, there are no values for an organization separated from the collective values of leaders and members. He provides a definition of values as, “… serv(ing) as the authorities in the name of which choices are made and action taken.” In greater depth, this 1986 definition is one based on the prevailing attitude toward values and ethics considered correct – at that time (Coye, 1986)

• A value is chosen freely after consideration of alternatives and consequences

• Publicly affirmed, cherished, and prized

• Pattern of action that is consistent and repeated

Conclusion

Values exist at the core of our nature; they are our core belief system. Ethics, our behavior, reveal our values within an operating environment. If we say we cherish (value) our children but behave abusively, value and ethical behavior are incongruent. Within a leadership role, the same is true of our attitude toward workers. Recent history of organizational failure adds to common knowledge of how personal greed over the expressed organizational values ruin business and, worse, the faith workers have in the business and leaders.

Not all organizations are the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club, but trends start one person and one organization at a time. Be a trend setter.

Works Cited

1. Nightengale, B. (2006, June 1). Basball’s Rockies seek revival on two levels. USA Today. Retrieved September 20, 2006 from [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/rockies/2006-05-30-rockies-cover_x.htm].

2. Cook, J. R. Interview: Melissa Ingwersen, Central OH President, JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA. Ethical Leadership, Council for Ethics in Economics (1,1)

3. Joyner, B. E., Payne, D. & Raiborn, C. A. (2002, April). Building values, business ethics and corporate social responsibility into the developing organization. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship(7,1), pg. 113.

4. Coye, R. (1986, February) Individual Values and Business Ethics. Journal of Business Ethics (5,1), pg. 45.

5. Watson, S. (2006). Personal Values in Business: How successful businesses underpin their success with clear values. Retrieved September 20, 2006 from [http://www.summitconsultants.co.uk/news-detail.asp?fldNewsArticles_ID=126].

6. Gyertson, D. J. (2006). Ethical Frameworks. Presentation at Regent University DSL Residency September 13 to 22, 2006

Leadership Insights from the Apostle Paul

The Pauline letters were addressed to small groups of people that he knew by name (Timothy, Titus, and Philemon) as well as large audiences (Romans, Corinthians, Galatians). These letters provide insight into why leaders exist and what knowledge, skills, and abilities are important to leaders today. In each letter Paul attempts to answer questions about the ‘meaning of life’ such as sin (Romans 3:9), faith (Romans 3:22), marriage (Romans 7:2, 1 Corinthians 7), unity (1 Corinthians 1:10), spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12), and freedom (Galatians 5:17). After carefully dissecting Pauline letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Thessalonians, and Philemon I identified a set of characteristics that he viewed as being critical to the development of Christian leaders. Effective leadership traits are as varied and numerous, not to mention subtle, as the human mind and heart themselves. No list will ever be complete, nor will it be the best suited for each individual reader – these 5 characteristics are by no means exhaustive. However, they serve to communicate the power and promise that Paul offers: compassion, self-Awareness, righteousness by faith, commitment, and community. The biblical quotations in this article are from the King James Version of The Holy Bible.

Compassion through Spiritual Unity

Millions of American mailboxes are stuffed daily with letters from non-profit organizations in order to raise funds for the less fortunate. The Jewish Christians near Jerusalem were reportedly on the edge of starvation. Paul referred to them as “the poor saints” which are at Jerusalem. (Romans 15:26). In taking his collection for the poor, Paul mainly appealed to the Christian responsibility to help those in need. He sought to seize the opportunity for Gentile Christians to reach out in compassion and demonstrate spiritual unity. Paul did not engineer a mass mail charity event but he did present a direct appeal for funds (Romans 15:25-26, 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 Corinthians 8:1 – 9:15). He takes his appeal a bit further in 2 Corinthians 9:6 by illustrating the bonuses of giving – “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth boutifully shall reap also bountifully.” Paul shows that generosity benefits the giver in that a gift can serve as an act of worship to God and inspire the faith of others.

Compassionate leadership is acting in the interest of your followers, your peers, and your organization. This is the boss for whom the employees are willing to work their hardest. “Loyalty and devotion to task and grow out of trust and the knowledge of protection that comes from the employment relationship.” (Winston, 2002). The employees can feel the support for them and are compelled to give their full support in return. This manager brings out the best in her subordinates by their example.

Self-Awareness

General awareness, confidence, and especially self-awareness strengthen the Christian leader. “The leader must first make peace in his own life before he can successfully make peace in his organization. A leader in conflict with himself is a house divided.” (Winston, 2002, p. 82). Leaders must be willing to carefully explore their values and how they can move their organization in the direction of a vision that is unwavering. Effective Leaders lead with a purpose rather than “run like a man running aimlessly” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27). From the biblical sense this means that we live for His purpose, not ours. As Christians, we recognize that our need for Christ will bring us beyond our failures so we can grow increasingly effective. As we grow in Christ, we will become aware of our futility and inadequacy as human beings.

In Romans 14:1-2, Paul reminds us that Christians do not have to agree on all matters pertaining to the Christian life and continues by describing the difference between a strong and weak Christian. In an attempt to explain the role of diversity in God’s overall plan of redemption Paul uses faith as a sense of assurance of confidence where the proper understanding of the gospel allows the strong Christian to recognize that his diet has no spiritual significance. (Romans 14:2, Colossian 2:16).

Righteousness by Faith

Paul uses the Greek verb “justified” 27 times, mostly in Romans and Galatians. The term describes what happens when someone believes in Christ as his Savior. Paul emphasizes two distinct points. First, no one lives a perfect life. “For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:24). Secondly, even though we are all sinners, God will declare everyone who puts his trust in Jesus not guilty but righteous. The central thought in justification is that, although we deserve to be declared guilty (Romans 3:9-19), because of our faith in Christ God declares us righteous. In Galatians 2:16 Paul uses the verb justified three times, three times this verse tells us that no one is justified by observing the law, and three times it underscores the indispensable requirement of placing our faith in Christ.

Commitment to the Growth

Christian leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, leaders are deeply committed to a personal, professional, and spiritual growth of each and every individual within the organization. Every Christian is obligated to be the best he can be for God. Like any other worthwhile activity, if leadership can be improved, we should seek to improve it. In doing so, we prepare ourselves for higher service that may be just around the corner. Romans 12:1 issues an imperative to leaders: “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” The verb “present” is followed by 36 verbs that specify what happens when we obey one of which is noteworthy here.

First, exert yourself to lead – “Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation…he that ruleth, with diligence…” (Romans 12:8). This is a summons to dive wholeheartedly into leadership. Exhort others with an uplifting, cheerful call to worthwhile accomplishment.

Building Community

Christian leaders are aware that the shift from local communities to large institutions as the primary shaper of human lives has changed our perceptions and caused a sort of loss. 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13 begins the theme of being united in mind and purpose. “Divisions within the community betray the purpose for which Christ was crucified: to unite everyone in one body, the body of Christ.” (Matera, 2001, p.10). Leaders should seek to identify a means for building community among those who work within a given institution. I believe that Paul was conveying one body working together – emphasizing unity – but I also believe that he illustrates the lessons to be learned from the community. “If I were a single member, were would the body be…The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’…” (I Corinthians 12:19 – 21). Can we get along in life without hands? Yes, but we would have to make adjustments…learn to use prosthetic limbs or find alternative methods to picking up objects. Though the body remains incomplete, it survives. However, the strongest hands are worthless without the body. The hands need the signals generated by the brain and the nourishment provided by the blood.

The bottom line is that a body without hands can manage, but a hand without a body is inconceivable. Diverse churches such as Corinth are aware of the differences among its membership, which is why Paul’s letter stressed unity issues that still plague churches today. The solution is to respect each other and take direction from Jesus Christ, the head.

ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION CONCEPTS OF PAUL

How do leaders address the people side of change without jeopardizing the business side of change? How can a leader make the tough decisions without losing sight of the emotions and concerns of his followers? Leading change is largely about making sense of competing views. “Change cannot be managed, it emerges. Managers are part of the system, not outside the system.” (Cameron, 2004, p. 123). It is about developing a style that builds trust through authenticity and careful balance. Of course, given the tensions that are continually in play, there will be circumstances that require more emphasis on one of the competing competencies than on the other. It’s not possible to be perfectly in balance all the time. But it’s an ideal worth striving for. “When leaders focus on establishing trust, they are better able to deal with both the structural and the human elements of change. Instead of taking a one-sided approach, leaders find they can be both tough and empathetic, committed to the plan and understanding of the pain. They become agile and resilient, and able to do what it takes to lead through change and transition.” (Bunker and Wakefield, 2006, p. 3).

DIVERSITY CONCEPTS OF PAUL

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul reveals the equality of Christian life very optimistically. Paul does not describe the sins that that took place in Corinth. But rather he observes other dangers in the Galatians’ thinking: “I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel.” (Galatians 1:6). By some unnecessarily stressing their Jewish heritage, the sacrifice of Christ would begin to diminish -faith in Christ would become one of the many steps in salvation and not the only one. Paul feared that subtle differences between Christians would begin to have priority as observed in Galatians 2:12 when Peter spurned the Gentiles because he feared the Judaizers.

Paul also stresses that those baptized in Christ are “…neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female…” (Galatians 3:28). Jesus came to tear down walls between people – the unity in Christ transcends ethnic, social and sexual distinctions. (Romans 10:12, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 2:15-16). We are called to faithfulness in our relationships – supporting and encouraging each other, accepting one another recognizing there are no second-class Christians. Faith in Christ and not anyone’s set of laws opens the door to acceptance by God. (Galatians 2:16).

STRATEGY FORMATION CONCEPTS OF PAUL

In a time when the church is threatened by interest groups and ideologies, and when parishes are in danger of being divided by the same, the Pauline letters summons contemporary congregations to find their unity in the crucified Christ. Christians in Paul’s day debated such issues as vegetarianism, eating meat sacrificed to idols, and celebrating pagan festival days. Even today we continue to quarrel over issues such as smoking, urban music, and hip-hop clothing. The advice Paul gives in Romans 14:1-4 to both weak and strong Christians of his day applies to people in all cultures who debate questionable issues – do not judge another.

Strategy formation (thinking, planning, and implementation) is a characteristic that enables Christian leaders to understand lessons from the past, the realities of the present, and the likely consequence of a decision in the future. It is deeply rooted in the intuitive mind. Strategy formation involves the leader’s ability to visualize the end result of the policies and methods he advocates. The leader looks to understand how the policies will affect future generations. “[Strategy formation] is a clear picture of what the leader sees his or her group being or doing” (Maxwell, 1993, p. 149).

Paul Among Jews, Gentiles, and Modern-day Christians

The issue of whether to engage in the Gentile mission and the question of how to receive the Gentiles caused serious tensions during the early Christian Church. Paul’s struggle was to defend the gospel of which the fundamental principle is to accept others as they are. In Paul’s case this consisted of the Gentiles. For the contemporary church the basis of acceptance revolves around such issues as race, gender, ethnicity, and social status. The Pauline letters play an important role in the New Testament and in the modern-day congregation. Of the 27 writings that make-up the New Testament, nearly half are attributed to Paul. “Paul’s unfolding theology of inclusivity still has much to contribute to our effort to remain faithful as Christians and at the same time become good citizens of the global village – citizens who are willing and able to see essential authenticity in others, as Paul saw a glimpse of it long ago.” (Park, 2003, p. 80).

REFERENCES

Bunker, K. A. and Wakefield, M. (May, 2006). Leading in Times of Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Management Update Article Volume 11, No. 5.

Cameron, Esther. (2004). Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. London, GBR: Kogan Page, Limited.

Holy Bible. (1997). King James Version. Grand Raids, MI: Zondervan Publishing.

Matera, Frank J. (2001). Strategies for Preaching Paul. Collegeville, MN. The Liturgical Press.

Maxwell, John C. (1993). Developing the Leader within You. Nashville, TN. Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Park, Eung C. (2003). Either Jew of Gentile: Paul’s Unfolding Theology of Inclusivity. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.

Winston, Bruce (2002). Be a Leader for God’s Sake. Regent University, School of Leadership Studies. Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Fascinating Leadership Styles From Cricket for Organisations and Leaders

An in-depth and extensive analysis of the game of Cricket has provided following fascinating variety of Leadership styles that can be adopted by organizations and leaders. Adaptation of suitable leadership style is to be based on the organisation/team composition, strength and weakness of members, organization and individual goals, nature of assignments to be handled-as to long/medium/short-term, commercial or social, new assignments or repeat/ standard ones and so on. By identifying multiple situations that can confront leaders in their career path, this article brings to focus forcefully that leadership style cannot be static for a leader and will require them wearing different leadership hats, suiting a variety of situations

We have chosen the fascinating game of Cricket to identify leadership styles for organizations and leaders, as it is characterized by the following features:

1) It offers a variety of formats like Test Matches, One-day, 20-20, knock-out, League format and so on, requiring different skill sets from team members and different leadership styles to handle them. 2) The long- history of Cricket has witnessed a phenomenal variety of leaders (Captains) , some of them legends, some great, some average/passable, some downright failures and so on 3) On the personal side Cricket is a team game and has always consisted of a great variety with respect to the team composition, as to location, culture, language or dialect or way of speaking, economic strata, age, experience, physical appearance, nature and so on 4) On the technical side the complexity of skill sets consisting of Match winners, All-rounders, Batsmen (Aggressive hitters, balanced ones capable of long-hauls, slow-pick-up) , Bowlers (Fast, Medium, Off-Spinners, Leg-spinners) Fielders (Close in, out-field, out-standing, good, bad and to be protected etc) , Wicket-keeper and so on.

5) Also leadership styles to suit the style, stature and strength of opponents, type of pitches, situation in a series, qualifying requirements, availability of /injury to players etc. 6) A great entertainer (on its day) and a money spinning spectator sport. 7) However great you are (like star performers in an organization) , you have to abide by the authority of umpires and captains on the field, with selective/limited options for appealing, calling for judicious usage Of such opportunities. 8) Need for all team members to alter their style to the format of the game or situational requirements and hence the expectation from the captains to prepare and mould them accordingly.

The fascinating range of Leadership styles unearthed as part of the in-depth analysis of game of Cricket reads as follows The leadership styles are listed in the alphabetical order for easy recall and do not signify any order of importance etc.

1) ACTIVE (OMNIPRESENT) LEADERSHIP 2) AGGRESSIVE (TIGER ON THE PROWL!) LEADERSHIP 3) CHARISMATIC (ROYAL!) LEADERSHIP 4) CONFIDENCE-BUILDING (IDENTIFYING GEMS!) LEADERSHIP 5) COOL (ICEBERG) /PASSIVE LEADERSHIP 6) ENDURING (STABILITY/COMMANDING RESPECT) LEADERSHIP 7) INSPIRATIONAL (TRANSFORMATIONAL) LEADERSHIP 8) PARTICIPATIVE (OUTSTANDING OR STAND-OUT?!) LEADERSHIP 9) PROJECT STYLE (SLAM-BANG!) LEADERSHIP 10) TASK-MASTER (MILITARY) LEADERSHIP 11) UNOBTRUSIVE (CARROT& STICK) LEADERSHIP

Here we are analysing the 11 leadership styles:

1) ACTIVE (OMNIPRESENT) LEADERSHIP – Here the captain/the leader adopts the style of being present virtually everywhere, signifying an intention to be in the know of all and sundry happenings. Team members are likely to feel the leader virtually breathing behind their neck. Hence to avoid being over-active, as that may communicate a lack of confidence with the team members This”OMNIPRESENT”style of leadership (somewhat duly modified) , may be relevant in organizations/teams consisting of predominantly freshers, less skilled etc requiring and looking for constant guidance. The exceptions in the team need to be handled differently and hence the modification indicated.

2) AGGRESSIVE (TIGER ON THE PROWL!) LEADERSHIP – This is generally the style of leadership adopted by Australian Captains, who invariably with a strong and aggressive team backing them, mostly tried to play a psychological game (almost bordering on mini-warfare) of conveying to the opponents that Australians are supremely confident of winning and out to make a mince-meat of hapless opponents. While mostly it has worked for strong teams, when this borders on over-confidence or gross underestimating of opponents, this can back-fire very badly. In an organization/team environment such a style can succeed if the team members know and have adopted to this style of their leader. In a situation of mixed team of old and new members, the new ones need to be put in through an orientation of this “TIGER ON THE PROWL” leadership style and old team members style of functioning, for this to succeed. Otherwise it can back-fire very badly, as new members may get alienated. Also this may work well even with new comers like ambitious management graduates, who believe in aggressive leadership for fast-track growth

3) CHARISMATIC (ROYAL!) LEADERSHIP – This style of leadership has occurred whenever captains have been towering personalities of the game or with royal lineage etc. We have instances of both legendary and successful captains and miserable failures under this category. In an organization/ team set-up this can work (without much modifications) , if the team members deem it a privilege to be working under a star personality. Otherwise there is a definite need for such leader to communicate in no uncertain terms, he is very much approachable and his stature need not be a deterrent for the team members

4) CONFIDENCE-BUILDING (IDENTIFYING GEMS!) LEADERSHIP – One of the examples always quoted in cricket for this style of leadership is Imran khan of Pakistan, who is credited with unearthing gems like Wasim Akram, Abdul quadir and others. Sensing their potential, he is supposed to have been always on their side, when they were down and out, to build confidence in them. Together they played a key part in taking Pakistan to their pinnacle of glory by winning world championship. In an organization/team set-up such leaders can be an asset in identifying and moulding gems. However they will be disasters, if they are seen to be playing the game of favouritism, misusing their position.

5) COOL (ICE-BERG) /PASSIVE LEADERSHIP: One classic case of Cool leadership (as coined by commentators, Media& others) has been Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India. This type of leadership has the risk of being classified as cool, when the team is winning and passive when the team is losing! In an organizational/Team environ this style of leadership can work, if you have a well settled team/products/ services, stable organizational /economic environ and the organization/team is perceived to be succeeding. When this situation changes, unless there is a perceptible change in leadership style, the leader will be branded “PASSIVE”or inactive.

6) ENDURING (STABILITY&COMMANDING RESPECT) LEADERSHIP: Even though many Australian captains have exhibited such leadership style, slightly lesser credit is being given here for their endurance, as their teams have been virtually “WORLD-CHAMPIONS” for prolonged periods of time. Very rarely a boat is disturbed, when the sailing is smooth. Hence a little bit more focus is on leaders/ captains like Daniel Vettori of New zealand, Greame Smith of South Africa, Mahela Jayawardane of Srilanka as they have been Enduring leaders, inspite of their teams not being the Champs. This style of leadership in organizations/teams is possible for leaders, who are perceived as people oriented and when no major competing leader of stature is in sight. The stability should not lead to too much comfort, familiarity& personal equations with the team members leading to difficulties in extracting performance. Also this style of leadership may not sustain when strong alternate leader emerges (with general preference for change) and when the performance of the organization/team goes below certain benchmarks.

7) INSPIRATIONAL (TRANSFORMATIONAL) LEADERSHIP: Possibly the most striking example in cricket for this style of leadership is Mike Brearly of England, whose leadership qualities are termed out-standing. The legend goes that he could have been part of any team in the world as a captain, but not as a player!The classic example is that of Ashes series, after England was down &out 2-nil after 2 matches and their star performer Botham performing miserably, as per Australia’s aggressive game plan of containing Botham ( who is a match winner on his day) . The arrival of Mike as a Captain from the 3rd test turned the series on its head, with the totally transformed Botham, single-handedly winning the remaining 3 matches and the Ashes for England. Such inspirational is highly relevant for Organizations /Teams involved in creative activities, has star performers/ Orgaisations/Teams undergoing bad patch, to transform people at leadership levels and so on, rather than in routine and mundane type of activities. They can be ideal for start-ups to inculcate a sustaining performance culture from the beginning itself.

8) PARTICIPATIVE (OUTSTANDING OR STAND-OUT?!) LEADERSHIP – Possibly a positive example of this style of leadership is former Indian Skipper Saurav Ganguly, going both by his track-record and the team members, recalling his leadership always with fondness and pride, long after he ceased to be the Skipper. There are many examples in International cricket, where captains have carried it to the extreme and failed. This style of leadership will have to ensure in an organisation /team environ, that it is clearly communicated that while quality participation from the team is welcome and appreciated, the final decision taking authority, based on facts, figures and organizational requirements will rest with the leader. Also such leadership should avoid excessive, endless, free for all participation bordering on LAISSEZ FAIRE style of “NON-LEADERSHIP”Instead of being an”outstanding leader “the leader may have to “stand out” of the leadership position!.

9) PROJECT STYLE (SLAM-BANG!) LEADERSHIP: This style of leadership requirement is akin to having different captains for shorter versions as against test matches. For instance Bailey for Australia, Kohli for India and so on. Generally they are perceived to be more aggressive captains, basically more risk-taking in nature to meet the deadlines as demanded by shorter versions of the game. In an organization/team situations, leadership is required to complete different types of tasks/ projects with deadlines, uncertainties etc, through being very alert and dynamic, risk taking, able to take decisions at very short notice, even with limited information. A word of caution would be, though dynamic such leaders need to have a mature head on their shoulders and capable of reasonable restraint, otherwise in the name of dynamism, there is every possibility of going overboard with decisions with disastrous results.

10) TASK-MASTER (MILITARY TYPE) LEADERSHIP: We have come across this type of leadership in cricket. Some have shown good results, handling a team of rookies and some have miserably failed, trying this style even to an experienced team leading to resentment. This style of leadership is difficult to practice in letter and spirit in modern organizations. Still this is being followed with varying degrees of control on shop-floors, wherever routine, compliance oriented and automated operations are pre-dominant etc. Such leadership style should provide flexibility for potential employees to grow, lest they leave

11) UNOBTRUSIVE (CARROT& STICK ) LEADERSHIP: These are leaders in the know of things with their hands on the pulse of the situation and the team, without forcing themselves on the team, all the time. Anil kumble of India was considered one such captain. In the organization /team situations, such leaders can produce good results, if the team consists of experienced/senior professionals, who normally prefer a hands-off leadership style and if the leader has the stature to command their respect, when required. The leader should ensure that the leaders presence is clearly felt, in all Important decision-making by the team. This type of leadership, makes their presence felt by rewarding right behavior and vice-versa. The leadership style should be never allowed to degenerate in to passive /Laissez faire category in the name of extended freedom for the team. Such leaders need to be more hands-on, when the composition of the team changes with more of fresh/lesser experienced team members requiring guidance

No Guts, No Glory! Leadership Tips For Entrepreneurs

Let’s get real. Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Some have the stomach for it, most don’t. What separates a real Entrepreneur from the dreamers is the willingness to take the first step, which usually involves spending and risking your own money. Hardly a comfortable notion. Knowing what you’re doing, what you’re getting into helps alleviate some of the anxiety. When it comes to going after what you love in life, Entrepreneurs don’t take no for an answer. The true Entrepreneur understands the risk vs. reward ratio, and lives by the motto…”No Guts, No Glory!”

Learning from people who have already “been there, done that” is the best resource available. But at the end of the day, someone else’s experience will not launch your company. It takes fire in your belly, passion and drive, and a deep and abiding belief in your idea and yourself. Nothing less will keep you on course in the turbulent waters that threaten an infant business. During the next few months, we will look at ways to optimize the chances for your start-up business to succeed. Stay tuned for more “NO GUTS, NO GLORY!” articles and tips for aspiring Entrepreneurs based on interviews with successful Entrepreneurs.

Tip #1: When in doubt, just take a small step forward.

Believe in yourself. This is the first rule of Entrepreneurship. There are enough barriers to starting a business without you questioning your own abilities. Once doubt creeps in, rash and ill-considered decisions are made. The vision loses focus and energy. Fear and doubt have an odor, and people can smell it. It is a natural repellent to investors or potential clients. It’s normal to be anxious when you’re embarking on a new venture…but don’t let them see you sweat!

You are so protective of your idea that you aren’t even willing to solicit feedback from your closest friends and family. Stop! Don’t be too proud or frightened to ask for help. That’s what family and friends are for, to listen to your crazy ideas. Even if they don’t see your vision, articulating it helps to refine and strengthen it in your own mind.

Often the biggest impediment to moving forward is the clutter in your own head. Get rid of all that useless baggage, it’ll just weigh you down. Live in the moment. Yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note – today is cash!

Tip #2: Grow thick skin.

Take a deep breath. It calms the mind. As Entrepreneurs we already have leadership tendencies, but we confuse that impulse with the need to dictate the vision and fight to maintain its sanctity. Stop! Not every conversation has to end with a kiss. Don’t let business become personal. It’s a bad practice which leads to bad decisions. Learn to yield, listen, and agree to disagree when the occasion calls for it. Also, if presented with an unfavorable deal, walk away. Leadership is not about being right, it’s about accomplishing the objective.

On the flip side, a successful colleague once said, “If I’m the smartest guy in the room, my business is in trouble”. Hire talented people and let them shine.

Learn to laugh things off. Time heals all wounds. Give time, time. Everyone makes mistakes, so ask “in five years, will this matter?” Probably not in most cases. Life is too short to waste time staying annoyed and angry. Plus, it’s bad business to let anyone else live rent free in your head.

Tip #3: Don’t compare your situation to others.

If we all threw our problems into one pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d take ours back.

Often, when the work is overwhelming and nothing is going right, we have a tendency to feel like a victim, wishing we had never started the business. We may be envious of another person’s success. Stop! You have no idea what their journey has been like. Envy is worse than a waste of time – it’s a corrosive practice that blinds you to the blessings in your own life. You have all you need to unearth your own potential. At this point, go to a trusted friend who has started a business, and have a candid conversation about your situation. Vent with someone. It’s far better than licking your wounds in solitude.

All Entrepreneurs have been through what you’re experiencing, and most are happy to share some guidance. One of the moral imperatives of success is to lend a hand to the next Entrepreneur coming up, to mentor and inspire future generations of Entrepreneurs. Seek the counsel of experts.

Tip #4: Over-prepare, then go with the flow.

However good or bad a situation is, one thing is certain — it will change. So, the best course of action is to prepare yourself for every eventuality. Commit your game plan to memory, then factor in all possible scenarios that may arise. Hopefully, you won’t face the more dire problems that some start-ups encounter, but being prepared is the best way to combat adversity and sustain a company’s prosperity. And when faced with a tough decision, don’t agonize over it. A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.

As you go with the flow, new ideas will surface. Share credit. Does it really matter where a good idea comes from? Be grateful for any contribution to the success of your company, and acknowledge the source. Ignore the envious, the naysayers. Celebrate the idea because sometimes you’re the only one who will. Be the idea champion.

Tip #5: Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Come on, this is meant to be fun. This is what you always wanted. So show it. Smile, it’s contagious. Simplify. Some claim it is “lonely at the top”. Yes, if you’re a tyrant, bully, or a real pain in the neck. But if you respect your employees, treat them like family; running a business can be fun. It’s all a matter of your approach and attitude. If you go in with the mentality you are the “boss”, then it will be a lonely road, but if you go in with the design you’re the leader of a team and inspiration behind the plan, then you will create an environment which fosters growth and prosperity. Let people feel empowered, a sense of ownership, and a sentiment of belonging and being needed.

Confidence is important. Even if you don’t feel confident, fake it. Confidence breeds loyalty, excitement and productivity, which are contagious. Panic and fear result in chaos, which will ultimately destroy your enterprise.

In conclusion, I leave you with this…be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to have blue hair. Now go out and have fun. Good luck. Remember, “No Guts, No Glory!”