THE NEW AGE LEADERSHIP
We have come a long way from the days when the most common mistake that many managers did was to lay emphasis on processes and machinery rather than people who manage both. That was the trend from the industrial era. Then came along, the aggressive leaders with unmanageable ambition and lip service to team requirements. They had been cast aside. The days of maverick leaders with lot of chutzpa and swagger were long over.
It is time for humane leaders with unwavering commitment to organizational goals to take over. They are men and women with little or no egos but tremendous focus. They often rise from heat and dust of frontline. They are ordinary folk with extraordinary achievements.
Meet Mr. N Chandrasekharan, Chairman of Tata Sons and Mr. A M Naik, Chairman of L&T. They rose from lowest cadre to head the organizations equivalent to size of a big state. If you were to meet them early in their careers, you would have least imagined the positions they are in today. How did they achieve? They were so unassuming all through. To begin with, they worked around small teams; they were part of, nurturing, handholding and cajoling all team members towards the organizational goals. As they grew they worked meticulously their way with team after team to rise up to head entire organization. If you were to talk to their team members, each of the subordinates would have had their own story of how the leader helped them to get over their own problems, inhibitions, both personal and professional and made them stars in their own work. So the common thread in all this is the fact that their own subordinates have reached Excellency because of their leadership. It is a simple change of tack that would make entire organization stand behind you and work towards the path laid out by you. We as leaders should learn is winning over human capital is the ultimate success factor for any results to be long lasting for the organization. This is easier said than done, as our own interests, goals, idiosyncrasies and power arrangements come in way of treating subordinates and peers in the same way we expect them to treat us. Realize that each of them is an important cog in the scheme of things and each one should fire for the organization to excel. Their excellence propels you to higher and higher levels. Love, respect, honor and friendliness are your tools while dealing with team members. Use them effectively to make them reach their potential and in turn propel you to higher echelons. This is the new mantra for success. We are here for every one of our team members and we rise because they excel in their work. Power comes from within and it radiates in our team’s achievements. Let us now crystallize the traits that characterize Power Leaders. 1. Power leaders always put organizational objectives as no.1 priority for them 2. All their actions, words and thoughts revolve around how to take organizational to newer growth levels 3. If Plan A fails, they always have plan B, C and so on, ready for achieving the goals. But it is always long term growth that matters to them not the short term swell 4. They help their subordinates in clarifying their objectives and aligning them to organizational goals 5. They make their subordinates achieve success and excel in their work thereby propelling their leader to higher echelons 6. The Leader’s management style is that of collaboration and travelling together, never to trample on someone’s failures. Winning together at all times is the motto 7. They don’t get flattered by a single or few wins. They go for the whole hog, without of course hogging the limelight for personal glorification 8. They understand the upper limits of the challenges they face and hence break their long term goals into smaller achievable milestones. They set about winning smaller battles, one after the other 9. They deliver no matter what. This is what give their organizational heads confidence in power leaders’ ability to achieve any goal. 10. Once you give confidence to the management that you achieve no matter what the management feels reassured to give higher responsibilities 11. Power Leaders’ integrity is unquestionable and above everyone else. This allows Board to trust the Leaders unflinchingly and assign them sensitive projects WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO ADOPT NEW AGE LEADERSHIP? The world is changing. Organizations are evolving. There is an increasing influx of professionals into organizational hierarchy. The current generation is more focused on growth than ever before. In this kind of scenario, the old leaders have to adopt, change their people management style and adopt a mature adult –to- adult interaction while dealing with subordinates, peers and company management. SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT WINNING IN THIS NEW AGE GAME OF MANAGEMENT? 1. First and foremost is the need to constantly focus on organizational goals. Continuously work towards them and be seen as restless in going after the goals 2. Secondly note that the stress on organizational goals, many times, makes you trample on subordinates and peers. Avoid the tendency at all costs. The most important skill one needs to acquire in this scenario is the Man Management Skills. Once you respect subordinates and value their contributions, it naturally shows in your management style and evokes respect from your team. 3. Another most important skill one needs to acquire is to with our attitude. Previously, we were always upstaging one another in the eyes of management. The utility of such an attitude is long expired. What works now is making each one of your team members excel in their work sphere. If required you need to hand hold and even solve their personal problems coming in the way of their contribution to the organizational goals. 4. The leaders are also required to set an example for others as Epitome of Integrity. You should always be respected for your impeccable credentials and behavior. What you gain personally out of this is priceless management trust and your own team’s commitment. Nothing in this world matches these 5. Always give an impression that you are subservient to the organization’s purpose. This makes all your fellow employees follow your words implicitly thereby making you thought leader in the organization. gifts. Once you reorient yourself to the above principles again, you are naturally considered for higher leadership roles in your organizations.
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