Chrysalis and cheers

Give desired value at the right time

'It only takes an ounce of courage to remove a ton of tension and fear' - Dr. V. V. Rao

We go into every interaction with the intention to being interested in everyone and to walk away learning something new. In every person, there is some variety of butterflies preparing to fly for that we always need to wear our heart on our sleeves. Hitler was supreme commander, also made himself commander of the German army since the end of 1941. Later spent most of his time acting as commander of the eastern front, obviously neglecting his other roles. Churchill and Stalin replaced Generals with other Generals, but Hitler, considering he himself a military genius, decided to do a General's job by himself. He also dismissed some of his best Generals mostly because they argued with him. Only in July 1944, when losing in all fronts, he appointed the formerly dismissed General Guderian, one of Germany's greatest military talents as commander of the army, yet he ignored his commander’s good suggestion with obvious consequences.

"People don't plan to fail they just fail to plan" - most desired quality for any minute success also.

Learning is a lifelong process - we are all teachers as well as students, one to another. Consider Mahatma Gandhi, who refused to be seduced by power and fame. Rather, he always saw himself as a servant of his followers. He was a spokesman driven by love and compassion for his people, refusing to change his appearance or dress and preferred to identify himself with the people he loved.

Top 22 steps - Risk HOTO

I personally believe that the following procedures and actions would be very effective in making one more productive and better prepared to visualize risk and manage uncertainties: Hand Over risk Take Over new journey - HOTO

1. Dismantle fixed performance contracts. Negotiate better scope and terms. Nothing is standard and nothing is permanent unless parties to the contract, decision and agreement agree that the conditions are standard and fixed. Changes can always be made that suit the parties and result in more effective agreement.

2. New self rules for evaluation: Determine certain rules which when followed daily and routinely - make your working, progress, tasks, and actions more effective and productive.

3. Revise action planning rules.

4. Revise concepts formation rules.

5. Define and establish new performance indicators. Performance indicators are an effective methodology that confirm progress in the right direction and also act as precursor for impending risks, changes in plan and actions required. They reaffirm progress as well as help anticipate and thus manage risks more effectively.

6. Redesign information gathering methods.

7. Redesign what you want to do.

8. Analyze cost. It is an important parameter of any project.

9. Revise forecasting methods.

10. Revise working style and culture.

11. Frame new financial monitoring rules.

12. Work on network of people.

13. Devolve decision authority.

14. Change rules for capital expenditure.

15. Create new governance and internal framework.

16. Reorganize operating hierarchy level.

17. Create self belief affirmations.

18. Create new customer segment.

19. Set up service level agreements.

20. Create rules for assimilating new venture.

21. Communicate about the new model.

22. Formulate quality assurance of the new venture.

Change the way you work to perform better under uncertainty and do it by implementing and practicing new ideas, ways, techniques, and then thinking about changes you could make. Focus on your areas of limited knowledge and expand it in a manner that makes you more effective, efficient and productive at managing risks and uncertainties. 

IBM focused on innovation- in 1932 IBM committed 6 percent of its revenue to R&D and created a corporate research laboratory. DuPont also increased its investment in R&D to about 93% in the span of nine years from 1930 to 1939. In 1930, P&G enlisted college educated women to do door-to-door market research survey and this helped P&G for effective marketing strategy. 

GE capitalized on government spending across range of new federal programs. Chrysler adopted new advertising strategies to launch new model (Plymouth with elimination of vibration and noise) of cars. Asihi, a Japanese company focused on distribution and mass-marketing channels to come out from the recession. 

McDonald accelerated the opening of new stores with a pace of about 300 every year. Some companies shifted from products to service business and so on... All of the above examples show that during crisis and uncertainties, we need to adopt brave and promising strategies and decisions that can bring back normalcy and success through new sustainable actions. The old one-size-fits-all will not be adequate. 

The best leaders supplement their shaping bets with options that let them course quickly and effectively. The best way during crisis and uncertainty is to undertake an emergency room surgery, carving away the old habits and amputating ineffective practices.

How strong is your ‘mind-set’?

You need to show - 'You are the LEADER'

A tiny story of ‘Leadership’

‘I hadn't met a man so ignorant that I hadn't learnt anything from him’, said Galileo centuries back.

Childhood memories, sometimes are so cherish able, some are not  but nevertheless, they make the basis for the following life.This quote when I remember, rear or reread it connects me to my childhood days.

Those were the days of India approximately 20 years after independence. India was still struggling with poverty and too economically backward status than the state we are now. While the situation was little better in urban areas, the villages used to have more illiteracy and more struggle. In addition to this my village ‘Chinna Kakani’ had extra menace from plenty of street dogs wandering around. And there was no control either from Panchayat (Indian Village Committee) or from people with the fear they may bite. The menace was increasing day by day.

At those times there used to live a man looking wild with long undisciplined beard and scruffy hair, giving a dreadful look especially children of my age at that time.  Around 6.30 pm almost every day, he used to walk on the road where we used to play. Might be that was the time he used to come out from hibernation. A deep stare from him, all the tots used to run so far from him in search of location to hide ourselves. While we had this type of fear, the dogs used to have a quite different approach.  They used to go very near to this dreadful man and used to bark and bark loudly. That used to be a puzzle for me for days. While that was the situation of mine, the villagers used to go inside of their homes quietly, closing their doors.

That day-

As usual, the ignorant man, the escaping, the dog’s barks – the routine story continued just only for minutes. We, hiding behind a big tree watching the same-old sequence like a movie.

For a fraction a second, the man stopped walking and stood silently. He stared at the dogs barking wild. The next very second, he caught the front legs of a big dog, spun the dog around him several times and dropped him on the road. Suddenly the remaining pack of dogs got puzzled and literally became silent and quite with squeeze groans.

He showed the dogs and also the villagers who the LEADER is.

There has been too much prominence debate on ‘leaders as equals among equals’. This debate is misleading and treacherous. Actually, leaders demonstrate the way to others.

1. You being a leader facilitate, articulate and influence others in the attention to the key success factors after a clear diagnoses and big picture that must be “nailed” to ensure execution.

2. The higher you go as leader, the more you must expect to “Champion” and to deal with ambiguity.

3. Your failures and results will be more visible to others. More and more, the people whom you want to influence may not be under your control.

4. You may be required to mobilize a group of strangers to work effectively on a non-routine goal.

5. You may have to lead a team whose members are spread over several countries.

6. You may encounter situations where you cannot depend on your boss’s judgment.

7. You need to bring purpose, direction and focus where these qualities do not already exist.

8. Your leadership quality is an intangible asset that usually cannot be show cased as aesthetic talent can.

9. You must focus on methods to keep yourself managing crisis.

10. You maintain, perhaps increase, your intellectual freshness, of your emotional flexibility.

11. You must be progressively more equipped to act with “guts and wisdom” when the big risks, conflicts and challenges have to be confronted.

12. Part of your job as a leader is to put out fires and maintain the team morale.

13. Mind-it, your team will take cues from you.

14. It is your job to keep spirits up, and that begins with an appreciation for the hard work.

15. You being a leader show your leadership prowess by getting your hands dirty. Instead of just delegating tasks and relying on subordinates to do all the work.

16. Seize leadership opportunities, no matter how small they are.

17. Make sure your “let me do that” attitude extends beyond your horizon with your peers, boss and subordinates.