12/31/2016 AreyouwillingtoUnLead?

|RajatVibhas|Pulse|LinkedIn

Are you willing to Un Lead ?

Published on December 27, 2016 | Featured in: India, Leadership & Management

Rajat Vibhas Follow

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Head of Operations and Service Delivery - Insurance Brok

IdontknowwhatmakesgoodleadersnordoIclaimtobeonemyself.Ihavefailedfar
morenumberoftimesthanIhavesucceededinmeetingthestandardsthatIsetfor
myself.IdontevenknowifIamevenvaguelyqualifiedtoevenwriteonasubjectlike
this.Therearesomanythingsthatyoureadonleadershipwhicharesopowerfuland
yetseemsodistantattimes,fromthepossibilitythateachoneofusinherentlypossess.
Thereisnoabsolutetruthandthefactthatthereisnoabsolutetruth,isnotanabsolute
truthinitself!SowhateveryoureadisanimpulsiveinterpretationandIamalmost
apologeticforevendaringtosubjectyouthroughit,consideringthattherearepeople
whospendtheirentireliferesearchingthisfascinatingareaandarefarmore
accomplished,credibleintheirbackgrounds.Itsalmostanatonementofsortsformy
ownfailingsattimes,asamanageroftheextraordinaryteams,thatIhavehada
privilegeofmanagingsofar,whotolerateandacceptme,despitethat.

Butwhatthehell!SometimesevenarookiecanscorebyastrokeofluckandIam
hopingthatswhathappensforyoursake,ifnotmine.Theworldandtimearecyclic
theysaywhateverissaid,hasbeensaidearlierandwillbesaidagainanyway.

Thedominatingandthewisestvoiceintheroom

Anuncomfortablethoughttobeginwithsometimestoleadyouhavetobewillingto
unleadwhichissimplygetoutoftheway.Alotofoverzealous,overeagerand
highlyeducatedmanagers,startmanagingtheteamswithoutmakinganyeffortto
buildarelationshipwiththeteamstounderstandthem,tolearnfromthem,before
tryingtogetthemtofollowanddominatethem.Iguessdominationoravoiding
dominationisafundamentalinsecurityineveryhumanbeing,thatcomesintheway,of
whatcouldhavebeenandmanagersarenoexception.Thisbringsmetothefirst

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contradictionoftheclassicalimageryofgreatleadership,thatisbuiltaroundavoiceso
strong,thatdimseveryoneelses.

Areyouwillingtoallowotherstodominateyou?Oratleastbewiththesemblanceof
thethoughtthatyoudontneedtoworryaboutbeingdominated?

Whetheritsanargumentoracriticismorasituationgonehorriblywrongtheneedto
stampyourauthorityortobeprovenrightornotbeprovenwrong,shutsdowntheself
expressionoftheteamandthereisonlyonepersonwhogoeshomecompletely
expressed.Howeverthecostofthatfacilevictoryisfarmorethantheresultsthatthe
silenceorsimplylisteningtoeveryone,couldhavebrought.Thekeyquestionthatwe
needtoaskiswhetheryouandIhavethegenerosityandthelargeheartednesstotake
criticismfromourteamsdotheyfeelempoweredthattheywouldnotbesubjugatedor
demolishediftheybringinacounterviewpointoranunpleasantuglytruth,thatwe
dontliketohearreallydeepdownbutjusthavetopretendto.

Sometimessomeoftheworstcommunicatorsasleadersareoddlytheones,whohave
greatcommandoverthelanguageandrelativelyaremoreeloquent.Theproblemisthat
theyaretoomuchinlovewiththeirownvoice.Mostpeoplestoplisteningafterforty
fivesecondsanywaybuttheyareinsuchaweoftheirownpossiblesuperiorknowledge
andwisdomtheyjustkeepgoingon.

WhenLordJohnDalbergActonfamouslysaid,"Powertendstocorrupt,andabsolute
powercorruptsabsolutelyIwishhehadalsotoldusthatwhileitsinevitable,oneof
thesymptomstocatchyourselffrommarchingfurtherintothisselfservingglorious
pathofdoom,wastoobservehowwedominateothersthroughthesoundofourown
voiceasmanagers,leaders,administratorswhateveryoumaywanttocallthem.

IhavecaughtmyselfsomanytimeswhenIsuddenlyrealisedhowintoxicatedIwasin
listeningtomyownvoiceinthemeetings,tryingtosolveproblemsforeveryoneelse,
tryingtosoundsmarter,wiseronlytorealiselaterthatIdontneedto.IfonlyIlisten
totheteamsorthepersonsittingnexttome,theproblemwillsolveitselfanditdid
miraculously,themomentIstartedlisteningtowhatwasbeingsaidandwhatwaseven
notbeingsaid.

Sometimesitsgoodtojustshutupandlisten.Youdonthavealltheanswersanditsall
right.Ofcourseevenifyouspeakless,listenwellbutinyourbackground,thelittle
voiceinsideyourheadissayingsomethingthatisdisempoweringothersandyouit
stilldoesnthelp.ThatbringsmetothenextquestionthatIconstantlystrugglewithbut
thatiswherethemagicofUnLeadinghappens.

Whydidyoubecome,whoyoubecame?

ThecontextwithwhichwetakeanactionisdecisiveIhadheardsomeonesaythatlong
timeback.ItisonlymuchlaterthatIreallygothowpowerfulthatthoughtis.Notallof
usgettoservethenationassoldiersorservethesickasnursesordoctorsandevenin
thesenobleprofessions,thebackgroundwithwhichtheseprofessionalsoperate,will
determinetheirownrelativededicationandpassion.

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Fromaveryearlyage,beingtheclassprefectorclassmonitororeventhebusprefect(
wehadoneinourschoolwithafancybadge!)hasgreaterassociationwiththetitleand
thepowerassociatedwiththesepositions,ratherthananopportunityorhonourbeing
giventomakeadifferenceorbeofservicetoothers.

Thecontextislikeoursoulwhichdrivesthephysicalmanifestationofouractionsand
behaviours.

Nothingwrongwithbeingambitiousorhavingagoalbutforalongtimeforme
personally,gettingaprofessionaldesignationwasacceptanceofmyownabilityand
validationofmyinsecureidentityofthelittletinyplacethatIholdintheworld.Itwas
laterthatIamrealisingthatthepursuitoflevelsisanunendingoneandevenwhenyou
reachamilestone,itdoesntsatisfyyoubeyondapoint,becausethenextoneopensup.
Andthenthenext.

Hardtogulpitdownbuttheonlyjobofamanageristotakecareofitspeopleand
createanenvironmentwherepeoplegivetheirbesteverydayandaretrulyhappy.The
egotisticalsatisfactionthatmoderncorporationscreatedasyoumovefrombeingan
AssistantVicePresidenttoaVicePresidenttoaCorporateVicePresident(andmore!)is
momentaryanddoesntreallycreategreatleaders.Infact,commitmenthasno
hierarchyandsothelittlegameofchangeofpositionalpowerthatweplayinmodern
corporationsisatrapandkeepsyouawayfromtherealpurposeofbeingatrueleaderor
agreatmanager.

Happinessisafunnythingwespendourentirelivesasprofessionalsthinkingthatif
wegettoacertainprofessionallevel,wewouldbehappyaswewouldberecognisedas
successful.Theinterestingbitisthatyourhappiestmomentsaretheoneswhereyoudo
somethingforothersselflessly.Nowthatiswherebeingamanagerorleadingalarge
teamissuchaprivilege.Idontwanttosounddreamyoridealistic,butifyouareself
servingasamanagerandseeyourselfasthereasonforthesuccessofyourteams,than
youwillneverbeanexcellentmanager,eventhoughyoumaybeasuccessfulone.

Andthatiswherewhatdrivesuseveryday,becomescriticalbetweentheprofitand
lossstatements,theharddemandsofthemodernorganisations.Canwestepbackand
createacontextforourselveseverysingledaythatisnotaboutusbutaboutothers,
aboutourteams,ourcustomerswhoweserve,aboutmakingadifferenceinwhichever
way,whichisinspiring,eventhoughwearenotfightingawarorsavingalife?Looks
simpleenoughbutoneofthetoughestthingstodoaswehavetogiveuponwhatis
coretowhatdrivesusourloftyviewofourselvesandourdearidentity.Butthatis
wherewehaveaccesstoagreatleaderwithinusIthink(!).

TheGreatEmperorandhisNineJewels

EmperorAkbarwasoneofthegreatestkingsthatwereadaboutintheIndianhistory.
Legendisthathehadninewonderfulministersinhisadministrationwhowerecalled
theninejewelsofhiscrown,eachonewiththeirownuniqueskillandquality.If
Tansenwasamusicalgenius,TodarmalwasanexpertinFinanceIfBirbalwasa
manofinfinitewisdomandwasthechieffunofficer(!),Mansinghwasthedefense
expert.
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Eachoneofthembroughtintheirownuniqueskillsetandwasvaluedforthe
contributionthattheymade.WhatmadeAkbaragreatkingwashisunderstandingthat
youcanbringtogethertalentwithdifferentcapabilities,asdiverseastheymaybeand
createmagic,whenthesestrengthsunite.

IwonderifBirbalwasgivenaBminusduringhisannualperformanceappraisalfornot
beinggoodenoughonFinance.AndTansenwasgivenanindividualdevelopmentplan
toimproveonhiswarriorskillsalthoughhewasexceedexpectationsonhismusical
skills,wouldAkbarstillbethegreatleaderthatheisstillrememberedasbymany?

Asmanagersandfutureleaders,wetendtobecomegreedy.Wemaynotbeperfect
ourselvesalthoughsomeofusliveintheillusionthatwearecloseenough,butwewant
ourteammemberstobeatgreatatdelivery,greatwithpeople,havegreatplanning
skillsandbeabletoadapttoanychangethattheorganisation,maythrowatthem!

Sowhatiftherealstrengthofthepersonisthatheorsheisgreatlyresourcefulandhas
agreatsenseofhumour,whichcanbringincalmnesstothemostintensesituations.But
thatisnotinthekeyperformanceindicatordocumentorthegoalsheet,sosuch
charactersdontfitintoourmould,ofwhatanidealemployeeshouldbe.

Thequestioniswhetheryouasamanagerwillingtoliveandprosperwiththediversity
thatisofferedtoyouinyourteam?Arewewillingtoworktotherelativestrengthsof
ourpeopleandnurturethatonesingleextraordinaryqualitythattheymayhaveare
youwillingtodevelopyourownninejewels?

Bytheway,whydowewanttochangeourteamswhenwehaventbeenabletodothat
toourselves?

Greatmanagersandleadersallowtheirteamstobe.Thefreedomtobeisthe
greatestfreedomthatyoucangivetoanyonewhetherinouroffices,ourhomes,our
societiesandthelargerworlditself.Allowingpeopletobemoreofwhotheyare,
makesthemgreatatwhattheybringtothetable.Webreaktheveryspiritofthat
beautiful,noblequalitythatapersonhaswhichifnurtured,wouldmakeusproud.

JustlikethecharacterColonelFranksaysintheextraordinaryfinalscenefromthe
movieScentofawomanwhereheisdefendingtheyoungprotagonistCharlie:

AsIcameinhere,Iheardthosewords:"cradleofleadership."Well,whenthe
boughbreaks,thecradlewillfall,andithasfallenhere.Ithasfallen.Makersof
men,creatorsofleaders.Becarefulwhatkindofleadersyou'reproducin'here.I
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don'tknowifCharlie'ssilenceheretoday...isrightorwrongI'mnotajudgeor
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jury.ButIcantellyouthis:hewon'tsellanybodyout...tobuyhisfuture!

Andthat,myfriends,iscalledintegrity.That'scalledcourage.

Nowthat'sthestuffleadersshouldbemadeof.NowIhavecometothe
crossroadsinmylife.Ialwaysknewwhattherightpathwas.Withoutexception,
Iknew,butInevertookit.Youknowwhy?
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Itwastoodamnhard.

Nowhere'sCharlie.He'scometothecrossroads.Hehaschosenapath.It'sthe
rightpath.It'sapathmadeofprinciple...thatleadstocharacter.Lethim
continueonhisjourney.Youholdthisboy'sfutureinyourhands,Committee.It's
avaluablefuture,believeme.Don'tdestroyit.Protectit.Embraceit.It'sgonna
makeyouproudoneday..

Ipromiseyou.

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Rajat Vibhas
Head of Operations and Service Delivery - Insurance Broking Follow
1 article

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Theresa Ann Lucero 4h

Health Care Professional
Awesome article, thank you.
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Jim Hilf, CFM, FMA 6h

General Manager/ Seasoned Leadership Professional/Sr. Facility Manager
Great article!
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