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LEADERSHIP LESSONS
Experts say that if you fail as a manager, chances are you would fail as a leader too. After all, to be a good leader, its vital to be a good manager first, right? Yasmin Taj seeks possible answers from experts
R Ravichandran, directorsales, Intel South Asia The stepping stone: I have been with Intel for 18 years. When you make the transformation from managing within existing conditions/parameters to pushing the boundaries of what can be done, you begin to show signs of a leader. Leader vs. manager: Leadership is about influencing views on what needs to be done while managing is about guiding actions on how it needs to be done. Becoming a leader: Leadership is not about position, title or grade; it happens in conversations demonstrated in situations and is definitely a state of mind/body language that one carries most of the time. One can communicate his/her leadership abilities more clearly by listening effectively to one and all to learn and understand and by respecting views of others and empowering them to deliver. Umesh Dhal, VP-HR & MS, LG India The stepping stone: I do believe that one can be a true leader in his or her job and no specific title is required to be a leader. In the present scenario, the fundamentals have changed; employees are self-motivated and gradually, I have learnt that as a leader, my job is to inspire them to do their best with minimum supervision. Leader vs. manager: The major difference between a leader and manager is the way they motivate people who work or follow them. A manager has to provide leadership to his/her group. At all levels, a manager is expected to lead the work groups whereas a good leader is one who can effectively put people of a company, coming from various backgrounds, with different mindsets and talents, in a singular, set direction. Becoming a leader: To become a true leader, one should have the confidence to stand alone; courage to take decisions; courage to lead from the front and by example; compassion to listen to others and also the ability to understand emotions. MS Dhoni will be a perfect example who led the team by trusting them and has proactively demonstrated his leadership skills by taking on the challenge during the tough final match. One of the true traits of a leader is to take the ownership of failures and dedicate the success to the team. AS Mehta, marketing director, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd. The stepping stone: I joined JK Tyre & Industries Limited as Manager Accounts in 1986 at our Kankroli Tyre Plant. I had the ambition to extend my help to all the stakeholders during the journey and that truly made me a very satisfied and dear friend of most of them. Leader vs. manager: A manager is to manage affairs and discharge his/her key responsibilities whereas a leader is to lead and create more leaders. Becoming a leader: A manager can become a true leader when he/she takes responsibility and gives due recognition to his/her own people, helps subordinates to discharge their responsibilities well, adds value in

the competence of the people and makes their life comfortable and happy. Shashank Mehrotra, director - strategy and business development, Directi Internet Private Ltd The stepping stone: My transition to a leadership role was unplanned, marked by a sudden and significant increase in responsibility, and a need to oversee resources without direct supervisory authority. From being a young manager with a few summers under my belt, I was thrust into a role, which required leading a challenging system integration effort for a large multibillion dollar broadband satellite system. Leader vs. manager: For roles with a limited scope and which are clearly defined, low risk objectives, 'managerial skills' such as supervision, scheduling, setting goals, etc, are just fine. When operating on a larger scale, a manager must incorporate very different behaviours and methods. etting the job done right and a leader is focused on getting Becoming a leader: Organisations need individuals with both set of attributes. In my opinion, it is about behaviours. It is a fact that not every one can become a true leader but having the right opportunities and experiences as well as the humility to learn the right lessons along the way, can certainly be a positive step towards becoming one! ethighflier@indiatimes.com

R RAVICHANDRAN

UMESH DHAL

A S MEHTA

SHASHANK MEHROTRA