Dr. Shailesh Thaker - Best Management Training Blog - Top Management Consultants

Archive for December, 2008

Just peep into the lives of some of the sports people. How do they perform so skilfully? What is the hidden secret behind their peek performance? Are you able to make out something?

 

 

Most of the sportsmen have not undergone any management training of any particular management school or they are not a member of any top level management associations. Then, have they read any sophisticated management series? No! They have not even burned the midnight oil for just skimming these books. Talking about few of them, they have never in their lifetime attended any management sessions delivered by renowned Management Gurus. Even most of them are under-graduates, who have never been the part of universities. More surprisingly, they have never undergone any Intelligence Quotient test. Then also, they demonstrate high level of refined intelligence and knowledge. If we try to understand these things and see intensively, we will find that they demonstrate the lessons of management and manifest every aspect of management principles.

During our lifetime, some or the other time, we have seen cricketers or sports people exhibiting their skills in the stadium. You locate that any sport is been played in an organised sector (BCCI AND IPL) as well as in an unorganised sector also (Street sports). CRICKET AS A SPORT HAS A TREMENDOUS ASSOCIATION WITH THE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES.

Let us focus on some of the vital Principals.

PLANNING AND STRATEGY MEETING

Let us see on the fielding side. Prior to entering into the ground, the team has a planning meeting (Clock room meeting). Complete team along with coach (consultant or business expert) seating along with the team. They discuss all the aspects while finalising the next day performance strategy. Which player has to perform which particular role according to his strength is also specified. Who will take up which role and has to do what, each and every minute thing is discussed in detailed before they go for a final performance.

HOMEWORK

Rehearsal in the morning or evening is a winning attitude in the sports. Doing our ‘Homework’ has higher level of impact in our lives. They always do their home work. In negotiations or collaborations, homework has a real big impact.

SKILL SHARPENING

Believe in talent and not in beauty. That is the reason you will see a lot of cricketers without shaving their beard, having long shabby hairstyles, etc.

LUCK

Luck plays a pivotal role in everybody’s life. It is a human tendency to believe in luck. Hence, most of the cricketers also believe in luck. It is usually seen that in a cricket ground, some pad first on their left leg, someone puts their right leg first on the ground thinking that this will unable them to lead. For some others, wearing a cap or putting on a sweater or having a handkerchief in the right side of the pocket seems to be the lucky charm for them.While on the ground during the performance most of the cricketers look at the sky after scoring 100 runs. And, they show their reverence by thanking the Almighty. They display an act of gratitude to some invisible energy resource. As we know that many religions exist on this planet so as different definitions of God for different people. Every human being believes in God and prays in some or the other way. But, ultimately they believe that there is some super natural force or a divine power which is invisible and has a control over all the visible things.

SUCCESS AND FAILURE

Success and failure are the two sides of a coin. When a batsman enters the field, he wants to perform excellent in order to prove his skills. He possesses certain characteristics such as he is a skill holder, outstanding track-recorder, willingness to perform, having a dream goal, helping his team, ready to meet challenges. From my point of view ready to meet challenges implies that every ball he faces is a challenge for him.

The time the batsman sets on the cricket field to bat he is standing against eleven opponents and is been challenged by them. The 11 opponents are performing at their best and take care that he could not perform. Their only aim is to defeat the batsman at a throw of every ball. Either they want him to be duck, run out or make a fault. His failure is their victory. People are always busy in ensuring your failure and your failure results in their victory. For this purpose, they all are synergising. To combat them, my advice to every sports person is to forget all internal disputes and carry on a common goal while focusing upon it. They need to strategize and move accordingly on it. All are at their best irrespective of their backgrounds, surroundings or circumstances (giving no space for reasoning, no room for be causing, no alternative for excuses). When bowler is bowling, he is an expert in bowling, a wicket keeper, standing at the back of stumps, is an expert in his work and stupendous fielders are fielding very close to him or are placed on the ground where he could be easily caught.

RIGHT MAN AT RIGHT JOB

We usually get trapped in office politics in our workplace and it is an indispensable part of the corporate world. You will find that one of your colleagues in office is politicking behind you. People are playing a spoil sport but it is behind the screens. You are unable to face it. What about a batsman? When a batsman is on the pitch, he is facing eleven opponents who are publicly politicking against him. Visualise yourself in the batsman position.

For your failure, opponents are constantly opposing you publicly. To make you fail they all stand together.

The same situation shapes up in crisis leadership. Even in crisis leadership, some people are assigned for a special role. For example, when the bowlers are unable to break the partnership, they invite the top batsman of their team to ball and even invite a night watchman for a prize wicket.

KILLING INSTINCTS

Cricketers possess strong physique. Cricket players when they are on the ground, they willingly kill their strong natural impulses (instincts) in order to defeat the opponent. These usual scenes you must have found, most of the time, when you are watching a match.

You will find that bowlers experience too much pain after bowling. When they thrust their leg with much force on the ground for bowling, definitely their knee is hurt. And, sometimes the effect is so bad that they need to undergo knee replacement. But, even after facing so many ordeals they do not stop. Their zeal to perform the best does not stop them from playing and they keep on performing. To stop the ball from hitting the boundary, they fell down or dye themselves and get injured. To catch the ball they throw themselves in the air and fall down too badly on the ground and get injured red.

APPRECIATION AND MOTIVATION

When someone strikes 50 or 100, entire team gets up in the pavilion and round of applause is demonstrated.

When the bowler is badly hit by the batsman in an over, immediately the leader or captain of the team runs to him, pats him on his shoulder or back and encourages him for better performance and pass the affirmation.

When somebody has taken 5 wickets in one of the innings, the entire team waits unless he leaves the ground at the end of the day. He becomes a leader of the day.

NO BLAME GAME

One of the team members is playing, he wants to perform well but he fails miserably. Even then, none of the other team members blame him publicly. They practise a lot of patience and never play that blame game. They might discuss these things in clock room, dark room or planning room. But, never criticise each other openly in public. Even if a fielder makes a mistake and unable to collect the ball on the boundary, which has resulted in addition of 4 runs on the score board of the opposite team but they do not blame for this. A high degree of tolerance is developed by them. Apply the rule of forget and forgive. They always focus on the next performance and thus gear up the team for the subsequent result.

DIFFERENT STROKES DIFFERENT FOLKS

Fielding team always strategizes themselves before entering the playground. They have different techniques for different players. They review their opponent’s performances and reach to conclusion of how to make him fail. And, accordingly they play. They plan their strategies for different players and a leader. Then, they follow this strategy during the performance time.

SACRIFICE AND WIN

Sometimes the batsman finds that on the other end of the pitch, his team member, an important player is playing. And, if he keeps on performing then their team can gain better results. But, he prefers to get run out or lose his wicket instead of being a strong batsman. He prefers to sacrifice so that the team can win. Moreover, most of the time, we have seen that the batsman bring an end to his glittering innings instead of the other batsman. He knows that if the other one stands with the team, the team can do better. So, he decides to sacrifice and ends his innings.

FITNESS IS EVERYTHING

What is the number one priority of a CEO? Pure oxygen in lungs. Regular exercise for a healthy body. Same rule is applied here, in cricket. Every member of the team is focusing on fitness and health. Exercise is the rule of the game. Physical fitness is an important lesson even for a manager.EQ VERSUS IQ

When some players make a mistake ….immediately, reactions are performed by other players but they recover themselves immediately, that demonstrates intelligence. They just believe in actions. They come back to the rule of the game. That is, the core of the game, the team work which is intelligence. When bowler is bowling or batsman is hitting, how the power comes in? Inner driven people and inner driven leadership ….leadership is inside as well as outside. The thing is rekindle it for our evolution.

TIME MANAGEMENT:

If one team is unable to follow the rule of time management then that team has to face penalty. Penalty, in the terms of runs or over. So, learn to manage time. In a game, even the value of micro second is of great importance. You must have seen that most of the batsmen are declared run-out for the distance of micro second. The batsman put his bat to play and just then when a ball hits the wicket, the batsman through his bat giving out a cry. He loses. Why? A fraction of a second matters. Because of a gap of a micro second, which is important, he fails and he has to pay the price for this. That is his wicket. How many managers are given pay off for coming late?

DECISION MAKING

Leader takes decisions and result is completely based on these decisions. Every media person and critics are ready with their sharp mind to analyse a leader’s decisions. Leader understands the power of decision. Recently, in ‘Australia Tour of India’, Lee was given bowling for less overs and why he was not invited for further overs? This question was asked badly to leader, I mean, Captain Ricky Ponting.

HONESTY

When the batsman is out and he knows that snick has taken the place, he does not wait for the empire’s signal. He follows honesty. Some of the cricketers are internationally famous for their honesty. They know they are out and they quit the ground.

USP (Unique Selling Proportion)

In a team we find each one has a special unique characteristic and gradually it becomes his USP (Unique Selling Proposition). USP refers here the unique feature possessed to demonstrate victory. Even in same expertise area you find different personalities possessing different USP. Suppose five batsmen are playing in one team, they all have different USP. Pointing and Sachin both are top level batsmen but both possess different USP.

RESULT

Win or lose is the final scenario in this competitive world whether it is a playground or corporate company. What you have worked out for a day, is not important. What you make and create at the end of the day is all that matters. Actions and even the cause after actions are not taken into consideration.

WORK

When you are thinking about your work, think it from my point of view. That is, it is not a smart work or not a hard work but it is a great work. Just think about a batsman who scored the double century and has played for at least two days….nearly about 16 hours continuously. Where on each moment while playing, 11 opponents are active to make him fail, however, he defeats all 11 and places himself on a victory list. After hitting a double century, he jumps in the air, chuckles and celebrates for his performance. Where is that tiredness? Where is that stress? You will find that tiredness, stress and strain, everything vaporises because it is his great WORK. No one feels tired after performing his great work. People who do job for the sake of doing, they feel tiredness. It is never the hard work or the smart work but it’s always the great work.

Article Written and Research by Dr. Shailesh Thaker - Management Guru and Thinker - please send your views and feedback on clo@trainingguru.org or visit official website http://www.drshaileshthaker.co.in

 

Copyright @ Dr.shailesh Thaker

For more than a decade SARC Region is without a BEHAVIOURAL ROLE MODEL and thus loses that dynamo to gear up and walk parallel to the western world. Most of the countries of continental South Asia such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan are designated as SARC Region and not a single human is standing out of the crowd as a ‘BEHAVIOURAL ROLE MODEL’.

We have lots of leaders trying to lead us. But, none of them possess all the characteristics of BEHAVIOURAL ROLE MODEL. Hence the crisis of leadership is evident. In the present scenario ‘Leadership’ is a CRISIS. If we keenly investigate, we do not have a ‘behavioural role model’ in any part of SARC Region on this globe.

Global Research Company has recently conducted a survey for one of the most reputed health magazine. They had asked for the best BEHAVIOURAL ROLE MODEL. And, not to be surprised of the result, Sachin Tendulkar has evolved out as ‘The Behavioural Role Model’ for the young generation of the world.

What is the secret?

We are always keen to bring out-of-the-box the secrets. His joyful nature and passion to play are the secrets of his behavioural modelling. Whatever the circumstances may be, he always wears a smile and brings joy in more than thousand million hearts.

Sachin Tendulkar is not only a cricketer but is a model for the youth of the world. Sachin can rightly be called as an institution of Behavioural Role Model. The young generation need to learn a lot from Sachin Tendulkar.

If you look at Sachin Tendulkar, he is a great performer, and possesses the high degree of maturity, professionalism, judgement and leadership. Not only confined to this, he is also ‘modelling’ three important aspects of success.

1. How to become successful?
2. How to digest success? And
3. How to sustain success?

He has travelled the path to success. From the lessons of his life, we can know the key to become successful. Through humbleness, one of his ethics, Sachin has successfully able to digest success. And, through his simple way of living and professionalism he has able to sustain success.

Even though emerged out as a successful personality Sachin has some flaws.

He is a person with major Five Weaknesses.

1. His communication and presentation skills are very poor.
2. He is from middle class back ground (I mean he was not born with a golden spoon)
3. He does not possess any management degree or a post-graduate degree or even a graduate degree.
4. He is in the field of sports, a profession where you have to be physically fit and very strong. (If you take a glimpse of Sachin Tendulkar, his height is his weakness if compared with the manual of sports. His physique does not satisfy the standards of sports personality).
5. Every alternate year, he has to face a problem pertaining to his health. We usually find that unfortunately he has to take treatments or under go operations due to some or the other defects in the organs of his body. Hence, he is unable to perform. (I want to specify that he is not able to fulfil the fitness criteria).

In spite of these 5 weaknesses, he has proved himself as powerful performer while contributing the successful sports career of 18 years. In sports, trust me it is a long time.

Even though having these flaws, the little master has proved himself as a star and Behavioural Role Model for the youth of the world.

No body is perfect or free from weaknesses or none of us is complete. In order to succeed, we should focus on our innate strength and optimising strength is a way to lead the life. Weakness is death and strength is life. Man with matured mind and using the strength constructively can help you reach up to this level. Even at this age, the little master is still performing with the same zeal. Career, still soaring high and the sky is not the limit. I do not know when he will retire from his career but his last century on the ground of Chennai has stopped critics and forced them to appreciate his ability and skill. Most of the records are showcased on his name.

Modelling is a need of the country and life. Time has come to model Punctuality, Communication, Human relations, Goal achievement techniques, Personality, Mental maturity and commitment standards. I don’t know when we will follow ‘WALK THE TALK’ modelling methods to track our lives on the success path. But, a single step taken will surely set a beginning.

Article Copyright by Dr. Shailesh Thaker - http://www.drshaileshthaker.co.in

“Leadership is demonstration not definition.” Dr. Thaker recently shares in his leadership 2020 programme.

The economy is slowing and isn’t going to get better anytime soon.

The first thing you should ask yourself is: “What is a Tough Time?” The answer is that’s it’s a belief. What you see is what you get…believe is a thought in your mind and what you think you creates and all the predictions and projections of the experts often become self-fulfilling prophecies because they are creating the” belief” that things are “tough”. But are they really that bad?

If the economy is bad, we say it’s a recession. If we lose our job, it’s a depression. Everything is relative yet someone somewhere is always worse off.

Realize that a Tough Time is “as we see it”. What we feel is real. Welcome to reality.

In my eyes, Leadership is INSIDE-OUTSIDE. Factors of leadership are important for your self-fulfillment in the best of times, but in bad times it’s even more important to do a reality check. Don’t only tell yourself “things could always be worse”, but try to maintain a positive attitude.

Every human organization goes through tough and challenging times, because, well, we’re human! We need to expect that tough times will come, but know that by exhibiting extraordinary leadership during those times, the group can come out of them stronger than ever! Here are some thoughts for you to consider on being an extraordinary leader during tough and challenging times, whether you lead a business, a city, a non-profit organization, a NGO or a family.

 

Big Picture is everything

When things get tough, everybody’s temptation is to become acutely focused on the problem. The extraordinary leader, however, will keep his or her eye on the big picture. This doesn’t mean that we don’t address the problem. In fact, we have to address the problem. But what separates a leader from a follower is that the leader doesn’t get caught up in the problem. The leader sees the big picture and keeps moving toward the vision. The further they take their followers toward the vision, the further away from the problem they get.

 

Sacrifice to win

When it gets tough, like when there has to be cuts in salaries, etc., the leader should do just that - lead. They need to not only be the one who is rewarded the greatest when all is well, but they need to be the first to sacrifice. The extraordinary leader says, “I know many of you are concerned with the salary cuts. I am too. In the long run we will be healthy again but for the mean time, this is necessary. Understanding this, I want you to know that I am taking a 20 percent pay reduction myself. I want you to know that we are in this together.” The extraordinary leader is the first to sacrifice and will be rewarded with the loyalty of his or her followers. Mother ( Home manager) who always demonstrate lesson of sacrificing and winning. She contributes for the home for the decades and never expects any returns.

 

Motivate yourself and team

In tough and challenging times, people are naturally down. They tend to be pessimistic. They can’t see how it is all going to work out. Thus, they have a hard time getting going. The extraordinary leader knows this and will focus in on being the optimistic motivator. He or she will come to the office knowing that for the time being, the mood of the group will be carried and buoyed by them and their attitude.

 

Small victory has a value

One of the ways to motivate is to create small wins. The extraordinary leader knows that in tough times his or her people think that all is lost. They wonder if they can win. So the extraordinary leader creates opportunities for the team to win, even if they are small. They set smaller, more achievable goals and remind and reward the team members when they hit those goals. With each small win, the leader is building the esteem and attitude of his followers, digging them out of their self-created hole of fear.

Know Yourself

In good times you do what helps you develop your potential-in Tough Times we have to do what helps to pay the bills. You might need to work overtime without charging your company for it to keep your job. You might take on extra projects at home that formerly you did on company time. You might have to help your company reduce expenses (fly economy, not business class; schedule a few visits together; cut down on business lunches), and you might have to reduce personal expenses at home. You will do whatever you must to keep afloat.

 

Take calculative Risks

In good times you can take risks fairly easily, knowing you mostly always have a fallback position. In Tough Times, don’t take large financial risks if you can’t afford them. The risks you take should be those that will position you to capitalize on them when times get better. If you’re in the management planning area, don’t hesitate to take on extra work in the execution of tasks. If you are in inside sales, put on a hat and knock on doors for your company in new markets. Look for additional things you can do to benefit your company. When things improve, your efforts will be remembered (we hope!).

 

Power of Communication and relations

Talk nicely to yourself. Talk positively about the things you accomplish and will accomplish in the company and in your life. Don’t bitch and complain about Tough Times. Tell yourself and others to enjoy what they have now…it could be worse. REMEBER, you and team can work better. TEAM creates wonder and tries to become valuable by adding value to the team in bad time. Keep sharing humour in the team.  Make people to laugh and love. Have attitude of caring and sharing. Appreciate small victory. One of the team member is completing work in time and making some difference than appreciate publicly. The economy might go down, but it’s not exactly as if you’re on the Titanic, though it might sometimes feel like it. If you have an option, ask yourself which you would prefer: to be where you are now, or in the greatest luxury liner ever built, in a first-class suite with all the trimmings, on the night of April 14, 1912.

 

Willingness to destroy is everything in my eyes. Even today, if you find or feel that organisation or relationship or job is destroying  ….don’t get disturb, understand the power of destroying .Creation always takes place after detriment. Mother Teresa said, ‘I love the light for it shows me the way, yet I endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. Time has come to understand the current situation, spiritually. I believe spiritual world is an invisible world but it has a great and unbeatable impact in the life.

Many times it happens that in a lifetime the people around us, sometimes or most of the times, criticize us in one way or the other. At different phases of life, on various occasions, you would have passed through varied criticism by people. If people criticize you at vivid circumstances at different time periods in life, it does not make any difference to you. The effect on you must not be so much.

But, it turns out that on a particular day, at specific time, all of a sudden the unbearable words are fired at you all at once……….How would you feel after that?

Suddenly it seems a volcano has burst, an earthquake has taken place, and an avalanche has come down or the worst then these has occurred.

The next moment onwards may be that day onwards or from then on you would not able to sustain and does not like to live the life gracefully or rather like to escape to the third world. A thought takes shape and you think that you have lost everything? Your self-respect, your conscience, love which you have gained through others, your feelings towards others…..

But, if you want to lead a graceful life then what I suggest is to forget all the criticism which had banged on your ears, fragmented your self-respect and your inside and outside were totally shaken up. The tough statements which have been said to you have completely shattered your inner conscience.

Make it a practice and learn to listen to such type of criticism and build the habit of taking notes of such type of criticism. The core thing is not to take such type of criticism to heart in a destructive manner but on the contrary, involve your soul in this criticism and make full use of the criticism. Take it entirely to your soul and try to make some constructive suggestions and apply it in your lifestyle and let it be a part of your ethics.

Avoid making any pop ups on the criticism which was fired upon you. But, rather gain patience and that moment onwards try to lead an influential life such that the people who have criticized you, poked you and pinpointed you in front of many others, have to put their heads down. They will stand out to be wrong as well as they would feel ashamed and guilty after your death. They themselves will be proven wrong due to your persuasive life style. Your set of principles and ethics, which you have build due to their criticism, will make them feel guilty. They try to repent and make for the wrong they have done.

The fundamental thing and the truth behind this is that you need to be grateful and highly obliged to these people and thank them because they have done a good thing by creating a platform for a good cause. At their own cost and efforts they have tried to improve you, enlightened your path for better prospects and opened a vista of opportunities for you to develop and empower yourself by enriching your skills. Never lose these opportunities by criticizing but on the other hand grab these negative feedbacks and utilize them in a productive mode for filling your life with the colors of rainbow and lead a happy life.

By Dr. Shailesh Thaker - http://www.drshaileshthaker.co.in

“India should target five medals at London 2012.” Abhinav Bindra said last night in Delhi, who is the only gold winner from India in individual category in the Olympics.

“Ideas are all around you. Think beyond you see.” Kumar Manglam Birla said last evening in convocation ceremony of NID institute Ahmedabad, India.

One is a sports man and other one is successful entrepreneur. Both are emphasizing on future. Vision has important role in the life.

Dream big and big, because it is the first step for the final destination.

APJ KALAM very rightly defined that “Dream is not that you sleep in the night but it keep you away from sleep.”

Focusing on future is a right way to lead the life.

NEW year 2009 is near to start, what shall be a vision for the year 2009? While developing your dream, one can focus on very powerful statement” THIS YEAR I HAVE FIGTH WITH MY ALL BEST PREVIOUS YEARS.”

How many of us are planning to take vacation before the end of the year 2008 to visualize the year 2009. Can we plan to go to place where no mobile, no internet, no T.V., no news paper are available. You live with your worthy self and planning for the next year.

Can I go for 7 days vacation, I need isolation, where I can sit with my self, think for my future, I go on mutual discovery and I do my survey, after taking enough time, I almost shape out my year 2009, virtually. It is inside me and lives with various images, as mind think in pictures not in words.

Vision is ageless and timeless.