Dr.N.

Bhaskaran

LeadersGood,BadandUgly
(PaperpresentedbyDr.N.BhaskaranintheSeminaronLeadershipfor21stCenturyconductedjointlyby IndianInstituteofManagement,BangaloreandKarnatakaChambersofCommerceandIndustryat Bangaloreon14thAugust,2007)

InthewordsofDeeHock,Founder&ChiefExecutiveOfficerEmeritus,VisaControlisnot leadership; management is not leadership; leadership is leadership. If you seek to lead, invest at least 50 per cent of your time in leading yourselfyour own purpose, ethics, principles, motivation, and conduct. Invest at least 20 per cent leading those with authorityoveryouand15percentleadingyourpeers. Leadership is the most talked about issue in todays organizations. At the same time leadership, is the least practiced and understood by all in the organization. Leadership is about getting things done and helping people achieve their personal goals thereby consolidatingtheeffortstoattainsuccessinorganization. Mostleadersfailtounleashthepotentialoftheemployeesworkingwiththem.Thereason being,theypracticeconservativeandobsoleteleadershipstyles.Manyorganizationssuffer from lack of good leadership. There are leaders who are atrocious and spoil the environment making it very unpleasant for the subordinates as well as the organization. There are leaders who do not listen to others opinions in making decisions, are egoistic, supportsunnecessaryconflictsandshowsfavoritism.Theydonotcareabouttheiractions thathaveseriousimpactonothers.Leadersneedtocreatesignificanteffectivenessinthe organizationasthecharacterandskillstheypossessresolveproblemsandenablethemto accomplishgoals. Somebecomeleadersbyluckorchanceanddonotknowtheextentofdamagetheycause to the teammates. They weaken the coworkers who look forward for their guidance and supportbyscorning,makingfunandbeingloudinfranticneedforrecognitionandrespect. Thatiswhywesayemptyvesselsmakemorenoise. Managementsshouldbeawareofsuchleaderswhoneverlettheorganizationprogress.Itis out of insecurity of losing power they behave in an intolerable way. Employees may quit unable to bear the torture of such leaders. Barbara Kellerman, author of Bad Leadership saysthattherearesevendifferenttypesofbadleadership.TheyareIncompetent,Rigid, Intemperate,Callous,Corrupt,Insular,andEvil. Insteadoflookingatthegoodtraitsofleadershipletusfirstunderstandwhetherwearenot one of the seven types mentioned above. The problem with us when we are leaders we thinkweknowbetterandbecomemorepowercentric.Mostofthetimewearesurrounded bysycophantswhofortheirsurvivalmisleadtheleaderswithextremeadvises.JackZenger andJosephFolkmanfoundthe10mostcommonleadershipshortcomingsafterevaluating thefeedbackof11,000leadersandconsidered10percentastheleasteffective.

Dr. N. Bhaskaran is the Dy. General Manager and Chief Internal Auditor of a Private Sector Bank and also a visiting professorofBusinessSchoolsincludingIIMB.

Dr.N.Bhaskaran

Thecharacteristicsofworstleaderswerefound to be lackenergyandenthusiasm, accept their own mediocre performance, lack clear vision and direction, have poor judgment, do notcollaborate,anddonotfollowthestandardstheysetforothers,resistnewideas,donot learnfrommistakes,lackinterpersonalskillsandfailtodevelopothers. Agoodleaderdoesnotthinkhe/sheissuperiortoothersbutcaresfortheteammembers. Wearemadeleaderstocreatemoreleadersandnotblindfollowers.Weneedtoreplace ournegativethoughtswithpositiveonestobeaneffectiveandefficientleader.Leadership shouldnotbebasedonseniorityandrankintheorganization.Itispurelytheperformance, actions,aptitudeandcompetencethatmakesasuccessfulleader. Thekeyingredientsofleadershiparetohaveasenseofpurpose,visionandmissionandto care for others. Superior leaders gain followers out of admiration, reverence, and their abilitytomakepeopleworktogetherinachievingthepurpose. Aneffectiveleaderfacilitatesemployeestobecomebetterthanwhattheyarebycraftinga workenvironmentthatattracts,maintainsandinspiresitsworkforce.Forourfollowersto followusweneedtodemonstrateleadershipskills.Ouractionsarebeingobservedbythem andmostofthetimewemakerulesforothers,whichwedonotfollow. Tobeagoodleaderweshouldinculcateorimbibefivesimpletraits. Futuristic:Agoodleaderforeseesthefutureandformulatespoliciesandproceduresfor otherstofollow.Usingthisvision,leadersmotivateemployeestoreachtowardsagoalby bindingthegoaltorewardsandvalues. Character: This includes our values, personality and knowing our strengths and limitations.Honestyandintegrityismandatorytobeasuccessfulleader. Team builder: Successful leaders today put a strong emphasis on teamwork. Instead of treating the employees like children, leaders should create a relationship which promotes teamcohesiveness.Leadersarementorsandguidetheteam.Theleadershouldbondand bindwithhisteam.He/sheshouldbeinstrumentalinbuildingagreatteam. Decisionmaker:Agoodleaderistechnicallysoundandiscapableofusinghisknowledge inmakingtherightdecisions. Passion:Alltheabovetraitscanworkinaleaderonlywhenhehasthepassiontolead.He needstodriveotherstoaccomplishthegoalswiththesamepassion,whichheexhibits,to them. Tobeagoodleaderoneshouldhaveethicsandtobeconcernedaboutthewellbeingofthe teammembers.Theleadershouldbedoingajobwellinsteadoflookingatthefinancialand otherbenefitsthatisattachedtoit.Allthebenefitswouldcometotheleaderwhenhe/she performstohis/herbest.

Dr.N.Bhaskaran

Effectiveandefficientleadersarepassionateabouttheirworkandalsoabouttheirroleas leaders. Employees will respond candidly and honestly to an enthusiastic and committed leader. Leaders need to be a source of inspiration and be a motivator in getting work done. Organizations need to identify such individuals who enhance the organizational performance with their leadership skills. The skills, potential and character of the leader chosenshouldmatchtheneedsoftheorganization. Toleadpeople,walkbesidethem...asforthebestleaders,thepeopledonotnotice theirexistence.Thenextbest,thepeoplehonorandpraise.Thenext,thepeoplefear;and thenext,thepeoplehate...whenthebestleadersworkisdonethepeoplesay,Wedidit ourselves! Laotsu

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