Inspirational Leadership: Back to Basics

I visited MALCO Mettur on 19th November for conducting a programme on Back to Basic Leadership. The company’s senior management feels quite strongly that in the background of global recession and financial crunch, the need of the hour was to train their executives to become great leaders. Instead of talking about arcane leadership theories, they wanted me to design and deliver an activity based programme on Basic Leadership.

This is what they wanted:

At times of economic insecurity, which currently prevails across the globe, it is important for businesses to have secure foundations of honour, trust and respect among employees. For this to happen, executives and managers must trust and value their employees first. This would involve listening to their ideas, incorporating their suggestions into corporate systems and making them a part of the corporate mission. Employees who are valued for their work, well trained and inspired to take on new responsibilities and treated with respect will be more fully engaged in tehir jobs and happier at work. We realise the importance of 'Basic Leadership' and we are planning to conduct a training program for our employees on the topic 'Back to Basic Leadership'. We had the pleasure of having Mr.Srikanth from Management Study Centre, handling a training program for us earlier on the topic 'Managerial Skills'. It would be our pleasure to have Mr.Srikanth handling another training program for us on the topic 'Back to basic Leadership'.
This is how I conceived the Programme:
v Tough times do not last – But tough people and companies do – The sudden and extraordinary financial crisis prevailing across the globe has necessitated a fresh look at the way we lead and perform on the job.

v Organisations that create and nurture Inspirational leadership at all levels consistently out perform their peers on every criterion.

v Inspirational Leaders don’t do something different or extraordinary they simply go back to basics and become spontaneous, flexible and creative.

v This programme would provide insights and approaches that are quintessential in their simplicity and effectiveness.

v This programme would provide practical inputs on Leadership. While most management theories contain the What? of Leadership, this programme would provide tips and techniques on the How? of making your organisation a centre for Excellence and your Managers of Today the Leaders of Tommorrow.

Given an option I would have loved to call the programme Inspirational Leadership: Back to Basic Leadership!

I used various interactive games to help the executives to explore their on inherent potential for becoming great leaders who can inspire others. The Perfect Square activity resulted in their listening to the voice of leadership. The blindfold meant that they had to rely on voice alone. So those who had a voice that could give confidence and direction emerged as guides and enablers, others worked co-operatively under their control to complete the activity in time.

The participants had expressed in their feedback that they enjoyed my energy and style of presentation. Many participants had expressed that they were convinced about the efficacy of the PEP model.

A major portion of the program was conducted outside in the lawn of “Sigaram” their Centre for Training and excellence. At one point in time after the Afternoon tea break, I noticed that the lawn was strewn with used plates, paper cups and even cigarette packets. Before beginning the activity, I requested the participants to clean up the lawn and started picking up the trash myself. They quickly joined in we made the lawn a neat and tidy place in no time. I hope the message that Leadership is a choice was driven home. Leadership is not about swanking around and bossing or commanding people. It is about walking your talk and setting an example!

Remember, Leadership is a Role not a designation. Be the change you want to see around you.

Leadership is Choice
Leadership is Voice
Leadership is Poise

The programme reinforced my belief in Stephen R Covey’s Eighth Habit, which is “Finding your own voice and helping others to find theirs”.