One of the most important tools of leadership is warmth. That’s something, which can neither be taught to a leader nor can it be acquired. The gait of true leaders can be recognised from miles away. Their warmth, way of interaction with their colleagues, a gentle pat on the shoulder, a smile or a greeting (without expecting one in return) are powerful conduits of influence that align organisations in the… Read More »Warmth – An essential leadership tool
When I first met Sh. O.P. Gupta (OPG) in 2006 he was a man who was going from strength to strength after having established his credentials as a builder of repute in Jamshedpur and establishing townships and retirement homes in Bhiwadi – A rather unsexy place. For me who was only hobnobbing with the British royalty in three previous years, setting up the group’s first hotel in Bhiwadi (then) was… Read More »Remembering a great Man : Some people who made a difference to my life – III
Lately I have come to believe that commitment is one of the most important dynamics of strategy. Organisational and personal success is simply a function of commitment. When we lock ourselves into a commitment and leave little choice to ourselves, we as risk takers or decision makers are forced to act prudently and to make things work. 2 months ago I took up an assignment in an industry that is… Read More »Commitment
I stole an opportunity to speak to the CEO of a well known company at a dinner to which I was invited – courtesy of a guest who stayed on my ship a couple of years ago. Of course – being unemployed at the moment is a bit of an embarrassment when one is among a group of people who are – by any stretch of imagination – multi millionaires.… Read More »The health index of organisations
Academicians have a habit of mutating well established theories, changing a few words, mutating the shape of models and reintroducing the old wine in a self styled bottle. Google (verb.) ESCO – it means nothing to anyone on this planet (not an iota of connection with strategy) yet students who did not believe in the ESCO model were allegedly the lesser mortals in the world of strategy. No one really… Read More »Strategy of academic convenience
During an engaging discussion with a fellow colleague, I was taken back to the memories of some wonderful motivational and self development sessions where Nick Bate advised us with clinical sharpness – ‘one way to succeed and to be happy is by being awesome in whatever you do’ The same discussion happens year after year. Nick says just be awesome. Students say, its just not possible because political correctness and… Read More »Being Awesome!
Strategy Module has been intriguing. Many of my dear friends were punished with abysmally low marks. I only have one question to ask – is the marker’s belief in his connotation of strategy the final word in the subject? If yes, why can’t his/her ideas be utilized to strategise about dozens of things that are of immensely improvable order in an otherwise excellent school. (This isn’t a forum to ejaculate… Read More »Creation – Preservation – Destruction – Creation (CPDC)
Singapore airlines (SIA) has been discussed to a point of irritation during the last few months during my MBA. And yet I often reminisced – the airline must have done something right to have been adjudged the best airline for the last over 20 years. Even though I am yet to travel on SIA, I know what they must be doing to be where they are. My recent to and… Read More »Customer service – a science or an art. Can it be taught???
As a Master of Business Administration each one amongst us continues to search for an elusive formula that can make the competition insignificant. Whether it’s Strategy or Marketing or “The blue ocean” – the quest is the same. As the General Manager of Springfields, Simla, I had many challenges of dealing with a hotel marred with a union problem, high fixed costs because of a relatively small size and extreme… Read More »Make competition insignificant
Much has been said and written about strategy and how companies rise or fall as a consequence of decisions taken (accidentally or intentionally) over a period of time. If strategy was a science it could easily be taught and cracked and theorised and as a consequence of this no company would ever falter because enough evidence and data are available to learn from. Yet – companies continue to make mistakes… Read More »Strategy – a fallacy?