Leadership and Manchester Disunited !

Trust  the Brits to brand specific  football matches , calling some intra city team matches as  "Derbys" with the hype building up to the match and the spectator participation during the match taking the experience to ever new highs. 

Yesterdays match between the legendary Manchester United and Liverpool was not a Derby by definition , but it certainly was one of the most keenly anticipated ties in English League Football, between  two bitter rivals in the sport. Playing "Away" ( footballese for playing away from ones home turf) , Liverpool came off the winner by a whopping 3-0 victory. 

The Bards "Oh what a fall there was my countrymen" seems so relevant as the mighty MANU, winner of 38 trophies till 2013, in the 17 years under the leadership of Sir  Alex, walked off the field led by their new coach David Noyes.

Comparisons will follow surely- the rise and rise of MANU under Sir Alex and the fall and fall under his harried successor. The knives would be out seeking for coach Noyes head as well as the CEO. The leader takes all whether in enterprise or sports ! 

Three characteristics of a successful leader do seem to be missing under the present management:

Team spirit: A leaders true worth is seen in the prevalent  teamspirit in times of adversity. At yesterdays match the vibrancy and mutual support that one is used to watching with the great teams was clearly absent in MANU. Players hardly looked at each other as they kicked the ball around the field. In contrast, the Liverpool players seemed so much more "united" in their passes and handling of the ball. In times of distress one of the most critical activities of the leader is to address issues of motivation, drive and togetherness.

A vision: The need for a "vision" in any enterprise has been drilled into management graduates and folklore for quite a while. As long as one is successful this aspect never gets raised. However, when one is down the gurus seek out the vision of the leader. It is never too late ( even if MANU has no chances of getting back to the top 4 in the league) for David Noyes to publicly set out the way forward . The Club can hardly sink any deeper from their present position. An honest confession of the mistakes will often act as a catharsis and help the players recoup their morale.

Never say die: Supported by a vision and team spirit , the players would find it easier to adopt a "never say die" approach. In enterprises the critical moment of a shakehand to "seal the deal", is the equivalent of a goal in football. It gets tougher as you near the goal and that is when the "never say die" approach is required to clinch the sale. A vision of a future and the comfort of a team support goes a long way to success in this third aspect.  

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17MAR14           

The Aam aadmi must be different from the AAM AADMI!

Motivated by Mr Keriwals  interview in Ahmedabad , which was telecast by a Channel ( whose name  I do not recollect) , I registered on the Partys' website the next day.

And accidentally ( do believe me) I watched for a few minutes the debate on Times Now the same evening. on the "chaos" created at Churchgate station by the party followers. The programme was typical Arnab stuff-motivated, one sided, exaggerated  and His Masters Voice dominating the debate.

I am not for one minute in support of his screaming accusations on the Party .

I am on the damage created   to three metal detectors at the station. One smart follower , well versed in repartee commented that the structures were as unstable as the present government and that was the reason for them collapsing!

The Aam Aadmi Party ironically gets its acceptance precisely  because it is not a Party that wants to perpetrate the happenings of the past 65 years. It is succeeding because its message resonates with the Aam Aadmi who has tolerated the state of affairs for far too long. The aam aadmi too needs to change , much more that the corrupt politicians. If Mr Kejriwal does not condone the happenings at Churchgate, he is ignoring a major role that the Party needs to play- that of imbibing qualities of character in citizens desiring to be clean, concerned and honest citizens , valuing the rule of law. 

It would be such a brand builder for the party , if Mr Kejriwal , were to, on his own volition hand, over a cheque to the Western Railway towards the replacement cost of the three detectors. It would also send a clear unambiguous message to followers all over the country , that the Party is different and is working towards a different Aam Aadmi arising in the years to come.         

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15MAR14

The Rahul Interview- an event best forgotten

Political developments are far from the spheres of interest in my 65th year. If it was not for the sms from the better half about the interview and her request to record it , I would not have known .Unfortunately, since I did not know how to record programmes , I decided on the next best thing , namely to view it and brief her later. 

Was I transfixed - Absolutely ! glued to the set , not because of the wisdom and maturity of the interviewee, but stunned to silence by the manner in which a prospect for the Prime Ministers post completely blotched it. I recollect the speech on TV by his father speaking to the Nation on his taking over, post the assassination. It was the first time that a reluctant and grieving son was entering politics. The talk was faltering , but within months Rajiv Gandhi was equal to the best of the tribe. Here his son is supposed to have been in politics for 10 years ! His three point response to every question , related or unrelated, highlighted his lack of readiness. Is this  grand old party capable of only replacing a silent unwilling ,disinterested, ineffective man with an immature,unfocused failed politician? 

I wish I could be on the side of those who feel that Rahul is a well meaning sincere and capable leader. The interview convinced me he is none of the three. A well meaning leader would be transparent in his dealings within the party. He would stand up to the old guard who are there, not out of a passion to do good, but loaded with moolah , wishing that there will be one more time to amass wealth. If not , they can always take political Sanyas for a decade and in the interim work on those millions! A sincere leader would never side up with a Party that has as its leader, a jailbird and a shameless , unrepenting one at that. As far as capability goes, his grasp of the economy and international relations seemed pathetic, viewed in the context of his responses in the interview. 

There is talk of a churn within the grand old party , a sweeping away of fossils , cleaning the rooms for young committed persons. The first lists that emerged in the past few days talks instead, of a  status quo. To me Rahul seems to have given up the battle and whilst not physically tired ( he has hardly stretched a tenth of what a Municipal ward member would exert in canvassing) he is obviously mentally switched off. The imperious dynasty genes seems to be operational . How else would one explain the silence of the younger generation Scindias, Pilots, and a great grandson of the legendary Rajagopalachari? Their brief is limited to sound bytes in English TV. You need to have feet on the ground. Rather than be within the coterie of  Rahul , how much more worthwhile if this generation took up State level responsibility first, before seeking shelter in the air conditioned precincts of Parliament and Central party headquarters. Remember the luminaries, Venkatraman, Narasimha Rao, Patil , Tripathi all veterans of their individual States of domicile? 

I am a urban slicker, also one who has admitted that his days of active interest in politics is far gone. Very likely the Congress would come back in power, voted in by an inexplicable phenomena called dynasty politics. With Rahul at the helm I can only pray that his advisors would show the pluck to have him work on the principles the new generation are seeking, or send him packing in the interest  of our Bharat.   

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