The journey of cricketing superpowers

Right from the first world cup in 1975, till the mid-80s, the West Indies team was unconquerable in the game of cricket. Winners of the world cup in the first two world cup tournaments, the team was considered completely dominant and unconquerable. They had a power packed batting line up, who could tear apart the best bowling attacks with their huge sixes, and a lethal bowling attack, which was the nightmare of any opposition batsman. However, by the time the late 1980s arrived, they slowly started seeming a normal outfit, which could be defeated if targeted in the right way. The Aussie victory in the 1987 world cup signalled the beginning of the end, even though the West Indies outfit was still a force to reckon with, with greats like Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh etc. However, though strokes of individual brilliance shone through, the team was not able to perform well consistently, and defeats became more frequent.

West Indies was replaced by the Australian team at the pinnacle in the 1990s. The formidable team that was formed under Allan Border, was taken by able successors like Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and finally, Ricky Ponting. The Aussies were able to keep up the fort for almost two weeks, because they planned and designed the next team, before one set of star players faced retirement. The transitions from one captain to another were smooth and pre-calculated. However, even they were caught on the back foot when a whole bunch of performers, including Mathew Hayden, Shane Warne, MrGrath etc, all retired within a short span of time. India is faced with the same danger, as we are now faced with the imminent retirement of the batting greats, Sachin, Dravid and Laxman.

All teams go through the initial stages where they take time to find their roots, before performers emerge, and a phase of consecutive victories occurs. This stage of maturity and maximum performance is sustained for some time, before the members of the team start getting old and retiring one by one. Thus, the team management should ensure that they constantly groom and nurture a bunch of young players, talented enough to slowly take the reins from the aging seniors.

This kind of succession planning is important for any kind of organizations or teams. Companies who have aging CEOs need to start planning beforehand and ensure a smooth transition, handing the power over to the next generation.

My visits to Deepalaya

It was 2 months after I joined MDI that I paid my first visit to Deepalaya, along with some 15 odd people from college. It was such a refreshing change from the routine life that I had started leading in the college. The less privileged children in this institution were so full of energy and enthusiasm, that it was in fact contagious. When we went in, all of us were serious management students, who were visiting the place to give our inputs as to how the place can be run better. But having met the kids there, we realized that they expected much more from us than advice and help as outsiders. They mingled freely, talking, singing and dancing with us all throughout the day, as if they had known us for years. The pure joy of basking in their innocent love was visible in the face of each and every Mandevian who visited the place that day.

Since the first visit, I have been to the place twice, and each visit was as memorable, if not more, as the first one. We realized that the children there were given sufficiently comfortable living conditions, and hence decided to support them in means other than material ones. The next time we went, we organized a career counseling session for the elder kids, giving them a picture of all the options available to them once they leave the safe environs of Deepalaya when they clear their class 10 examinations. The kids were very enthusiastic to know what the world outside had in store for them. Parallel to this session, we also had a dance training session for the younger kids, which was totally fun filled, and the kids enjoyed thoroughly. The next visit had us taking along two people from the armed forces, to advice the children about the experience associated with pursuing a career in the armed forces. The kids were expecting a serious session on the armed forces, but were instead pleasantly surprised by the interactive nature of the talk.

We also got to see their independence and republic day celebrations in two of the visits, and were surprised by the professional manner in which they performed. Considering the fact that they had minimal exposure to the outside world, the performances were excellent. At the end of each visit, I am marveled by the positive outlook that these children hold towards life, in spite of the fact that they have been exposed to many harsh realities, so early in life. Whenever faced with some small problem, I think of those children, and how they are bravely facing whatever difficulties arise, and suddenly my worries seem very small in comparison to theirs. Each time I feel lazy to take up some responsibility, I am reminded of the huge amount of responsibility that has been thrusted upon them. Whenever I miss my childhood days of freedom, I think of the joys that these kids have missed in life, probably for no fault of theirs. The fact that they still remain optimistic and cheerful all the time is something that inspires and amazes me. When I noticed a girl saved half a toffee for her friend who was ill, in spite having got just a small piece, I realized the simple, selfless love that these kids shared with each other.

As I watched the kids play around happily, without a care in the world, I realized the importance of living in the present, and taking life as it comes. I realized that by retaining the happy memories and erasing the sad ones, life would be filled with optimism and joy. From the kids I learnt the importance of staying together and sticking by each other in times of need and enjoying life together otherwise

The hazards of inefficient leadership..

It is often said, a team is only as good as its captain. The approach of the people at the pinnacle is most important for the progress of any organization. Inefficiency in leadership and corruption at the highest level always means prevalence of total chaos. Be it the case of the Satyam scandal, or the 2G scam, lack of transparency in corporate governance has always been one of the main reasons for the downfall of many a company. The effects of these scams were restricted to the stakeholders of a company, or to a particular section of the society. However, there have been extreme cases of poor governance that led to the downfall of the nation’s economy. One such example is the case of Zimbabwe, when unstable governance and lack of fiscal discipline led to the collapse of the monetary system of the nation, and the usage of the local currency had to be suspended totally.

The major cause for this economic disaster was the land reforms that Robert Mugabe introduced, starting from 1999. The reforms intended to redistribute wealth from the hands of the Whites to the Blacks. The violent land reform program destroyed the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe and in particular the tobacco industry which accounted for one-third of Zimbabwe's foreign exchange earnings. This made the economy further prone to hyperinflation.

The second cause for this hyperinflation was civic unrest. The Mugabe government organized a massacre, which was responsible for the death of 20000 of the minority population. The controversial land reforms also triggered a round of civil unrest. Unrest led to poverty and violence. The initial inflation caused further poverty and poverty created more of unrest.

Rash fiscal measures were taken by the government, such as printing money to finance troops, to increase the salaries of army and government official and to repay debts to the IMF. These measures led to the weakening of the economic system. Irresponsible printing of currency led to inflation, which was fuelled by other factors. The government continued to print currency in spite of the onset of hyperinflation. While the government lacked stability and fiscal discipline and the citizens were experiencing serious bouts of malcontent and strife, the perception of strength of the currency was dropping and hence it was weakening by the day.

The currency black market in Zimbabwe was also very much active, and the government did nothing to control it, because of which the collapse of the economy was triggered. The central bank tried out few restrictions, but was unsuccessful in creating a lasting impact. The Zimbabwean currency had to be suspended, and to date, the US Dollar is used for all transactions. Thus shows the importance of effective governance at all levels.

Learning management sportingly

A major chunk of my childhood memories are pictures of the pure enjoyment I used to feel while playing cricket and football for hours together with other kids in the neighbourhood. The joy in winning and the disappointment of losing are experiences that leave a lasting impact on any child’s young mind. Sports and games are one of the first teachers to any kid. When a child plays a game, he not only gets to enjoy the excitement associated with the game, but is also unknowingly exposed to numerous lessons that mould and shape his character.

While going through the practice sessions, the child understands the importance of hard work, and how important practice is, in order to achieve success and greatness. He understands that constant practice will ensure perfection in anything one does. It also teaches the child how important it is to deliver the goods on the D-day. No matter what amount of effort might have gone into the preparation for the game, all of it will be futile if one fails to perform to the fullest potential on the day when it matters the most. After a few experiences of failures, the child understands that confidence is a very important trait to have while fighting against equals. He realizes that he needs to be sure of himself and hold the belief that he can win if he wants to actually win.

Most games involve working in teams, and this teaches the child the importance of adjusting with a team, and making collective decisions for the better of the team, rather than take individual decisions. While working in teams, the child understands the importance of trust and understanding that is required within teams to ensure that they combine into a winning unit. The sport also inspires the child to keep trying and working hard until he succeeds in attaining his goal. It also teaches the child the importance of precision and accuracy that is required to attain perfection in anything in life.

In addition to all this, the child learns important lessons in time management. He learns to plan his strategy through the amount of time available; he learns to prioritize the various strategies he has thought of accordingly. He is also exposed to the concept of deadlines, and understands the need to finish the task within the defined time limit. Thus, a child, when he plays a game, is in fact developing a strong character that will help him in times to come, where he is faced with real-life games where he has to win.

Leadership vs. Management

In the year of B-school education that I have gone through, I have attended many a session on the importance of having a person in the team who plays the pivotal role. In many situations, that role has been referred to as a leadership role, and in many other cases, that person has been termed a manager. Both these skills are talked about with respect and awe, and the qualities required for such a person has been listed many a times. So, what exactly the difference between leadership and management, and what is more important??

Over the years, many scholars have drawn inferences from happenings in the political front, and view leadership as undemocratic. In the past, leadership has been considered the misused privilege of the aristocracy, who dominated humankind at that time. This drew the indignation of the academic community, and once the feudal system was abolished and democracy was established, they declared that democracy meant equality, and there is no place for leadership in such a scenario. The learned ones established ‘equality’ as one of the main pillars of democracy. However, what they failed to understand is that in essence, democracy means equality of opportunity and privileges, and not equality of capability.

With the emergence and increased focus on management as a science, the concept of leadership took a further beating. The concept of management gained a lot of attention, and this concept was replacing the concept of leadership as throughout. Even the US army decided to replace leadership with management. The loss in the Vietnam War, in retrospect, has been attributed to this change in systems and functions.

Quoting various management gurus in the USA, “Management is a bottom line focus. How can I best accomplish certain things? Leadership deals with the top line. What are the things that I want to accomplish?” According to Peter Drucker and Warren Brenis, “Management is doing things right, while leadership is about doing the right things. Management efficiency is in climbing the ladder of success, while leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall”

What one needs to understand is that management is one of the major tools that a leader employs while he devises methods of leading the team. Thus, leadership gives direction and purpose to the team, while management ensures effective implementation of what has been decided as actions to reach the objective. One can be a good manager without being a good leader, but the reverse can never be the case.

Apple: Taking innovation to the next level

The recent news of Steve Jobs’ resignation seemed like the end of an era for Apple and its employees. Going through these news clippings and videos, I wonder, what is it about this company that strikes a chord with people so effectively and easily? Is it the charisma of the man whose name has come to be linked inseparably to the company, or is it the culture of innovation and thinking that the company has developed over the years. Or is just because the products that the company has been coming up with are world class??

Though their products have been classy and the best in the market, the quality of products alone wouldn’t have ensured apple reaches where it is currently. For example, the the iPod was a phenomenon not just because of its features, but also because Apple introduced iTunes along with it. Similar is the case with iPhone and AppStore. Apple is present across Industries, thus facilitating and supporting the business model. Apple’s value proposition is that the product is an experience, and hence, Apple ensures that this experience is savoured fully by the customer.

Having these products also makes complete business to Apple because, depending only on luxury consumer products as a source of income would make the revenues extremely unpredictable and dependent on the macroeconomic scenario. Hence, having a product like the iTunes gives Apple the assurance of some flow of income, while at the same time gives the users a complete Apple experience.

Another reason for Apple’s success is the growing adoption of Apple products for business and commercial use. Saving time and minimizing frustration is Apple’s brand promise, and it sticks to this promise by maintaining uncomplicated product designs that goes down well with the users. Apple is also particular about having great in-store service. This ensures that the experience the customer has when he purchases an Apple product extends beyond purchase and usage, right upto solving issues that he might have with the product over time.

Apple has grown far ahead of its competitors not just because of product innovation, but because it coupled product innovation with business model innovation. Product innovation alone would have made it competent, but not as big a phenomenon as now.

Lessons from Mandela -2

Leadership traits described by Mandela are often considered to be words of wisdom, coming from a man who has experience in taking along the masses and using them as a pillar of strength and support. Having fought the system for such a long period, and finally succeeded, life must have taught him a great deal, which he in turn has imparted to the world

1.       Keep your friends close — and your rivals even closer: Mandela believed that embracing his rivals was a way of controlling them: they were more dangerous on their own than within his circle of influence. He cherished loyalty, but he was never obsessed by it. After all, he used to say, "people act in their own interest." It was simply a fact of human nature, not a flaw or a defect. The flip side of being an optimist — and he is one — is trusting people too much. But Mandela recognized that the way to deal with those he didn't trust was to neutralize them with charm.

2.       Appearances matter — and remember to smile: After he emerged from prison, people would say, over and over, It is amazing that he is not bitter. There are a thousand things Nelson Mandela was bitter about, but he knew that more than anything else, he had to project the exact opposite emotion. “The smile was the message”

3.       Nothing is black or white: As a statesman, Mandela was uncommonly loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and Fidel Castro. They had helped the ANC when the U.S. still branded Mandela as a terrorist. When I asked him about Gaddafi and Castro, he suggested that Americans tend to see things in black and white. Every problem has many causes. While he was indisputably and clearly against apartheid, the causes of apartheid were complex. They were historical, sociological and psychological. Mandela's calculus was always, what is the end that I seek, and what is the most practical way to get there?

4.       Quitting is leading too: Knowing how to abandon a failed idea, task or relationship is often the most difficult kind of decision a leader has to make. In many ways, Mandela's greatest legacy as President of South Africa is the way he chose to leave it. In the history of Africa, there have been only a handful of democratically elected leaders who willingly stood down from office. Mandela was determined to set a precedent for all who followed him — not only in South Africa but across the rest of the continent

Mandela and his lessons of leadership

Nelson Mandela, the man who liberated a country from a system of violent prejudice and helped unite white and black, oppressor and oppressed, in a way that had never been done before, a man who spent 27 long years in prison for a cause so close to his heart, a man whose fire to fight injustice still lies unextinguished., a man who was able to gather the support and sympathy of the nation as he fought for a cause...  He gave the world a few traits, which he believes are important for a leader to have or develop

1.       Courage is not the absence of fear — it's inspiring others to move beyond it:  Mandela was often afraid during his time underground, but he would pretend and, through the act of appearing fearless, inspire others. Prisoners who were with him said watching Mandela walk across the courtyard, upright and proud, was enough to keep them going for days. He knew that he was a model for others, and that gave him the strength to triumph over his own fear.

2.       Lead from the front — but don't leave your base behind: When he initiated his negotiations with the government, his oppressors, in 1985, there were many who thought he had lost it. Then Mandela launched a campaign to persuade the ANC that his was the correct course. Slowly and deliberately, he brought them along. "You take your support base along with you,"

3.       Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front: When ever Mandela spoke at meetings, he slowly and methodically summarized everyone's points of view and then unfurled his own thoughts, subtly steering the decision in the direction he wanted without imposing it. “The trick of leadership is allowing yourself to be led too.” He said

4.       Know your enemy — and learn about his favorite sport: As far back as the 1960s, Mandela began studying Afrikaans, the language of the white South Africans who created apartheid. His comrades in the ANC teased him about it, but he wanted to understand the Afrikaner's worldview; he knew that one day he would be fighting them or negotiating with them, and either way, his destiny was tied to theirs.

The joy in teaching

As I visited my school the last time I came back to Mumbai, I was reminded of the wonderful days I had spent there, learning, playing and growing up joyfully, unmindful of worries and tensions. As I walk down the corridors of the school, I am forced down memory lane and images of my classes flash through my mind. When I think back about my school days, I realize that I memories of both very good, and very bad teachers were still intact in my mind. I now realize the kind of indelible marks teachers leave in the students’ minds, through their words and actions.

Teaching is one profession that involves great commitment and patience. A teacher has the power to mould or destroy a student’s interest in a subject. I have always believed that the role of a teacher is to teach the student to educate himself. In other words, the teacher’s job is complete if he is able to generate in his students, a genuine interest for the subject. A teacher will be able to generate in his students an interest for the subject only if he himself is passionate about the subject as well as teaching.

Mastery of subject as well as good communication skills are of course important traits for a teacher to have, but more importantly, the teacher must be able to connect with the student, and ensure that the student considers him approachable and understanding. Helping people understand things that they don’t is one of the most gratifying experiences to have, and hence a teacher is privileged to have that opportunity. The satisfaction that can be derived upon seeing the look of realization dawn upon a student’s face, as the teacher explains complex concepts is something that is invaluable.

Teachers hold a position in a child’s life beyond just imparting knowledge and teaching theoretical concepts. Right from the initial years, teachers are a child’s window to the outside world. He understands life through the thoughts of his teachers. A teacher must reflect qualities of confidence, impartiality, intellect, and many more virtues, so that the student is able to imbibe these qualities early in life. A good teacher must be able to also identify areas of talent in a child and encourage him to develop them, so as to ensure complete character development. In a teacher’s hand lies great power to mould the future of the students, and thus the future of the nation. A teacher is like an architect, who can mould the intellect, character as well as culture of his pupil. Being a teacher is a great privilege to have, as well as an immense responsibility.

Management lessons from the great recession

The great recession was a major global economic problem that affected the entire world economy, characterized by various systemic imbalances and was sparked by the outbreak of the late-2000s financial crisis. In retrospect, there were numerous governance and management flaws that added to the reasons for the recession, which, if had been avoided, would have decreased the intensity of the recession.

The initial steps causing the recession was taken in 1999, when the Glass-Steagall act was repealed. This act had been introduced after the great depression, and separated the deposit taking business from investment activities, since it was recognized that one of the major causes of the massive bank failures was the fact that banks, in addition to their typical banking functions, had engaged in financial and other types of investments This step, taken by the Clinton administration, led to banks getting involved in investment activities, and numerous complex derivative products emerged as an outcome. These products were too complex for the understanding of the common man, and hence numerous problems were to emerge. Most people didn’t know the risks associated with each product, and hence the risk management strategies employed were flawed.

The Fed also had issues of improper governance, and the then chairman, Alan Greenspan, was guilty of inaction for a long while, before he was forced to take appropriate action. Alan lacked the foresight that is required for a person in this level of governance. There were issues in the Fed’s policy as well, which had not been corrected for years together.

The credit rating companies in the US were also responsible for the improper ratings they gave to sub standard loans. The rating companies didn’t have a system to ensure the credit worthiness of such complex derivative products, and hence the ratings didn’t reflect the truth in many cases.

Adding on to all this was the fiscal mismanagement by the Bush government. The excessive spending on the Iraq war meant that the US treasury was depleted. In addition to this, Bush wished to introduce tax incentives, as the elections were nearing. This mismanagement of the US treasury aggravated the already deteriorating situation, and the nation was dragged into a state of deep recession.

From the experiences of the Great recession, one gets to understand the importance of stress management as well. The US government and the Fed were subject to a lot of stress and pressure, and they had to introduce numerous changes and policies in order to contain the recession, and prevent it from worsening. They were able to do partial justice to this aspect of their job, and hence, were able to prevent the recession from growing into one of the magnitude of the Great Depression

Mahatma Gandhi: Applying the leadership model

As I was describing the unique traits that the Mahatma had that made him this successful in achieving what no one was able to, my previous blog, I was struck with the thought of applying the model of effective strategic leadership in his case, and see how well he fits into the model. According to the model, there are two aspects to leadership, the charismatic angle and the architectural angle. A complete leader should have traits belonging to both of these aspects.

Charismatic role

Vision and direction: In spite of the fact that Gandhiji preferred to lead from behind, and didn’t believe in making a lot of noise to gather attention, he, in his own strong and silent manner, was able to guide his followers, and give them a sense of direction. His planning of the sequence of events having a national impact, culminating at the Dandi March was perfect. He was able to visualize the effect of each of these actions, and thus was able to plan the next steps accordingly.

Empowered people: For a leader, it is very important that he able to convey to his followers the reasons for his decision, and ensure that they understand and support all of the decisions. Gandhiji ensured that he made everyone feel that they were a major part of the movement, and gave them the freedom express their views and thoughts. He encouraged his followers to think on their own, and act accordingly, as long as there was no violence involved in those actions

Energized people: Gandhiji was also able to constantly inspire people into action, and get their complete support whenever required. By delegating responsibility and giving the people a free run whenever possible, he ensured that his followers were attached to the cause, and ready to contribute to it whenever required

Architectural role

Organization structure: In this case, there was no formal organization to structure, but Gandhiji ensured that in whatever large scale movements that were organized, there was a proper structure, and responsibilities properly delegated.

Management control and reward systems: In spite of his traits of staying more in the background, Gandhiji ensured complete control over his followers. He ensured that no matter how unruly the crowd, they restrained themselves from resorting to violence. However, he didn’t introduce a reward system, as his leadership model was based on selflessness. The only reward offered was the possibility of India attaining freedom.

Though he had both the traits, Gandhiji’s leadership was more inclined towards the charismatic aspect, rather than the architectural one.

In his book, Arindam Chaudhary has described Gandhi’s management style thus: “Mahatma Gandhi's example to me is a perfect case of adopting styles to suit the culture. The country today stands divided on whether what he did was good or bad... I just know one thing: there was never a leader before him nor one after him who could unite us all and bring us out in the streets to demand for what was rightfully ours. To me, he is the greatest leader our land has ever seen. It is 'Theory 'I' management' at its practical best: productively and intelligently utilizing whatever the resource you are endowed with".

The life and traits of the Mahatma

Very few great men in history have been able to influence public opinion, garner the support of the masses and inspire them into action as Mahatma Gandhi. He successfully brought together an entire nation, with population as varied and diverse as that of India, and led them successfully to wage a war against the British rule, while at the same time ensuring that they adhered to non-violent means of conveying their message. Each movement that he organized and led was making the foundation of imperialism and colonialism weaker. His actions spoke of determination and grit, and yet, also of compassion and love. So how did Gandhi, who was an introvert as a kid, transform into this dynamic leader who commanded respect from all over the world with his actions. What were the qualities in him that enabled him achieve what many other greats had tried and failed??

Gandhiji was able to understand human psychology, and was thus able to act in ways that would gain the support of the masses. In spite of being an introvert, Gandhiji was able to strike a chord with the nation because he was able to understand their sentiments and communicate effectively. Empowering the people and thus creating a sense of belongingness: this came naturally to Gandhiji. He was able to make his followers feel that they were important to the cause, thus ensuring that all of them gave their 100% to the cause. Another of his most important traits was negotiation skills. He was able to juggle between parties with opposing demands and needs, and still manage to keep both happy. In his initial days, he had to handle conversations between Congress and the government, which he managed wonderfully well, without allowing any tiffs to blossom. Later on, he himself held negotiations with the government, conveying his stand and demands, and in these cases, he was able to effectively communicate his demands

Above all these unique traits, the most important aspect of Gandhiji’s leadership was love and compassion. No matter what the intensity of the situation was, and no matter how many number of people were there to support, he ensured that the entire struggle headed by him was totally non-violent. This endeared him further to his followers and he was able to gain the trust and support of all thus. His simple way of living and unexaggerated ways ensured that he gained the attention of the public for all the right reasons, and people looked up to him, and yearned to follow him. He was able to establish his credibility very early in the struggle through these actions, and thus was able to get all the support he required when there was a need for it.

What driving taught me…

During my engineering college days, I was one of the very few who didn’t know to drive. I chose not to overcome my aversion towards driving as I never used to feel the need to. However, having learnt to drive now, I have started appreciating the convenience associated with it. In addition to the convenience, I also appreciate the lessons in life that something as simple as driving can teach me

·         Know your goals: Before starting a trip, you need to know where you wish to reach. Similarly, in life, it is important to have a goal and work towards it

·         Define your strategies: Once the destination is decided, a driver needs to decide which route he wishes to take, which roads are safer or less crowded etc. Similarly, in life, it is important to decide how we wish to attain the goal, and analyze the pros and cons of all the options available

·         Check for resource availability: Before embarking on the journey, the driver has to check if his car has enough fuel, whether the batteries are functional etc. similarly, before starting off with an important endeavour in life, it is important to draw out the budget required for that, the feasibility of the plan and whether the endeavour is worth the time spent on it.

·         Accept your ignorance and mistakes: During the journey, if he doesn’t know the route, the driver doesn’t hesitate to ask for directions. Similarly, if on the wrong path, he instantaneously turns and finds his way to the right route. Similarly in life, it is important to be ready to accept ignorance if you are unaware, and ready to take responsibility for any mistakes and make amends

·         Define your own terms: The vehicle is in the hands of the driver, and it is up to him to decide the speed in which he travels and the risks he takes. Similarly, it is one’s own life, and one has all the rights to take a stand. It is important to live life in one’s own terms and enjoy it to the fullest

·         Act, don’t just plan: If a person needs to learn driving, he needs to get into the vehicle and start off. Only then will he learn. Similarly, in life, it is better to just start implementing any idea or plan instead of sitting and planning it out further. Life has to be experienced, and lessons learnt the hard way.

The power of simplicity

B-schools are often ridiculed for the amount of complex theories that the students are taught through the two years. Common public perception is that strategy consultants take up simple solutions, and present them in a complex manner so as to give a feel of importance and sophistication. Management is often associated with complex presentations and detailed analysis. However, I feel that the tagline of Tally, “Power of Simplicity” does hold true even in the world of management.

Strategies employed by companies have been more successful when they have kept it simple and straight. Companies trying out complex strategies have often faced obstacles in the implementation stages, thus causing total failure of the plan. The best example of the power of keeping things simple is when Gmail was introduced. Gmail and Gtalk were introduced with a simple format unlike the already existing yahoo messenger, which was heavy on the system, and complex to use. This factor worked to the advantage of the Google group, and Gmail completely took over yahoo mail. Currently, the popularity and presence of gmail is a lot more than that of yahoo.

Another example of the negatives of complexities is the case of P&G. When a new marketing manager joined the company, he assumed that the problem the company faces is to find new ways to sell stuff. However, the problem was different. P&G had 31 varieties of Head & Shoulders, which made it very tough for the consumers to identify and connect with one variety of it. The number of complex deals and coupons associated with each of these products were too many. The company resorted to slashing down the number of variants to half, and reducing the associated offers also, after which the share of the hair care segment alone increased by 5 points.

Why is it that iPods have gained immense popularity? It is because the product is incredibly simple to use and handle. None of the iPods come with a user manual when bought. Anyone who buys an iPod will be able to understand its working within 5 minutes of using it. Apple takes special care to ensure that their products are never complicated, and that the common man is able to use it without hassles. The cloud technology that is gaining so much popularity now is because of the simplicity of usage that people find convenient in it. Users love it that there is no need to install softwares and worry about storage space.

Even in the case of organizational structures, companies that have complex hierarchical structures tend to spend time and resources in solving issues associated with that, rather than concentrate on increasing their revenues and improving their operations. Thus, keeping the structure as simple as possible is what is important while developing organizational structures.

No matter what common perception of management and strategy is, I strongly believe that simplicity is the most effective strategy that one can implement for the success of their company

Sachin Tendulkar: The nation’s idol

Sachin Tendulkar: The most respected and worshipped name in India. The person whose actions, both onfield and off it, invoke deep emoticons in the minds of billions of people in the nation. The most complete batsman, the highest run getting in the world, the god of cricket… One look at his records and performances can astound anyone, for its sheer magnitude. One look at his game, and anyone can be awed by its class and beauty. However, his track record as a leader has not been attractive, and he has always preferred to stay away from captaincy as much as possible. So one might wonder, given his poor leadership skills, what management lessons can own draw from this great little man.

The will to fight and win: 22 years have passed since Sachin debuted against the Pakistanis. Through these long years, Sachin has retained his passion for the game, and also maintained such levels of fitness that the wear and tear of 22 years doesn’t reflect at all. Even now, he goes into each match with the same determination to perform and win.

Humility: Considering the crazy amount of attention that he attracts, and the respect that people give him, it would have been very easy for him to let success get to his head. However, he has always kept his feet firmly grounded, and retains his sanity and humility.

Innovation: Staying in the game for 22 years, when bowlers and coaches of opposition teams are constantly looking for weaknesses to attack, requires constant innovation and creativity. He has constantly reinvented his cricketing shots in adjustment to the attacks of the opposition

Changing with times: When Sachin started off his cricketing career in 1989, cricket meant test matches, and slow run rates. However, over the years, the game has changed to adapt to the times, including the introduction of versions like T20, and Sachin has successfully changed his ways to suit these changing styles

Hard work and discipline: Even after years of experience in international cricket, Sachin continues to go to the nets and practice for long hours. He prepares for every match of his, doing an in-depth analysis of his weaknesses and the opposition’s strengths.

Thus, even though Sachin hasn’t had the best of the stints as a captain, and he prefers to stay away from the limelight of captaincy, there are numerous management lessons that one can learn from this great little man.