Be the guiding star

Author of Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders, Rajeev Peshawaria lists the traits one must have in order to successfully pilot your team

Helming the ship needs an able captain. If he steers the wheel the wrong way, the ship will go astray. A similar onus lies on a team leader’s shoulder. Leadership is a skill that not many display in their endeavours. The reason cannot be attributed to lack of skill as much as to lack of will. The first step to becoming an extraordinary leader is to possess the desire to become one. Rajeev Peshawaria explains, “Leadership is a choice that an individual makes; it is never thrust upon anyone. Ask yourself the question, ‘Do I really want to be a leader?’ After all, it is lonely, unglamorous, unpopular and often thankless job. There is no guarantee of a reward.” Energise Leadership is about creating a better future. While doing so, a leader will encounter many hurdles and face a lot of resistance. The one thing that will help leaders move swiftly in the face of challenges is energy. Know your purpose The main source of energy is defining one’s own purpose and values. Every leader needs to have a purpose and set of values. For instance, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi chose India’s freedom as his purpose. He thoroughly believed in the values of non-violence and absolute truth. Gandhi’s purpose and value gave him the courage to display his leadership qualities. Peshawaria says, “Every time Gandhiji was put down, he closed his eyes, thought about his purpose and values, and came out stronger each time.” Find co-leaders Once you have fuelled yourself, the next step is to energise your team of co-leaders. Enlist co-leaders who will work with you towards creating a better future. This can be a difficult task, as you need to find people who prescribe to the same set of values and have the same purpose. Peshawaria points out, “Howard Schultz, the chairman and CEO of Starbucks, surrounded himself only with people who believed in his mission.” Brains, bones and nerves The third principle is ‘energising the whole enterprise’. It involves strengthening the three main pillars of the company, brains, bones and nerves. Brains are the vision, nerves are strategy of the business, bones is the organisational architecture, and nerves are the culture, which shape up the work environment. Leaders are made  Peshawaria believes that leaders are made, not born. He says, “We have found that there is no co-relation, whatsoever, between good leadership and the biological phenomena of human birth.” A leader is only born in the face of certain circumstances. When he feels deeply about the inadequacies of current reality and decides to do something about it. Don't be a Boss Bosses command and expect people to comply with their instructions. On the other hand, leaders expect people to follow their examples and not their instructions. Do not overestimate your communication skills. A leader needs to be empathic and fully grasp the impact of his speech on others. Handling Conflicts A leader will face several conflicts — inner as well as inter-personal — during the course of his journey. While they cannot be avoided, a leader can assume control of the situation. In case of inner conflicts, a leader needs to be pragmatic. Peshwaria says, “Inner conflicts are a part of every job. However, if a certain problem is pricking his conscience too much, he should quit the position right away.” A leader needs to differentiate between the problems that require his attention and ones that do not. Peshawaria adds, “An individual with a clear purpose can measure the conflicting situation in view of his larger scheme of things and come out with a solution.” Winning Situations Many a times, a leader faces conflicting viewpoints. Instead of running away from the problem, a leader should confront it. He says, “A leader should ask his people — Why do you really want what you want? He should then ask himself the same question. He/she will then be able to conside both perspectives. A leader should create a solution where both the parties can eventually win.” Task at hand Leadership is a lot like parenting. If one accidentally becomes a parent, it will make his/her life as well as the life of his child miserable, but the role is chosen after careful deliberation, it will become one of the most wonderful experiences in the world for him/her. The same stands true of a leader. -Mumbai Mirror