Learning from one CMs Leadersip

Disclaimer:
This blog is mainly intended to draw similarities between how to be successful in corporate and is there anything we can learn from one person. This does not mean any other intention or thought. Please treat and read this as a case study like than anything else..

I do not have any political affiliations and I do not endorse any party but I am totally impressed the way one CM is functioning in the state here. For a few years we are experiencing a unfamiliar situation in the state after 9 years rule that put AP on map and another 6 plus years that was also quite good...(stable government) what ever people say...one year after a leader passed away...the state was in quite disturbed condition as if we did have a head of the state in place. Then comes this unknown person as had of a great the state.  When he took over many including me felt will he be able to bring a change? Today after the latest news article (http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kiran-kumar-reddy-not-ready-to-tow-congress-line-telangana-bifurcate-andhra-pradesh-india-today/1/291072.html ), I decided to write this blog about his leadership style looking more like corporate re-structuring and consolidating...

THE DECISION:

The gentleman who is a sportsman, seen everyday in KBR takes office as a real surprise candidate to head the state. Many people started talking, how, why, where and when sort of questions... Still he probably worked under the hood; a lot of relation building, a lot of strategy how and when to make the move, and finally staying in the good books of power center. With all his efforts he was made a choice by the center to head the state. THE DECISION was made.

One scene that comes into my mind when CM candidate name was announced is from Disclosure. Towards the end of the movie, after everything is settled Garvin (Donald Southerland) will have to make an announcement of corporate decision on to who will head the company (DegiCom) in Seattle. Every one roots and thinks the guy who went thru all crap Tom Sanders (Micheal Douglass) will be made head to lead. However Garvin announces that Stephanie Kaplan (Rosemary Forsyth) to head the group. This announcement was also came as a surprise to many of Sanders freinds in the movie. However they do not show in the movie how she performed but we see our CM doing good job.

In corporate one thing I learnt is that as you grow higher in the ladder, you need to be connected to some one  that believes in you, trusts you, and makes you take the position. For this you need to do same relation building, staying on radar of the senior people heading the organization and keeping them informed of your capability. If you want to be successful in corporate you need to be aligned to your leaders and not opposing them at every turn. They will make a decision at right time

THE SITUATION:

When he took office there were problems galore; there were cabinet colleagues who did not like him,the people who are planning to get a small state were making noise, he did not have many trusted people whom he can confide in, a deputy that was not playing game with him, state of affairs in much disarray and finally he was alone (to some extent) at top. He resolved all of them slowly with an excellent strategy. I do not know who are his inner circle (like many others) who advise him, mentors him, coaches him but I have to admit they are really good. He got most of his cabinet colleagues gain his confidence and play with him, he is working well despite differences with his first lieutenant, he probably earned more trust from THE POWER Center in Delhi, he might have still having his core group to advice and mentor and finally the did a great job and consolidated his position at last taking a great stand with supporting numbers and data on his view of creating small states.

Usually when there is leadership changes in corporate also similar situation arises; some people that are passed for your position may not like you, there may be a lot of issues in the group or team that needs your attention to resolve, people not liking you for your group (empire) becoming big and might want to divide (small state), and you are alone when you step into the shoes. Not knowing how the CM consolidated his position I can not give any GYAN but definitely I see a lot of similarity in successful leaders from journey.

When you see the situation today it is more better than what it was some time back. Less bandhs (Bandh is a call for non-violent form of protest that happens a lot in India to protest about a problem). There are still a few major issues that needs addressing such as the water shortage, power shortage and price hike but that is for a different blog and different time as that needs long term planning.

THE OUTCOME:
Today if I have to measure how he performed for these two plus years, I would say he has done a decent job. A teacher in me would definitely grade him as a B plus though not A yet. I have my reason why I feel he deserves a B plus:

• He successfully stabilized the state to a large extent. I would never have written anything similar to this if I did not read the article I quoted in top section.
• He streamlined his team. He even stood and fought for some of his colleagues despite not having confidence in their loyalty to him.
• He took a stand so strong knowing his job could be at risk. This is key for any corporate leader as sometimes you just have to stand up to what you believe. I see very few such leaders in corporate today
• He stole the show pretty much in Delhi knowing the other two presenters might not like what he said with facts and figures. If India Today featured an article that is something. I only wish the headline read more like "CM did a good job" than giving any color to it.
• Most of the points he made in the presentation are so true: one that I can think of is about increasing security issues is a fact proven with other small states.

In the corporate world I see many just following the orders than questioning them. A corporate leader also sometimes must take a stand against his wishes and under the sword hanging on his neck to stand up and make his mind clear.. To quote an example that was shared in a management training course when I was working is: when the entire senior most leadership are having an off site with CEO, one Vice President completely changed the train of thought by asking one question that " Why are we not looking at how to retain the customers in long run than worrying about products that help customers" which changed the corporate strategy and the company became customer friendly now than charging for a call you put in for support :). 

We need more leaders like our CM in corporate and we need more leaders like the Vice President in our politics . The Game Changers..