Sharing of experience-based leadership traits is something relatively new. While management experts have drawn up such templates, it is even more constructive to hear it from CEOs who have carved a niche for themselves. This is where Roopa Kudva’s thoughts become relevant as she looks beyond the playbook. Based on her own experiences in the corporate world, the book, Leadership Beyond the Playbook, is quite remarkable. She makes it clear that not everything that a person does at the top will be liked by everyone and nor will every strategy succeed.
The aim should be to put in one’s best and get everyone involved and, more importantly, treat people with empathy. There are separate chapters for various aspects which come into play when leading an organisation. This includes questions such as dealing with stakeholders, communication, conundrums faced while doing the job and so on. It ends with what she calls a leadership manifesto, which sort of summarises the recipe that needs to be followed, before a playbook kit is presented.
Leading with Authenticity
A very interesting chapter is on women shaping their leadership paths. One should not be hesitant to ask for leadership roles and not wait to be given one. She believes that the world needs more women to lead organisations, not just for the sake of diversity but also because they bring perspectives and insights that are very different from that of men, which helps in building organisations. She gives her own example here, which is quite inspiring as women normally tend to hold back for various reasons. This, of course, is challenging as we do not see too many women at the top in India Inc if one looks beyond owner-driven companies.
Another lesson that will appeal to the reader is the one on communication, because often the absence of it creates problems down the organisation. This holds for any gender where one needs to introspect if people really understand what is said in meetings. More often one needs to have various business heads align with the leader for strategies to work. This is a skill which one rarely pays attention to and seldom does one accept that there is something lacking. This needs to also stretch to other stakeholders, including customers, Board members and shareholders.
There is also a chapter on conundrums which leaders face that they may not be aware of but should ruminate over when using the toolkit at the end of the book. Let us look at some of them. One may not be good at everything one does and there is nothing amiss here. The idea is to get the right people and groom them to achieve objectives. Similarly, making mistakes or being in charge of failed plans is alright. Acknowledging this and course correcting is something which is appreciated rather than deluding one into believing that nothing is wrong. This can hurt the company. At the level of people, it can be hard to make them accountable. This is where conversations are important so that people do not feel demotivated.
Resilience and Responsibility
Kudva again uses her own case study to put forth the view that resilience is a quality very much required in a professional career. This holds at three levels which can be the main takeaway. First at the personal level, where one must have an open mind and commitment. The second is when talking of teams where open communication and shared purpose is necessary to build resilience. And last, is at the level of organisations where one needs to have a vision and tailor short-term strategies to the achievement of this goal.
She also highlights that not all parts of the role may be enjoyable but then it is a package deal. The jobs may involve dealing with bureaucrats which can place several hurdles. In fact, anyone who has dealt with them will fully agree with her here as the experiences can be humbling. The same is the case when dealing with regulators where one needs to know how to communicate and behave as these are part of the responsibilities of leaders.
Now how should one look at these interactions? These are essential responsibilities that have to be fulfilled and have to be seen in the context of the larger picture. In a way these are part of the tradeoffs that go with the role.
Quite interestingly, she has a chapter on what she calls ‘a shift in perspective: from business to social impact’. While the author has been involved personally in a company making such impact, it is also something which every leader should be cognisant of and work towards making a difference. Several mid-career professionals as well as those on top are progressively also thinking a lot on making a social impact, with the government’s CSR mandate being one of the triggers.
This is when one can sit back and look at the deeper purpose of working. This is an emerging trend where one is able to put commercial motivation aside, but use the experiences in one’s career to better use.
The book is appealing because it is real and pragmatic. It does not pontificate but guides quite evenly. One normally sees corporate leaders as some kind of deities and there is perfection expected. In fact, the picture or aura that is built around them is that they can do no wrong and are epitomes of perfection. This, Kudva says, is not true nor necessary. The important thing is to recognise shortcomings, if one were to call them, and course-correct.
Madan Sabnavis is chief economist, Bank of Baroda
ends
Leadership Beyond the Playbook: Craft Your Own Path. Lead with Impact
Roopa Kudva
Penguin Random House
Pp 253, Rs 599
