CEO SPECIAL Leaders should always unlearn, relearn
SMOOTH
SEAS NEVER MAKE A SKILFUL SAILOR. GROOMING FOR LEADERSHIP IS ALSO A
FUNCTION OF EXPOSING INDIVIDUALS TO ALL KINDS OF CHALLENGES AND
SUFFICIENTLY EMPOWERING THEM
A
successful leader must lead by example, and must have an open mind
to listen to others, feels A Balasubramanian, the chief executive
officer of Birla Sun Life Asset Management Co. In an interview with
HT, he said that staying on top of the job is extremely critical in
a world of financial and economic uncertainties. Edited Excerpts:
How
do you define a leader?
A leader is someone who is able to visualise
the future for the organisation and lead the team in that direction.
What are key traits of a successful leader? A successful leader
leads by example. He has a deep sense of commitment to the
organisation and is passionate about building the future. Leading
from the front in the time of crises, a successful leader constantly
encourages his team to get their very best through his infectious
energy and unwavering optimism.
Lastly,
a very important quality about him is his ability to unlearn and
relearn continuously.
Can
leadership be learnt?
Yes. Leadership is something which can be
acquired through a combination of self-initiative, high-level of
passion, and commitment to build the organisation.
Having an open
mind to listen to the market and colleagues also gives a fair amount
of opportunity to learn, analyse and act suitably. How do you
identify and groom leaders?
Traits indicated above may help identify
potential leaders. Another key factor to look for would also be the
individual’s ability to delegate and get the job done.
Smooth
seas never make a skilful sailor. Grooming for leadership is also a
function of exposing individuals to all kinds of challenges and
sufficiently empowering them. Monitoring their mistakes and
providing them the guidance to overcome such mistakes is also
another way to groom leaders. Lastly, making people realise all the
time that as all five fingers are important, so is every individual
thereby emphasising on the strength of individuals.
India’s mutual
fund industry is crowded with companies, but very few people invest
in MFs. How can leadership drive business in such a scenario?
The MF
business offers a great opportunity for one simple reason that it
stills remains greatly under penetrated despite it’s over two
decades of existence (private sector). Leadership can inspire
confidence in stake holders to make the solutions and communication
simple so as to get more and more customers on board.
Leaders
need to be optimistic about this opportunity and stay committed to
keeping things simple to attract customers even through simple
solutions such as systematic investment plans (SIP). The world has
gone through a series of financial crises in the past few years.
What have been the key challenges as a leader?
During uncertainty
and challenges in the market, staying on top of the job is extremely
crucial. While managing risk has gained significance, proactive
planning on the basis of trend analyses has gained importance as
well, which helps mitigate quite a few of such concerns in the bud
so as to avoid bigger challenges. Therefore, a style towards
delivering balanced growth seems to be the right way.
Should a
leader always be held responsible for someone else’s mistakes?
It
is the question of taking the ownership and driving towards the
future. There are always enough opportunities to do a post-mortem,
however, it does not lead the organisation anywhere towards success.
What’s your one-line leadership mantra? Build trusted, cohesive,
empowered and a motivated team through a motivated self.
HT141009
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