M S DHONI: Lessons in Leadership
Last evening, India and Sri Lanka were
playing a one-day cricket match in what has been termed the most boring,
one-sided series ever. I read a tweet by Harsha Bhogle that there had been a
dramatic collapse with India losing six wickets for 22 runs, to be at 131/7
chasing a target of 231. Then I read another tweet that mentioned M S Dhoni
(MSD) was batting. It felt nostalgic: MSD fighting to help India win after the top
order had collapsed. I turned the TV on, just to watch MSD bat. And was I glad!
(By the way, India won comfortably.)
MSD is amongst the best leaders that I
have seen. He is a natural
leader, someone whom I would put at the top Pinnacle
level of leadership. Such leaders don't depend on titles or
hierarchy; they inspire others based on who they are and what they stand for.
Two things stood out in the way MSD led the Indian team to victory last night.
First, MSD showed tremendous trust in
his partner.
Normally, it is expected that a leading
batsman like MSD would avoid exposing a tail-ender like Bhuvaneshwar Kumar to
too many deliveries. Yet, we could see MSD taking a run in the first or second
ball of the over, thus setting up Bhuvi to face 4-5 balls. I was initially
perplexed why Dhoni would do that instead of waiting to score a 4 or 6, and
take a run on the last ball.
But it was clear that there was no
sense of panic or urgency in MSD's actions. He had a clear game-plan. 100 runs
had to be scored and there was enough time if they played sensibly. No flashy
shots, just rotate the strike whenever there was an opportunity. Wear the other
side down. This approach also meant that Bhuvi would have to take strike often.
So, right from the start, he put this plan to execution, instead of trying to
"defend" Bhuvi. Essentially, he was signalling to Bhuvi that he
considered him capable enough of doing his part. When your leader demonstrates
such trust, you feel motivated to live up to expectations. And that's exactly
what Bhuvi did.
Second, MSD was prepared to play second
fiddle.
Soon, Bhuvi gained confidence and began
striking the ball well. MSD realised that his plan was working. As the innings
progressed, we could see that not only did Bhuvi's score improve, but he also
surpassed Dhoni. The latter continued to execute the plan, rotating the strike.
It was only natural to expect that if
100 had to be scored, Dhoni would get at least 75-80 and Bhuvi would contribute
by not losing his wicket. Perhaps, a few years ago, that's exactly what would
have happened. Who could have anticipated that Bhuvi would score 52 of the 100
runs and Dhoni only 38? (There were 10 extras.) A leader like
MSD is not afraid to see others shine; in fact, they ensure that others become
good enough to even eclipse them. A great leader creates new leaders. Of
course, if Bhuvi had not stepped up to the task, I am sure MSD would have had a
fall-back plan. Fortunately, that occasion did not arise.
We are possibly seeing the last few
official games that MSD would play. However, a leader like Dhoni will not just
fade away; I hope that he continues to influence and inspire us, in various new
roles.
Srinivasa Addepalli
Founder, GlobalGyan; Teacher; Learner
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