Session 1 – January 20, 2023
The first session was about The Why of leadership. But before that we got certain common doubts out of the way. Such as - is leadership important at all?
It is – because good leadership has an of impact of more than 50% on the team results.
Ok, in that case, can leadership be taught? – Yes, but it is normally not taught, people are just pushed into the role to figure it out by themselves.
Because of lack of leadership training leaders evolve on their own – from insecure leaders to personal leaders to secure leaders. But most remain insecure leaders. Which is very inefficient for the system.
Are we leaders? Can we train ourselves to be better leaders? Yes, was the answer.
Ok, here's my definition of leading - leading is the way we influence others by the way we are leading our life. So, how many people are we influencing now?
We did an exercise – 1) write how many people are you influencing positively by the way you are leading your life right now? and how many more people can you influence by your actions and words?
Another definition of leadership – someone who holds the team’s energies.
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A leader must know his team intimately. Anyone who wants to influence another person can do so if he knows that much more about them. So we did an exercise - we did the Timpson's test and modified it some more. To know each other better.It was a fun activity.
I introduced my secret code to understand ‘leadership’ – why, how, what and who. If you have a fair sense of these four aspects, you have the basics in place to make a positive impact as a good leader.\ So let's get started with why.
Leadership Lesson 1 - The WHY
We watched Simon Sinek's TEDx talk 'Start with Why' on YouTube about the golden circle (Why, How, What). Then we discussed it. After which they wrote - what is your vision for yourself, for your team, your family. What is the purpose, the impact you can create. Why am I doing what I am doing - what is the biggest possibility I can create from this activity?
Looking at the WHY brings ownership, brings you into the equation. Also once you can identify a clear WHY it helps you build better strategy, team, culture
WHY sets the tone for everything to follow.
As the leader you must set the tone for the team. Give them direction, guidance, tell the story. get everyone to buy into something bigger than themselves. Look at the biggest possibility, give the team something big to aim for, a goal that makes them feel good.
If it succeeds, glory. If it fails, the leader takes the blame. The ‘why’ makes us think, makes us give our 100%, makes us find the best way to do anything. Ideally we can set your company vision as a group but lets try a draft vision. You can set it for your teams, for yourself
Why – company, team, self – professionally, personally (big, enthusiastic, present tense).
Knowing the WHY or having a vision is the first part of being a leader. In anything you do, ask - why are I doing this?
Session 2 – January 27, 2023
This session was about the HOW.
I introduced my secret code to understand ‘leadership’ – why, how, what and who. If you have a fair sense of these four aspects, you have the basics in place to make a positive impact as a good leader.\ So let's get started with why.
Leadership Lesson 1 - The WHY
We watched Simon Sinek's TEDx talk 'Start with Why' on YouTube about the golden circle (Why, How, What). Then we discussed it. After which they wrote - what is your vision for yourself, for your team, your family. What is the purpose, the impact you can create. Why am I doing what I am doing - what is the biggest possibility I can create from this activity?
Looking at the WHY brings ownership, brings you into the equation. Also once you can identify a clear WHY it helps you build better strategy, team, culture
WHY sets the tone for everything to follow.
As the leader you must set the tone for the team. Give them direction, guidance, tell the story. get everyone to buy into something bigger than themselves. Look at the biggest possibility, give the team something big to aim for, a goal that makes them feel good.
If it succeeds, glory. If it fails, the leader takes the blame. The ‘why’ makes us think, makes us give our 100%, makes us find the best way to do anything. Ideally we can set your company vision as a group but lets try a draft vision. You can set it for your teams, for yourself
Why – company, team, self – professionally, personally (big, enthusiastic, present tense).
Knowing the WHY or having a vision is the first part of being a leader. In anything you do, ask - why are I doing this?
Session 2 – January 27, 2023
This session was about the HOW.
HOW is about Values and Processes.
We identified values that will help us achieve our goal. Values are important because they drive to behaviors. Behaviors when consistent, lead to culture.
We defined values. Values can be used as a tool to solve all our behavioral problems. Values make decision making easy. We must build stories around them. Enforce and encourage right values to build culture.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
What are your values?
Examples - Disney had a value of making people happy. It gives them a clear strategy, tells everyone how to behave
A cricket team has a WHY of winning - values that help the team win could be discipline, honesty, communication, fearlessness, taking no backward step, celebrating each others success, supporting one another
What are the values we are practicing (as seen from our behaviors)?
What are the values that are most important to us to achieve our vision?
What is needed to bring about this change?
Capture stories, Mahindra holidays.
Our behaviors get us results, not plans or strategies. Use VALUES as a tool to fix behavioral problems i.e. for every single behavioral problem look at values for a solution. You can build a winning culture.
Processes -10x (use all resources)
I shared my 158 story and then we played the 10x Ball game. 10x is about using all our resources to achieve our priority 10x goals. About stopping doing things that get in the way of using all our resources and doing things that help us use all our resources.
10 x is not about doing WORK. It is about creating IMPACT.
As a leader you must know how to use values, how to create 10x results.
Examples - Disney had a value of making people happy. It gives them a clear strategy, tells everyone how to behave
A cricket team has a WHY of winning - values that help the team win could be discipline, honesty, communication, fearlessness, taking no backward step, celebrating each others success, supporting one another
What are the values we are practicing (as seen from our behaviors)?
What are the values that are most important to us to achieve our vision?
What is needed to bring about this change?
Capture stories, Mahindra holidays.
Our behaviors get us results, not plans or strategies. Use VALUES as a tool to fix behavioral problems i.e. for every single behavioral problem look at values for a solution. You can build a winning culture.
Processes -10x (use all resources)
I shared my 158 story and then we played the 10x Ball game. 10x is about using all our resources to achieve our priority 10x goals. About stopping doing things that get in the way of using all our resources and doing things that help us use all our resources.
10 x is not about doing WORK. It is about creating IMPACT.
As a leader you must know how to use values, how to create 10x results.
Session 3 – February 3, 2023
Session 3 was about the WHAT - the goals.
Session 3 was about the WHAT - the goals.
To set goals use the SMART Goals format – SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REASONABLE, TIME BOUND
Every goal must be SMART.
Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. Eg: A general goal would be, “Lose weight.” But a specific goal would be, “Lose 3 kgs in 45 days.” “
Measurable – What cannot be measured cannot be improved. Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. (Questions – What are the milestones? How will I know when it is accomplished?)
Attainable – It has to be attainable – not beyond your belief system. It must not be too easy that you are not motivated, nor too hard that you give up. It must challenge you.
Realistic- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force.
Timely – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency.
We did a group exercise.Teams were formed and were asked to set goals for Panzer over a 20 year period, starting with 20 years and coming back. Goals were about revenue, number of employees etc. 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, 2 years and 6 months. They did a great job.
Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. Eg: A general goal would be, “Lose weight.” But a specific goal would be, “Lose 3 kgs in 45 days.” “
Measurable – What cannot be measured cannot be improved. Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. (Questions – What are the milestones? How will I know when it is accomplished?)
Attainable – It has to be attainable – not beyond your belief system. It must not be too easy that you are not motivated, nor too hard that you give up. It must challenge you.
Realistic- To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A high goal is frequently easier to reach than a low one because a low goal exerts low motivational force.
Timely – A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it there’s no sense of urgency.
We did a group exercise.Teams were formed and were asked to set goals for Panzer over a 20 year period, starting with 20 years and coming back. Goals were about revenue, number of employees etc. 20 years, 10 years, 5 years, 2 years and 6 months. They did a great job.
Each of them were also asked to set personal goals in a SMART format for critical areas such as - Career/ Relationships / Finances / Material belongings / Health / Spiritual growth
Goals should 1) enable the next level goal and 2) must be aligned to your long term goals i.e. they should not be in too diverse fields.
To do: Make a chart or a PPT with your goals with attractive visuals, numbers, names to keep you motivated. Keep looking at your chart/ppt every now and then and refine. Act on your goals consistently.
Goals should 1) enable the next level goal and 2) must be aligned to your long term goals i.e. they should not be in too diverse fields.
To do: Make a chart or a PPT with your goals with attractive visuals, numbers, names to keep you motivated. Keep looking at your chart/ppt every now and then and refine. Act on your goals consistently.
Interesting numbers - on 20 year goals revenue ranged from 300 million to 6000 million, employees were at 30000 and clients at 10000. One one year it was at 600 million revenue, 1000 employees and 150 clients.
Session 4 – February 10, 2023
The WHO is about People management.
The only job of the leader is - to bring out the best in his team. To identify and push them to achieve their potential. Sometimes they do not know what they are capable of. They nneed process orientation. Encouragement. Feedback.
Leaders will do well to practice the of 3 As- Acknowledge, Appreciate, Ask for help (4 minutes of best behavior) to hone their people skills.
We did an exercise on Feedback management – I told them a story from Whale done, and then we did a role play on how to give feedback (immediate, not about person, tell what went wrong, how you felt, how it impacts, how one can improve, encouragement), when to give negative feedback, purpose of feedback, begin and end well (example – role play), take and give feedback
We did a role play on Conflict management – how to manage the energy in the situation, how to be aware of human reactions – how to make the other person comfortable/secure, equal, to communicate with them.
We did an energy exercise to show how a leader can have good energy in the team by setting the right context.
The only job of the leader is - to bring out the best in his team. To identify and push them to achieve their potential. Sometimes they do not know what they are capable of. They nneed process orientation. Encouragement. Feedback.
Leaders will do well to practice the of 3 As- Acknowledge, Appreciate, Ask for help (4 minutes of best behavior) to hone their people skills.
We did an exercise on Feedback management – I told them a story from Whale done, and then we did a role play on how to give feedback (immediate, not about person, tell what went wrong, how you felt, how it impacts, how one can improve, encouragement), when to give negative feedback, purpose of feedback, begin and end well (example – role play), take and give feedback
We did a role play on Conflict management – how to manage the energy in the situation, how to be aware of human reactions – how to make the other person comfortable/secure, equal, to communicate with them.
We did an energy exercise to show how a leader can have good energy in the team by setting the right context.
We recapped the four sessions – A good leader should know these four -
Why – big purpose, biggest possibility, vision
How – values (tools), Processes
What – Goals, Road map
Who – People skills
Tariq coordinated the effort. Vinay, Raees, Adil, Nizam, Satya, Santosh, Ashraf, Imran, Khaled, Ahmed, Azmath, Quaiser, Azher, Abhishek.
Got some good feedback. I enjoyed myself with the boys. They are a good enthusiastic lot. Eager to learn, We forgot to click a picture at the end.
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