Leadership Lessons 26 : Making Decisions

 Leadership Lessons 26

Making Decisions

Making a decision is making an informed choice and articulate in a precise manner to the key stakeholders. Communicating a decision in a timely manner is as important as making a decision.

Once PV Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India, was asked why he was not taking a decision. He famously said " Not taking a decision is also a decision "!

When not to take a decision too is a leadership judgement and choice.

In the context of managing an organization, or a business or government, the ability to make decisions are an elemental quality of both management and leadership.

In the context of management of any team or an organization, decisions are of four types :

Strategic decisions, management decisions, operational decisions and everyday practical decisions..

Each of these decisions will depend on the context, actors, resources, and consequence. Every decision requires an ability to understand and analyse those four aspects.

Strategic decisions are the decisions that affect a large number of people over a long period of time, with decisive impact in the making and shaping of the future.

Strategic decisions are required in making choices from the available options in initiating a new policy, project, institutions or amending or ending a policy or programs. Any strategic decision requires strategic analysis of the context (external and internal ),available resources, affected people, pros and cons, short term as well as long term consequences.

Strategic decisions require consultation with key stakeholders, seeking expert advice, excellent domain knowledge, assessing resources, exploring the best available options and seeking the most imaginative as well as feasible options.

Strategic options need to be taken after careful consideration and leadership judgement. Leadership judgement depends on the deep sense of values, convictions, intelligence, and ability to asses risks and making a choice with strategic analysis of all these.

In the context of an organization, all major decisions, and management decisions are based on policies, and systems of that organization. Policies and system of an organization are dependent up on laws of the land and the constitution of a country. Hence, all strategic and management decision need to be in consonance with policies and system of an organization and the laws of the country.

In any strategic decision in the government or an organization will have to consider seven questions

a). How much budget is required and where will the financial resources come from?

b) System has the capacity to deliver?

c) Who will deliver?

d) Is it in consonance with the laws /Constitution of the Land?

e) Is there a transparent system for follow up, reporting and accountability?

f) What are implications and consequences to various constituencies?

g) What are possible and unforeseen risk assessments and risk reduction.?

The most difficult decision making in life and organizations is the strategic decision as it affects the future of the person, organization, or that of a country.

Management decisions are usually made on the basis of the existing norms or systems and policing, resources, and people . Within the context of an organization, management decisions are taken by a senior management team, and in consultation with affected people.

In any staff related issues need to be in consultation with the staff or their representatives. The quality of an organization depnds on whether the organization has a transparent, predictable policies and systems that help to make quick and effective management decisions. Such systems and policies are important for delegating management decisions.

In the hierarchy of decision making, operational decisions are done by managers on the basis of resources, practical consideration and technical skills. A good organization will have SOP, a standard operating procedures and manual. Everyday decision are required in the day to day management and implementation of a project or program.

One of the most important qualities of confidant leadership is the ability to delegate decision making and ability to take timely decisions.

A confident leadership will nurture great leaders and managers at every level of an organization. A confident leader will provide space for other leaders and managers to demonstrate their talents, and creativity.

When each person will feel that is his /her own project, they give the best. A sense of ownership will enhance the capability and imagination.

Those with leadership quality will delegate, and ensure space for others to use their creativity. However leaders need to be around for trouble shooting and risk management. The most important quality for delegating decision making is the trust and confidence in your team. Those who trust her/his colleagues will not do micro management.

I will end the note with a personal experience of strategic decision making.

Tsunami Response and Sri Lankan Lessons

Tsunami happened on 26 December, 2004. It was a Sunday. I had a message about Tsunami around 11.30 am. I was the leader of an international organization. I had to quickly act. Within half an hour, I packed and took a taxi to an affected area in Alappad Panchayath, in Kerala .I got a first hand information about the extant of the devastation.

In the taxi, I did consult with all colleagues across the world, assessed the situation and knew that the impact was huge and unprecedented.

I had to take immediate strategic decisions regarding the impact, budget, team and strategy in several countries. This required taking to all stakeholders at every level and who would do what in each of the affected country. We simply didn't have a system to cope up with. Neither we had a SOP. This was also the case of the governments in different countries. Tsunami was new and unprecedented international devastating disaster.

In an emergency or a crisis, you simply don't have the luxury of time. One has to think on the feet, make quick assessments and take cautious decision, in consultation with all, with a sense of future scenarios and risks.

When I was at Trivandrum airport, I received a call from Sri Lanka. The person on the other end was the Advisor to then then Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksha. I knew them both and advisor has been a close friend. The situation in Sri Lanka was devastating. They desperately needed support. However, our organization didn't work in Sri Lanka. I simply could not take decision as it had to be the decision of the international board.

I had to make quick assessment, write to all senior international colleagues and at the end of few hours, they approved a mere 50 K USD. I had to find someone immediately to go to Sri Lanka and delegated a trustworthy person (now an internationally well known disaster response expert ).

I too flew to Colombo. I joined the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in a helicopter to take an areal assessment. And after visiting the affected area in Humbanthotta, realized how unbelievable was the devastation.

I came back to Colombo and announced a five million dollar support. The fact of the matter was I got approval for fifty thousand and I end up announcing 100 times more. Of course it was a huge risk as we didn't have allocation or resources in the Bank. My colleagues who trusted my judgement was also very anxious. If the money didn't come, it would have been a management disaster.

However, my leadership judgement and strategic decision was correct. As I predicted there was huge international support and funds. The rest is history . If I remember correctly our organization spent more than 60.Million US Dollors.

Our Sri Lanka Tsunami response team truly became international. Many of them are now excellent international leaders and professionals. One is leading the global network on Disaster Management. Others have emerged as leaders and managers.(Many of them may even be reading this

Sri Lanka taught me a lots of leadership lessons in crisis management, nurturing new leaders and learning from all of them. Hence, it is still one of my favorite counties with lots of friends.

JS Adoor

To be continued

Leadership Lessons 27 : Conflict management : Sama, Dana, Bheda, Dandha

 Leadership Lessons 27

Conflict management : Sama, Dana, Bheda, Dandha

Wherever there are human beings, there are different opinions, perspectives, expectations and attitudes. These difference and diverse ways of looking at an issue or world on the one hand is the source of creativity and on the other hand the reason for conflicts.

In leadership and management roles conflicts arise due to different reasons. Usually there are eight different kinds of conflicts.

1) Conflicts due to competing interests between two individuals or a group of individual.

2)Conflicts due opposing political and social approach and perspectives.

3) Conflicts due to competing egos of individuals and leaders with their interest groups

4) Conflicts due to competing claims and maneuvering for leadership positions of power.

5) Conflicts due to the protection of the integrity and sustenance of institutions, organizations and a country.

6)Conflict over resources, property, territory, legacy and legitimacy.

7)Conflicts due to violation of the laws, policies, system or rules of an organization or a country

8) Conflicts due to total incompatibility of attitudes, behavior and competing expectations

There could be many more kinds of conflicts as human beings are prone to a large spectrum of small and bigger conflicts

One has to make a difference between differences of opinions and conflicts. Differing opinions and perspectives can be a source of innovation, creative thinking and democratic modes of leadership.

Hence those with excellent leadership listens to multiple opinions and perspectives, including criticism with a positive approach. Such different perspective and criticism often help those with leadership qualities to do self reflection and take adaptive and corrective measure.

Multiple kinds of intolerance to a person or a group, or institution is the beginning of all conflicts. Conflicts arose due to highly competing interests among individuals, institutions and identities.

One of the major reasons of conflicts is entrenched prejudices against a person or an organization due to social /cultural /identity reasons. These prejudices often grow into intolerance, hatred and consequently violence in the mind, words and deeds.

How do we manage conflicts.

I Prevention is better than cure

The best approach is to do proactive approach to potential conflicts and risks.

This requires an ability to sense early warning and take a mitigation approach in advance.

In the organisational context, it is important to keep your ears close to the ground and understand multiple interests and dynamics at various levels of an organisation. This requires constant interaction with people at different levels and understand brewing issues. It is also important to develop smart formal and informal feedback system.

However, there is a danger where interest groups within an organization can co-opt a leader by giving in wrong feedback and use leaders to strike their enemies.

Hence, a detached and unbiased leadership judgement is required to solve a problem before it becomes a discontent and then a lager wound of conflicts.

A proactive approach would foresee a problem and solve them in an effective and efficient manner by taking all stakeholders in to confidence.

A very good organisation will have clear systems and policies that prevent possible conflicts of interest or arbitrary decisions. For example, it there is a staff consultative forum or grievance committee, many issue will be solved immediately.

Often arbitrary decisions and non consultative leadership approach is a recipe for potential conflict. Avoiding such egocentric leadership approach is a preventive measure.

II . Preemptive Approach

In an organisational context, there are different kinds of people with multiple interests, perspectives and multiple kinds of prejudices (social, cultural or individual ). There are also those who do multiple posturing.. Many may praise you and constantly undermine from behind. Many may use information for their interest.

A bad apple can often spoil the whole organization. One or two, spreading only negative energy could spread the discontent.

Hence it is important to analyze the causes, content and possible consequences. A clear organizational and individual diagnosis are important. With such a clarity, there are number of ways to do preemptive measures.

In my leadership experience and leadership roles, I had to take preemptive approach to remove those who would nurture negative energy and conflicts.

Preemptive approach too is a preventive strategy with the long term interest of an organization.

III. Arbitration approach

When there is conflict between two teams, two managers, two interest /identity groups, or two leaders, it is important to take a nonpartisan detached approach.

Depending on the nature and character of conflicts, ensure there is at least three unbiased people in the team to resolve and manage conflict. When such conflict management teams are formed, ensure diversity including gender diversity. In a big organization, it is not necessary for the top leader to be in such committees

In such a context, it is important to give a patient hearing to each party. Just listening every single points without giving your opinion or response is pertinent. Listening carefully multiple perspective even within a group too matters.

Only after listening to each group, analyse the causes of discontent, nature of conflicts, extend of personal /professional prejudices, intolerance and biases.

Only after one or two rounds of consultation, a consensus formula could be negotiated.

It is of immense importance to be respectful and responsible to each of the party. Confidentiality is a very cardinal aspect of conflict resolution.

Immense patience and understanding of human psychology are key to solving conflicts. Listening skills and empathy are important qualities.

III Negotiations

Whenever there is a conflict of competing interests, negotiations skills make a big difference. This too requires an understanding of the person /persons, potential intentions and interests, risk factors, possible traps and a detached analysis.

Negotiations are easier said than done. Because in many negotiations, the most difficult issue is the trust deficit between two parties.

Negotiations require confidence building measures between two conflicting parties. It also requires a sincere and honest efforts to avoid further erosion of trust. Lack of mutual trust often leads to real or imagined personal prejudices, base less allegations and potential violence.

Hence negotiations require a very careful, caring, and empathic approach with immense patients and listening skills.

In any negotiations, it is important to have clarity of what to give away and what are the non negotiable.

IV Time is a healer

In some kind of conflicts, the best thing is to not jump in to a conflicts when there is so much of tensions. When there is so much acrimonious tension and distrust, it is important to find ways to give time so that each of the parties get mellowed down

Time is a very good healer. I have often found that two people or teams got in to acrimonious conflict begin to smiles at each other after a while. Sometimes throwing a party and making everyone laugh would become an icebreaker. When tensions are less, one can provide safe space for them to negotiate their own way.

In the organisational context, it is important to have excellent retreat with lots of fun and joy where everyone can be detached from organizational or professional tensions

V. Personal Attacks and professional rivalries

In leadership roles and positions of power, it will be natural get bouquets and bricks. There will be those are opposed to you due to professional, political or personal prejudices or grudge. This always happen in one or other way. Sometimes benign attack and sometimes malignant and malicious.

This is where the leadership mettle is tested. Three important qualities are important : a) Not to react immediately b). Analyze clearly all stakeholders including opponents and fence sitters c) Understand arguments carefully d) Ensure a detached approach e) Ensure resilience of mind and body e) Have genuine friends to share your concerns and fear and get their advice and support.

All this is much better said than done.. When I began my leadership journey, I had few leadership councilors and leadership coach. They helped me a lots. One of the leadership lessons was about anger management

I used to be a very angry young man with less patience. My leadership councilor gave a good advice :

" Whenever you feel the anger, go to the toilet and wash the face, take few deep breaths and if possible go for a walk. Never ever react when you are angry and not in charge of your mind or emotions."

I meticulously followed this advice in my professional life. However, three times I lost it and later on felt very bad. In all those three times, I did self reflect and apologized profusely. But the point is when you are angry, you not only harm others with your words but eventually harm your own image and interest.

Leadership is often a lonely role .At the top of an organization you are often alone and lonely. You also the centre of attention. Due to that very role, everything you say or do will be scrutinized. And at the most crucial time, people you expected to defend you become silent.

Those difficult times, a travel or journey with friends will help to heal. A sense of meditation, your deep faith, your internal resources and conviction help to make a protective cover

Strategic conflict management is topic for a book. It requires multiple levels of analysis, strategic planning, war games and much more.

Usually I follow the ' forget and forgive' approach. This also involves do no harm. anyone deliberately. I have tried my best to ensure that I didn't harm anyone. That is important for your own peace and happiness.

I did face conflict and handled conflicts.

I often followed the Indian four phased approach : Sama, Dana, Bheda, Dhanda

Few times I had to do the last resort when there was corruption, conflict of interest and larger interest of the organization. It was not easy. But once I decided I did act and never regretted.

JS Adoor

To. Be continued

Leadership Lessons 28 : Managing the Challenges and Risks

 Leadership Lessons 28

Managing the Challenges and Risks

Challenges are always around the corner. Challenges and risks come in life and organizations in different forms. Sometimes quite suddenly and often derail our plans.

There are challenges and risks that test our mettle as a person, as a manager and as a leader. How do we understand and address such challenges that make or unmake people, managers and leaders.

None of us knew 2020 would be an year of an unprecedented challenge. No one thought a little virus could derail economies, jobs, and individual or institutional plans.

Challenges could become a crisis or an opportunity, depending on the way we handle them . This too requires an approach of self reflection and thoughtful response.

There are challenges in our control and there are challenges beyond our control. Covid 19 was a challenge beyond our control.

So one had four options. a ). Get anxious and worried b) Retrieve and change your plans c) Stay calm and simply wait .d) Try to make the best out of a challenging context

I chose the last two approaches. I was always looking for a real retreat where mind can be totally free, devoid of any anxiety and enjoy every moment. Hence, Covid 19 provided a new opportunity and a reflective and even spiritual retreat. My own thinking process to changed.

Happiness is a choice. If you only choose to be happy, you can be happy. It also requires a sense of optimism and peace of mind. Smiling at Life and other human beings can make you a bit more happy

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

One of the first leadership lessons I learned in life is that getting worried or anxious would not solve any problem. Getting worried and anxious often not only complicate a problem but also steal your happiness and peace of mind.

Resilience is an important leadership quality. Resilience is a state of mind to face and handle difficult situations in an effective way, without a sense of hurt. One of the core aspects is a detached mind to reflect and respond effectively. Resilience doesn't happen overnight.

A meditative mind with internal sources of faith, convictions , commitment and persistence prevails in the midst of challenges

How do we handle challenges?

1) Diagnosis

Understanding and analysis of a challenge is the first step. This would give a sense about the nature, character and extent of the challenge.

2. Collective Thinking

In an organizational context, it is important to have leadership team thinking collectively to understand and analyze a challenge. Challenges are bigger than a problem.

Challenges can potentially create multiple risks and turn in to a crisis. Challenges and risks reinforce each other.

Hence a diagnostic approach based on information, possible evidence and possible response options are pertinent.

3) Multi -Dimensional Analysis :

The way we see a challenge matters. Many of the challenge may have a multi -dimensional character. Depending on the lens, the challenge may look different from different point of view.

Hence it is important to analyze a challenge, using multiple lenses from multiple angle. This actually may not only give you a comprehensive understand based on multiple sources of information and analysis, but also point hidden opportunities and solution within a challenging situation.

4) Creative Thinking and Innovations.

This is what often helps people to think 'out of the box' and transforming a challenge in an opportunity. And making it a trigger for change and seeking help from unexpected people. Exploring options you never planned and charting out new and exciting pathway to future.

5).Winning People

:Leadership is not about solo music. However you are smart, transforming a challenge in to an opportunity requires an inspired and empowered tean with collective will to transfom a challenge. They need to have a sense of direction, results and impact and a contagious enthusiasm to move together to reach there.

Challenges and Risk are always around in an organizational context or in any start up initiatives. Hence it important to have a proactive approach to potential challenges, risks and threat..

A good organization or a project needs a risk assessment matrix. Risk can be high, medium or low. Depending on the risks, nature of challenge varies.

A monthly risk assessments and clear and strategic risk reduction approach helps to avoid or manage risks before they trun into a risk or challenge

Learning from Experience

I had several occasions to face challenges. Once I proposed a rather big global forum to a rather small team. It was beyond their comfort zone, or the way they got used to. There was less money and not an enthusiastic team.. Though I convinced the organizational leadership team, my team didn't want to do something big. Many supported and then undermined from the back end. Many opposed. Few supported.

This became a challenge. Because if there is no' buy in ' within an organization, it could be a challenge. And challenge could turn in to a crisis and even a disaster.

Risk averse people, simply want to survive in an organization, will only operate doing the basic minimum to survive and making bosses in good humor. In any organization large number of people belong to this category where they primarily want a job and salary. Hence they are simply the 'maintenance type' who prefer incremental approach.

I had an option to be risk averse and simply in the comfort zone. Doing business as usual. But then life would be simply a boring routine of predictability.

So took the challenge. The first thing was to slowly win over the team.. This involved assuring that there would be no huge burden of expectations from each of them. And addressing some of their anxiety too helped. Scaled down the ambition and budget and do a modest event. Then broke down huge impossible looking ambitions in to small doable tasks and I had to take up the responsibility to do more challenging tasks.

Of course in my mind the ambition and the scale of the program persisted. Hence, adopted a bit of creative thinking and a plan B and Plan C for resource mobilization and drawing on alternative options.

In the end Plan A, B and C were combined and we did organize something that looked impossible challenge a few months ago. And when it happen, give credit to your colleagues who in the first place opposed you. That makes all the difference!

Challenges are often the trigger for new imagination and innovations and help transform ourselves and organizations.

So instead of avoiding challenges, embrace challenges and turn them around to discover opportunity that we never thought of.

Being realistically ambitious and, then meeting challenges and managing risk are important indicators of good leadership. It is possible.

JS Adoor

To be continued

കേരളത്തിൽ വിവേകാനന്ദൻ വന്നാൽ ഇപ്പോൾ എന്ത് പറയും.?

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പലപ്പോഴും പലർക്കും കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ ബാധ തലക്ക് പിടിച്ചു അതിനു അപ്പുറമുള്ളതിനെയെല്ലാം വെറുപ്പോടെ കാണുന്ന സ്ഥിതിയിലെക്കാണ് കാര്യങ്ങൾ.

കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ തിമിരം മൂത്ത് പലരും അടിസ്ഥാന പരസ്പര ബഹുമാനമില്ലതെയാണ് സാമൂഹിക മാധ്യമങ്ങളിൽ വാക്കുകൾ കൊണ്ട് വ്യത്യസ്ത അഭിപ്രായങ്ങൾ ഉള്ളവരെ ആക്രമിക്കുന്നത്.

അതിൽ തന്നെ ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതൽ വാക്കുകളാൽ ആക്രമിക്കപ്പെടുന്നത് സ്ത്രീകൾ.

എല്ലാവർക്കും രാഷ്ട്രീയ വിചാരങ്ങളും കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ ആഭിമുഖ്യങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടാകും. അതു ഒരു പ്രശ്നം അല്ല. പക്ഷെ അതു തലക്ക് പിടിച്ചു ഒരൊറ്റ ലെൻസിൽ കൂടെ മാത്രം എല്ലാം കാണുമ്പോഴാണ് പ്രശ്നം.

സാമൂഹിക മാധ്യമങ്ങളിൽ കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ പോർ വിളികൾ കൊണ്ട് സത്യത്തിൽ ഏതെങ്കിലും രാഷ്ട്രീയ പാർട്ടികൾക്ക് എന്തെങ്കിലും പ്രയോജനമുണ്ടോയെന്ന് സംശയമാണ് . പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് പരസ്പരം ചെളി വാരി എറിയുന്ന സാമൂഹിക മാധ്യമ ചേരിതിരിവുകൾ.വോട്ട് കുറയാനാണ് സാധ്യത.

പലപ്പോഴും അതാതു കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ പ്രോപഗണ്ട /കാപ്സ്യൂൾ പോസ്റ്റുകൾക്കു ലൈക്ക് അടിച്ചു, പ്രതികരിക്കുന്നത് അവരുടെ സമൂഹ മാധ്യമ പോരാളികൾ മാത്രമാണ്. .An incestuous echo chamber

പലപ്പോഴും അങ്ങനെയുള്ള നെഗറ്റീവ് കമ്മ്യുണികേഷൻ മോഡിൽ പലരും വ്യക്തി ബന്ധങ്ങൾ പോലും ഹനിച്ചു മുറിക്കുന്നത് പോലെയായിരിക്കുന്നു.

24x7 ഏതെങ്കിലും കക്ഷി രാഷ്ട്രീയ പ്രോപഗണ്ട യും, ട്രോളും, ക്യാപ്‌സൂള്കളും, തല്ലുകൂടലുനുമായി മാത്രം ഫേസ് ബുക്ക് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നവരെ അവഗണിക്കുക എന്നതാണ് നയം. അതു ഏത് പാർട്ടിക്കാരായാലും.

അങ്ങനെ 24x7 പ്രോപ്പഗണ്ട മാത്രം എഴുതിയാൽ ഇവർക്കൊന്നും സ്വയം ബോറടിക്കില്ലേ?!

Bodhigram Karunya

 Bodhigram Karunya KS Raghavan endowment distribution for medical care support to eight most deserving families at the occasion of monthly inclusive community lunch, Sneha Virunnu at the Bodhigram campus. KS Raghavan, a founder member of the undivided communist party in our village was also the secretary of our village library for 12years and very much like a father to me. He is 94 now.

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25Sreejith Krishnankutty, George Kallivayalil and 23 others