Associate With The Best
When you join forces
with the best you learn with them. The collective IQ of the team increases
gradually. The collective outcomes of
the team is much more than the sum of individual outcomes.
Be
Prepared
When you plan ahead
you can prepare. The plan should not only consider the rosy picture, but also
provide for contingencies. The more you perspire in peace the less you
bleed in war.
Cultivate
Strong Work-culture
An ethical
work-culture, where everyone is self-disciplined and self-motivated, is the
best catalyst for growth. Professionalism is cultivated and everyone has to
contribute towards it. Even if you are alone, maintain a professional attitude
with clients and vendors.
Dedication
To Goal
Perseverance or
dedication to goal is the one that sets winners apart from losers. The famous
tale of Tortoise and Hare, Slow And
Steady Wins The Race, tells us that not the most skilled or the most
talented person, but the most dedicated will stay focused and will reach
the finish line.
Emotional
Balance
Managing emotions,
yours and others’, is the most important tool in your skillset. The biggest
leaders in the world became larger than life because they were able to tap into the aspirations, dreams and
desires of the masses.
Fairness
in Decision
If you are fair in your
decisions and choices, your clients, colleagues and contacts will have more and
more faith in you. People will look up
to you for fairness and your credibility will enhance with every passing
day.
Gambling
Is Not Business
Never speculate. Never put your
money or future in a situation where you may have to compromise on your
principles and aspirations. Business is taking calculated risks but not giving
in to the frantic frenzy and impulses.
Hedge
your Risks
Hedging means having cushion to save you from a
disastrous fall. It can be a parachute or a harness in bungee jumping. In
your work, additional skills, multiple income sources, regular savings and
investments, and insurance are your hedge against possible contingencies.
Innovate
Daily
Creative destruction is the
process of innovating continually to dismantle long-standing practices. The
famous FANG companies - Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google - have dedicated
entire teams to disrupt their own best products. It’s better to have the next
blockbuster from your own stable than from competition.
Justice
for Society
Whatever you do,
remember the talisman from Mahatma Gandhi - Recall the face of the poorest and
the weakest person whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you
contemplate is going to be of any use to that person. A prosperous and just society will result in stronger bottom lines.
Killer
Instinct
The patience, focus,
attention and energy of a cheetah when it is hunting its prey are impeccable.
Same is the sight, focus and flight of the eagle when it dives to catch its
food. They need the killer instinct to survive. You need this killer instinct to not only survive but to grow amid
competition.
Listen
to Advise
No one knows
everything. Not even you! So seek advice and listen to it carefully. Develop
your understanding to reason and ask relevant questions. Trust others to make
decisions on your behalf, if you cannot.
Manage
and Delegate
You are not
omni-present. That’s impossible. So you cannot micromanage everything your team
does. You cannot do their roles. Management requires delegation of authorities and responsibilities. Accountability
comes with systems and transparency.
Nurture
Talent
Being the best is
good. Being surrounded by the best is better. Genius, talent and leaders can be nurtured. Start with a small
group and give them simple responsibilities. Let them take decisions and back
them. Give them constructive feedback and chances to improve.
Organize
Your Calendar
If you forget last
dates, miss deadlines, and don’t reach on time for an important meeting, then
you symbolize a sloppy and irresponsible person. If your calendar is organized,
you’ll never miss anything important or
at least will be able to communicate about change in schedule.
Plan
Your Finances
Cashflow, incomes,
expenses, assets and credit - these all have the potential to make or mar your business or personal finances. If you
remain oblivious to them then you are doing so at your own peril. Understand
them, learn about them and manage them.
Question,
Don’t Be A Yes-man
Never fear from
asking the right questions. Even to authorities. When you ask questions you
present a different view, a new perspective. You point out the flaws in the
system, and help in making it better, stronger and robust. Great leaders never like yes-men around them
Rejuvenate
Team Morale
A team may have their
morale adversely affected due to any setbacks, or delays in getting desired
results. A leader can rejuvenate the
team morale by involving them in group activities, motivational speech,
vacations and retraining programs.
Systematic
Being systematic and
organized makes things predictable.
Everyone knows what to expect, how, when
and where. Especially if a large team collaborates, not being systematic
can cause huse delays, confusions and even misunderstanding.
Teams
Win The Championships
Talent may win games,
but to win championships only teamwork can help. Organizing a team with
complimentary skills and motivating them to dedicate themselves to team goals
is the work for a leader.
U
Before I
If everyone in the
team puts others - clients, colleagues, vendors - before their personal
interests then the overall fraternity
and respect for each other grows. Compassion and empathy will win hearts,
loyalties and goodwill of all to whom it is shown.
Validate
Your Claims
Never speak without
being sure. Never make a claim you cannot back with evidence. Never make a commitment
you cannot honour. A broken glass can be
fixed, but there will always be a crack in it.
Window
of Opportunity
When all doors close,
a window opens. Opportunity knocks on the door of everyone. Those who are prepared can open the gate and
shake hands with the opportunity. The window of opportunity is very slim and
slides very fast - only agile can catch it.
X-Factor
Luck and chance play
a very important role in success in career and business. Getting the right
break, a good mentor, the perfect team are all variables that are beyond
anyone’s control. So when you get them express
gratitude and feel lucky.
Youthfulness
Age is a number.
There are 90 years young people who are excited about skydiving or learning
salsa! Youthfulness is a state of mind - open, liberal, curious, excited,
dreamer, and passionate. Never let the
child in you go missing.
Zenith
The exhilaration from
being at the top of the Mt. Everest or landing on the Moon or reaching the
South Pole is simply unmatched. They all represent the Zenith or the Peak or
the ultimate height you can reach.
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