Musings on Republic Day Eve– Authentic Leaders in Business !!

“Good Morning Colonel” said a confident voice as I was shuffling through my notes at 0825 hrs on Day-2 of my session on’Manage Others’ at Birla Cellulosic Auditorium, Kharach, Gujrat. It was a little early and I looked up at the face looking into my eyes with a smile. ‘Oh– Good Morning’- I was taken a bit by surprise– as nobody comes in as early as the Colonel- I thought.” You look after which Department?’I asked the figure who had now appeared to me as an extremely well groomed and professionally attired Senior Executive.”Well- I do my bit for every Department at this place– Not really much.Yes perhaps just my bit”.” Okay–so you are ……?” Well I am Sanjay Verma– the Unit Head”.They say one lot you can never really surprise are the Veterans– but I must admit– Surprised… an understatement– I was brazenly embarrassed.How dare I not Recognise the Unit Head at the very place where I was Facilitating a Behavioural/Developmental Program.I muttered a very inaudible apology and he readily offered an explanation–” I thought I would come and see what is happening at a Training Session where absence of even one Trainee for part of a day is escalated to Unit Head’s Level”. I was indeed touched!

To set the Record straight – I must explain what had happened the Previous day.One of the participants left the Session after lunch without informing the facilitator(in this case yours truly).I asked the Session Co-ordinator to take up the issue with his line Manager and also info the unit Head — which made him drop by so early the next morning.I was deeply impacted by this singular act of Sanjay– to come to ,as the Japanese say –The Gemba ( Genba).Sanjay headed the Marketing Function of BC Kharach before taking over the reins as the Unit Head in May2018.Authentic Leaders like him– Walk the Talk and set an example for Gen Y who look for actions that speak louder than words.

At Aditya Birla Group we have Authentic Leaders who are the Need of the Hour.They are there to make Performance & Development as two Facets of the same coin. Their own appearance makes a world of difference -they walk with their heads held high with the pride of the uniform they wear.Their conversations show tough love–where tough feedback is an inseparable ingredient . As we launch the Final Appraisal Cycle at ABG– my Heart swells with Pride to have such Leaders — Kudos to their Authenticity!