Monday, January 23, 2012

Of Strong Opinions and the need to let go at times...

Have you ever been a part of a heated debate or a discussion that fails to neither die nor reach a conclusion? If not, have you at least been a witness to such a discussion, either in private or public? Can you recollect how some people get so involved in the discussion, that they totally forget the surroundings? The volume goes up. Hands start moving. Temperatures rise. And sadly, no quantifiable conclusion at the end of it all.

Just trying to analyze, one of my major observations is that when someone is involved with something so passionately, you find it really hard to let things go. Then you tend to get a bit more aggressive without even realizing it. More often than not, you fall in love with your ideas and opinions. This usually blinds you to other points of view and perspectives.

Now, this can get compounded when you realize that there exists a difference of opinion and fail to acknowledge that there is one. So why does this happen? Probably it has got something to do with the way we are brought up. We grow up learning to take pride in what we have, what is ours. It can be anything, an inanimate object, an out of the blue idea, a person in your life, an abstract concept, an accidental discovery or even an award or recognition. We feel proud when we achieve something and it’s natural to become possessive about that. Now when you are overly possessive about something, it becomes difficult to let that go especially when it has taken a lot of efforts to achieve that.

But if you look at the bigger picture, it is very important to let go of certain things at times. If you expect your opinion to be accepted or considered, you should be equally open to other opinions. A difference in opinions may always be a blessing in disguise, as it allows you to get into the detail and evaluate options in a much better way. No doubt, too many opinions may get you confused about which way is right and which way to go. But it is always better than having only one opinion when you are never sure if it’s the right one. Diversity in thoughts only gives you different perspectives, which eventually might make you consider something which you might have otherwise totally ignored.

It is as simple as these two small lessons I got as a kid. First one being, all these things are like a heap of sand in your fist. The harder you try to clench your fist, the more the sand flows out. And the second one being, unless you let go of things in your hand, you cannot grab newer and perhaps better things that are coming your way.

So the next question that arises is how! How do you make changes to the way you are conditioned, to let go of anything as and when required. The older you grow, more difficult it gets to change your ways. Any thoughts?

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Because, the heart still bleeds blue....

Remember that towering six over long on, by MS Dhoni in the Wankhede around nine months back? Moment of the year. It’s not easy for anyone from my generation, to forget that moment and those that followed - the plain reaction on MSDs face, running back to grab the stumps, hugging Yuvraj at the other end, Gary Kirsten erupting in the Dressing Room, followed by others in tandem and then a wild rush on to the ground, the broad smile on Sachin’s face and the aggression in Bhajji’s body language. All that came after a long wait and after a lot of pain. Surrendering meekly after being close to the top in 1996, performing below average in 1999, being closer and stumbling at the final hurdle in 2003, shocking first round exit in 2007, we had seen it all.

The World Cup victory of 2011 came with a lot of efforts, from a lot of people. It was a classic case of team work, where every member of the team made significant contributions throughout the tournament to ensure we emerged as champions. Behind the screens as well, a lot went into it. From the coach to the support staff, from the families of the players to the players themselves, a lot of hard work, single minded dedication, unwavering focus and sacrifice. If you want to know the magnitude of it all, dig into the archives of Cricinfo and you’ll get loads of them. This team has shown that they have it in them, the character to win consistently, the hunger to achieve, and the passion to scale new heights.

Yes, we’ve lost 7 tests abroad, in a row. We’ve failed as a team. Our team hasn’t lived up to the expectations of this huge country, where a billion people come up with as many opinions. Yes, the batting has failed, when the bowling clicked. The bowling did not complement when the batsmen made hay. The leadership has been anything but inspiring, unlike in the past. And there is no doubt about it.

But hey! It’s alright! What’s so unforgivable about it? It’s not the end of the world. It might just be the opportunity, the missing piece, which could motivate them to come back hard. Remember 2007, when similar emotions flowed through the entire nation, following our early exit from the World Cup? Did we not win the T20 World Cup within 6 months? We did right? When we are ready to accept that positive change, we must also be ready to take defeat in our stride positively. The problem with us is that we take things to the heart and react way too spontaneously when it comes to cricket. The team wins, and they are honored like Gods. They lose and they should go to the gallows! Isn’t it a bit too extreme on the cricketers? After all, they are humans!

Yes, we may not have dominated the cricket world for as long as Australians did in the previous decade or the mighty West Indians did in the 70s and early 80s. But to me, it only means that things are not one sided. That the level of competition has improved. And in a way, it’s good for the game of cricket as a whole! A world of see-sawing and a world of ups and downs would only make the game even more exciting. Did anyone really enjoy Formula One when Michael Schumacher used to win races singlehandedly? The matter of interest only used to be who else finished on the podium. Or tennis, when say a Martina Navratilova or Pete Sampras won slam after slam after slam. Sportspeople like them glorified the sport, the game, because of which it has become so competitive and interesting these days.

Yes, a lot may be needed to be done about our cricket. A lot of mistakes might have happened and unless we learn from them and correct ourselves, things may not change soon. But, it’s just a game at the end of the day! Nothing has been lost other than the rankings. There is absolutely no need to lose respect for the team. As someone said, form is temporary, class is permanent. At this point, the team is down on morale, on motivation. And it is precisely at this time, that the team needs its fans to stand behind them even more. Give them that assurance that we will support them, come what may!

Yes, we may have fallen, and it might have been a really mighty fall. But it’s not about how hard you fall, it’s about how high you bounce back. And I firmly believe this team, to bounce back and do so strongly!

Because, this heart did not stop bleeding blue after 2nd April 2011. It still bleeds blue….

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

What's ailing Indian Cricket?

Six consecutive Test losses abroad for a team that was No. 1 in Tests not so long back. Obviously it is a bit difficult to chew. Sad as it may seem, however much one may wish to write each passing loss as a bad dream to start fresh, the ghosts of defeat come back to haunt again. And some of these losses have come where the team has struggled to take the match to the 5th day!

Perhaps the best batting line up in the world, where the top order has probably the greatest experience than any other team as a whole, currently playing anywhere in the world. This line up has failed consistently to post a 300 in a test match? Sounds ridiculous. The captain, who till not so long back couldn’t have done anything wrong, seems to be not doing anything right of late! The joy of conquering the world in the Limited Overs edition in April, is definitely short lived, if you cannot sustain the performance in the more challenging longer format of the game. So what exactly is ailing the World Champions?

For starters, we have become too heavily dependent on the Laxman, Dravid and Sachin trio with Sehwag to lay the foundation in the recent years. But somewhere down the line, we seem to have missed a trick. We probably have taken too long to realize that they are not going to be around forever. We do not have a second line of players who will step into their shoes when they retire, and that is bound to happen sooner or later. Yuvraj, Raina, Kohli, Gambhir, Rohit who have all been a part of the One Day team for quite some time now, have failed miserably in the longer format. But wait, who is responsible? I wouldn’t blame them entirely. Whenever they have got an opportunity, it has been because some of the big four has been injured or rested! There has never been an assurance that one would get a run for a while to play irrespective of his performance. Someone playing at that level is always under a great amount of pressure! And I think he deserves a good run at it! But then, when you are playing for your country, you need to make the best of every opportunity that comes your way!

Secondly, how often do we play for the team? Have you ever seen Sehwag play as per what the game demands ? Yes, aggression is great, but hey, everyday is not Sunday! Sehwag would have singlehandedly won us a lot of matches, but we have also lost a lot of matches, when he just throws away his wicket, when it is absolutely not required, exposing the middle order! The Indian team is so heavily dependent on Sehwag to chase targets in the 4th innings that the moment he gets out, the team is immediately on the back foot, allowing the opposition to come right on top, even if you are chasing something like a 270! Come on, a great batting line up cannot chase a modest 270 in two and a half sessions??? Sehwag is just an example. Many more can be cited.

Brings me to another point – are we putting the future of Indian cricket at stake by persisting a bit too much with Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar? Yes, their contribution to Indian cricket in the past has been unmatchable. They have been (and are still) the backbone of the side for a long time. But that doesn’t mean you live in the past! You are not going to ask Sunil Gavaskar to play for the country just because he has 10000 Test runs against his name. We are a country, where idols mean more to us than the game. Don’t be surprised if the country celebrates Sachin’s 100th Ton even if India loses that match. Conversely, many would be disappointed about Sachin not reaching to that landmark of an achievement, than about us losing a game. We have made mistakes earlier too. In order to help Kapil Dev break Richard Hadlee’s record, we kept persisting with him for matches together, where towards the end, all he used to get was one or two wickets every match, thereby reducing Kapil Dev of all the glory he had earned in his prime and also directly cut short the careers of upcoming bowlers like Srinath and Prasad.

As a long term strategy, I think we should have an exit plan for the senior players, in the process building a strong bench strength which is sorely missing today! No matter how great a player is, how much he has accomplished individually or for the team, the needs of the team are paramount at any point of time. Honestly, careers spanning more than 10-12 years sound stupid to me! Player management is very important. Talent should be identified at an early age, trained in all aspects, made fit for the big scene, and should enter the picture only when he is fully prepared to take up the challenges. What happens in our context? A couple of good domestic seasons, a great run in the IPL and you are a part of the National Team! Players should come in at the right time and leave at the right time. Identifying this timing is also very important! 20 years at the international level, simply undigestable! Have you ever seen top performing Olympians like say Ian Thorpe or Michael Phelps or Carl Lewis or Marion Jones participating in more than 2 Olympics? At the maximum it is 3!

Yes, you might not have a Sachin Tendulkar or a Rahul Dravid. But cricket is a team game. It doesn’t run by one or two individuals. Indian team played and won even before they arrived at the scene and will play and win even after they leave!

Next comes our over reliance on spin! Our wickets are built to suit spin and we are arguably the best players of spin in the world. Outsiders struggle when they come here against the turning ball. But wait, what happens when we go abroad? We struggle ever more with the swinging and seaming ball, don’t we? What efforts have we taken to counter that? We can atleast simulate conditions at 2-3 locations in the country, which are similar to wickets across the world, bouncy, juicy green tops and make our players get enough practice before embarking on difficult tours. Isn’t difficult at all. Just a little bit of a vision and a will is required to implement it!

Another important aspect of Player Management is to manage the fitness of the players. Consider the Indian team calendar for 2011. January – South Africa, Feb & March – World Cup, April & May – IPL, June & July – West Indies tour, July through September – England Tour, Sept & Oct – Champions League, Oct end – England comes to India, November – West Indians come home, December onwards – Tour of Austraila! With such a heavily packed schedule, injuries were bound to happen as they happened in England. The manner in which replacements were announced every day till the team left for Australia shows the sad state of affairs! There must be a cap on the number of games a player plays every year. X Tests, Y ODIs and Z T20s, with a few practice matches here and there! The pool should be rotated! Every condition requires different skills and talents, and you should only play your best bet in such conditions.

Next, specialists are meant to be specialists. Don’t make an Irfan Pathan out of R Ashwin. Just because he is doing well with the bat, please don’t start promoting him as the all rounder you always wanted! Whatever comes from his bat is an icing on the cake, an addition to the total! But don’t count him in your scheme of things! He is in the team to bowl, let him do that well! It really doesn’t make sense to have Sehwag bowl as many overs as any other front line bowler does!

Finally, the people who run cricket make a lot of difference, if things have to be changed. Certain things like what I have mentioned above, can be conceived, understood and appreciated only by someone who has been close to the game or been a part of it. Politicians at the top would guarantee commercial success no doubt, but we need to take a call on what do we really want out of the game we love the most!

I know I have written a lot of radical things in here, things which are totally different from how they are being done today. A lot of you may completely disagree with me. But think about it with an open mind. We are talking about Indian cricket as a whole, not about any particular player! If we are concerned about how we bounce back to the top, and remain there consistently, we need to do things differently. And this might just be the first step!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Lessons from the 'Top of the heART'

2011 has set into the pages of history and a new dawn has arrived in 2012. Personally, 2011 was a year of great learnings. The early part of 2011 marked the culmination of an exciting chapter of my life, as a student of MBA, and everything that came with it. Intending to summarize some of the lessons I have learnt being at the top of a team, an opportunity I had, to work with some great people.

  • The carrot is usually more effective than the stick, in a professional set up. When you are leading a group of people, you should be a good motivator. Different things motivate different people. Some are motivated by rewards and awards; some by recognition and limelight. Some are motivated just by the time you spend with them and some by the work itself and the prospects it has in it for them. Some people motivate themselves, while for others, a little bit of pushing is required. Identify what motivates whom, and do just that. You can make a big difference just by your words and actions.

  • It is very important to have a proper plan for the future. The performance of the successor he leaves behind is an important parameter on which a leader’s tenure will be assessed. Whatever be the means, towards your end, you need to ensure that the one who succeeds you is groomed well enough to take on the responsibility and prepared for it. You should want him to be better than you and take your legacy to newer heights. As a leader, you also should wish that your people and team succeed. Waiting for them to make mistakes and pounce on them is a very bad idea. You can never be a winner, as long as each and every member of your team doesn’t win!

  • You may be used to doing things a certain way, but you have to be open to different ways of doing it. There may be better ways of doing things, and you need to realize that. When you entrust someone to do something, trust that person fully. Encourage making and learning from mistakes. The moment, the fear of failure and its consequences is out of the mind, one can work wonders!

  • As a leader or a manager, your job is not to do things, but to get things done. You might be capable and competent to work single handedly, but that is not what a team is there for. By taking things on yourself, you are making two big mistakes. You are forcing your way of working and thinking on others and curtailing creativity. Secondly, you are keeping people ill prepared for the bigger picture, when you will no longer be there.

  • A thing is done, only when it is completely done and you see it! Lots of equations keep changing every now and then. Dark horses come out of places least expected. It’s like those magic birthday candles that keep lighting up themselves when you blow them off. Your job is over only when you see all the candles are blown off and none of them is lighting up again!

  • Talking to the other person is the best mode of communication. Face to face or otherwise, it helps you to gauge how the person is reacting to whatever you say and enables you to change if need be. Emails and SMSs may leave a long trail of messages and a proof of your communication, but if you need proof of something like this, it only means that you do not trust your people. If your intention is to make a safe passage out for yourself first, you will never be a good ‘leader’

  • The most important however, is to be prepared to take the blame of failure on oneself and not passing anything on. When someone from your team is in the line of fire, in front of the larger community you will have to protect him/her. You are also significantly responsible for the failure, because somewhere, you have not led well. It is important to admonish your team / members in private, but it is more important that you appreciate them in public. It is after all, your team! You need to be very sensitive about what people have to say about your people! You can be a good leader only when you are possessive about your team!