BOBKANNAN BLOGS

The boss had just taken charge in his home town where there was always a group hostile to him. The boss was righteous, efficient and able administrator but seen as rigid at times. The hostile group also had its vested interest. A group of five men from the hostile gang had a very friendly and personal conversation with the boss only to trap him with words of "I agree" for a statement of "should be beaten with slippers". Within an hour the union that trapped the boss spread the news to the entire nation that the boss said "I will beat the leaders with slippers". There were agitations, demonstrations and finally the boss was removed to maintain peace. The incident is almost two decades old but I still ponder over this as to what wins in the game of leadership and administration. Whenever I read about Rohet Vemula and JNU issues, I wonder how a truth that may be insignificant as content explodes when it takes center stage. Control and ...

Surprise attack is a key element of Leadership. As a leader leads there will be very many occasions where he has to bring down elements that are destructive to the smooth working of his regime. Under such circumstances when reasoning and logic fail to convince attack would be a strong and at times sole option. To attack at a time least expected or through the least expected route is a hallmark of a true successful leader. The game of chess provides ample examples of such moves the most effective of which is the  "OPEN CHECK" . Leaders need to plan similar moves for their success.      **********************************************************************************

Leaders are like smart investors. Some shares are bought by smart investors for long term gain, some to oblige intimate people, some when their prices are down only to be sold on high. Some for good regular returns and some for prestige. Some to experiment. Some to use excess funds.   Behaviour of human beings and their position are as volatile as the market and as varied as the companies and a leader handles them like the investor handling his shares. All are useful at some point of time and not always. What is to be retained, what is to be actively traded, what is to be kept dormant and what is to be divested, which scrip runs on sentiments how and when are decided by external conditions and obtaining situations. People too are varied in their utility value and sentiments and a leader manipulates them the same way a smart investor does with his shares. Leader's investment in relationship fetches them good dividends. ************************************************...

‘Hey you, come here’ would be the address of the dominant instead of ‘can you please come’? The very style of calling manifests domination. But the style of addressing also speaks of ingrained decision, needing implementation. A dominant person has high task orientation in approach with emphasis on decision making, overcoming challenges and achieving results preferably immediately. That exactly was visible in the style of addressing. The style of calling implied that whatever work you have been doing leave it and just come to me, which obviously is not the meaning when someone chooses to say ‘can you please come’.   Ability to shape the environment and taking risks are the other two qualities of manifestation of self confidence and decisiveness that dominant people possess. All these qualities no doubt are the hallmark of a leader. But the question is, are they indispensable for leadership since dominant persons also tend to be impatient, poor team players and unconcerned abo...