Leadership – Assignment
N.Ramakrishnan
WPM14RAM
Great Lakes Institute of Management- PGWPM-Batch 03
12/07/2014
Motivating Employees in my Team during Team meeting
Prologue: I’m working for Cisco Systems (I) Pvt Ltd. I was working in Bangalore. Senior management
team decided to open a satellite office in Chennai and they want me to head the operations for Chennai
Team. I also wanted to move to Chennai for personal reasons. In span of 2 months, Chennai division was
running with 20 people reporting to me. Few days after joining my team, I found few people disturbed. I
couldn’t attribute any reason for this as they are all new joiners to the organization. I asked them
specifically the reasons for their disturbed look. They told me that they are afraid that Senior
management in Bangalore is considering Chennai Team as another offshore center (low cost center) and
they are going to offload work that are not interesting for Bangalore folks to perform. I decided to talk
about this in my Team meeting as main agenda and I spoke to the people in my next team meeting.
Speech goes here:
Hi Friends! Welcome to Cisco Chennai and good to see people part of Cisco family. How do you like your
new environment? Are you are comfortable or more importantly happy working for Cisco?
<< Few people said yes and few people didn’t talk anything>>
I would like to share with you guys important things on why we are here in Cisco Chennai? If some of
you feel that it is because Chennai is lower cost compared to Bangalore, pls think again. I don’t think so
because – today Chennai is as costly as Bangalore in all aspects. Most importantly, Cisco has deep
pockets to pay the salary for 20 people in Bangalore itself. The reason for this move is to tap talents in
Chennai and invest and grow Chennai division in a big way. We found that there is a good talent pool
available in Chennai which can be tapped by opening a new office in Chennai and that’s the reason we
are here. All you guys are recruited not because you are low cost but because you have very good talent
which we have seen during the Interview process. Moreover, we are not going to do any piecemeal
work for Bangalore team rather we are going to work on 1 single product. Product ownership resides
with Chennai Team. We are the owners of the product. We are product owners even now. Do you know
how much money the product makes for the BU? It’s about $170 million every year and that’s 60% of
BU’s total revenue. Guys, we are sitting here on $170 million revenue and do you think any organization
will outsource such a cash cow to other people? Bangalore team has given product to us for 2 reasons –
They want us to succeed and they want us to grow. If we work well, we might get 1 more product – I
mean complete ownership of another product. Senior management team in Bangalore want to us win in
a big way with the current product and it is in our hands to take this product and show them what we
can. Senior management team is ready to lend hands and help us all ways possible. Now, it’s our time to
take those hands and succeed with this product. Opening a satellite division is not an easy joke inside
Cisco. It requires lot of approvals from the Executive board and it is pain to go through the process. Our
Senior management took all the pains for us to open the division in a short span of time. We are
confident on every one of you when we interviewed you. So, we are happy to roll out the offers and we
didn’t have any doubt about this teams’ success in your hands. If you feel nervous, doubts about our
success, pls talk to me. I will clarify every doubt of yours. You cannot get this kind of opportunity even
inside Cisco, where product ownership never resides within a team. Guys, pls wear your enterprenual
hats and this product is ours. We need to carry this product to success. Think that you are working in a
company which has revenue of $170 million with 20 people and see how much we can take this
forward. We need to pull up our socks; it’s time for us to grab the baton; run and show them the
success. None of the offshore development, even the best, can match even 1/10th of what we are doing
here. Pls shed the doubts about the offshore model and think that you are owners of this product. We
need develop the product, we need to test the product, we need to handle customers request for the
product and we need to work on issues reported by the customer for the product and we need to solve
the issues for them. None of the offshore development centers in the world do this work from A to Z.
You are going to do it from today. I’m here to facilitate you, support you in your activities and not here
to dictate you to do this. We must be highly motivated to carry forward this product and make this
Team a grand success in the entire Chennai. I’m completely confident that my team can do this. We will
work hard and in the process we enjoy and learn.
Good luck and be proud to be part of Cisco family.
Kiran Bedi – Transformation of Tihar Jail
Kiran Bedi is a classic example of Transformational leadership. Kiran Bedi has transformed life in Tihar
jail. Tihar jail houses largest number of prisoners in India( about 9000 prisoners) predominantly male
prisoners. Kiran Bedi didn’t act like other Jailers and took a different approach that changed prisoner’s
lives. Kiran Bedi took a “Godly approach to jail inmates”. Kiran Bedi wanted to give a new life to
prisoners inside the prison. She exposed prisoners to Yoga,meditation and various spiritual discourses to
make prisoners control their anger and calm. Considering the size of Tihar jail, transformation of such a
large scale of prisoners and is close to impossible and Kiran Bedi did it.
Kiran Bedi – Education and Values
Kiran Bedi was born on 9th June 1949 in Amritsar, Punjab. She was the second of 4 daughters for her
parents. She was taught by her parents “to think equally” from childhood. Kiran Bedi excelled in studies
and in tennis, which was a family passion. She sailed through the college and also won the Women’s
lawn tennis championship in Asia. Entering the Police academy is not a normal career path women of
1970s would dare to take in India. Kiran Bedi took the path less travelled and became a successful police
officer of batch 1972. As a police officer she handled a lot of tough assignments such as Inspector
General of police in Mizoram, Traffic police in Delhi, Director General of Narcotics bureau. Kiran Bedi
was outstanding in all the postings she took and did something different for the society. She rose to
fame when she was appointed as Inspector General of Prisons (Delhi) in 1993 when she took over Tihar
Jail.
Kiran Bedi – Conflicts and Consciousness
Leadership is a process of morality to the degree that leaders engage with followers. This would be
rightly applicable for Kiran Bedi. Kiran Bedi took a completely different approach for Tihar Jail inmates.
Kiran Bedi was aware that the social relationship between people and police are more fraught in Asia
than anywhere else. She wants to change that relationship and want people to see police as cordial as
they see other Government servants. Kiran Bedi took continuous initiatives such as “Beat Boxes” for
addressing citizen issues when she was traffic police in Delhi. Kiran Bedi implemented the same
intiatives in Tihar Jail also. Kiran Bedi understood the issues of prisoners and she doesn’t want prisoners
to loose lives for a crime they have committed. So, Kiran Bedi wanted to prisoners with opportunities
that they could have got outside the prison. Kiran Bedi arranged for education for all prisoners, higher
studies for some, Yoga, meditation and medication centers inside the prison, spiritual discourses for
prisoners, working opportunities, outdoor sports, puppet shows inside the prison. Kiran Bedi also
implemented a mobile complaint system for hearing the complaints and issues of prisoners. Kiran Bedi
ensured that the system as transparent as possible and ensured that she cared for prisoners. Kiran Bedi
fought drug menace inside the prison with iron fist and stopped all the drugs sold inside the prison.
Kiran Bedi took steps to ensure drug addicted prisoners recover by establishing de-addiction centers
inside the jail. The result of all these activities – jail inmates had more self-confidence and number of
clashes within the jail has come down. It turned out to be more cordial atmosphere inside Tihar. Kiran
Bedi took the complainants seriously and initiated enquiries for the complaints. After the enquiry the
guilty will be punished. She made enemies in this process but never deterred her from carrying out her
duties.
Elevating power of Leadership
At the highest stage of moral development persons are guided by near universal ethical principles of
justice such as equality of human rights and respect for individual dignity. This is the stage for creative
leadership. Kiran Bedi envisioned the same with prison inmates. Kiran Bedi treated the prison inmates
equally as she would treat people outside the prison. Kiran Bedi took care of the basic needs of
prisoners such as food, clothing, shelter, peace and exposed them to higher needs of Masclow hierarchy
such as Social needs such as jobs, education, and status. Kiran Bedi not only took care of prisoners and
went one step further and took care of children of prisoners. Several children stayed with their mothers
because either they are too young and need motherly love or there was no one to take care of them
outside the prison. Kiran Bedi started a school inside the prison to teach the children lessons and once
they are grown up they can be admitted to Govt schools in Delhi. Kiran Bedi transformed “Tihar” into a
reformation centers for prisoners inside of punishment school. The transformation became known
across the world and several countries approached Kiran Bedi to emulate the same in their countries.
Kiran Bedi through her transformational leadership broke the traditional way of approaching prisoners
by improving the relation between police and prisoners and providing rehabilitation instead of
punishment.
Martin Luther King Jr
Martin Luther king is a leader who successfully fought for civil rights for African Americans. The case
mainly focuses on how Martin upbringing and values Martin Jr inherited from his father and American
society. Case also focuses on the change in opinions of Martin Jr has in his middle life and ways he
adopted for his fight for racial equality.
Martin Luther King Jr – Growing up with Values
Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929 to Martin Luther King Sr and Alberta William King.
Martin Luther King Sr was a Pastor in one of the prominent black churches in US and a powerful fixture
in National Baptist Convention. Martin Jr during his childhood days understood the racial difference
existing in the society. King’s parents shaped his values and his understanding of the world. King’s
mother instilled self-confidence and sense of self-respect from the very beginning. She could explain the
discrimination and segregation to a small child. Even though the society treated the Negros as inferior
she instilled the sense of hope and optimism in the minds of her children. King’s father is a strict
disciplinarian and King learnt fearlessness and courageousness from his father. King’s father is a genuine
Christian and man of real integrity, deeply committed to moral and ethical principles. King learnt the
skills of telling the truth even during adverse times from his father. King learnt that Love was central to
all relationship as it was how he was bought-up in his home.
Conflicts and Consciousness
King had an internal conflict about his love as central to all relationship when he was first exposed to
racism. Couple of his white friends refused to play with him due to his race. King determined to hate
every white person after his bad encounter. This firmly shaped his beliefs and action at later stages of
his life. King received his education in US and did his PhD in Boston University where he met his wife.
From the early stages, King was determined to work for his objective of serving for the Black people.
After this PhD, King settled in South US because he thought that people in south needed him the most.
King became the pastorate in Montgomery which will help him to serve the black masses. King was
conscious of his objectives of serving the black people. He first improved the financial conditions of the
church which is his primary objective. King was good orator and with his oratorical skills he garnered a
lot of money for the church. King very well knew that he had to fight against the society for the
betterment of his people. King didn’t know about the ways & means for fighting. At that time, King came
to knew about the power of non-violence from Gandhi. Immediately, he read a lot of books on Gandhi
and appreciated the power of non-violence. King decided to adopt the non-violent approach in his fight
against the society for civil rights. King’s inspiration came from Gandhi.
King – the Leader
In most southern cities at that time, public life in Montgomery was marked by racial segregation. Black
people in buses have to occupy the back seats and should give way when a white person comes to
occupy the seat. King wanted to protest against this approach and proposed to “Boycott the Bus” on
Dec 5. This was huge success and Martin Luther King Jr became a leader from the front. People started
to take note of King. After the bus boycott, King was officially elected the leader of Montgomery
Improved Association (MIA). After becoming leader, King had a lot of blackmails, threats from people
because of Bus Boycott. King initially had fears due to threats from people. King understood his role and
inherited the values from his father. He could feel the challenges his father could have faced at his role
and the fearlessness of his father. King decided to fight with faith and not with fear. King instilled faith in
the minds of Black people and inspired them to fight for their rights. King was supported by his wife on
all the occasions. King acknowledged the support of his wife and he is quite appreciative of his wife’s
support. King openly acknowledged the supportive role of his wife in the meetings. This shows the open
mind of a leader and attributing his success not only to him but to others as well.
Martin Luther King Jr is truly a leader of his age. Initially, Martin had his values learnt from his family and
had conflicts within himself. He made his objectives clear for fighting for the civil rights of AfricanAmerican people. He didn’t go behind the post but never shied from responsibilities. This fearless
execution of responsibilities made him a great leader.