I have been writing here about how I have applied the practice of meditation, yoga and pranayama in my corporate life to rise to the echelons of power, learning and working with the likes of MukeshAmbani (Chairman Reliance Industries) and other leaders of India. I would illustrate the top 3 insights I practiced which gave me recognition, power and money.
Be it a roll out of 1500 retail store across the length and breadth of India, or the appointment of 1700 franchisees in less than 6 months, meditation gave be the calmness and centered approach to tackle some monumental projects.
Operationalizing 1,500 stores with franchisee and store staff, trained and ready to sell in 6 months was an inconceivable task and a recipe for failure. This was the mindset of many seniors and peers who were part of this project. Yogic postures like the “suryanamaskara” and others gave me physical dexterity while I took some 75 flights, and traveled hundreds of miles by road and railin 6 months, visiting cities, towns and smaller districts. Pranayama -- deep breathing exercises -- done three to four times a day, whether on a plane, train, or in a car or a hotel room, left me relaxed and rejuvenated.
I accepted all the challenges that came my way andhad the sense to see opportunity in each of them. At the end of 6 months we got 900 stores ready for launch as per the laid down SOP of operations. I put myself in others shoes and saw things from their perspective, getting credit for being a good communicator. I kept the end goal in mind, which demanded a few sacrifices from my end, which earned the respect of all my team members.
Connectedness, Courage, Compassion, and Commitment
All this demonstrates the strength of the 4Cs. Connectedness with people, which helped me manage large and diverse departments of bright workers. It gave me Courage, a hallmark of a good leader to accepting challenges, even though the many external factors outside my control could have given me a sense of uneasiness. Compassion: this secret ingredient can infuse more dedication into teams and society at large. It helped me relate to many people in the group, which made the work more group- and fun-centered, rather than a chore. Commitment to doing my job to get the work done uplifts the mind and lives of everyone involved.
These are the proverbial tip of the iceberg mantras for me being a better leader. The characteristic trait to perfecting this art is relentless practice with honor and respect.
Seshadri is a leadership/life coach and an inspirational trainer from Bangalore, India. You can find more details about him on his website www.mentorkraft.com.
From Bangalore, India:
The Leadership Quotient – Part Three: The 4Cs
By Seshadri “Sesh” Ramaswami