Leaders
T echnology , unlike science , is a group activity . It is not based on individual intelligence , but on the interaction of many people . I think the biggest success of IGMDP is not the fact that in record time the country acquired the capability of making five state-ofthe-art missile systems but that through it , some superb teams of scientists and engineers have been created . If someone asks me about my personal achievements in Indian rocketry , I would put it down to having created a challenging environment for teams of young people to work in .
In their formative stages , teams are much like children in spirit . They are as excitable , as full of vitality , enthusiasm , curiosity and the desire to please and excel . As with children , however , these positive attributes can be destroyed by the behaviour of misguided parents . For teams to be successful , the environment must offer scope for innovation . I confronted many such challenges during the course of my work at DTD & P ( Air ), ISRO , DRDO and elsewhere , but always ensured for my teams an environment which allowed innovation and risk-taking .
When we first began creating project teams during the SLV-3 project and later in IGMDP , people working in these teams found themselves in the frontline of their organizations ’ ambitions . Since a great deal of psychological investment had been made in these teams , they became both highly visible and highly vulnerable . They were personally expected to make a disproportionate contribution to win collective glory .
I was aware that any failure in the organizational support system would negate the investment in team strategies . The teams would be relegated to the league of average working groups and might fail even there , unable to meet the high expectations set for them . On several occasions , the organization was on the verge of losing its nerve and imposing restraints . The high level of uncertainty and complexity associated with team activity very often proves to be a trap for the unwary .
In the early years of the SLV-3 project , I often had to counter nervousness of the top people because progress was not tangibly or immediately visible . Many felt that the organization had lost control over SLV-3 , that the team would run on unchecked , and cause chaos and confusion . But on all occasions , these fears were proved imaginary . There were many people in powerful positions in organizations , for example at VSSC , who underestimated our responsibility and commitment to organizational objectives . Dealing with such people was a crucial part of the whole operation , and this was performed dexterously by Dr Brahm Prakash .
When you work as a project team , you need to develop a complex view of the success criteria . There are always multiple and often conflicting sets of expectations that exist about a team ’ s performance . Then , quite often , the project teams are virtually torn apart in their attempt to accommodate the needs and constraints of subcontractors outside the organization and specialist departments within the organization . Good project teams are able to quickly identify the key person or people with whom negotiations must take place . A crucial aspect of the team leader ’ s role is to negotiate with these key people for their requirements , and to ensure that the dialogue