The Authentic Leader: Do's and Don'ts

Recently I had the good fortune of sitting down with Mr. K. Venkataramanan – simply known as “KV” – a legendary leader of the Indian corporate world.

As the former leader of the Indian industrial behemoth L&T, Mr. KV has seen, and mentored, some of the top corporate leaders of today. I was interested to learn what characteristics an authentic leader should possess. Which qualities must he or she avoid? How does one stay calm in the face of stress?

Here’s the transcript.

Q: What are the most critical skills an inspiring leader needs to possess?

A: the leader needs to be:

Accomplishment-driven, assertive yet affable, adaptable, motivated and energetic, with a good attitude.

Q: What are the biggest mistakes a leader can make, that he or she must guard against?

A: Here are a few deadly flaws:

Not listening to feedback; high ego; shortcoming in values and ethics; overconfidence leading to blind spots; not welcoming change.

Q: How do you recover from mistakes, which are occasionally unavoidable?

A: Honest mistakes will happen when you are action-driven. Learn from them, work hard – intelligently and with passion – on your assignments and never lose faith in your ability. Be a good team player.

Q: As a top leader in the corporate world, what mind renewal strategies do you employ in order to manage your stress levels and stay effective?

A: As far as possible I walk daily, play tennis or badminton on weekends, and unwind with reading and music. I also perform Yoga 2/3 times a week.

Q: What is the one change you’d like to see occur in the Indian corporate landscape, in order to make Indian corporations world leaders?

A: Indian Corporate leaders must be more supportive to encouraging and funding in larger measure Innovation and Technology.