Leadership Lessons from Cricket!

Last evening I watched the movie, 83. It’s an Indian movie, a biographical sports drama that chronicles the journey of India’s historic win at the 1983 Cricket World Cup, led by Kapil Dev. While this movie is a magnificent treat for any Indian and/or any cricket/sports enthusiast, it also delivers a powerful leadership lesson, for just about anyone.

The different incidents stitched together in the movie, reinforce the value of great leadership and the critical role it plays in unlocking the true potential of a team(business). I had several “aha” moments throughout and they are essentially the trigger behind this rather long post. I am aware that we already have a ton of articles & white papers devoted to the same subject. But to witness all that I believe in and feverishly advocate for, in a real life story which also connects so aptly with my own context, struck me as a beautiful reminder, both at an individual level as well as a talent proponent.

As an individual, to succeed, your eyes should always be on the end goal. This ensures that every action & effort undertaken is in alignment with the end goal – your True North Star. There is no silver bullet for success and this journey will go through it’s ebbs and flows. Right skills & talent need to be complemented with hard-work, determination, belief, resilience and trust in you (& your team).

As a leader, it’s about thoughtful planning & purposeful action. Going a bit deeper here and sharing my key thoughts below:

1.More Action Lesser Conversation – Leadership is not about fancy speeches and pep talks only. Of course, you cannot underestimate the power of inspiring & positively influencing individuals and teams with great charisma & conversational skills but this needs to be mirrored with real action. As a leader, you need to lead from the front and be ready & willing to walk the extra mile. It’s not about having all the right answers at all the times, it’s about having the curiosity and confidence to finding the right answers at all the times.

2. Stay Humble, Stay Hungry – Great leaders are those who believe they don’t know everything yet. They are self-aware achievers with an insatiable appetite to learn more, know more, grow more. It’s this humility that keeps them connected to their real, authentic selves with their feet firmly on the ground. A growth mindset is the catalyst that keeps pushing the envelope and brings out the best in everyone.

3.Trust Is A Two Way Street – While a team trusts their leader to take charge and steer them towards the goal, as a leader you need to reciprocate that trust with the team. There will be moments of doubt and not every task will be as successful, but one must hold the mutual trust in-tact and have the team’s back. The true core of a leader is often tested in the times of crisis. In the current, ambiguous times, it’s even more critical than ever to build and maintain trust within the teams & organizations.

4.Great Teamwork Is The Secret Sauce - Every individual is unique and that’s the sheer beauty of working in a diverse team. As a leader, it’s critical to know every member’s strengths as closely as their developmental areas to strike the optimum balance. It’s equally important to create & maintain a nurturing environment where every individual feels appreciated, motivated, energized & included.

5.Resilience Is The New Competence – “Resilience” is probably the most often used word besides the “New Normal” and “work from home” ever since the pandemic has struck! And very rightly so, given the unprecedented & challenging times in the last 2 years. Resilience is not just about the ability to handle pressure and bounce back. It’s the ability to pivot quickly to adapt and navigate change while taking everyone along together. You cannot build agile, resilient teams (& therefore business) without resilient leaders!

As we’re warming up to welcome the New Year, let’s take this opportunity to pause, reflect on the past year, connect with our inner-self, and re-set for the exciting times that await us all. Sending everyone my best wishes for a happy, healthy and super successful 2022. ?