Of temples, ships and more… One day & 3 stories

Management lessons from my holidays

It has taken me a bit of time to come back to LinkedIn and pen some thoughts. Finding the right headspace space has been difficult with the frenetic pace of December quarter, planning for 2020, visiting Harmandir Sahib Amritsar, tracking various policy initiatives and waiting for rural economy to rebound. We are already at the end of February and the December holiday break that I took seems blurred.

It would be fair to say that most of us enjoy our holidays – new places, different people, culinary delights, novel adventures and tales to tell. It has been often said that life is a collection of moments and memories and as I look back at countless photographs, (I have more than 15000 thanks to google photos) it sure helps me refresh such memories. While doing so, it has helped me tease out some management lessons and I am sharing my learnings on (a) leadership (b) debt fuelled growth and (c) inclusive culture from 3 eminent sites that have left a mark on me over the years.

A disclaimer first – I want to make it clear that these lessons are my personal interpretation and views expressed are solely my own, kindly read it with this spirit. Now let us dive in starting from West to East.

No 1 : Top Heavy and no dialogue! You sink – Vasa, Stockholm

Vasa is a Swedish warship built between 1626 and 1628. On its maiden voyage on 10th August 1628, it sailed all 1300metres before sinking after it encountered a wind stronger than breeze. It was since located in 1950s and permanently moved into the Vasa Museum in the Royal National City park in Stockholm. It is a remarkable sight and one to savour. The ship was built on the orders of the King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus as part of the military expansion. Richly decorated, upon completion, she was one of the most powerfully armed vessels in the world. The Vasa was dangerously unstable with too much weight in the upper structure of the hull. It is said that all the King’s subordinates lacked the courage to openly discuss the ship’s problems or to have the maiden voyage postponed.

This sounds quite familiar as you look at companies and leadership teams. There is trouble on the horizon when ideas advance at pleasure of top leaders rather than strength of strategy – let us explore two facets

o  100% (SoS and SoV): A single viewpoint dominates strategy (SoS: share of strategy) and takes centre stage (SoV: share of voice) leaving no room for a broad-based discussion. In a battle of I think / I feel Vs design thinking and facts, the former wins.

o  Doppelgangers galore: top teams are surrounded by people who think alike, act similar and always looking to please the leader. CXOs will invariably chose people that they can trust and work with; therefore, it is critical that they chose teams with diverse perspectives. Challenge in an open forum is healthy and should be encouraged for you will never get the full picture in a closed room and in a one to one discussion.

Kodak did not fail because it missed the digital age, it did because it a took a near sighted view that it was in the film business instead of story telling business. Polavision (a revolution in photography) was thought to be the highlight for Edwin Land but ended up pushing Polaroid shareholders to the brink, because at the behest and leadership of Ewin Land, the company created a product with scientific and aesthetic appeal but no commercial significance. 400 years since Vasa, the right leadership culture still continues to be a challenge.

No 2: Cash has and will always be ‘the King’ – Neuschwanstein Castle, Southern Bavarian, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat, for which he borrowed extensively and paid from his fortune. It took more than a decade to build and, in the end, Ludwig II is said to have lived in the palace for a total of 172 days. I have to admit that the first views of the castle (as you approach it) remains etched in my memory for its sheer magnificence. 

It is said that the construction cost mounted to more than 6.2mn marks (equivalent of 40mn 2009 Euros). The total debts of the king crossed 14million marks, his cabinet denied his request for additional credit and the Bavarian government decided to depose the king. Soon after on 13th June, 1886, Ludwig II died under mysterious circumstances in the shallow water of Lake Starnberg near Berg Castle. 

Massive diversification (sometimes mindless) and debt fuelled growth does not last and yet we are surprised when ‘the end is nigh’. In an Indian context, between UB, Essar group, Unitech, Videocon and Reliance ADA group to name a few, massive diversification in a short period of time resulted in a debt pile up of over Euro 30bn leading to bankruptcy in a few cases, fire sale of assets in others and endangered the financial position of many banks. The trials and tribulations of Softbank Vision fund Investments will unravel in due course and we will yet again wonder about pace of expansion, tech start-ups and valuations. So, in all a lot ventured but nothing gained. It is brutal when money runs out; Cash continues to be the only King and I am sure even Ludwig II will agree.

No 3: Inclusive, accepting and adapting: Angkorwat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a Hindu Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (1,626,000 m2; 402 acres). Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the 12th century. In the same region, we also have Angkor Thom (also made popular in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider), Bayon temple and many others which take your breath away. Cambodia and this region have witnessed a lot of change and many a ruler.... it started as Chinese Cambodia, then the Khmer empire was founded by Jayavarman II, they had periods of occupation by Vietnam, the Thai, the French, Japanese and more recently tumultuous times under the Khmer Rouge.

Angkor wat is a great example of people changing and cultures evolving with times. It does teach us that if we build something which is truly outstanding and preserve it, it will sustain over generations and help us build a brighter future. For me, therefore, when companies have a strong purpose or compass, they deliver sustainable results for all relevant multi-stakeholders. I guess, you will fully appreciate therefore, when I end with this superlative articulation from Unilever which goes along the lines of Companies with Purpose last, Brands with purpose grow and People with purpose thrive.

Epilogue

Finally, management lessons or not, plan your holidays with your dear ones for they will help you rejuvenate and reinvigorate yourself. You will for sure build some beautiful memories and I have recommended 3 such options for you – happy holidays even though it is only March! 

Source : Various history books, Wikipedia, Loonshots, The Ken and discussions with my friends and family.