Ravi Pratap Singh

Kerr's Folly & Indian Hockey

On 28th February, the Indian Hockey Team started it's "FIH World Cup 2010" campaign in spectacular fashion by decimating arch-rivals Pakistan 4-1. As is the wont when these two nations take on each other in any sporting event, the hundreds of millions of fans on either side of the simmering border consider a victory over the neighbour to be bigger than winning the tournament itself, be it a World Cup or a school-level competition. This time was no different - infact, the win was sweeter than what the Indians have tasted in a long, long time because it was not only our first win in a World Cup match over Pakistan in 35 years, but the margin of victory was also our biggest over Pakistan in World Cup competition!

A billion people erupted in celebration and accolades poured in from all quarters for the "champion" team. This was followed by announcements of cash incentives for the team by Hockey India and various state governments and corporate houses. The money showered on the players was more than welcome considering that these guys who represent India in its "national game" are grossly underpaid. However, there was one thing about the incentives which was jarring - apart from a fixed amount for the entire team, most government and corporate bodies also offered additional cash bonuses for individual goal scorers!

Now this, i thought, was a classic case of "Kerr's Folly" where "...the types of behavior rewarded are those which the rewarder is trying to discourage". In this case, individual efforts were being rewarded in a team sport! The incentive scheme encouraged players to be selfish and retain the ball with themselves and attempt to score goals individually rather than pass it on to team mates and further the team's cause. So was this not a flawed and counter-productive reward system? 

Well, after the win against Pakistan, India lost their third straight game of the tournament last evening... and slipped out of contention for a semi-final berth. Is this the effect of the "Kerr's Folly" committed by our sport/political/corporate leaders or is it just that the team was beaten by better opponents? I guess, we will never know...

P.S.: Here is an earlier post of mine on "Reward Systems - Is Kerr's Foly Alive?"

Anticipating Customer Needs

Last week i was one of the millions of victims of the dreaded New Delhi fog. When my early morning flight to Jabalpur got cancelled (not surprised), i hurriedly booked myself on the afternoon train. As luck would have it, the train too got cancelled (surprised and shocked!). Refusing to get cowed down by Mother Nature, i decided to make the 900+ kilometer journey in a cab (everybody except me was surprised and shocked!!!).

Considering the fact that i had to be on the road for 15-18 hours, the first thing i asked the cabbie was if he had a mobile charger in his car. As expected, he didn't. Actually, i've asked this question to dozens of cabbies in India and am yet to get an answer in the affirmative from any of them. Fortunately, i was carrying my mobile charger via USB port so i could plug it to my laptop and charge my phone along the journey, which by the way, took 29 hours!!!

As a customer, i believe that a mobile charger in a cab would add tremendous value to me irrespective of the fact whether i travel in it for 29 minutes or 29 hours. Moreover, the investment the cabbie would have to make in a universal charger would be quite insignificant in comparison to the satisfaction it would offer me, the customer. So how is it that the cabbie is missing out on such an obvious opportunity of delighting a customer?

Well, let me assure you, the cabbie is not alone in this situation. Most of us are sailing in the same boat (or should i say, driving in the same car). Recognising what our customers want NOW is important, but anticipating what they will need NEXT and offering that to them in advance is what will ultimately keep us ahead of the pack!

Sharing Success – Secret of a Winning Team!

On Christmas eve, the Indian cricket team scripted one of the most fascinating victories in One Day International (ODI) history to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in its series against Sri Lanka.

The cool manner in which two young turks of the Indian team went about the run chase was both clinical as well as entertaining. But the standout moment for me was what happened after the game… at the post match presentation ceremony! Declared “Man of the Match” for his heroic 150 not out, Gautam Gambhir magnanimously handed over the award to his young partner, Virat Kohli, who cracked his maiden ODI century and shared in a record 224-run stand with him. Truly inspirational stuff!

Have you ever noticed that members of a winning team, be it in sport or corporate, always share and celebrate each others’ success? This means, the members:

• Demonstrate no sense of insecurity, jealousy or one-upmanship towards each other.
• Give precedence to team goals over individual goals.
• Are willing to “do or die” for the team’s cause.
• Remain positive and united!

No wonder the Indian cricket team is currently ranked # 1 in Tests and # 2 in ODIs.

The Customer Is Always Right? Wrong!

Diwali season is not the greatest of times to go shopping in India if you are as finicky about your personal space as I am. For years I have religiously avoided stepping into malls and shops during festival periods. But last weekend, a surprise birthday party invitation from my son’s classmate sent me scurrying to a retail store in the hunt for a suitable gift.

The store, one of the largest in the city, was bursting at the seams with human beings… obviously someone had forgotten to tell these guys that the world was experiencing it’s worst recession in history! After a nerve-wracking 45-minute pursuit, I was delighted to find the “right” gift for the six-year old and dashed across to the billing counter.

As luck would have it, I chose the wrong counter! While people in the other queues were completing their billing process and disappearing before one could say “diwali shopping”, my queue just wouldn’t move! The young lady in-charge of the counter was clearly a newbie and very obviously lacked adequate training on the billing application. She was punching one key every 32 seconds! To make matters worse, each of the four customers ahead of me seemed to be under the impression that shopping was going out of fashion and had picked up cartloads of stuff. And here I was… waiting not-so-patiently for my turn to bill one little box of magic tricks. Hmmm, at that point of time it was I who desperately needed a magic potion to keep my cool. And then it happened… 

The guy standing behind me lost it completely! He stormed the counter and made his displeasure felt to… well, the entire store!!! I was about to join in and support “our” cause when without warning the guy unleashed a barrage of expletives at the stunned girl. The tantrum worked. Within seconds the floor manager appeared and started apologizing profusely to the irate customer. The manager then promptly arranged for another team member to take charge of the billing counter just as the humiliated girl vanished in thin air right in front of dozens of piercing eyes. The drama ended as abruptly as it had begun and life was thankfully back to being mundane again.

The floor manager was obviously a proponent of “The Customer Is Always Right” philosophy. But was it the right approach in handling this particular customer? I don't think so.

“The Customer Is Always Right” phrase was originally coined by Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of the Selfridges department store in London in 1909. Though this adage has now deservedly assumed iconic status and is probably the most recited mantra among businesses across the globe, I feel it is not relevant across all situations… certainly not against abusive customers. 

It is justified when a customer loses his/her temper when the service received is not up to the individual’s expectations. Though unpleasant, it is also understandable when a customer under duress screams his/her guts out at the service provider. But even the most unacceptable level of service does not give a customer the right to hurl personal abuses at employees.

A management not standing up for its employees against an abusive customer actually adds insult to the employees’ injury. Because apart from being disgraced by the customer, the employees feel betrayed by their own management, thereby leading them to believe that the management does not value or respect them enough. This adversely affects their morale and could finally lead to worse customer service. Hence following “the customer is always right” policy blindly can actually turn out be counter-productive!

So what do you think? Is the customer always right? Or, like you and me, can s/he be sometimes wrong?

Leading by Example

Ever had a boss who would wax eloquent on the virtues of punctuality, but would himself turn up late to office every other day? Ask you to never ever compromise on quality, but would be the first one to do so when faced with a looming delivery deadline? Forever chant the “Customer Is Always Right” mantra, but bemoan about a client’s stupidity to anyone who cared to listen?

If you have worked under such a leader, then you are likely to have experienced frequent bouts of disappointment, betrayal and disenchantment with your boss and your organization.

Leaders who practice the "Do as I say, not as I do" philosophy are the greatest “morale busters” an organization can have. They gradually destroy a team’s passion and enthusiasm, and spawn a culture of cynicism and distrust among the members.

Being a role model is the most important aspect of being a leader. A team always looks up to its leader for support, strength, guidance and motivation. So it becomes imperative for a leader to “walk the talk” and lead by example.

Several inspirational leaders from various spheres of life (corporate, political, religious, etc) have left their indelible footprints on the sands of time. Mahatma Gandhi was one such icon.

“My life is my message”, said Gandhi. And sure it was!

Born to the Diwan (Prime Minister) of Porbander, a small princely state in British India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi trained to be a barrister at the University College London. It was during his stint as a lawyer in South Africa that he pioneered Satyagraha (devotion to truth), or non-violent civil disobedience, to fight against racial discrimination and assist in the resident Indian community’s struggle for civil rights. After his return to India, Gandhi spearheaded several nationwide campaigns to reduce poverty, expand women's rights, build religious and ethnic harmony, eradicate untouchability, and improve economic self-reliance. Most importantly, he fought for Swaraj (complete individual, spiritual, political independence from foreign domination) and led India to Independence.

So what was it about Gandhi that motivated millions of people to take on the mighty British Empire not with weapons but with Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satya (truth)?

Very simple. Gandhi practiced what he preached. He led by example!

He lived by his principles of non-violence and truth. As an advocate for simple living, he renounced his western lifestyle and lived modestly in a self-sufficient residential community. He also gave up his western attire for the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with yarn he handspun on a charkha (spinning wheel). He ate simple vegetarian food, and undertook long fasts as a means of both social protest and self-purification.

Since Gandhi always did what he said and said what he did, he built a tremendous amount of trust, faith and loyalty among his followers. They knew that he would never ask them to do something which he would not do himself. Under his inspirational leadership, Gandhi managed to bring together Indians from across diverse segments of society and made them work unitedly towards a common goal. And succeeded in making the impossible possible… winning India's Independence without fighting a bloody war!

According to Gandhi, “An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching”. There's no arguing with that one!

Positional Power and Personal Power

Abraham Lincoln famously said “…if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

I guess he was talking about Positional Power, which can be given as well as taken away. As the name suggests, Positional Power is the authority which comes from the office or position to which the leader is appointed or elected. Since it is derived from external sources, this type of power is not permanent and can be taken away or lost. Politics and military are lines of work where Positional Power plays a significant role in getting a job or task done.

Personal Power on the other hand comes from within an individual… it is the authority which comes from the personal traits of the leader - like character, knowledge, skill, eloquence and charisma. Since these attributes are internal to the person, this type of power cannot be taken away. Sportspersons and movie stars fall under the category of people who wield an enormous degree of Personal Power over their followers.

Neither type of power is “better” than the other… an effective leader uses both Positional Power and Personal Power judiciously and wisely to acquire and influence followers as well as earn their respect, admiration and loyalty.

Positional Power is used in situations where the leader does not want to encourage a discussion with the followers to arrive at a decision… they are simply “told” what needs to be done. No questions asked! On the other hand, there are also situations where followers have to be “sold” an idea… here the leader uses the charm of his/her Personal Power to accomplish the goal.

No wonder most successful leaders have the decisiveness of an army general as well as the magnetism of a rock star!