Agile Tour 2016 Chennai - Lead like Mahatma Gandhi by Syed Nazir Razik

Syed Nazir Razik ACP, CSM, PMP

Nov 6, 2016

Hotel Radisson, Chennai

Board Member & Vice President

Vice President ,Aerospace Industry Association of Tamil Nadu

Social Media Strategist

Agile Mentor for ACP & Beyond

Agile Transformation Mentor for Teams

Disclaimer

If you have come to hear about being a better manager,

you are in the wrong room

Management Vs Leadership

Management – is what we do ( Planning,

Budgeting, organizing, building

strategies, effecting change, problem

solving )

Leadership is

“ Who we are ! ”

About “Getting people neck up !”

Influencing people to commit to a

mission, to be all they can be.

Epitomizing Leadership moments in

Gandhiji’s Life

Sabarmati Ashram --- Dandi, Navsari Gujarat

24 days and 390 kms distance.

Vision: Protest Salt Tax

Mission : Make Salt

Act of non violent civil disobedience.

78 Satyagrahis – culminated to 60000 people

getting arrested

It was all about Influence, Character,

Confidence, Humility, Vision, Inspiration

Mar 12, 1930

“Like the historic march of Ramachandra to Lanka the march of Gandhi will be

memorable”, Shri P. C. Ray - like “the exodus of the Israelites under Moses.”

Outcome : Purna Swaraj

Quit India Movement - Leadership moments

in Gandhiji’s Life II

Gowli Tank Maidan, Bombay

Disorderly, Non violent civil disobedience.

Vision: Do or Die (Karo ya Maro)

Mission : Bharat Chodo Andolan

Imprisoned at Aga Khan Palace,

Lost Kasturba and goes on 21 days fast

unto death

It was all about Sacrifice, Character,

Humility, Vision, Inspiration

8 August, 1942

Outcome : Roadmap to

Inquilab

Subash Chandra Bose “Mahatmaji, For Indians outside India you are the creator

of the present awakening in our country….”

Great Servant Leaders

Who is your greatest role

model of Servant Leader ?

• She serves

• Her sacrifice

• Greatest influence on you

• Empathically listens to you

• She treats you like the most important person in the world• You would move mountains for her

• She has moral authority on you (not power)

Anytime we extend ourselves, sacrifice and serve others, treat them like most

important people, we build authority and thereby influence

Can you emulate to be like your mother ?

Leaders are made, not born !

Are you using the words ?

• I want you to just do what I say

ie … (I want you neck down !)

At our teams and workplace !

• 2/3 of people leave their jobs because of

ineffective leader

• They do not quite their company, they quit

their boss

Servant Leadership

• Is influencing people to contribute their

heart, mind, creativity, spirit, excellence and

their all to the team to work towards a

mutually beneficial goal.

• Is not a title. One does not have to be in

position of power to influence others to be

more enthusiastic, more committed and

more willing to be the best

• Is the willingness to extend oneself to meet

the needs of another human being

• Is about exerting influence not intimidation

• Is about building authority not power

“Anyone who wants to be a leader among you must first be the servant

If you chose to lead, you must serve” – Jesus Christ

“The Leadership” in Servant Leadership

• Defining the Vision.

• Providing Strategy and Mission

• Crafting strong values

• Inspiring the team

• Being transparent

• Facilitate honest feedback

• Defining the metrics of excellence

“If you get your team what they need, They will

get you everything you need”

Characteristics of a Servant Leader

• Selfless -The will to serve and sacrifice for

your team.

• Listening with empathy – builds strength in

teams

• Building a strong self character

• Separate people from behavior

• Motivate, motivate. Be quick in appreciating /

credit good work

• Demand excellence

“We are here on earth to do good for others, what

others are here for I don’t know” – W.H Auden

Servant Leadership failure – Symptoms

• Low team morale.

• High Absenteeism

• Low commitment

• High attrition.( Excessive turnover)

• Lack of trust (Disloyalty)

“99% of leadership failures are failures of Character”

– Norman Schwarzkopf

Millennials respond better to Servant leadership

Influencing factors of Millennials @ Team

Steps Forward …..

Top traits to build Servant Leadership

• Be committed to change

• Be ready to seek out and receive critical

feedback and continuous improvement

• Be ready to take risk and practice SL and

Grow

• Be ready to manage your ego, stay humble

• Treat people like they are important

“Everybody can be great bcos anybody can serve”

– Martin Luther King

Being a Servant Leaders at home

Provide boundaries, love, feedback and

discipline to your children

Listen to them and make them feel

important

It is good to lavish upon your children

material things that you didn’t get growing

up - but in moderation

Don’t fail to provide them the important

things you received from your parents

“To educate a person in mind and not in morals is to

educate a menace in society” – Theodore Roosevelt

As we speak ….

Recommendation and Credits

Thank You !U can reach me Twitter @joesat @pmichennaiMail : syed@pmi-chennai.org

http://bit.ly/pmiccservantleadership