When I began my career at Hindustan Lever (as HUL was then called), I was deeply inspired by our chairman, Dr Ashok S. Ganguly. He was a leader who balanced toughness with compassion and honesty. His sincerity in both words and actions left a lasting impression on me.
Many years later, during my career with Nestlé, I moved to Nestlé Egypt just at the start of the ‘Arab Spring’ in 2011. I had a boss named Roger Stettler, who headed the Africa division. Despite facing challenges, he stood by me, offering support and guidance every step of the way. Instead of inundating me with advice during the crisis, he trusted my abilities and encouraged me to focus on my team and our business. His belief in my authenticity and competence was truly rare and motivating. I believe trust is a binding factor between teams, and the onus of creating an environment that is conducive for teams to flourish rests with the leader.
This takes me back to the words of Mahatma Gandhi: A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create. Real leaders are those who trust their teams, work on their strengths and prepare a core of ‘future leaders’.
Imaging: Deni Lal
WHEN ORDINARY PEOPLE DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
It was the summer of 2021. We were in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. I recollect how Mustafa Hossain, a dedicated Nestlé India distributor salesman in Gangtok, relentlessly walked 14km each day for three days through the mountainous terrain to get the necessary permissions from the local authorities so that our food and beverage products were made available to the consumers. Because of his determination and tenacity, people living in that area had access to our products within six days. This clearly shows that lessons in leadership are not always taught by people occupying positions of power but by even ordinary people who take extraordinary steps that can create a lasting impact.
Leadership depends upon a person’s attitude more than their educational background. Take, for example, the Indian Space Research Organisation model. Members of the team behind Chandrayaan-3 did not all come from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Stanford, MIT or IIT. They were from regular engineering and technology schools. Having a top-notch education does not always translate into providing significant value.
When I travel, I also visit lesser-known institutes. These places have untapped potential that needs the guidance of a strong leader to shine. Students from such institutes show more dedication, appreciation and enthusiasm for work.
WHERE THE HEART BEATS
In times of crisis, nobody wants to see the cranial capabilities of a leader.
Instead, these moments are about managing priorities, anticipating the curveballs and displaying confidence and conscience. People do not want to see a leader who shakes in his boots and is uncertain.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, a leader should be able to combat insurmountable challenges. This often takes me to the hymn, ‘We shall overcome’, which became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement in the US, offering courage and hope to people. ‘We shall overcome’ is a motto that leaders should imbibe, especially in today’s complex business world, where things are changing rapidly.
The leaders of the future must be outstandingly good human beings. They may be brilliant and from the best institutions, but if they do not have a heart that beats at the right speed for their people, they cannot call themselves a leader.
The only legacy a leader leaves behind is culture. Culture is the unspoken language that helps people act in difficult times.
Narayanan is chairman & managing director, Nestle India