Leadership Mindset - Aditya Yadav

1. *
“Running an Agile Fortune 500 Company”
Aditya Yadav, aditya.yadav@gmail.com
in.linkedin.com/in/adityayadav76

2. * A Typical Global Company
* Fortune 500/1000
* 200 Divisions
* 40 Countries
* 25000 Employees
*

3. *
@ Acme Inc.

4. * Original Question “What’s the best Decision
Making Framework that we should be using?”
* The Correct Question - “The emphasis
shouldn’t be on Canned (!!!) Decision
Frameworks but rather Structure!!! Allow me
explain”
*

5. *
And The Philosophy Behind The Answer

6. * Managers need skills like
* Quantitative Reasoning
* Operations Research
* Operations Management
* Project Management
* … etc. etc.
* But this presentation is not about Managers!!!
* What is the Top Most thing that Leaders need?
* Critical Thinking!!!
*

7. * What do we know?
* Facts
* Something that can be demonstrated to be true
* Can be checked, verified and confirmed to be true
* What are the facts relevant to the discussion?
* Assertions
* Something that is held to be true
* But which has not been or cannot be demonstrated to be true
* Distinguish between a fact and an assertion
* Assertions can be wrong but facts by definition are right
* Opinions
* Weaker than an assertion
* Something which is believed to be true by the speaker
* But is subjective and depends on the point of view of the speaker
* Different people might have different opinions on things
* People can change their opinion
*** Ref: Critical Thinking Course on Coursera!!!
*

8. * A Theory is an attempt at an explanation
* Based on our current understanding of the world i.e. facts and assertions
* How something is or why it works?
* We are always discovering new things and better understandings
* A theory is not fixed and unchanging
* It continues to evolve and change
* As we discover new facts and information
* There could be several competing theories attempting to explain things
* The value and usefulness of a theory is how well it corresponds with reality
* Especially with incomplete information and complex phenomenon
* Valid theories is based on evidence and facts which we know
* Otherwise its explanation cannot possibly be correct
* Viable Theory
* Valid theories is based on evidence and facts which we know
* Otherwise its explanation cannot possibly be correct
* Theory must make testable predictions
* Without testable hypothesis the Theory is of no use
*
* If the theory's hypothesis is incorrect
* The theory must change and evolve
* If it can't it must be discarded
* Theory must make testable predictions
* Without testable hypothesis the Theory is of no use
* If the theory's hypothesis is incorrect
* The theory must change and evolve
* If it can't it must be discarded

9. * A set or series of logical statements
* Leading to a fair conclusion
* Conclusion
* Is a reasoned inference
* Or a deduction
* That follows from the logic of the argument
* Evidence
* Facts
* Experimental Results
* Observations
* That support the argument
* Present Your Arguments
* In a Persuasive
* Logical
* And Reasoned way
* Take on board the arguments of others
* Source???
* What is the source of the information? What is their motivation?
*

10. * Freedom of Speech is a fundamental right but that shouldn’t be confused with the
right to some nonsensical never ending debates in the organization
* Its about Structured Discussions and Decision Making
* Every statement from any person reflects his thinking, clarity of it, rationality…
* A Non-Structured argument is of no use to anyone
* It just creates a never Ending Nuisance that everyone has to put up with. And obviously
nothing gets done when that happens.
* Rule: Your entire Organization needs Critical Thinking (Not just the leaders) Critical
Thinking needs to be coached!!! Or perhaps Trained (!%$#%$#^) in.
* Rule: You need a moderator who says – I’m sorry to say STFU!!! You are not making any
sense. Go back and come again with structured arguments, facts, assertions, opinions
and/or theories.
* So basically its not a choice between Absolute Command & Top Down Control where
people do as they are told. Or the situation where everyone starts debating everything
and nothing happens
* The right answer is: Everyone uses Critical Thinking and Structured Arguments,
Discussions and Debates. That’s what leads to consensus and agile decision making
*

11. * Critical Thinking is prevalent in the Academia
* The way it works is Peer Review
* Now its very clear that if you are the first person in the world to propose a solution to
something there would be rarely any other people who are experts in it to the extent
you are
* Then how does it work
* Peers/Scientists review your facts, assertions, opinion, arguments, theories…
* You have to understand that they are still not the best people to comprehend your
solution or anything
* They are just checking The Path you took to arrive at that solution etc.
* That’s exactly how we should do things in our Organizations. That’s something we
should learn from the Academia. Everyone in your organization should do it.
* Generalists/Leaders at the top still have a chance that they don’t understand every
Innovation/Solution
* The only way any leader can survive and succeed is Critical Thinking
* The only way an organization can run and survive is Critical Thinking
*

12. Aditya!!!
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