Speaker: Mr.SujoyBanerjee, President - Group Human Resources and Organizational Development, McNally Bharat Engg Co. Ltd.

1. The Leaders’ Roadmap for Selecting &
Managing Change & Innovation
in Turbulent Times
Sujoy Banerjee, President – Group HR & OD

2. We cannot predict the future. But we can create it.
Uncertainty, Chaos, Turbulence, Change ….but
some still thrive and become great!

3. Presentation Flow:
• Section I :
– Myths & Realities of Leadership
– Leadership Framework in Turbulent Times
– Poll 1
• Section II :
– 10x Leaders
– Traits of 10xers
– Poll 2
• Section III :
– Leadership in Indian Companies

4. Myths & Realities about Leaders
• Myth: Successful leaders in turbulent and chaotic
business environment are bold and risk seeking
visionaries. They are speedier than the rest.
• Realities : Most successful leaders do not have visionary
ability to predict the future. They observe what
worked, figured out why it worked and built upon
proven foundations. They are not more risk
taking, more bold, more visionary & more creative.
They are more disciplined, more empirical and more
paranoid. They figure out when to go fast and when not
to.

5. Leading in Turbulent Times
• In times of turbulence, the temptation is to seek safety by
focusing on what can be controlled.
• Looking inwards and acting “defensively” to avoid damage and
minimize risks.

6. Leadership Framework for being successful in
turbulent times….
• Leaders need to stay alert to market conditions, competitor behavior and
client/customer needs.
• Leaders need to consider what value-creating opportunities are generated by the
turbulence itself – weaker competitors offer attractive expansion potential as what
may be bargain prices; new markets, products & services may be created as a
consequence of turbulence.
• Leading in turbulence entails being seen to lead, keeping up an active external
presence, staying connected. Passive leadership won’t generate growth and may
imperil survival.
• Leaders need to demonstrate internally & externally that uncertainty creates
opportunities and that a well-led organization pursues value creation in good times
and bad.

7. Leadership Framework for being successful in
turbulent times….
• Leaders need to drive their organizations to continue to invest in financial and
human resources to capitalize on the opportunities they generate.
• Leaders must encourage entrepreneurial and innovative behavior so that
organization can take risks – even though it is easy to believe that all risks are
bad in turbulent times.
• Emphasizing revenue growth in addition to whatever cost reductions may be
appropriate is crucial and means supporting new initiatives. “No organization
ever saved their way to growth”.
• A common reaction to business turbulence is to cut budgets & postpone
planned initiatives. Often such paralyses creates even greater organizational
damage. Agility and responsiveness to market fluctuations are very critical while
maintaining the momentum of core activities that protect the long term.

8. Leadership Framework for being successful in
turbulent times….
• Organizations also need to be able to make decisions when the future is even
more uncertain. Leaders must create an organization – wide capability to
maintain execution and at the same time create strategic options.
• Accountability and empowerment should be pushed down to the lowest level of
the organization as the decisions at the levels closest to market conditions are
the best ways to manage ambiguity.
• During turbulent times leaders must be able to demonstrate to their teams and
to each other the emotional & personal benefits of being part of the
organization. This especially should be focused towards “high – performing /
high-potential’ talent who will otherwise be the first one to leave the company.

9. Leadership Framework for being successful in
turbulent times….
• Leaders must maintain focus & discipline – to remain focused on the cause as
well stay committed to what they believe is right.
• A conviction of “Together, we can do it”… an optimistic confidence is what the
leader must create in the team.
• The leader must not only be obsessive about discipline & focus but must also
demonstrate flexibility – must maintain the openness to changing directions in
turbulent times. Flexibility is neither indecision nor inconsistency rather it is a
strength that allows a leader to respond to changed circumstances or new
understanding with changed thinking.
• Leaders in turbulent times must avoid conveying stress & anxiety to others.

10. Poll 1:
Successful leaders in turbulent and chaotic business environment are bold and risk
seeking visionaries. They are speedier than the rest.
True
False

11. Poll 2:
Choose the most appropriate option:
1. Leaders need to………
a) Stay alert to Market Conditions, Competitor Behavior and Client / Customer Needs.
b) Need to understand what value creating opportunities are created by turbulence
c) Emphasize on Cost-Reduction and hold back innovation
Question:
i. All three are applicable
ii. Only a & b are applicable
iii. Only a & c are applicable
iv. Only b & c are applicable
v. All are not applicable

12. Leaders we need…..
• In the turbulent and ever-changing economic
environment in which are we are operating now, it’s
particularly critical to have ambidextrous leaders who can
simultaneously manage both the tangible and the
intangible and balance both short-term and long-term
pressures and strategies.

13. 10X Leaders…….those who build 10X Companies
• On the one hand, 10Xers understand that they face continuous
uncertainty and that they cannot control, and cannot accurately
predict, significant aspects of the world around them. On the
other hand, 10xers reject the idea that forces outside their
control or chance events will determine their results; they accept
full responsibility for their own fate.

14. Leadership Traits….”10X” Leaders who produce
10X results in chaotic & turbulent times…..
Fanatic
Discipline
Passionate
Ambition
FaFa Empirical
Productive
Paranoia Creativity

15. 10X Leaders………………
• Fanatic Discipline keeps 10X enterprises on
track….
• Empirical Creativity keeps them vibrant
• Productive Paranoia keeps them alive
• Passionate Ambition provides inspired
motivation.

16. Fanatic Discipline….
• 10Xers display extreme consistency of action –
consistency with values, goals, performance standards
and methods. They are utterly relentless, monomaniacal,
unbending in their focus on their quests.
• For 10x leaders the only legitimate form of discipline is
self-discipline, having the inner will to do whatever it
takes to create a great outcome, no matter how difficult.

17. Empirical Creativity…………..
• When faced with uncertainty, 10xers do not look primarily to
other people, conventional wisdom, authority figures or peers for
direction; they look primarily to empirical evidence. They rely
upon direct observation, practical experimentation and direct
engagement with tangible evidence. They make their bold
creative moves from a sound empirical base.
• The 10xers by virtue of having a much deeper empirical
foundation for their decisions and actions, have a well-rounded
confidence.

18. Productive Paranoia………..
• 10xers maintain hyper vigilance, stay highly tuned to changes &
threats in their environment, even when – especially when – all’s
going well. They assume conditions will turn against them, at
possibly the worst possible moment. They channel their fear and
worry into action, preparing, developing contingency
plans, building buffers and maintaining large margins of safety.

19. Passionate Ambition
• 10x leaders are incredibly ambitious, but their ambition is
first and foremost for the cause, for the company, for the
work and not themselves.
• 10x leaders never defined themselves by money and
power, they defined themselves by impact, contribution
and purpose.

20. • 10x leaders accept without complaint, that
they face forces beyond their control, that
they cannot accurately predict events and
that nothing is certain; yet they utterly reject
the idea that luck, chaos or any other
external factor will determine whether they
succeed or fail……

21. Leadership Capabilities that have been critical
for leadership of Indian Companies in recent
times….
• Vision & Strategy
– Shared Values & Vision
– Strategic Thinking
– Drive to innovate
– Taking advantage of growth
– Aspirational goals.
• Organizational Architecture
– Building the leadership team
– Talent Management
– Responsibility and empowerment
– Creating a culture
– Overcoming adversity
– Workplace diversity

22. Leadership Capabilities that have been critical
for leadership of Indian Companies in recent
times….
• Personal Qualities
– Leading from the front
– Transparency & Communication
– Maintaining good human relations
– Managing the regulatory environment
– Working with the owning families
* Wharton – National HRD Network Study : The DNA of Indian Business Leadership

23. 10 Commandments for Leaders in
Turbulent Times…..
• Be honest with yourself
• Be Visible
• Tell it like it is
• Be Clear
• Stick to Plan A wherever possible
• Be Tough
• Use confidence to create confidence
• Balance enthusiasm and experience
• Seize the opportunities
• Learn to cultivate peripheral vision.

24. Thank You
Sujoy.banerjee@mbecl.co.in