dynamics of creative leadership
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Dynamics of Creative Leadership
As a HDR professional,
Can every one of us ask,
what I can give to push
HDI ranking to reach top 20 from 134 out of 187 countries.
I am indeed delighted to attend the Annual National Conference of National HRD Network
at Hyderabad. My greetings to the organizers, participants and distinguished guests. I am
happy to know that the theme of the conference is "Energizing for Excellence" whichfocuses on individual, society, team, organization and the Nation. HRD professional has a
big challenge. India is ranked 134 in HDI among 187 countries. How can we improve the
HDI ranking to at least top 20 countries. Of course, to reach the higher performance in
ranking of HDI, we need innovation, excellence and above all creative leadership in human
resource development. Hence, I would like to share a few thoughts on "Dynamics of
Creative Leadership" based on my experience.
Excellence is a self-imposed self-directed life-long process
Friends, excellence is not by accident. It is a process, where an individual,
organization or nation, continuously strives to better oneself. The performance
standards are set by themselves, they work on their dreams with focus and are
prepared to take calculated risks and do not get deterred by failures as they move
towards their dreams. Then they step up their dreams as they tend to reach the
original targets. They strive to work to their potential, in the process, they increase
their performance thereby multiplying further their potential and this is anunending life cycle phenomenon. They are not in competition with anyone else,
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but themselves. That is the culture of excellence.
Laboratories for Human Resource Development
Let me share some experiences working with multiple work centers and people
that gave unique experiences to me. Indeed these multiple centers are thelaboratories for Human Resource Development. The centers are the following:
1. High tech laboratory environment
2. Agriculture farming fields
3. School and college environment
4. Visiting Innovative Industrial Complex
Let me narrate my experiences with these centres and share with you friends, what I have
learnt. According to me, all the four lab experiences on the fields have potential human
resource development characteristics.
1. High tech laboratory environment: Selection of Project Directors for the Missile
Programme.
In June 1983 the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme was about to be
sanctioned. That was the time we had to select the Project Directors for Prithvi, Agni,
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Akash, Trishul and Nag. In DRDL, at that time, many experienced Scientists were
competing for this task. Many of them were over fifty years of age. To enable the
selection of the most suitable candidate for heading these projects we followed a novel
procedure. I called for a meeting of the Management Council of DRDL and the agenda
for the meeting was to finalize the criteria required for the selection of the Project
Directors. I asked each member of the Management Council to go to the Board andwrite one characteristic, which he considered essential to be a Project Director.
When we discussed all the characteristics together, there was convergence among
members that the following are the most essential characteristics of the Project
Directors: credibility of the person in achieving excellence in one of the technologies or
management is the first essential quality. Secondly, Project Director should be young
enough to design and develop the missile and lead it to production. Thirdly, the selected
candidate should be a person of highest integrity. With this criterion, Scientists of the
age group below 40 became the obvious choice for selection as Project Directors of the
Programme. Simultaneously, I nominated other experienced Senior Scientists as
Technology Directors with the responsibility of developing the technologies required by
the projects. This created a technological link between the Project and Technology
Directors. Project Directors had the sanctioning power, which created a healthy
relationship between the Project Directors and the Technology Directors.
As an anecdote to this, I would like to mention how we decided on the name of the
projects. In a special meeting we invited all the Project Directors and Technology
Directors to decide on the names. We put the criteria that the name should be indicative
of the performance of the missile systems; it should be simple, there should beIndianness about the name and should be familiar to everyone. On this basis the names
Agni, Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag were chosen and today these names have become
household names in many places. People at large, common man and even school
students are aware of these names and know what type of missiles these names indicate.
The message to you friends, the unique selection criteria for managing the leaders large
project is a learning ground for Human Resource Development experts.
2. Agriculture farming centre: My recent experience with farmers of Uttar Pradesh.
Friends, on 22 November 2012, I visited Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, where I
interacted with nearly five thousand farmers and villagers of that region. The DistrictMagistrate over there, Mrs Ministhy S., who is from Kerala and her team, has evolved a
multi dimensional rural development plan which covered health, education, agriculture,
sanitation, enterprise and environment. There I specifically heard from four progressive
farming entrepreneurs about how they have achieved high yield in their produce,
namely; Banana, flowers, wheat, mentha and rice. They told me how they have
innovated a new method of seed cultivation through a machine called seed drum. They
also told me that this seed drum was first invented as a prototype in Cochin, Kerala and
was brought from Cochin for ground level testing and implementation by the Barabanki
administration and the farmers. Friends, this is how rural ideas and innovations need to
quickly disseminate to the entire nation and empower the 800 million rural citizen of our
country. The message is how the Innovation of the farmers in seed cultivation has
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resulted in increased productivity.
3. School and college environment - Will-power can defeat any problem.
Friends, recently, an incident which took place in Harali village, Kolhapur District inMaharashtra, where I addressed and interacted with over 2000 of students hailing from
different schools. When I was about to get down from the stage after finishing my lecture
and interaction, a young boy about 18 years of age, held in the arms of his mother cried to
meet me. I called both of them on to the stage. The polio affected boy could not walk, but
he was strong in will power. He told me, "My name is Shailesh and I am from this village
Harali. You told us to have a dream. I am here to tell you my dream. I am a chess player. I
will work very hard and someday I will become a Grand Master". I wished Shailesh all the
best, who has a strong will power and said, ?You will succeed. Definitely, God is with
you.? Dear friends, the message is, "will power can defeat any problem". The environments
of Schools and College will reveal the dreams and pains of the youth. HR leaders should
active participants to learn the dreams of our future leaders and nurture them.
4. Visiting Innovative Industrial Complex - My recent experience at Charanka Solar
Park, Gujarat.
Friends, on 9 November 2012, I visited Gujarat, where I went to the District of Patan
and witnessed the Charanka Solar Park. This Solar Park, which is a part of the state?s
solar power mission, has a capacity of about 214 MWs out of the total 700 MWs of
clean solar power generated in the state. The park has been established as a model PPP
(Public Private Partnership) project with 17 different private partners, each with the
freedom to choose their technology and size and is now the single largest solar park in
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India. When I interacted with the administration and managers of this solar park, I was
told, that entire park was implemented from idea to plant in a matter of just 11 months.
The decision to go for Solar Power, even though it was costly, was supported and
subsidized by the government at a fixed purchasing cost per unit, assuming that with the
increasing capacity the cost per unit will come down. And as expected this drop in
generation cost has already happened, with per unit cost reducing to about 2/3rd in lessthan one year of operation.
The solar park has generated many jobs for the local youth who are trained in the technical
management of solar technology and its maintenance. As a social goal, the solar park is also
providing healthcare and education facilities to the local population all empowered by clean
green solar power. It is now planned to extend the Charanka solar park capacity to over 400
MWs of solar power by 2014 using the state of the art thin-film and crystalline
technologies. The message is the vision of establishing solar park has resulted in generating
700 MW of Solar power.
Hence, dear friends, the new thinking, new approach and innovation and taking calculated
risk will bring growth to establishments and the individual leaders.
Now let us see, what worked yesterday, how it will not work today.
What worked yesterday, will not work today
Friends, the world in the 21st century will be a knowledge based society with
multiple opportunities naturally in nations and we have to become knowledge
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driven. I was studying a book, "Empires of the Mind" by Denis Waitley. This book
gives what type of the new world which we are facing now? What was yesterday
and what is today. I have modified certain points of the author to suit the
discussions of today. I have also added a third line which relates to action of
leadership. The book specially says that "what worked yesterday, won?t work
today".
Role of leadership in a Knowledge Society:
1. Yesterday - natural resources defined power
Today - knowledge is power
Leadership should empower itself with knowledge
2. Yesterday - Hierarchy was the model
Today- synergy is the mandate
Leadership will be enabler for intersection of multiple faculties towards
mission goals
3. Yesterday - leaders commanded and controlled
Today - leaders empower and coach
Leadership will enrich itself through exposure to the needs of sustainable
development
4. Yesterday - shareholders came first
Today - customers come first
Leadership should inculcate sensitivity to the needs of all the stakeholders
5. Yesterday - employees took order
Today - teams make decision
Leadership will promote team spirit
6. Yesterday - seniority signified status
Today - creativity drives status
Leadership will be judged by innovation and promote creativity
7. Yesterday - production determined availability
Today - Competitiveness is the key
Leadership will constantly evolve more competitive with knowledge,management and technology
8. Yesterday - value was extra
Today - value is everything
Leadership will have the priority to inculcate value addition at every level
9. Yesterday - everyone was a competitor
Today - everyone is a customer
Leadership will value feedback and action based on that
10. Yesterday - profits were earned through expediency
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Today - Work with integrity and succeed with integrity.
Leaders will work with integrity and succeed with integrity and act as
promoters of such a culture in their subordinates.
Creative Leadership
I have seen three dreams which have taken shape as vision, mission and realization. Space
programme of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization), AGNI programme of DRDO
(Defence Research and Development Organization) and PURA (Providing Urban
Amenities in Rural Areas) becoming the National Mission. Of course, these three
programmes succeeded in the midst of many challenges and problems. I have worked in all
these three areas. I want to convey to you what I have learnt on leadership from these three
programmes:
a. Leader must have a vision.
b. Leader must have a passion to transform the vision into action.
c. Leader must be able to travel into an unexplored path.
d. Leader must know how to manage a success and failure.
e. Leader must have courage to take decision.
f. Leader should have Nobility in management.
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g. Every action of the leader should be transparent.
h. Leader must work with integrity and succeed with integrity.
For success in all your missions you have to become creative leaders. Creativeleadership means exercising the vision to change the traditional role from the
commander to the coach, manager to mentor, from director to delegator and from one
who demands respect to one who facilitates self-respect. For a prosperous and
developed India, the important thrust will be on the generation of a number of creative
leaders from our educational institution.
Friends, let me discuss with all of you some examples of leadership of different forms.
Certainly, the life of these great human beings will inspire all of you to have an aim in
life, which gives the motivation to acquire knowledge continuously, make you to work
hard and achieve success with perseverance as we evolve into a knowledge society of
the 21st century.
Managing Failure
Friends, when you set upon difficult missions it will bring difficult challenges which
may sometimes produce temporary setbacks. The test of a human being is in
accepting the failure and keep trying until he or she succeeds. Managing failures is a
quality which is the essence of leadership. Let me now tell you an experience in this
regard in my professional life.
When I think of Prof. Satish Dhawan, many incidences come to my mind. I would like to
share with you again, one important incident, which is a valuable lesson to the younger
generation. Friends, some of you know about the first experimental launch of SLV3, for
which I was Project Director. On 10th August 1979, the vehicle took-off beautifully at T-0
and the first stage gave predicted performance. The second stage was initiated, but within a
few seconds, we witnessed the vehicle in a tumbling motion and we lost the flight to the
Bay of Bengal. It was 8 am in the morning. The whole team in spite of all day and night
hard work and sweat for several days, were busy in collecting the data and trying to
establish the reason for the flight failure. Meanwhile, I was called by Prof Satish Dhawan toattend a press conference. Before the press conference, Prof. Satish Dhawan told me that he
was going to handle the situation and I should be present with many of the senior scientists
and technologists. The press conference room was full with media. There was gloom, many
questions were posed, some very powerful, thoughtful and also criticisms. Prof Satish
Dhawan, announced "Friends, today we had the experimental launch of SLV3 to put
ROHINI satellite in the orbit. It was a partial success. It is our first mission of proving
multiple technologies in a launch vehicle. We have proved many technologies in this
launch but still we have to prove some more. We have tumbled but not fallen flat. Above all
I realize my team members have to be given all the technological support for the next
mission to succeed. Subsequently, a failure analysis board established the cause and we
proceeded with the preparation for the second launch.
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The second mission of SLV-3 took place on 18th July 1980. It was 6.30 in the morning.
The whole nation's attention was towards the SHAR launch complex, now named after
Prof. Satish Dhawan as a great tribute to him. The mission teams were busy during the
count down and carefully watching the flight sequence. At T-0 the vehicle took off and
we witnessed a text book trajectory. After nearly 600 seconds of the flight I realized
every stage has given the required velocity including the 4th stage. I made an
announcement, "Mission Director calling all stations. The SLV-3 has given the required
velocity and right altitude to put Rohini satellite in the orbit. Our down range stations
and global stations will get the orbit of the satellite within an hour". There was a
thunderous applause from the entire stations and visitors gallery.
The most important thing happened after that. Again, there was a Press Conference. But
this time, Prof Satish Dhawan did not handle the Press Conference. Instead, he asked meto handle the Press Conference with our team members.
There are two messages I would like to convey here. First is about the resilience and
courage to resurge after a setback. And the second is about the role of a leader in
managing failure. The leader should give the credit of the success to the team members.
When failure comes the leaders should absorb the failures and protect the team
members. I could not get this beautiful, technological education of failure management
in any of the text books written by any of the institutes at that time.
Scientific Magnanimity
Now, I would like to narrate an incident which took place during a function
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conferring Nobel Laureate Prof. Norman E Borlaug, a well known agricultural
scientist and a partner in India?s first Green revolution, with Dr. M S Swaminathan
Award, at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on the 15th of March 2005. Prof. Borlaug, at
the age of 91, was in the midst of all the praise showered on him from everybody
gathered there. When his turn came, he got up and highlighted India?s advancement
in the agricultural science and production and said that the political visionary ShriC. Subramaniam and Dr. M S Swaminathan, pioneer in agricultural science were
the prime architects of First Green Revolution in India. Even though Prof Norman
Borlaug was himself a partner in the first green revolution, he did not make a point
on this. He recalled with pride, Dr. Verghese Kurien who ushered White Revolution
in India. Then the surprise came. He turned to scientists sitting in the third row, fifth
row and eighth row of the audience. He identified Dr. Raja Ram, a wheat specialist,
Dr S K Vasal, a maize specialist, Dr. B. R. Barwale, a seed specialist. He said, all
these scientists had contributed for India?s and Asia?s agricultural science. Dr.
Borlaug introduced them to the audience by asking them to stand and ensured that
the audience cheered and greeted the scientists with great enthusiasm. This action of
Dr. Norman Borlaug, I call it as "Scientific Magnanimity". Friends, if we aspire to
achieve great things in life, we need Scientific Magnanimity to focus the young
achievers. It is my experience that great mind and great heart go together. This
Scientific Magnanimity will motivate the scientific community and nurture team
spirit.
Conclusion
Friends, so far I have discussed with you some unique dimensions of creative leadership in
every domain. These creative leadership are born out of the excellence in thinking andcreativity in their action. Because there are certain unique characteristics which shaped the
human development in different forms distinctively with great potential for excellence.
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Finally I would like to ask you, what would you like to be remembered for? You have to
evolve yourself and shape your life. You should write it on a page. That page may be a
very important page in the book of human history. And you will be remembered for
creating that one page in the history of the nation ? whether that page is the page of
invention, the page of innovation or the page of discovery or the page of developing and
deploying a vital system and products for the nation. Here, let me recall a profound
saintly message to all of us by Maharishi Patanjali 2500 years ago.
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your
thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness
expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive, and you discover yourself to
be a greater person by far than you ever dreamt yourself to be."
My best wishes to all the members of India Cultural Centre and Community Leaders of
Tampa.
May God bless you.
By, Dr. APJ Abdulkalam www.abdulkalam.com