Ajit Wadekar
Former cricket captain and Team India manager
Led India to historic overseas Test victories against England and West Indies in 1971
Leadership varies from country to country and industry to industry. For instance, captaining the Indian cricket team is a greater challenge than leading a foreign squad because of our diverse culture. You have to communicate in a language that everyone understands. Or else there is the risk of groupism.
A leader has to do the best with what’s at his disposal. When you’re given a team, you cannot lament that you did not get the players that you wanted. You have to play within your limitations and grab every opportunity that comes your way. Eventually, what goes into the record books are wins and losses.
A SWOT analysis is one of the must-do things for a leader. The human angle is extremely critical as well. After all, not all fingers are the same.
If you have a legend like Sunil Gavaskar in your team, there are 10 others who cannot be like him. Therefore, you cannot expect the same deeds from them.
A leader must also give due importance to those in the reserves to ensure they are not neglected. Otherwise, negativity can creep in. In fact, they are the best judges as they have an outside view of what’s happening.
Some people are born leaders while others develop their leadership skills. In life, you are bound to lead something, so you’ve got to be prepared for it. One must learn from one’s predecessors and keep improving.
It is essential to take defeats sportingly. A leader needs to realise that it’s not a one-man show and cannot behave as if he is supreme. He must learn to get things done from others. A captain has to lead from the front; he cannot be a shirker. For example, if wickets are tumbling, he cannot push himself down the order. Panic sets in and wrong signals are sent if that happens.
I would get the team to have a drink with me in my room or at the bar in the evenings to strengthen our bond. We would talk about the mistakes we made on the field to begin with and later the discussion would veer towards relations...for instance, someone falling in love! Music, movies, politics and global problems would invariably be discussed too.
Ups and downs are a part of life and we must take them in our stride. There is always another day. When you get out of a bad patch and start winning again, it is very fulfilling. It is senseless to get dispirited after disappointments and overjoyed with success. You have to maintain balance and remain level-headed.
(As told to Kunal Purandare)
Bhaichung Bhutia
(This story appears in the 17 October, 2014 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)
Outstanding article. Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India
on Oct 18, 2014