Tag Archives: mentor

Management Learnings from ‘The Hitman’- Rohit Sharma

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Captain Rohit Bhai

I earnestly believe that Team Sports at the highest levels provide a lot of learning for Corporate Management. There is no place to hide. It’s all out there happening in the open in an acutely competitive atmosphere. Goof-ups and crisis management; injuries and replacements; bonding and friction; Ups and downs; temperament and the Never Say Die spirit; leadership and rising up to the occasion; teamwork and collaboration; communication and defining roles; analytics and research; planning and execution. Hence my earlier blogs on ‘Management Lessons from Sports’, ‘The Gift of Captaincy’, and ‘Management Lessons from The Thala- MS Dhoni’- the last posted after CSK won a thrilling IPL final last year.

Rohit Sharma’s so-called laid-back demeanor hides the profound impact he has had both as a captain and batter for India and the IPL franchise. His affable, grounded, pragmatic approach has caught the attention of cricket pundits, cricketing legends, and cricket buffs all over the world. Some of the parallels with MSD are striking and The Thala’s influence is palpable. Rohit Sharma suddenly became the captain of Mumbai Indians in 2013 with Icons and seniors like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Harbhajan Singh, and Malinga in the squad. Anil Kumble, then associated with MI, remembers that he was completely unfazed and self-assured. Like MSD with the India captaincy, he gave the stalwarts Respect and Space and seamlessly aligned them for the Team’s cause. The Mumbai side picked up its first IPL trophy in 2013. It was also in the same year that Dhoni promoted this middle-order batter to open for India in the Champions Trophy and the rest is history. The Rohit Sharma- Shikhar Dhawan partnership. Dinesh Karthick ( w/k batsman) who was also part of the MI team has observed that the omission from India’s 2011 World Cup team shook him up and he developed the quiet, steely resolve to make every match and tournament count.

‘I have tried to keep it simple. One thing- clear communication to the players. I have tried to make sure that they understand their roles and that’s what it’s all about. Understanding their roles  and going out there and performing their roles.’ Another page out of MSD’s Captaincy manual. Sadly in the corporate sector, there are many employees, especially on the front line who do not understand their roles, contributions, and value to the team, office, or organization as a whole. The positive energy of team synergy and getting the bigger picture is missing. In the vertical or silo systems embraced by many Companies in the Service Sector, the sense of disengagement is even more pronounced and bureaucracy kicks in. Customer Service is the first casualty.

The unique Rohit-bhai takeaway is ‘that there has to be a sense of relaxation as well because it is important to keep the atmosphere light and cheerful’.  But this coin has not dropped with some at the senior levels of corporate hierarchy and even at Board levels. Employee productivity and performance spike if the work atmosphere and culture are congenial- leading to better results and a more robust balance sheet. Virat Kohli calls Rohit ‘the funniest person in the Indian dressing room.’ His tapori language (Mumbai street lingo) and chilled-out behavior are both endearing and calming. The super intense Kohli seems to be enjoying his cricket as never before, laughing and joking with the team.  No overweening egos, no insecurity, no camps. Reaching out and Bonding. The Hitman and The King are Bros for the Indian cricket mission. True, the stump-mic has caught the captain scolding and using cuss words with some team members on the field. But as Rohit Sharma simply puts it, ‘It’s not to hurt anyone. It’s just to make sure they are on the job and are thinking about the team.’ Other funny stump-mic comments have gone viral. In the third T-20 match against Afghanistan he got off the mark with a boundary down the leg-side but umpire Virendra Sharma signalled leg-byes. He approached the umpire with ‘Arrey Viru, thigh-pad diya kya? Bat laga tha. Already mere do zero ho gaya.’ (Did you give it as leg-byes. It hit the bat. In my previous 2 innings I have got ducks.). The Indian commentators in the box doubled up laughing.

Listen in to the Skipper’s report card ( on YouTube -Cricket Boy) on how the Men in Blue performed in their magnificent 4-1 Test win against an England team on a Bazball roll. First, the series-defining partnership by Jurel and Kuldeep Yadav at Ranchi. The emotions around Sarfaraz Khan winning his India cap at the Rajkot Test.  How many years earlier he had played with the father Naushad in the Kanga league. Jaiswal’s dominating double century at Vizag. Bumrah’s 6-wicket spell in the same Test- reverse swinging the ball on a flat track in hot and humid conditions. The best fast-bowling display he has witnessed in India. The ‘legend’ of Ashwin and the brilliant return of the match-winning Kuldeep Yadav. Appreciative mentions of Gill and Jadeja. Special mention of how much he has enjoyed playing with these passionate young cricketers. No mention of his captaincy except to say that he had learned many things during the series. No mention of missing the likes of Kohli, Rahul, Shami, and Pant in the team. When have you last heard of a Corporate Captain being so warm and fulsome in his praise for his team? Teams matter. Corporate heads are representative of their teams. When the team performs well, a generous amount of credit rubs off on the leader.

Rohit-Bhai has been the Big Brother or the ‘Go-to’ man even before he was appointed as captain. You will see his hand over the shoulder of a dejected Kuldeep Yadav who had a bad day at the office. According to Parthiv Patel, ‘Rohit whole-heartedly supports his players even when they are grappling with difficulties demonstrating an unwavering faith in their abilities. There is an unparalleled sense of calmness in the team.’ He then refers to the case of Bumrah brought in by the MI scouts in 2014. By 2015, the management was pondering to send him back after half of the season. But the captain staunchly believed in his abilities and in 2016, the journey of India’s premier fast bowler across formats began. Likewise, Hardik Pandya’s entry in 2015 and after a lack-luster 2016 season many at MI were showing him the exit door. Again, the leader supports the player giving Pandya the chance to become the player he is today. Very ironic, isn’t it? Considering the recent developments at the franchise.

The Captain has to be a good mentor to bring about the best in her/his team. This is a critical attribute to anyone at the Senior or Middle Management levels handling a sizable team. Companies and Institutions unfortunately do not factor in this ‘X’ factor in the KRA’s and Appraisals. It’s all about numbers. So a person with a 15-year innings pops up on the radar as a Cost to Company (CTC). What the team leader is quietly doing daily behind the scenes is overlooked- training and motivating the team, sharing experiences, developing a second line- all fall through the cracks. One of the most critical attributes of an effective Manager- mentoring- is simply shrugged off.

R Ashwin’s exit from Team India after the second day of the Rajkot Test tells a heart-warming story. .The Test match was evenly poised and with the series itself at stake we have Rohit Sharma and Coach Rahul Dravid persuading their main bowler to take the BCCI arranged charter flight to Chennai to attend to his ailing, hospitalised mother. The star spinner then re-joins the Men in Blue on the 4th day of the Test with his recovering mother insisting that her son not let down the national cricket team. Little wonder, that in an emotional video posted on his YouTube channel Ashwin says, ‘I would give my life for him on the field, that’s the kind of captain he is.’ We have an increasing treadmill corporate culture where leave applications for genuine reasons are frowned upon and even family time on weekends is being compromised.

Rohit Sharma has a sharp cricketing brain and reads the game well. Zaheer Khan has this to say, ‘Rohit acts according to the situation, and many times they are different from what may have been planned in the run-up to the game.’ In corporate life also at times long-term planning and rigid structures become constrictive and hold back the Company from changing course pragmatically, especially in dynamic market conditions. Plus the Cool factor he brings to play. Hence no panic buttons after the disappointing loss at Hyderabad from a position of strength. Instead, a determined come-back to dismantle Bazball. Astute handling of bowlers and smart field placements frustrated the English batters and they collapsed like a pack of cards multiple times in the Test series. Another important learning is how the India captain did not hesitate to pick on the brains of key players like Bumrah and Ashwin. A good leader should be open to ideas and suggestions from the core-group and resonating from the ground. The Ivory Tower syndrome has to be avoided at all costs.

Leadership is not bequeathed through job titles or the size of the corner office. Every Corporate leader or Manager worth her/his salt has to earn the respect and trust of the team members by setting the right example and by leading from the front. ‘The Hitman’ ticks all the boxes across all formats of the game. A Test batting average of 45+ over 59 Tests, more than 10,000 runs over 292 ODI, and a Strike Rate of 92; almost 4000 runs in 151 T-20s at a Strike Rate of almost 140 which puts him in the Sehwag league. He has scored hundreds and double hundreds; changed games with his sixes and fours and played many cameo knocks which have made a difference. In the ODI World Cup 2023, he was the second-highest run-getter after Virat Kohli (765 runs in 11 innings) with 597 runs in 11 knocks. Many cricket commentators have lauded his totally unselfish approach of providing a rollicking start to the India innings. The ICC named him as captain of the ICC World Cup team which had 6 Indian players.

The other wonderful dimension he has brought to the game as a batter is the sheer elegance and power he brings to the crease. King Kohli says that ‘he has never seen anyone time the ball like him.’ Kapil Dev captures his Master-Class batting as,’ attractive, effortless and with all the time in the world.’ Sachin Tendulkar has observed to the effect ‘that once Rohit gets into the zone, the poor bowler does not know where to bowl.’ After he made it to ‘The Wisden 5 cricketers of the Year-2022 along with Bumrah) an article in the Almanack celebrated his sublime stroke play and especially highlighted his pull, cover drive, and back-foot punch as perfection.

There is a select group of corporates who have kept their eye on the ball – not losing sight of the fundamentals, the processes, and especially the people. But others focus only on the top-line and bottom-line and pay scant attention to the growing void at the centre.

Back to the Rohit Sharma story. The man who took the Mumbai Indians to 5 IPL titles has been abruptly replaced by Hardik Pandya. The transition could have been handled with more grace and transparency. Instead, it smacks of board-room intrigue, disrespect to the man who has contributed so much to the franchise, and a lack of basic decency and sporting spirit. However, the break from the burdens of leadership can prove to be a blessing in disguise. Fortunately for us, he remains the captain of the Men in Blue for the ICC T 20 World Cup later this year and if he keeps his focus and form we may see the Last Hurrah from Captain Rohit-Bhai at the World Test championship in June next year.

Management Lessons from the Sports Field

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Think over these phrases. ‘Hitting the targets’, ‘achieving the goals’, ‘passing the baton’, ‘ knock it out of the park’, ‘ ball in their court’, ‘run the last mile’. All part of the sporting lexicon. Also commonly found in management jargon and vocabulary.

There is a lot that sports can bring to the Management space. Valuable lessons for corporates, institutions, government bodies, colleges and even organisations like political parties. These examples resonate as they connect to hearts and minds and are out there for all to experience.

Institutional culture flows from the top. Coach, Manager, Captain. CEO, CXO, Manager. Take the case of Greg Chappell, Head cricket coach for the Indian team for 2 turbulent years till the ignominious exit at the World Cup 2007. Tendulkar writes in his book, “Greg was like a ringmaster who imposed his ideas on the players without showing any signs of being concerned about whether they felt comfortable or not.” In many entities also, the leader seeks to remould the team in his/her own image. No reaching out. Few consultations. Just top to down orders.  A recipe for disaster.

Let’s turn to Liverpool, the current EPL champions after a 30 year wait. They also won the European Championship last year. Here’s what Mo Salah, their star forward, has to say about the Manager-Jurgen Klopp, ‘He always wants to do his best for the team. To make everyone smile and be happy. Which means every player wants to give 100% for him.’ There it is. A management lesson in a nutshell.

Rewind to the famous Ashes series of 1981. England under Ian Botham had not won even one of the previous 12 Tests. Enter Brearley as captain. An awkward and challenging situation, right! He brings out the best in the players to lift the Urn and Botham owns the series. As Rodney Hogg, the Aussie fast bowler, remarked in admiration, “He (Brearley) has a degree in people.” Do corporate leaders have any time for people skills? Do they listen?  Bond with their team? Cheer wins? Have their backs when things do not work out? A good work environment breeds good results.

Team bonding exercises are a yearly ritual in corporate life. But camaraderie and trust takes time to build. Collaboration does not happen overnight. Where is the patience and vision to invest in team spirit?  Although the dividends will be rich and consistent. To appreciate team spirit log in to the careers of Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi. True team players. Not larger than the team. MJ has averaged an incredible 30 points and 5.3 assists per game over his basketball career. Messi has a 70:30 ratio in his 1000 goals football score card. (Assist is passing the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score or goal).

‘The Last Dance’ portrays the Chicago Bulls winning streak in the NBA championships in the 90’s. 1998 was their last hurrah as champions. What happened? The GM, Jerry Krause, had a grouse with the Coach, Phil Jackson. MJ and Phil and the team were getting too much credit. The CB organisation deserved the plaudits. With a compliant owner in his corner, the GM dismantled the team. Players became free agents, were traded or retired like MJ did. Since then the Chicago Bulls have disappeared into the shadows. Sounds familiar? In the corporate world, the work force is often taken for granted. Cost to Company. Dispensable. Not an important stake-holder in the growth and success. Further, how many organisations have suffered because of internal ego clashes and politics. Finally, change for the sake of change is not a good idea, especially when things are going well.

Managers tend to come down hard on failures. Tongue or mail lashing is the norm even if the recipient has had a good track-record. A poor appraisal can derail the career or destroy the morale. One below-par year can even shut down an office. The Brazilian footballer Ronaldo won the Golden Boot at FIFA 1998. But the red hot favourites lost to the hosts France in the final where the star player did little of consequence. This could have haunted him for the rest of his life. An albatross around his neck! But the powers that be in his home nation reposed their faith in him and built a very talented squad around him. This vote of confidence- despite him coming out of injury just months before the gala event- the WC 2002. He repaid that belief in him and how! Two striking goals in the finals against Germany. The Golden Boot award was his again for his 8 goals in the tournament. But this was just the icing on the cake. Brazil were the champions again.

Mentoring is an aspect of management which is largely ignored. S/he becomes the guru for the younger members and the freshers to take them through the paces. All do not need hand-holding or supervision. Some just require the occasional advice and appreciation to keep them going. Acknowledgement of good work is the key. Credit be given where it is due. Even small wins be celebrated to keep the environment humming. P Gopichand is not just a badminton coach but a mentor. He is a task-master but also a pillar of support. Hence, Saina Nahiwal comes back to the Academy after leaving for a year in 2016. PV Sindhu continues to make badminton headlines. Two world beaters trained and nurtured for many years. But Gopi has carved out separate spaces for them to thrive.

Sports also guides us on how and where to scout for the right talent. In India, the long ostracised Bhil tribals are now major hopes for an Olympic gold medal in archery. Small town cricketers have shown that they have what it takes to reach the top. Corporate chiefs should pay heed. They should also look beyond the prime college campuses. Look out for ‘the fire in the belly’ candidates albeit with modest qualifications. They will bring value to the Boardroom table.

They can also take a leaf out of Paralympic Sports. Multi-sports events for athletes with physical disabilities and intellectual impairments. Surely, some workstations can be found to give the blind and the deaf and the physically handicapped a start in their work-life.

At many companies, there is a generalised approach to training and orientation. Everyone goes through the same stuff at some stage. Let’s bring in Usain Bolt, the 100/200 metres champion. He has never run a mile in his life, even in training. The sprinters’ focus is all about speed and muscle. The 90 mins daily gym workout, the nutrition and diet regimes and the speed dashes are carefully calibrated to achieve this. Endurance tests are for the long distance runners. L&D (learning & development) can experiment with need-to-know basis modules. Plus Upskilling courses to meet market expectations and needs. Specialised sessions to keep the line experts sharp. Most of all organise more workshops to develop soft skills and leadership proficiency.

Federer and Nadal. The fiercest rivalry ever in tennis. The Grand Slam encounters were virtually battlegrounds. But out of court, their respect for each other is heart-warming. Their aura as role-models goes well beyond their sport. What makes a Company an enduring brand? When all the bases are covered. There is respect and trust from the customers, vendors, employees, share-holders and the market at large.

Some cricketing nuggets for the Managers to chew on. Clive Lloyd’s team were humiliated by the Aussies on the 74-75 tour at the hands of Lillee and Thompson. The Captain resolved to fight pace with more pace, fire-power with greater fire-power. Thus started the assembly line of great fast bowlers. The Windies dominated the turf from the late 70’s till the early 90’s. Like Lloyd, companies can chose to do what major competition is doing. Only do it much better.

Sri Lanka were the proverbial minnows in cricket. Till they won the 1996 World Cup. The openers Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana attacked from the word go taking advantage of the fielding restrictions in the first 15 overs. Cricket logic had been turned on its head. This success formula soon had other successful imitators. The disruptive strategy of the Lankan captain, Ranatunga, also has its takers in the corporate world. Technological innovation which upends the game in say customer service deliverables. Or Product positioning. FMCG companies discovered the brisk uptake in small-town India when their prime shampoos were marketed in affordable sachets and pouches.

HR becoming a part of business strategy. Horses for courses. The right people in the right places. Consider reading the pitch to decide the team composition. Whether to play with 4 quicks or 2 spinners or with 6 batsmen, or else, different players for different formats- T 20 or Tests?

The Fosbury flop which won the American athlete Dick Fosbury the high –jump gold at the 1968 Olympics revolutionised the technique. A straight approach, twisting on take-off, going over heads first with the back to the bar. Not the scissors cut or straddle or the western roll. “The physics of the FLOP allowed the athlete to bend the back around the bar at the peak and clearing the bar whist the centre of mass travelled under the bar ‘’ says a Stanford Education study. All the elite jumpers now use this innovative backward style. Corporates have to innovate to stay relevant and ahead of the relentless competition. They are finding ways of raising the bar and clearing it.

Analytics.  E-Commerce firms are already putting it to great use for customer profiling and figuring out buying patterns.  Others are playing catch-up for cross-sell and up-sell opportunities and understanding the market dynamics better. At top level sports, analytics is a must and pros travel with the teams. They have to keep a tab on rival teams. Check-out tactics, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents. Focus on neutralising the key players. In hockey, the goal keeper studies the kinematics (the ball movements) of the penalty corner conversions of the other team. The batter in baseball pores over videos on how to decode the curveball or slider from the pitcher. In business, analytics helps to stay a step ahead of the competition and have more clarity on the way forward. Additionally, the company can reinforce its position by adopting the good practices of other peer companies.

Sports offers both inspiration and guidance to the management fraternity. Our work lives would be much better if those in a position of power and influence imbibe the lessons from the Sports fields.