Organization Design: Bridging Strategy and Execution  

NS Rajan

The imminent need for a new organization structure is usually manifested in statements you may hear across the enterprise, reflecting a morass of current disconnects, for instance: “We seem to have got our strategy worked out, but why are the results not coming?”, “One function doesn’t talk to the other”, “The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand does”, ” No one seems to be really clear of what his role is”, “We seem to be top heavy”, “ Not sure who is responsible for what”, “I seem to have many bosses” , or “We are really slow in making decisions.” Studies in anthropology have shown us that for effective functioning, an enterprise may manage itself around 250 as an optimal number. Organizations that go beyond this would need a structure that can hold it together and deliver desired outcomes envisaged.

It is the quest of organizations to create an entity that best enables the overarching purpose to be accomplished. As strategy lays out a plan, it is the structure that organizes, connecting people with each other in meaningful and accountable ways. Design principles that define outcomes, clarity of roles and accountabilities desired are an essential ingredient. Nature too has evolved self-organizing systems clearly reflecting the need for pattern formation and execution focused structures observed in nest building by social insects and birds flocking.  Descartes in his ‘Discourse on Method’ introduced the idea that the ordinary laws of nature are adept and tend to organize themselves. In his book ‘The Opium of the Intellectuals’ 1955, Raymond Aron highlights how even ideas and interests tend to be ‘organizing themselves’.

Industrial revolution, inventions, transportation and technology profoundly changed the nature of business and commerce. Size and complexity became an increasing challenge in managing organizations. Organizational structures developed from the ancient times of hunters and collectors in tribal organizations through highly royal and clerical power structures to industrial structures and today’s post-industrial structures. Amongst the earliest attempt at organization structuring were the novel attempts to divisionalise by EI Dupont, way back in 1900. Peter Drucker made vital observations on structural experiments at General Motors decades ago and thinkers such as Galbraith, Nadler and Chandler explored boundaries beyond.

Organization design is both an art and science. Harmony in alignment is essential while not losing out on the individual characteristic to serve a larger purpose well.   Georges Seurat, a neo-impressionist artist, pioneered the innovative form of pointillism, a technique of applying one dot of colour next to the other. A myriad of tiny separate dabs of different unmixed colours, juxtaposed as per rigid scientific principles, formed a cohesive whole by allowing the dots to merge in the eyes of the beholder, losing neither luminosity nor vibrancy. Seurat’s seminal work ‘La Grand Jatte, 1885’ is an interesting testimony to creating a perfect balance and, perhaps, a metaphor to learn design principles from.

The purpose, vision and strategy of any organization need to be matched by an alignment of people, processes, and technology. Many forms have been explored and experimented with; smaller, flatter, temporary, horizontal, circular, networked, open structures; each serving a specific purpose. Entrepreneurial, functional, divisional, geographic and other variations have been used to address evolving needs. An effective organization design needs to encapsulate both the interdependencies across the various functions as well as attend to the hierarchical vertical alignment. More importantly, the structure must build in the foresight of anticipating what may be needed as contexts change in the future. Even if not visible today, we have to be aware of the need to accommodate new developments to remain relevant.

The exciting work of Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev in 1869, a masterpiece of structural juxtaposition from the world of chemistry, stands out for sheer elegance and intuitive genius. Mendeleev’s Periodic Table arrays the elements on the horizontal rows the similar families with common properties and the vertical columns by the progression of atomic weights. From Hydrogen to Uranium, the properties were repeating periodically after a grouping of seven elements giving it its name. Mendeleev recognized that the resultant gaps have a rationale and needed to be left alone; quite remarkable since only 63 of the 92 natural elements were known at that time. Elements discovered later neatly fit into the dedicated gaps, vindicating his brilliant insight.

An important arsenal and a formidable ally, not always deployed, is the opportunity to redesign the organization. To hope that an accidental symmetry would fall in place is wishful thinking. Even as organizations evolve and change over time, the attempt to discover new strategies to meet business challenges is not often followed by a requisite organization redesign. An organization structure, indeed, is the vital bridge between strategy and execution. Organization design has been best approached as a vital internal change and often attempted under the guidance of an external facilitator. Organization design is the process; organization structure is an outcome. Outcome of any strategy hinges on our ability to create a structure that melds purpose, processes, and people. Ironically, the structure you currently have is perfect for the results you currently get!                                                                                          

( The article above was penned on invitation from The Economic Times and appeared under the title “Organizations need to put strategy, execution in sync to deliver desired outcomes” on 28 August 2012  )

(A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte: The picture above is the famous painting by Georges Seurat ( 1859-1891)  now exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, in the same  white frame envisioned by him to highlight the luminosity of this amazing work of art. This large masterpiece , measuring 10X6 feet , is the result of painstaking work by Seurat, comprising two years of effort between 1884 -86 with over 200 preparatory sketches. It is widely regarded today as a seminal contribution to the field of art, for the style pioneered by Seurat as  divisionalism, now  popularly known as pointillism, where dots of paint are designed to merge magically in the eye of the beholder.) 

The Great HR Impressario

NS Rajan

The Human Resources function is infused with a nobility of purpose as the custodian of intellectual capital of an organization. The true practitioners’ are real time alchemists, the masters of intangibles, committed to creating tangible value for the organization by investing in its most valuable asset. It is also an irony that the HR function attracts perhaps more brickbats than bouquets on account of its very character. The credit for performance is more easily attributed to the line managers when teams perform and the debits usually are vested with HR, when things do not pan out well.  

HR remains a thankless function, and often not feted by even the beneficiaries. What is it then that drives the HR function forward, we may wonder. I would believe that the function attracts those who perhaps have a selfless side to them, ready to see their own growth by serving others and who take pride in contributing to organizational wealth. Last year, I witnessed The World HRD Congress, which the irrepressible Dr Raju Bhatia founded as a  concept way back in 1995. It was a fascinating experience on many counts. More than a 1000 delegates, a bevy of international speakers, awards that embraced multiple facets, and a show that was truly captivating. In a function like HR which surely  deserves more kudos than it gets, it is perhaps befitting that you recognize and admire those who contribute, in the midst of their own fraternity.

As a strong votary of the HR fraternity, I do believe it deserves all the recognition it can get. World HRD Congress, in that spirit, has rendered yeoman service to the HR fraternity. In an event almost on the scale of film awards, without the attendant song and dance, it celebrates heroes who endeavour every day, to make a difference. The youngsters, in particular, who received awards, were truly delighted and I was glad to see it fuelling their resolve and desire to do so much more. The visits by international speakers, of the likes of Dave Ulrich, Lynda Gratton, Marshal Goldsmith, Noel Tichy, have created a wonderful platform where there is mutual learning even as it highlights the tremendous work done by the HR fraternity in India and showcases it to global thought leaders. It was also interesting that companies, big and small, were sharing the limelight and basking in the warm sunshine of fraternity appreciation.

Raju Bhai, an inimitable persona, is an interesting amalgam of entrepreneurial fervor and fortitude, with the elan of a showman, the resolve of a convert, and the resilience of a winner. What he pioneered as a format in 1995 has today become an annual feature and attracts global attention towards the wonderful world of HR, and its immense contributions. Entrepreneurship has never ever been easy, and so is paying a tribute to those who deserve it. Let me make recompense. On behalf of all his friends and well wishers, who value what he ceaselessly pursues, it is my immense joy to say a big, heartfelt thank you to Dr Raju Bhatia and honour him with a unique and befitting award for his contributions: “The Great HR Impressario”. Kudos !

( 15 Minutes Eternal _Andy Warhol: It was way back in 1968 at his own exhibition that Andy Warhol, a leading artist of the visual arts movement called Pop Culture, had observed pithily in his pamphlet that  ”In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,”  highlighting the ephemeral nature of the celebrity of an individual or phenomenon.  This bright picture above  is a capture of the caption at a recent 2012 Warhol exhibition  at Singapore on the 25th anniversary of his death. Interestingly, the title  ”15 Minutes Eternal”  highlights  the truth that a well deserved recognition and limelight, even so fleeting, can spur individuals towards greatness. When we learn to  acknowledge and celebrate others, even in the most simple ways, that one gesture perhaps  may hopefully endure and unlock future potential. ) 

Nurturing the Vision

NS Rajan

An organisation without vision and values is like a house built with sand. A vision provides shape and direction to the organisation’s future and its values describe the underlying ethos of how the organisation intends to operate, as it pursues its vision.

Setting a vision is indeed at the very heart of leadership. “The genius of the leader is to articulate a vision simple enough to be understood, appealing enough to evoke commitment, and credible enough to be accepted as realistic and attainable,” said Gary Yukl, author of Leadership in Organizations.

Who and what we are, what we need to do, and how we need to go about it, are questions a leader is expected to have answers to. “For I dipt into the future, Far as human eye could see, Saw the vision of the world, And all the wonder that would be,” wrote Lord Alfred Tennyson, perhaps aptly summing up the endeavour to envision the road ahead.

Leadership needs to go beyond having a vision, compelling as it may be. It involves the ability to enable a shared vision that can translate intent into reality to create sustainable outcomes. The power of nurturing the vision requires articulating a compelling purpose and enabling commitment all the way down the pyramid, touching the lowest common denominator, through collective belief, meaning and trust.

Georges Braque, the French artist who is known to have developed Cubism along with Picasso, had observed that “the only thing that matters in art is the part that cannot be explained”. This is indeed true for leadership and vision, too, and it is the very essence of converting intellectual capital into social capital. David Putnam, the Harvard political scientist, described social capital of the bonding and/or bridging kind as the collective value of social networks and the inclinations from these networks to do things for each other, which can be measured by the extent of trust and reciprocity in a community between individuals, in both homogeneous and heterogeneous settings.

Spartacus, many centuries ago, had led the revolution of slaves against the Roman Empire and was vanquished. The Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who came down to see the conquered slaves who had survived the war, had never met the leader responsible for this uprising. On asking the imprisoned slaves to reveal which one of them was Spartacus, and eliciting no response, Aurelius threatened to behead every one of the slaves till he discovered the culprit-in-chief. On hearing this, Spartacus stood up and declared, “I am Spartacus. Leave them alone.” Within seconds, the man next to Spartacus also stood up to declare that he was Spartacus. Before long all the slaves were calling themselves as Spartacus. Amazing as it was, each slave was willing to give up his life for the cause of freedom, and the vision was no longer Spartacus’ alone. A fine example of what shared vision is all about, a collective commitment that echoes the words “all for one, and one for all” of Alexandre Dumas’ Three Musketeers. A leader is a steward who envisions, generates new strategies, illuminates the road ahead and inspires the team to rally for the cause.

In 1980, Bob Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, proposed that the value of a network=n squared, where n is the number of people. Thus, a ten member network is worth a hundred, but a twenty member network is worth 400; you double the network and quadruple its value. A vision, when it translates to a shared vision assumes the power of Metcalfe’s Law, and the resultant value could be exponential. More often than not, vision statements adorn the walls but are rarely embedded into the souls of the employees. When the articulated vision is detached from reality it may become an illusion. To sustain a shared vision, a leader must invest time in listening to people, understanding their needs, unravelling their fears, anticipating their hopes and co-creating and communicating an image of the envisioned future that mirrors their aspirations. Shared vision, indeed, is the shorthand of authentic leadership.

( This article appeared in Hindu Business Line on 20 July 2012 as ‘Collective vision gives strength to the firm’)

( Together: The picture above, shot on a visit to Bangkok, is a riot of colours combining to form a cohesive whole, much like a diverse collection of individuals who form the unity of an enterprise.)

Haazir Jawaabi: Repartee

NS Rajan

This post is a warm tribute and expression of thanks to a tweep I have never had the opportunity to meet. Every day a phrase or a line in Urdu is posted as a challenge and I have attempted the privilege of completing the couplet, a literary riposte any lover of Urdu would delight in, that keeps the language alive within.The first line of the verses below , in italics, is the challenge posed and the line following that has been my response. Thank you, my friend

Kya bataayen tumhen dushmanon ka pata

 Jis shahr mein kaun hai dost  yeh to nahin pata

 Nek niyati ab bojh ho gayi hai

Ulfat hai dil mein aur woh hai rubaroo

Neend se kah do intezaar kare

Raat aur baat baaki hai chaahat aur mannat bhi

 Tere iraade tere lafzon se mel nahin khaate

 Khaate ya na khaate hum tere se fida hai huzoor

Shabd bolne ke liye hote hain huzoor

Jo keh diye amal karna hai zaroor

Yun ghere rahti hai kisi ki yaad

Rooh bhi sunaati hai uski faryaad 

Raah chalte logon se bhi yarana karo

Yahan ghar baite dushman yoon mil jaate hain

Raaz khulne lage hai ab saare

Mano dil ki baat ab pyaare

Mukhtasar hai ye wasl ki shab

Dekho doobne lage hai taare

क्या  बताएं  तुम्हें  दुश्मनों  का  पता 

जिस  शहर  में  कौन  है  दोस्त   यह  तो  नहीं  पता 

नेक  नियति  अब  बोझ  हो  गयी  है 

उल्फत  है  दिल  में  और  वोह  है  रूबरू 

नींद  से  कह  दो  इंतज़ार  करे 

रात  और  बात  बाकी  है  चाहत  और  मन्नत  भी 

तेरे  इरादे  तेरे  लफ़्ज़ों  से  मेल  नहीं  खाटे

खाटे या  न  खाटे  हम  तेरे  से  फ़िदा  है  हुज़ूर 

शब्द  बोलने  के  लिए  होते  हैं  हुज़ूर 

जो  कह  दिए  अमल  करना  है  ज़रूर 

यूँ  घेरे  रहती  है  किसी  की  याद 

रूह  भी  सुनाती  है  उसकी  फरयाद  

राह  चलते  लोगों  से  भी  याराना  करो 

यहाँ  घर  बैटे दुश्मन  यूं  मिल  जाते  हैं 

राज़  खुलने  लगे  है  अब  सारे 

मनो  दिल  की  बात  अब  प्यारे 

मुख़्तसर  है  ये  वस्ल  की  शब् 

देखो  डूबने  लगे  है  तारे 

How can I warn you where enemies lurk around

Have yet to figure out who are friends in this city

Good manners have become burdensome indeed

 Desires spring in my heart and she is close by too

Kindly ask sleep to wait a little longer

Young is the night, sweet nothings and desires too

Your intent surely matches not your words

Doesn’t really matter, dear, for I am besotted still

Words are meant to be spoken

Having spoken actions must follow

Her memory continues to linger

Even the soul complains about her

On your journey do make friends

Here you meet enemies as we stay home

Our secrets may cease to be

Do listen to my heart’s plea, dear

Time is short in this night of union

Can’t you see the stars descend?

( Ophelia: The lovely picture above was painted by the inimitable Pierre Auguste Cot, 1837 – 1883, a French  painter  belonging to the genre of Academic Classicism. A student of William Adolphe Bouguereau,  he was much awarded during his lifetime for his renowned  portraits. I had the privilege of seeing his work, large oil canvases which were truly a visual delight, at the Met Museum at New York )

Leadership: Institution building

NS Rajan

“Individuals may form communities, but it is institutions alone that can create a nation” observed Benjamin Disraeli. Institutions are understood and ‘identified with a social purpose and permanence, transcending individual human lives and intentions, and with the making and enforcing of rules governing cooperative human behavior’. What makes an institution endure? What factors govern the prospects of perpetuity? What drives the need to connect and collaborate? These are vital questions to reflect upon to unravel the components of institution building. In the words of Robert Browning, a leader must “recognize that our aspirations are our possibilities.” 

Institution building indeed is nation building. The abiding purpose of any Institution is to unravel remarkable possibilities of contributing through a collective process which is the bedrock of its existence. An institution must endeavour to build the dreams of its collective future on the history of its rich past; a vision to excel, without losing out on that which is essential and definitive. As Shelley wrote in his wonderful poem ‘Adonais’, we perhaps must acknowledge that: “The splendours of the firmament of time May be eclipsed, but are extinguished not Like stars to their appointed height they climb.” The quest of an institution must be to do exceptional things, to realize its vision but even more importantly stay committed to doing ordinary things exceptionally well.

Leadership of an institution is not just a duty, but an obligation. The way forward would be governed by a shared vision, strong focus on execution, measurable outcomes, accountability and transparency – paving the way in creating sustained institution building and enhanced equity of the enterprise. In a highly acclaimed article ‘What Business Can Learn from NonProfits’ in Harvard Business Review of Jul-Aug 89, Peter Drucker observed succinctly that “Non profits need management even more than business does because they lack the discipline of the bottom line.” True indeed ! A strong constitutional framework, a relevant set of bye laws, a well articulated vision document, a transparent value proposition, a robust secretariat to enable efficient execution, and a platform for collaborations and alliances, clear performance measures to achieve the goals are all integral components of what a leader has to institutionalize. 

Institutions must be willing to refresh themselves and welcome change, to endure and retain relevance into the future. “Asking ‘what is right for the enterprise?’ does not guarantee that the right decision will be made. Even the most brilliant executive is human and thus prone to mistakes and prejudices. But failure to ask the question virtually guarantees the wrong decision” reflected Drucker.  In the course of its journey, an opportune time to initiate constitutional reforms and to revisit and renew workflow processes, outcome orientation and the ways of working together are paramount. The formation of Secretariat, in the case of an institution, is one of the most far reaching and strategic decisions a not-for-profit organization takes in the course of its journey. To stay relevant and prepare the institution for the future that beckons is the leader’s role.

In an enlightening research on corporate longevity, titled ‘The Living Company’, Arie De Geus made a startling observation after studying firms across the world. The average life expectancy of a company seems to be just a modest twelve and half years, and even much larger entities manage an average life span of around forty to fifty years. An organization must therefore constantly evolve to sustain itself. It is the role of a leader to enable the collective responsibility and empower the institution to imagine what it would be for the future generations and lead the change that refreshes the institution and uphold its relevance for the decades ahead. Good governance needs to be the central pillar of the vision a leader articulates for the institution, as it serves as the bedrock that instills a high degree of professionalization, fortifies credibility, and helps strengthen the institutionalization process.

The leader of an Institution is the trustee, for the current and future generations. The quest of the leader could encompass the need to enable a virtuous circle, of strategy to execution, where one good thing leads to another. Make institution building and strengthening process a present-continuous state. “A pearl is an oyster’s biography,” observed Federico Fellini. This is true perhaps even for leaders of corporate enterprises, of for-profit organizations, and the commitment to function as a trustee with openness and transparency while driving desired outcomes, to grow and consolidate, will enable the enterprise to be an institution that endures beyond one’s own tenure. A beginning is to start with a response to Peter Drucker’s seminal query: ‘What is right for the enterprise?’ 

( This article was featured in ET on 26th June 2012 titled ‘Institution-building is nation-building)

( A Resolution_Abraham Lincoln: I recall taking this picture at the Lincoln monument at Washington DC of a remarkable leader who has faced tremendous adversity and successfully overcome it, a man who demolished age old abhorrent practices. This specific picture I clicked was consciously taken from a different angle.  I was attempting to focus on the clenched left fist which I saw as a symbolic gesture of resolute will and determination to build an institution that would last beyond his life time.)

Leadership: Shakespeare’s letter to a new-age CEO

NS Rajan

Dear CEO,

Heartiest congratulations to you on being the captain at the helm of affairs. ‘Be not afraid of greatness — some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em’. Let the mantle sit on you lightly. ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.’

Seize the opportunity bestowed on you to make a real difference. Do take heart in the fact that when good leaders are leading the ship, the wind and the waves tend to turn in their favour, when responsibility is served well. It is indeed my endeavour to share a few thoughts that may perhaps be good companions in your voyage to success. You are alone at the top, and I can almost hear you say, ‘My thoughts are whirled like a potter’s wheel; I know not where I am, nor what I do’. A good place to begin is with your vision of the future. Are they ‘words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart?’ Does your heart resonate with passion when you think of your purpose?

It is insufficient if your vision remains writing on the walls, unless you are able to embed it into the souls by creating a shared vision. Do bear in mind that ‘every subject’s duty is the king’s; but every subject’s soul is his own.’ Each member of your team needs to echo the thought, ‘In following him, I follow but myself’. I would even say, ‘love sought is good, but given unsought is better’. When you value each member of your team and ensure teamwork, you can harness the collective soul and achieve unimaginable outcomes. ‘Combine your hearts in one and realms in one’.

We do live in difficult times, and it is prudent to remember that ‘sweet are the uses of adversity’. Why allow worries to daunt you for a ‘light heart lives long’.Let me caution you that when sorrows come they come not single spies, but in battalions’. So, be prepared. ‘The will is finite and the execution confined; that the desire is boundless and the act a slave to limit’. These are great occasions for you to command respect of your team, as ‘our remedies oft in ourselves do lie which we ascribe to heaven.’

You may perhaps ponder — ‘To be or not to be; that is the question; whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings of outrageous fortunes, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them’. ‘Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt’. While ‘the better part of valour is discretion’, fresh ideas, stretched minds and energetic interactions in an empowered environment can lead to higher morale and create cohesive winning battalions to counter the enemies outside.

Let me now draw your attention to another vital aspect, before I bid adieu. Do safeguard your image, what with murky doings around us, sullying the name of many. ‘The purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation’.

‘All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts’. I hope you would make this voyage like ‘a man that fortune’s buffets and rewards has taken with equal thanks’, and pray that you have a glorious time that you can say — ‘I have touched the highest point of all my greatness; and from that full meridian of my glory I haste now to my setting’. A life well served and well lived, indeed!

Sincerely,

William Shakespeare

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I penned this article imagining what Shakespeare would say to the new-age CEO, as my humble tribute to the literary genius, weaving it with words that he so eloquently used in many of his plays. The  column was featured by the Hindu Business Line on 2 June 2012. 

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William Shakespeare ( 1564-1616) was indeed the supreme literary manifestation of the Renaissance period having lived during the remarkable reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Shakespeare left behind a monumental legacy spanning narrative poems, 154 sonnets and 36 plays unleashing 20,000 words of which he created nearly a tenth. Shakespeare’s appeal is timeless and his work a deep reflection of many sciences, particularly of human emotions, and he created a fascinating array of 1200 characters, each representing the human psyche in its unique way, with even Sigmund Freud and Peter Drucker admitting their debt to him for the insights they garnered from his work.

References of the lines used in the article are provided below for the curious reader…

1)       ‘Be not afraid…’ : Twelfth Night, act2, scene 5, Malvolio

2)      ‘There is a tide…’: Julius Caesar, act 4, sc2, Brutus

3)      ‘My thoughts…’: Henry VI Part1, act 1, sc 7, Talbot

4)      ‘Words, words, mere…’: Troilus and Cressida, act 5, sc 3, Troilus

5)      ‘Every subject’s duty…’: Henry V, act 4, sc1, King Harry

6)      ‘In following him…’: Othello, act 1, sc 1, Iago

7)      ‘Combine your hearts…’: Henry V, act 5, sc 2, Queen Isabel

8)      ‘Sweet are the uses…’: As You Like It, act 2, sc1, Duke Senior

9)      ‘light heart lives…’: Love’s Labour Lost, act 5, sc2, Catherine

10)   ‘The will is finite…’: Troilus and Cressida, act 3, sc 2, Troilus

11)    ‘Our remedies oft in…’: All’s Well That Ends Well, act 1, sc 1, Helen

12)   ‘To be or not to be…’: Hamlet, act 3, sc1, Hamlet

13)   ‘Our doubts are traitors…’: Measure for Measure, act 1, sc 4, Lucio

14)   ‘The better part of valour…’: Henry IV Part I, act 5, sc 4

15)   ‘The purest treasure…’: Richard II, act 1, sc 1, Mowbray

16)   ‘All the world’s a stage…’: As You Like It, act 2, sc 5, Jaques

17)   ‘A man that fortune’s…’: Hamlet, act 3, sc 2, Horatio

18)   ‘I have touched the…’: Henry VIII, act 3, sc 2, Wolsey

Leadership: In Transition

NS Rajan

Sometime ago, I got a call from a fine professional and friend who was just appointed as the CEO of a large enterprise. Even as I congratulated him, he posed a question that he was grappling with: What should I really be focusing on in the first 100 days? This indeed is a query that applies to all key leadership transitions, especially the CEO incumbent. The initial breaking-in period will significantly impact how successful the leader would be, since ambiguity multiplies exponentially higher the position of transition. What brought you till here may be insufficient to take you where you intend to go. Here are a few thoughts that you could convert to action. 

Plan your own on- boarding

The first thing that would strike a new incumbent is that there may not be a formal on-boarding plan, especially given that you are the CEO. Foremost, you have to get down to crafting your own plan. Do ensure you have a great executive assistant, as this person would be your window to the world and a shield where necessary. Make your own control button list of key metrics, arising out of the thoughts shared below, to prepare a daily must do monitor for your first 100 days. Expand the list as you gain deeper insights with every experience within. 

The buck doesn’t stop with you

Ironic, as it seems, even as the CEO you are not the boss! You indeed have a Board to report to. Gaining the confidence of the Board, knowing where you stand, and being clear on the delineation of roles and responsibilities between the Board and the management are essential dynamics for decision making. You are lonely at the top; develop your own advisory network to provide guidance and support. Friendly independent directors and CEOs, who you know well, can be ideal choices for your sounding board.

 First impressions last

Every move you make is a message to the world around you, as you have moved from derived power to direct power. Your words, mannerisms, values, style, actions and expectations all are under scrutiny. The team would be trying to anticipate your likes and dislikes, which could heighten or distort reality if you are not cognizant. Do recognize the need to be open and transparent; communicate your vision, beliefs and expectations and reflect them in the consistency of your conversations and actions. You have to clearly define the way forward and help drive a shared vision to enable overall commitment.

 Balancing act

It is likely that even as you have been vested with the coveted position, there may have been other contenders, quite capable. You are their leader now, and gaining their commitment and not just compliance would be important. Take the initiative, gain their confidence, express your support and carry them along. Resist the temptation to spend much of your time in your former zone of comfort, as you now head all functions, not just one. Find a balanced approach to learn the other functions and interconnections quickly. Revenue generating functions of course need an urgent attention. Know all your stakeholders too and provide for time to address all the constituents.  

Be the change

Engage, engage, and engage. Plan to visit all critical locations early, prioritize the list, and reach out. Allow people to put a face to the name, and let your direct interactions help connect at a personal level. Use your presence to identify and champion some key initiatives which will augur well to reinforce the road map you are laying out. It is quite imperative to meet your key customers, early, for you to get a personal feel of the space you serve. Being amidst customers is an affirmation of continuity of organizational commitment and serves an assurance that you value them as vital partners of your enterprise. 

 As strong as your team

Even as the CEO, you are only as good as the team you have. Know the strength of the pyramid that you sit on, and quickly so. Map your stars in the company by calling for and examining the past five year performance track of all managers. Prepare your high performer list and familiarize yourself with the keys to your future. Meet as many with a well planned engagement calendar, listen to them, share your thoughts, set your expectations and declare your desire to co-create the future. Your single biggest asset needs to be nurtured by you, and your people focus will pay dividends. 

Success is the summation of many small victories. A journey begun well augurs well, and as William Blake eloquently observed, we must endeavour: “to see a world in a grain of sand, a heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour.” Hope you have an enriching tenure ahead.

( Dream It Do It : A glow sign that speaks for itself, adorning the skylines of Times Square in New York, a tourist delight for its neon exuberance)

(I had penned this article on request and it was featured in ET on 24th April 2012 titled ‘ Make the best of a leadership transition’)

Fifteen years ago, my daughter, who was then six years old, deftly delegated the task she was to complete to an unsuspecting father; to select a poem that could be read by her at school. I made the mistake of being presumptuous and thought I would compose a small poem myself, rather than choose one from the book of  nursery rhymes. She laid down conditions in her own assertive manner: she should understand it, like it and most importantly it should be what she feels. How would I really be able to think and feel like a first grader? Putting pen on paper was really tough, and as you have it, the poem selected by her had to meet her teacher’s approval.You would understand my plight! 

Yesterday, my daughter completed her graduation with honours, picked up a job on campus, and would be on her own soon. For any parent, and particularly for a doting father, this is a special moment to cherish when your loved one grows up to be an adult. This posting for me is a tribute to children who define our lives and enrich us with their presence at every single moment where we learn to see the world through their eyes. Children are indeed a great source of happiness.

Here’s the poem I dared to write. Glad to admit that my daughter’s teacher’s approval was initialled in with a comment “Learn it!”  That was my first ‘star’ from a teacher that I cherish till today. My daughter Deepa recited the poem at school, and may have completely forgotten it. I have treasured that piece of paper!  Here it is

What a Lovely Day

2 July 1996

NS Rajan

I wake up in the morning

With a big big smile

And watch the sun rising 

With a big big smile

I hear the birds singing

And am so so happy

I watch the clouds dancing

And am so so happy

My daddy takes me walking 

It is real real fun

I see the trees playing

It is real real fun

I hear my mummy calling

It is time, time Deepa

Friends in school are waiting

It is time, time Deepa

Here I am singing

My little little song

Are you not enjoying 

My little little song?

Apni Haqueeqat: My Reality

NS Rajan: नि सु राजन

Apni haqeeqat hum kahaan pehchante hain

Kis muqaam pe pahunche hai, kya jante hain

Mehfil mein dukh ke afsane kahe jao

Tere haal pe log ab hasney waley hain

Mere dil ke raaz aap bhala kyon jaane

Khali mera daman tere labrez paimaane hain

Do chaar aansoo hi bahaake jaana tum

Apni khushk aankhon mein ab weerane hain

Haseen jalwa mil bhi jayega ek din

Jaane do yaar, sab kehne ki baaten hain

Usko bhoolne pahunche maikade mein hum

Sharaab na mili , jaam mein aansoo payen hain

Taare doob chale hain, ab to bas Nisura

Kyaa raah dekhein kya naye bahaane hain

अपनी  हकीकत  हम  कहाँ  पहचानते  हैं 

किस  मुकाम  पे  पहुंचे  हैं , क्या  जानते  हैं 

महफ़िल  में  दुःख  के  अफसाने  कहे  जाओ 

तेरे  हाल  पे  लोग  अब  हसने  वाले  हैं 

मेरे  दिल  के  राज़  आप  भला  क्यों  जाने 

खली  मेरा  दामन  तेरे  लबरेज़  पैमाने  हैं 

दो  चार  आंसू  ही  बहाके  जाना  तुम 

अपनी  खुश्क  आँखों  में  अब  वीराने  हैं 

हसीं  जलवा  मिल  भी  जायेगा  एक  दिन 

जाने  दो  यार , सब  कहने  की  बातें  हैं 

उसको  भूलने  पहुंचे  मैकदे  में  हम 

शराब  न  मिली  , जाम  में  आंसू  पायें  हैं 

तारे  डूब  चले  हैं , अब  तो  बस  निसुरा 

क्या  राह  देखें  क्या  नए  बहाने  हैं 

Have no clue what my destination is

Where have I reached what am I to say

If you keep sharing your tearful tale of woe

Rest assured people are going to laugh at you

How would you know  my heart’s sad  secret

My bowl is empty and your glass so brimful

Do shed a few drops of tears for me

My eyes, so dry, are the desert itself

Beauteous delight will one day be mine

Let hopes be begone , why air your thoughts

I reached the tavern hoping to forget my love

Where is the wine, my glass is only  full of tears

Stars too are departing now,  end this Nisura

Why  do you still await, any  new excuses to proffer?

( Windswept_Waterhouse: This lovely painting is by the acclaimed English painter John William Waterhouse (1849-1917) known for his pre-Raphaelite style, even popularly called the “Modern Raphaelite”  for his languid renderings and elegant depiction of women from mythology and legend).

Meri Bandagi: My Prayer

NS Rajan : नि सु राजन

Ibteda–e-ishq mein, dard-e-furqat ho to kyaa

Jaari hai bandgee meri, khuda bhool jaye to kyaa

Kis kaa khayaal hoon main, kis ka hoon hum-safar

Dushmanon ke shahr mein, hum kuch bhi na ho to kyaa

Phir milenge kitaabon mein sukhe phool ki tarah

Ummeed tere aane ki, guzar bhi jaye to kyaa

Hazaaron shammein, jalaayeen hamne, teri yaad mein

Baaraat roshni ki hai, shab-e-hijraan ho to kyaa

Jise choomne ke waste apne hont jo hain betaab

Bosaa diye gul ko, hazz-e-wasl na ho to kyaa

Zulmaat ke seene mein, ik umar kat gayi hai

Haal-e-gham samajhne ko, tum ho na ho to kyaa

Be-chain dil mein, Nisura, kasak si uthti hai aaj

Maut ki ganoodgi mein, jaan alvidaa bhi kahe to kyaa

इब्तेदा –ए -इश्क  में , दर्द -ए -फुरक़त  हो  तो  क्या 

जारी  है  बंदगी  मेरी , खुदा  भूल  जाये  तो  क्या 

किस  का  ख़याल  हूँ  मैं , किस  का  हूँ  हम -सफ़र 

दुश्मनों  के  शहर  में , हम  कुछ  भी  न  हो  तो  क्या 

फिर  मिलेंगे  किताबों  में  सूखे  फूल  की  तरह 

उम्मीद  तेरे  आने  की , गुज़र  भी  जाये  तो  क्या 

हज़ारों  शम्में , जलाईं  हमने , तेरी  याद  में 

बरात  रौशनी  की  है , शब् -ए-हिज्राँ  हो  तो  क्या 

जिसे  चूमने  के  वास्ते  अपने  होंट  जो  हैं  बेताब 

बोसा  दिए  गुल  को , हज्ज -ए -वस्ल  न  हो  तो  क्या 

ज़ुल्मात  के  सीने  में , इक  उम्र  कट  गयी  है 

हाल -ए -ग़म  समझने  को , तुम  हो  न  हो  तो  क्या 

बे -चैन  दिल  में , निसुरा , कसक  सी  उठती  है  आज 

मौत  की  गनूदगी  में , जान  अलविदा  भी  कहे  तो  क्या 

In the early days of love, does hurt of separation matter?

I continue to pray, even if God has deigned to forget me

In whose thoughts do I linger, whose fellow traveller am I?

In the land of enemies, what  if you are nothing to anyone?

Shall we then meet again amidst books as dried flowers?

So what if the hopes of your visit have wilted away

I have lit a thousand candles in your memory

Procession is lit aglow, so what if it is the parting night?

Restless my lips were, hoping to plant a kiss

Kissed the rose instead, what if there was no joy of meeting

I have spent a lifetime in the heart of darkness

Does it matter that you are not around to know my plight

My restless heart feels an acute pain of hurt, Nisura

In the stupor of death, who cares if life decides to part?

(Lesbia and the Sparrow_Edward John Poynter: This lovely painting by the renowned artist Sir Edward John Poynter(1836-1919) is his soulful depiction of  an imagery from the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus’ poem “Death of Lesbia’s Sparrow”. Lesbia is the pseudonym of Catullus’ beloved and this tragic thought has found many admirers and has been captured by many painters too. Catullus portrays Lesbia’s grief for the sparrow- “Now he goes down the shadowy road from which they say no one returns,”  perhaps, referring to his own state.)