Leadership Contingency

Dear All

The famous leadership thinker Fiedler F E suggested that organizations need to have different types of leaders according to the situation the organization is in. if the organization  is doing good, and has a lots of customer base, no competition, and is cash rich etc… he suggests that the organization may  have a leader who is people centric. However in situations where the organization is sailing through crisis situations, faces serious challenges from customers, suppliers, and competitors  or  it is in a situation where everything is great and is the most opportune time to grow rapidly he suggests that the organization might perform well with a leader who is very task oriented.   

I was struggling to understand India’s current situation vis-a vis its leadership.  To highlight a few broad issues facing the nation I thought of some pertinent issues. We have a very high unemployment and underemployment.  A drought is staring at us with all its severity. There is continuous political instability where even a small regional party can hold the government to ransom.  A very strong opposition coupled with the weak government has not allowed the executive to function for almost three years leading to what many call a policy paralysis. Everyone around me believes and feels strongly that business ethics is an oxymoron. Issues such as rape, molestation, bribing, (from the peon in an office to the ministers, the army chiefs, the IAS officers), doping sports persons, black money in the Swis banks, murder, lack of a civic sense are so rampant. I have forgotten the day when I may have watched news that filled me with a new vigor and energy.

If going by the standards set by Fiedler one must assume that we need a very strong person, who can take decisions without being influenced by surroundings, who will take every one around to task and push people to perform.  However that person should be of impeccable value. A person who has the integrity of Manmohan Singh and the charisma of Narendramodi . Do we have any one who can fit into this model?  We may have to look beyond the current political scenario. Can a Narayanmurthy or a Nandan Nilekhani or someone else from the industry run a nation without being criticized for pursuing self interest? Where do we find such a person who can take India to 2050 and past US and China to rule the world?

 Prof.Shaji Joseph

SCIT