Hardik Pandya, a 28-year old cricket player with his first-stint as a captain of T-20 series has astonished the country by leading his team to win their first ever IPL – Indian Premier League. Pandya led the team Gujarat Titans and in his maiden attempt, he defied all odds to take the team to win the IPL title and gain more than just glory. The clear underdogs of the series, led by a confident man has been the talk of the town for days now. Head coach of the team Gary Kristen has since been full of praises of the team’s captain and called him incredibly humble, as well as someone who is always ready to help.
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Pandya displayed some exceptional skills for his maiden leadership project that young leaders can learn from. Let’s dive into what made him a successful captain that is also applicable to a young leader in the boardroom:
Lead by example
There is no alternative to hard work, and Pandya has shown he is one leader that will lead by example. From bowling in some of the most stressful situations to batting it out to give the team a strong momentum, he has been key in defining to his team how each individual player can lead the team to a win.
Young managers today need to work smart and showcase their abilities to take the lead in difficult situations.
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Eagerness to learn and keen observance
While passion and talent is always important, what makes a huge difference on the ground or in a boardroom is how quick you can absorb the energy of the room, observe the room and learn quickly from this to make an informed decision. Keep your eyes open, be a keen learner and always be patient to listen and observe.
Hardik has mentioned in one of his interviews that he has learned a lot from MS Dhoni over the years, keenly observing him lead the team in many different, difficult and stressing situations.
Engage with your team
While leaders tend to make decisions on their own, largely based on their own experience and skills, a great leader is one who engages with his team and listens to their suggestions with an open mind. Not only is this part of eagerness to learn, but it also reflects a leader’s ability to grow, re-learn, unlearn and learn.
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When you encourage the team to be part of the decision making process and listen to them, they tend to feel part of the change and work with zeal towards achieving a goal. This simple activity will also empower your team and build confidence in their own abilities to perform efficiently.
Selective listening and sharing – Order in chaos
As a leader, you will have pressure from more sources than you can think of, here one key element that will make you a great leader is how you choose to act on the pressure. Making sure your team does not feel it, while at the same time building an order in the middle of the chaos is necessary to declutter what is unnecessary, focus on your goal and how to achieve that goal.
While many critics were offering their comments on which team will win, what worked for Panday’s leadership was also how he managed the stress of a new team playing their first game, how he was able to encourage the team by bringing in an order in what they need to know, how he shares such information and how to play it to his advantage.
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Democratic leadership style
Pandya has been a fine example of democratic leadership style. In simpler words this is what participative or shared leadership looks like. This is when each member of the group is actively participating in the decision making process. While he was confident in his own abilities, he was also able to pass on this confidence to his team members by offering them a say in the most crucial moments of the matches. A key skill necessary to adopt for young leaders of the business world.
Tactical skills
Pandya’s strong set of tactical ability and performance have to be acknowledged. Like in most sports, making immediate decisions are key to how the game turns out. Tactical skills are when a person makes decisions and actions in the game basis his knowledge to help gain an advantage.
Tactical skills are a combination of a present and eager to learn mind, a keen observer among other things. These skills are also useful for young leaders in business meetings especially when they involve negotiating, M&A, partnerships and likes.
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In addition to these qualities reflected in Hardik’s successful captaincy, as his coach mentioned, a humble and kind person who is willing to help others, an open mind that is adaptive to the circumstances as they change, taking in the responsibility while knowing when to delegate and take a back seat are also important factors that young leader should keep in mind in their daily work days.
Not only young leaders, but also a number of aspiring and current students pursuing MBA in Sports Management to Luxury management can use these lessons in their daily lives to achieve their desired results.