Vinod Khanna – The Man Who Ran Bachchan Close

Vinod Khanna – The Man Who Ran Bachchan Close

When the pages of Bollywood are updated, Khanna would be portrayed as a would-have-been megastar, whereas Amitabh will have the cake and eat it too in terms of literary glory and representation of a career.

Amitabh Bachchan's career, amongst other things, is about two Khannas – Rajesh Khanna, whom he displaced as Superstar and Vinod Khanna, who breathed down his neck by matching his skills frame to frame. Vinod could do whatever Amitabh did – have massive screen presence, pack a punch into the `bad man's` belly with conviction, do comedy and carry a film on his sole shoulders. Khanna too had charisma and held his own in the 70s' even when cast besides Amitabh, who was touted as the one-man industry.

Yet, when the pages of Bollywood are updated, Khanna would be portrayed as a would-have-been megastar, whereas Amitabh will have the cake and eat it too in terms of literary glory and representation of a career.

Interestingly, their careers too took a divergence when they were at the peak of their success and prowess. While Bachchan forayed into politics and then business – only to get routed in both – Khanna took to spiritual seeking, and later made a comeback of sorts into films. Yet, while Amitabh reinvented himself and rose to a different orbit, Vinod Khanna faded away from the cameras and did well in politics. In politics, he did not need to run Bachchan close, as while the Big B moved away decisively from the electoral din and dust, Khanna was a still sitting MP when he breathed his last.

Vinod Khanna perhaps missed being destiny's child in terms of achieving the cult status of Amitabh Bachchan. To my mind, he rose above Bachchan in two parameters – machoism, next best only to the great Dharmendra, and sex appeal. His walk, dialogue delivery, romantic expressions had women fans falling head over heels for him. He was the `Dream Man` who could do what his fans hoped for from such a personality on screen. Yet he never was counted in the league of Amitabh, though the talk was always about him being the Big B's closest competitor in an era which was serenaded by such stalwarts as Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha and Rishi Kapoor. But who knows if Vinod Khanna had stayed the Bollywood course and not ventured into spirituality at the peak of his fame, what history might have had in store for him!

Intriguingly, Vinod Khanna made a mark first as a Bollywood villain. Later, he established himself as a hero with substance. That shows his versatility and depth as an actor.

Like Rajesh Khanna, this Khanna too has left the world largely irrelevant to the contemporary viewer – a shadow of what they were at their peak. While Amitabh continues to amaze, age catches up with Dharmendra, politics consumes Shatrughan Sinha's time and Rishi Kapoor keeps his effervescence alive, Vinod Khanna has passed into eternity, with few significant pages of dedication to this great actor-star a given whenever a book on the superstars of Bollywood is written. His contemporaries watch with agony one more Bollywood great pass on and leave behind memories and a magnificent body of work.

RIP Vinod Khanna!

I Too Was President

If at any time the history of BNI Super Achievers is written, I will feature as one of the Presidents in the Hall of Fame. I indeed carry a three-in-one feeling – delight, gratitude and honour – for having had the opportunity to be on the dais in front of such entrepreneurial stalwarts

Incredible as it may seem, I too was President, albeit of my business networking chapter BNI, whose member I am for about two years now. To be called a President is an honour – wherever, for that is the power of nomenclature and words.

The President of a chapter is the captain of the ship along with the Vice President and the Secretary Treasurer. We three `rookies` were picked and catapulted to lead a team of over fifty entrepreneurs whom we looked up to for our own inspiration daily. The announcement came from nowhere and caught me off-guard, though secretly I had wished for being in that position.

The reason was obvious – it gave me an opportunity to stand and conduct meetings once a week for six months. A motivational speaker and trainer could not have asked for more – a captive audience for six months. The pleasure of welcoming everyone with `Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to BNI Super Achievers chapter meeting....` was an experience I will cherish for time immemorial.

The joy of interacting with members from the dais and keeping control of proceedings was yet another amazing experience. Authority in entrepreneurial forums, where everyone is a leader is limited, but responsibility is high. And if you happen to be a President who carries much lesser experience than a lot of your fellow members, you don't just need to stand and deliver, but also find ways to stand tall in their eyes.

The President's role of course goes beyond conducting meetings. The quality of any meeting depends upon what happens post the meeting – the business interactions amongst members on an one-to-one level – and before the meeting – strategies and tactics. It is a leadership role where your authority is defined by guidelines and processes, and does not flow from a corporate-like position.

This is unlike an organisation where you are Boss to your people by position and there is an inherent compliance towards you and your personality. But here it is different. In an entrepreneurial forum, you need to earn your respect by constantly adding value and engaging them in a non-threatening manner. Here, the ground beneath is as vulnerable as the intimidating sky above.

As President I enjoyed setting the vision for the chapter and piloting it to a different level. The idea, not the execution though, is simple – do things that will help members make more money. Having lead teams in my corporate career certainly helped a lot, but being blind to the difference in contexts would have pulled the rug from under my feet even before I could blink twice. That is the challenge when you are dealing with self-made people, who know what they are there in the forum for. Here I was dealing with people far more successful than me in business and yet I carried the humongous responsibility of helping them make more money.

Whether you are a leader in a corporate where your authority flows from your position, or in any forum where your authority flows purely from credibility, the challenge is the same – handling people. In today's world, even the leadership authority that flows from one's formal title is limited; then what to say of a context where you will be back amongst your people just as another member in just six months time! As President, I had to be acutely aware of this reality and conduct myself accordingly.

I took up the responsibility because here was another great opportunity to grow as a person and learn leadership by doing, than just by reading or teaching. I cherish all my leadership roles as an employee, and I will cherish having been President too. Leadership I realise is all about three key things:

1. Adding value
2. Making a difference
3. Leaving a legacy

All these three are the end points of a leader's journey – the stuff by which he will be judged. But getting there requires three other things:

1. Tons of tenacity
2. People management skills
3. Conflict management

Inevitably, a leader has to put up with resistance, for human beings are scarcely easily accepting of authority of any kind – soft or hard. Every leadership assignment brings you face-to-face with people who challenge you and your ideas. At times it can even be a personality clash of sorts. As a leader, while you know who is with you wholeheartedly and who is not, you cannot be biased. This can test your temperament and sense of fairness. It is every good leader's job to rise above these challenges, depersonalise the contexts and operate purely from the larger picture perspective. A leader must always own the failures and pass on the credit to his team.

As President, I received accolades as well as brickbats. While the accolades gave encouragement, the brickbats provided great learnings and helped build my temperament. The one thing I gained from the assignment was a better temperament – the ability to stay calm when at times the tides proved pretty rough. This was crucial for me as I am by nature emotional and sensitive.

All said and done, a leader's fundamental responsibility is to ensure performance. In the end, if you get everything right, but this goes wrong, your legacy is questioned. The biggest satisfaction is that through the rollercoaster ride, we performed. If at any time the history of BNI Super Achievers is written, I will feature as one of the Presidents in the Hall of Fame. I indeed carry a three-in-one feeling – delight, gratitude and honour – for having had the opportunity to be on the dais in front of such entrepreneurial stalwarts.

Keswanis, Madnanis And The Nehrus

Keswanis, Madnanis And The Nehrus

I went to Allahabad to be part of a wedding celebration, 

but came back with a piece of history and a string of legacy

Meandering unintentionally into history can be fascinating as well as intriguing. There is something about legacy which cannot be adequately assimilated in the hundrum of daily.life. Legacy is nurtured just like a gardener nurtures the plants and flowers.

A recent visit to the historical-political-spiritual land of Allahabad brought me face to face with history and legacy at different levels.

With the Keswanis of Delhi I share a bond which promises to create a legacy of sorts in our personal trees of friendship. Through them I got introduced and exposed to the Madnanis of Allahabad.

The Madnanis hold an important place in the modernisation of Allahabad. The first generation entrepreneurs built a business as well as a legacy of sorts. Though generations have grown and built their own personal legacies outside of the original business model, their community living with over 50 people occupying a common piece of land is an inspiring story of bonding and trust. It is a case of being committed and not just different when more and more people are craving for personal spaces far away from the hustle and bustle of relatives. Being with them I realised how they have built their personal spaces - both physically and emotionally - by being around one another - both physically and emotionally.

A visit to the Sangam was a given, yet the serenity amidst the human cacophony was yet another testimony to the spiritual legacy of this amazingly diverse country.

Allahabad and Anand Bhavan are inseparable. The Nehrus' personal and political bastion stands out as a symbol of political struggle at the altar of huge personal sacrifices. This legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family simply showcases their share in the national consciousness and their unique place in pre- and post-independent India.

As I signed off from Allahabad, known for different things to different people, I realised how I had gone there to be part of a wedding celebration, but came back with a piece of history and a string of legacy.

Being A Karmaveer

A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

She suffered intense domestic violence for years. Like a brave woman she bore it all, till the breaking point came and she set herself free, with hardly any support. Today she is an author of over ten books and champions women's causes.

He retired at 60 and chose to spend his time setting up a school for the underprivileged.

He left a high flying career in the US and came back to his land in Kashmir to live amongst the shepherds and make a difference.

He has dedicated his life to the service of senior citizens, against a career and comfortable life for himself.

These are just few of the innumerable heart-rending yet extremely inspiring stories of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary work. They are the recipients of the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship and Karmaveer Chakra, instituted by iCONGO in association with the United Nations. You will find people like them in large numbers every year at The Rex – Ideas For Action Conclive.

The Karmaveer movement, started by Jeroninio Almeida - an activist, coach, speaker and trainer - brings together change-makers on one platform to hear their stories and recognise their herculean and ebullient efforts to make a difference to society. They are not necessarily social workers. They are people who simply go beyond their call of duty and work not just for their personal professional success, but for impacting lives of others. They may be professionals in their own right, but what drives them is the mission and not the commission. They care for themselves, but also for others. They work with an inclusive mindset, not an exclusive one – the highest cause for unhappiness. If need be, they suffer by choice, yet they are some of the happiest people in the world.

I got introduced to the Karmaveer platform in 2014 and have received doses of inspiration impossible to attain through reading books or watching motivational movies. It is my immense fortune that I have been able to rub shoulders with real-life heroes in flesh and blood. They are people who do their work with a spirit of sacrifice, at great personal cost and at times even at great risk.

While some karmaveer is fighting for women's rights, someone else is toiling hard for rural upliftment. If someone is trying to help people in depression, someone else is working for the cause of the elderly. Someone is writing a poem with poignancy for a cause that moves him or her, and not just for professional benefits or personal creative satisfaction.

So who is a karmaveer? A karmaveer is anyone who is doing something for the larger benefit of people and goes beyond his own limited self-interests. Yet, this person is selfish to the core, for the karmaveer is making a difference to the same society he or she lives in. The karmaveer does not dazzle in the misunderstanding and arrogance of rendering selfless service. There is no selflessness really, for the benefit of his work is also his.

A true karmaveer does not just contribute money for charity and claim he is making a difference. Mindless charity is after all a sign of arrogance. A true karmaveer is one who gives time to the cause and is personally involved in the process. He feels the pain of others and wants to make a difference in his own small way. He realises that whatever he may do, his contribution, given the plethora of problems, will remain inadequate. He therefore remains humble and grateful for the opportunity to make a difference. A karmaveer is a patriot whose love for the nation transcends feel-good statements and translates into action. He is enlightened enough to understand that true change can come only through action.

The greatest quality of a karmaveer is the sense of responsibility and ownership he takes. He blames no one, but is driven by a deep sense of conviction and commitment for change. A true karmaveer is the one who believes to make a change, he has to be the change.

The nation needs more and more karmaveers. At the same time, there are many karmaveers who are silently working in one or the other corner of the country, making a difference unknown to the world. The karmaveer movement is created precisely for such people - that they get an opportunity to share their story, pain and success, so that more ordinary people realise their potential to do extraordinary work. The recognition that the karmaveers get at the Rex Conclive is just a byproduct of their invaluable work. They are the true `Bharat Ratnas` of India.

So let us all step out and identify the next karmaveer, and also dig deep into our souls to make ourselves a karmaveer. If we are already a karmaveer, let's try to be a better one.

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

The Tata Imbroglio: VUCA Claims Its Latest Victim

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there.

Few days back, moving out of a cliche, there was genuine Breaking News. The Tatas did a typical Corporate America – they sacked Cyrus Mistry in a swift move and dropped a bombshell on the media. The announcement was LOUD AND CLEAR, very unlike the traditionally suave and soft approach they had taken thus far. Even the common man on the street, who has little or no knowledge of corporate boardroom battles, was taken aback by the news, not because yet another honcho had lost his seat, but because the Tatas, known for better things than mudslinging in public, had done it.

Generations spread over almost one-and-a-half centuries have grown up admiring the Tatas. The Tatas have always stood for words that define character - like trust, integrity, culture, employee friendliness and dignity. Yet, in a matter of minutes, `dignity` was perceived to have been thrown out of the window and the steel-to-salt conglomerate had become the butt of jokes on social media.

It is incredible that a group known for its tolerance had acted in a manner very unTata-like. As Harsh Goenka in his article in The Times Of India on October 28, 2016, titled `Recipe For Conflict: Mistrust, leadership style and ambition` says: “When Mistry was appointed as chairman four years ago, he was lauded by India Inc as someone who understood the group's culture and was ready to lead it into the 21^st century. But it now seems apparent that some of his recent decisions jeopardised what the board of directors considered its “long term interests”. A question that I find hard to answer is that even if his recent decisions went against the Tata heritage, why was it so imperative for the trusts to go against their own traditions and dismiss him so summarily?”

In this VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – world, not just for individuals and families, even a hardened value- and culture-driven group like the Tatas is finding it difficult to hold on to tradition. This is almost like Test Cricket – the purest and most traditional form of the game – being forced to adapt to the dynamics of the 20-20 format. The Tatas, in a way have sounded the culture-shift bell, indicating that performance in this VUCA world has to take precedence over softer issues like caring, nurturing and mentoring.

We live in a world where no one is spared the performance stick – be it individuals, families or organisations. Ironically, while we have more convenience, that has added to the complexity; while there is lot of information, there is dearth of quality content; while there are many friends being made everyday, relationships are becoming more and more hollow. The external environment today has a far greater say in our lives than ever before. It's no longer about being able to keep one's counsel despite external circumstances. The mind is bombarded with so much information and irrelevant content today that it has severely dented the discriminative faculty. We live in a hyper technology-driven world, which is threatening the relevance of human emotions and one's intellectual width.

The rise in business options and opportunities has also resulted in immense bottomline pressure on companies. Even conglomerates like the Tatas, which set the corporate cultural tone in India, cannot remain immune from the economic and business dynamics. Long-held values are changing colour at the speed of light. Long-held beliefs are getting redefined or diluted. Earlier, it was about change. Now it is about constant change and continuous reinvention.

VUCA has claimed yet another victim in the form of the Tatas. Just as before every great change there is great chaos, the Tatas may emerge from this stronger and more adaptable. To expect that they must retain the same old values that got them here could get relegated to the category of `romantic fantasy`. After all, what got them here won't get them there. 

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

Leadership And The Reality of Illusion

BIG IDEA: The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step
in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century

Tagline: It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Leadership is a deep subject. There are many models that provide a framework for leaders to operate from. However, the real test lies in having the ability to move beyond the frameworks and operate real time amidst the complexity that people create.

Great leadership hardly flows from one's technical expertise. The technique to handle people rises way above technical skills. The best part about technical skills is its relatively static nature, but people throw up variables which can surprise the most competent leader in the world. The leader of course must display decent technical skills to earn the respect of his team, but it is people handling skills that tower above any other dynamics in a leadership role.

The toughest thing about handling people is that they cannot be conditioned beyond a certain timeframe. One of the great differences in training animals and people is that the former get conditioned and stay conditioned, whereas the latter have reasons to get conditioned, yet find ways to break free. Animals are instinctive; so when the instinct is reined in, they give in, but people carry instincts along with a host of ohere emotional dynamics like ego, rationality, sensitivity, aspiration, etc.

A leader has to deal with all this, besides his own personality, complexes and complexities. A leader must possess great self-awareness and also have the ability to navigate through complex personalities in his team. Unlike animals, who, once trained, revel in being obedient, human beings can break off long-held relationships in a matter of minutes. This could result from a bad experience, a misunderstood communication or withering trust.

Human beings function from a complex set of factors and are governed by an abstract yet fundamental phenomenon called Consciousness. The nature of consciousness is such that it makes people oscillate between reality and illusion. A leader's great challenge is to grasp this crucial dynamic in a team's psychology. People fundamentally don't like to be led, they like to lead. The team may perceive the leader's role to be illusory and their own perspectives to be real. This has a major bearing on how they behave and respond to a leader's presence and personality.

It is an interesting phenomenon that while the leader must grasp the illusory nature of his role to make it real for his people, many team members may operate from a `reality` that they can independently define their space and the leader can be `managed`. What is illusion and what is reality itself is debatable, but adopting an `illusion model` to leading makes leaders more adaptable to the variables and realities of human behaviour.

Context plays a very critical role in a leader's life. With diminishing age for leadership positions in teh corporate world, the lack of experience can be made up only through well-built perspectives and a spiritual-intellectual approach to the role. It will help leaders to internalise the ephemeral nature of life, which will play out in their interactions with team members. No behaviour or relationship is permanent and no emotional connection beyond reach.

A leader must work not just on his competencies, but also on his consciousness. A leader's life is defined by the extent of complexity he has to handle. Complexity can become overbearing and at times impossible to manage. It is therefore imperative for a leader to be both a learner as well as a meditator. He must not just meditate on leadership strategies, but also practice meditation as a habit, as that will create within him magnificent detachment combined with emotional engagement with his team. Meditation will help him balance the illusory and reality forces that will confront him frequently and substantially. Meditation will help him come to terms with the `illusion of reality` as well as the `reality of illusion`.

Elevating leadership to a level of consciousness will make the leader approach the role with spontaneity and tenacity. A leader must `belong` and not just `be`. For this, it is imperative that he masters the art of adapting to people's behaviors and their varying levels of consciousness. A leader therefore has to manage the `clash of consciousness` and not just the clash of temperaments.

The `Consciousness Leader` is the next step in the evolution of leadership in the 21^st century.