Nows time to lock your ego, CEOs

In a dogeatdog corporate world low ego and high emotional intelligence are both downplayed as toosensitive emotional and unimportant soft skills that dont take you far But leadership neednt always be about inflated self worth large salaries and constant praise from subordinatesmdashit has equally to do with selflessness and gratitudeAsk Sundar Pichai Insiders at Google Inc are often quoted saying that its founder Larry Page picked him as the CEO not because he was the smartest or the most visionary but because at one point other leaders just couldnt agree with each other unless Pichai was there to mediate Apple Incs founder Steve Jobs too had selected Tim Cooks as his successor because of his ability to mediate discussions among senior executives in the companyBrand strategist author and founder of BrandBuildingcom a brand advisory Ambi Parameswaran says Business press tends to play up CEOs as superheroes and play down those who are unassuming quiet performers But in the long run those with a great deal of humility coupled with tremendous courage of conviction win the battle In his book SPONGE Leadership Lessons I Learnt from my Clients Parameswaran has spoken about several business leaders who demonstrated a sense of calm during an impending storm achieving incredible transformations For instance Padma Bhushan S Ramadorai while a CEO at Tata Consultancy Services faced intense competition and severe criticism from media for being a slow mover But he was preparing the company for a new era post the IPO He put the company before himself and by being a patient listener but a determined persuader he achieved remarkable changes in the company says Parameswaran Another example is from the early 1990s when RD Aga was changing the company name from Wanson to Thermaxmdashhe was so committed to the task he was willing to sit and rewrite the entire body copy of the sixad campaign and politely offer it to the agency for considerationAmbi ParameswaranParmeswaran says That was not how an MD of a large engineering company was supposed to behave But what I find intriguing is how he in his own signature egoless style demonstrated a great sense of commitment yet with a touch of humilityBoth selflessness and emotional intelligence have become critical during the COVID19 pandemic While organisations around the world are facing an uncertain future and business leaders are tasked with the challenge of piloting their companies through choppy waters Parameswaran thinks it is best that instead of making dramatic announcements or Big Bang changes business leaders use the power of gentle persuasion to get to a new place Rushda Majeed India Representative Bernard van Leer Foundation feels that COVID19 has brought sickness and death in its wake and with markets businesses and development work slowing down it has also spawned feelings of worry and a sense of pessimism With many still working from home now more than ever it is crucial for leaders to keep egos on the side and be understanding towards their colleagues and partners to keep morale and productivity high A good egoless leader will always check in on team members and work partners allowing them to take the time they might need for personal work or issues communicating support being flexible with deadlines and accepting suggestions for adapting projects This trait has helped us as a team to adapt to the changing landscape and support each other while not losing sight of our longterm goals she addsDr Partha DattaDr Partha Datta president and managing director Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCA India believes that a generous passionate and empathetic CEO makes employees feel secure even during disagreements He or she would encourage dissent and rebuttal and would not be intimidated or intensify the fear of failure in an employee When a leader is apt to blame quick to become frustrated or looks for a scapegoat employees lose trust in the safe zone They feel threatened and insecure they stop trusting the leader become less engaged and eventually the delivery suffers says Datta For him having worked across continents keeping ego aside has helped him manage interdisciplinary impasses interdepartmental conflicts functional compromises and build intercompany bridges for partnerships to facilitate multicultural relationships such as joint ventures in both high and low context cultures between USA Europe India and ChinaFrom her own experience Majeed feels even leaders who possess a high emotional quotient must acknowledge its importance at their workplace and practice it every single day It is similar to hitting the gymmdashthe more you exercise the greater the chance of you achieving your health goals Demonstrating empathy every day also makes your style of leadership a model for others Crucially practising emotional intelligence in the workplace comes down to building a culture of trust and open communication allowing others to understand your goals express ideas and point out pitfalls you might have not considered do ones best and not be afraid to fail she addsParameswaran adds In a crisis situation when a CEO walks into a boardroom whatever he says is treated as the gospel Instead a humble selfless leader will listen to everyone in the room and then give his decision This also gives him or her the opportunity to add or edit what she wants to say based on new information and not say something that could create havoc in the companyRushda MajeedMajeed says Leadership does not mean always being in control directing others or showcasing consistent success Humility is a valuable trait for leaders to imbibe and practice An inflated ego doesnt get you far On the contrary it might demotivate your team prevent honest exchanges and limit your own vision Allow your team members to express themselves have the ability to listen including to critics focus on bringing out the best in your team and dont be afraid to innovate even if it means setbacks and failuresmdashlearn from these and do things better next time Such leaders are not only successful but they often successfully create a legacyDIY leadership skillsDr Partha Dattas tips to be low on ego and high on EQBe an Enabler Dont be afraid to enable the success of others and help break constraints for othersSelfawareness Recognise your own limitations control the negative onesSelfmotivation Take the high road Drive towards your key goals ignore pettinessEarn Trust and Respect Be respectful towards everyone across designations Focus more on kindness than rightnessCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news