Article: Manthan- Art & Science of Developing Leaders

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Manthan- Art & Science of Developing Leaders

The book, Manthan- Art and Science of developing leaders explores seven important aspects of leadership roles and development. The book includes critical topics like leadership in today's times, developing future leaders, succession management, building global leaders, leading transformation, and role of leaders in driving innovation and building diversity.
Manthan- Art & Science of Developing Leaders

The word Manthan originates from the Sanskrit language which means “Churning.” The word, i.e., Manthan has a great significance in Hindu mythology where Devas (Gods) and Asura (Demons) churned the ocean with a mountain that was resting on Lord Vishnu to get Amrit, i.e., Elixir or Nector for immortality. 

The Devas & Asuras represent the positive and negative energy of one’s self. The negative energy includes ego, greed for power, status, wealth and the delusion of becoming supreme. On the other hand, the positive energies lead an individual to be virtuous, ethical, humble and conscious. The author compares the leaders with Devas and Asuras who needs to churn their mind for self-realization. And they can do this by concentration and desire which act as a churning rope. 

There are seven sections each with a specific theme. The starting chapters introduce basic issues and concepts while the later sections deal with increasingly complex issues of leadership development.

Here are the key insights from the book:

1. The Indian leadership DNA and leadership in today’s time:

The authors collaborated to put together two comprehensive models of leadership, one named the Diamond Model because of the many facets of leadership which are explored and elaborated, and the 3D Model which describes the personal characteristics which a successful leader must possess. It also includes the essential characteristics that the leaders should possess in the current landscape.

2. Developing Future Leadership: 

The authors examine the question of building a leadership brand through purposeful and regular talent assessment, providing individualized learning opportunities, and pushing top talent out of their comfort zone into “Crucible Roles” to develop them. 

3. Succession Management: 

India Inc. needs to recognize the importance of succession management and to nurture young talent to grow in the organization. High potential talent needs to be developed and mapped to the organization’s growth and key strategies. 

4. Making global leaders in uncertain times: 

Global leadership does not just come with the global size of the operation. The size of the operation is a mechanical construct, but leadership goes much deeper; it is forged over a period. This section talks about the essential skills that a global leader should imbibe to deal with the VUCA world.

5. Leading Transformation: 

To flourish as a sustainable enterprise, the organizations need to transform. The transformation process demands that a leader anchors and institutionalizes change in the corporate culture. He has to ensure that the modification seeps into the bloodstream of the business body. 

6. Driving innovation and building diversity: 

Nokia and Kodak are the reminder to organizations as to why leaders need to innovate. The author specifies the two distinct stages of innovation- Exploration, and Exploitation which are equally important for a leader to lead a successful innovation.

What we like about the book: 

The book introduces each leadership challenge with a solution. Each chapter is coupled with real stories about people and organizations that readers can easily relate to.

A good number of leading HR professionals have shared their thoughts, opinions, and experiences resulting in a valuable compendium of diverse points of view on each aspect.

Suitable for:

Personal and professional growth for anyone in the organization who is looking to unleash a leader in them and move ahead of the next step of leadership. Additionally, this book is also for the CEOs, CHROs and CXOs who have interest in building leaders.

About the Author:

K.K Sinha: He is working as Dean—Development at BIMTECH. He has also been working as a Consultant/Advisor in a number of corporates like NTPC, NTPC-SAIL Power Company, UltraTech—Aditya Birla Group, REC, Damodar Valley Corporation, Tata Power, Reliance METL, Adani, NHPC etc. He has also written a book, sharing experiences of transforming HR in mega PSU in the Power sector NTPC Ltd, My Experiments with Unleashing People Power.

Ajay Soni: Ajay is currently working as the Chief Learning and Leadership Development Officer, Group HR, Aditya Birla Group, Mumbai. His responsibility includes driving learning functions across the group. He also owns the process of Talent Development across all the group companies. He also drives the senior leader’s development across all the group entities. 

Indranil Mitra: He is currently working as the Additional General Manager (HR), Power Management Institute, NTPC Ltd. As Senior Faculty Member in HR and Organisation Behaviour, he is putting his all round experience and knowledge of HR to good use in training executives including fresh management trainees in HRM and Interpersonal Skills.

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