Any organization will do well if it has a healthy working environment. Responsibility of creating a good and productive environment rests with the senior leadership. Senior leadership not only has to insist and encourage but also lead by example to achieve this.
During four decades of working in the Air Force, few aspects related to good working environment appealed to me. I made these as my guiding principles. Some of these are as follows:-
- Leadership: Everyone who has a subordinate working under him or her is a leader. All the leaders should follow what they advocate. Motto should be “DO AS I DO” rather than “DO AS I SAY”. Also there should be Fairness, Honesty and Transparency in all their dealings.
- Sell or Tell Type of Leadership: Younger generations have ready access to information and are very aware. The leadership style has to change with times. Giving a task and explaining the rationale behind it generates better acceptability and involvement. Need is for more of SELL type approach rather than TELL type of leadership.
- Ownership: Ingraining a sense of ownership and involvement in all personnel is important and yields better results. Motto should be “This is my Job and I will do it well”
- Team Approach with Mutual Respect: Any organization cannot be run or sustained by individuals. It is a team effort and should be encouraged. Creating an atmosphere of mutual respect, team work and Esprit-de-corps is very essential. While maintaining respect for post and seniority, any class system should be avoided.
- Delegation: Delegation is very important for efficient functioning. It is the task that is delegated not the responsibility. Post delegation working space should be given rather than constantly looking over their shoulder. Upward and reverse delegation (tendency of juniors not taking a decision or voicing their recommendation) should be discouraged.
”Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
– General George S. Patton, U.S. Army
- Productive Work Culture: The working culture should be productive. Following aspects would enhance the productivity:-
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- Free Thinking: Encourage Brainstorming and research work to come out with innovative, out of the box and low cost options.
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- Analytical Approach: Encourage culture of collating, analyzing, generating options and giving recommendations.
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- Healthy discussions: Healthy discussions should be encouraged. Personnel should be encouraged to speak their mind. Difference of opinion at consultation stage should not be considered as dissent.
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- Initiative & Going Beyond Routine: Promote culture of taking initiative and working towards continuous improvement. Going beyond routine should be encouraged.
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- Long term Thinking: Long term higher gains should be preferred as compared to smaller short term benefit.
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- Proactive Approach: Proactive approach towards planning and execution of events and activities should be adopted. A working system of monitoring and feed backs should be established.
- Safety & Security: Personnel should feel safe and secure in the working environment. Everyone needs to contribute towards this aspect. Safety culture should be ingrained in every one’s mind.
- Communications: This is a very important aspect in any organization. Effective channels of communications are required so that information, orders and instructions reach everyone. All seniors should be approachable and available. The channels of communications should not be linear and too long.
- Grooming and Mentoring: Continuous training, grooming and mentoring of less experienced colleagues by more experienced ones is very essential. In addition to passing ON of knowledge and skills, awareness of ethics, norms and etiquettes is also important.
- Simplicity & Functionality: Emphasis should be on simplicity, neatness, cleanliness and functionality rather than ostentatious pomp and show.
- Self-Discipline: Discipline is another very important aspect which needs to be maintained. Stress should be on SELF DISCIPLINE rather than forced discipline. Self-discipline means doing the right thing even when not being watched.
- Fitness (Physical & Mental): Healthy mind and body are essential for better productivity. Healthy living and fitness should be encouraged and promoted. Facilities for this should be provided and personnel should be encouraged to utilize them.
Very well penned. You have covered all aspects in easy to comprehend manner. Please continue the good work. I will be eagerly looking for your next article. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much for the encouragement.
Well stated. Military Leadership ( ML) is quite distinct from Corporate Management, but are like the railway lines….going side by side and can’t do without each other!
Excellent article.
Brief, yet comprehensive.
Looking forward to more articles.
( Kindly do consider ” Leadership under extreme stress ” )
Thank you sir
Good idea sir, will consider it.
Can you give me some of your thoughts to start with.
Very well captured. One more aspect could be highlighted – Acknowledgement. Acknowledge every team members contribution, this works always and every time in every situation.
Left some things for the management series.
Your suggestion falls under the Carrot and stick theory of management.
Further the Carrot should be in public view but the stick should not be till it needs to be in.
will write sometime on practical leadership and management.
On the money….but, easy to conceive difficult to deliver.
Very well said up front……senior leadership must lead by example.
It is not just an AF thing…terrible ‘examples’ are all too common around us..so, can we have this island of efficiency, ie a AF set up, surrounded by this sea of mediocrity, in a networked society?
Sounds idealistic.
But each aspect is relevant.
Even if majority implement it in totality or part – it is worth the effort.
With you Chotu, keep it coming..straight from your shoulder!
Very well written Sir. Just a thought…
There is a couplet in Ramcharitmanas (रामचरितमानस) that says…
मुखिया मुख सो चाहिए, खान पान को एक।
पालइ पोसइ सकल अंग, तुलसी सहित विवेक।।
Which implies that the leader should be like mouth, which is the only part of body through which food is consumed , but it reaches each part of body as per requirements.
Similarly, leader should also ensure equal growth of all subordinates without any bias of cast, creed, group, sect, etc. And this applies to all kinds of leadership, military or otherwise.
Well Said Vibhas
Crisp and clear as usual, Sir.
The Air Force needs to re-ignite our ‘crew room culture’, where a youngster is uninhibited and pipes up to the CO or Flt Cdr during a discussion or briefing. The responsibility for creation of a conducive atmosphere for this to happen is on us, the present day seniors….We have allowed ourselves to become a bit too stiff; let’s undo that.
Relevant to all organizations and work places.
Very well written Sir and you have touched upon almost all aspects… Good read and organisations where lacking certain insights, can implement these in their work culture.
Thank you.
Very well researched article and analysis of several factors that contribute to productivity at a workplace.
Thanks.
Picked up practically during four decades of service career.
Tried to follow and implement these where ever I could.
“A king should listen more, and speak less.”
Applies to everyone more so for the king.
That is we have two ears and only one mouth.
Very nicely put. I feel that out of all idealistic requirements listed above, Team approach and Mutual Respect is most relevant. Even the lowest level functionary in an organisation should be made to feel proud that he is an important and indispensible part of the team.
Sir,
I Have listed out the essentials. Weightage and priority would differ from leader to leader.
Very educative sir. Enjoyed reading it and shared it with some young leaders.
Thanks
Very nicely put sir. Change with time, adapt while keeping the underline principle solid.
“The only constant in life is change”-Heraclitus
Very well articulated absolutely candid n to the point. Will feedback from team members have a place in creating the desired healthy working environment? Just a good for thought.
Thanks.
Have written about feed back mechanism under heading of Delegation.
Sir, an article to ponder. Very idealistic in the write up. An organization IAF would have flourished leaps and bounds,esp if it had not brought in disparity,a key requirement for team effort. Many would have not missed the bus. Compartmentalisation is a curse. Every organization needs to appreciate every individual’s contribution for whatever the role may be. Leadership, after all is not everyone’s cup of tea. Forced and authoritarian leadership is.
My two anna bit
Anil , articulated perfectly in precision and to the point as ever. Congratulations..!
Next time you may like to add how to handle failure, because the best learning curves are from failures . And also the importance of humour to healthy work environment.
Great beginning…keep it up.
Thank you for the suggestions sir
Very well written. I have a slightly different take on leadership, I feel that it is a trait in a person which attracts people to his ways of life and work.
Very Valid Sanjiv
Very well written, you have put the subject in its right perspective. Looking forward to read many more such articles and musings.
Very well documented, a good write up for all those who will be entrusted with leadership at any level.
I would like to add two small advices I gave, when sought from me.
1. As a CO, when an incumbent CO asked for advice, I told him to be fair but firm with all his personnel.
2. As COO, I was constantly contactedat all odd hours by Air Traffic Controllers for non-routine flights. To make my life easier, I told them that they had act on their own and if any thing went wrong I would take the responsibility if it was a genuine error in judgement of the situation.
Thanks for the inputs sir
Planning to write on “Practical Leadership”.
Will include your suggestions appropriately.