Leadership Styles--Autocratic Leadership
Some of the greatest Cricketers were famous for their attitude. Like they say "Attitude decides Altitude", these were known for their strong attitude, strong egos and never-say die approach to everything they did. For them defeat was something they loathed and would go to any extent to stop the opposition from winning. They were so strong that even the respective Boards, Selectors, media included were not very comfortable in going against them.
One of the best batsman ever and arguably India's best was Sunil Gavaskar. No one could dispute his technique in front of the stumps and the best of the fastest bowlers, would give the last of their dime to get his wicket. Sunny was again one of the most shrewdest leaders in the Game's history and probably India's best. Autocratic leaders are those leaders who have complete Power over their people and Sunny could exercise this power without even lifting his finger. Just a stare from him on the field meant that the person responsible to receive that stare was pretty sure that the next test would be without him. It was like Sunny was a General, like Napoleon and the rest of the team was assigned one task i.e., to focus on how to stave off defeat. Autocratic leaders are very strong performers, never willing to give up on the lime-light. Sunny was someone who would never give up his wicket. He did not like to play second fiddle, even if there was a maiden over, it was that his technique was supreme compared to the bowler who stopped him from taking any run. And when he wanted to score fast, he wanted to be better than India's best ODI batsman in those days, Srikkanth and better he did, scoring a fifty faster than Srikkanth did.
Sunil Gavaskar was a very strong character. He could do a task which no one dared to do even in their dreams. He was responsible for sacking India's best all-rounder ever Kapil Dev for one test, the only test Kapil ever missed in his illustrious career and that was because Kapil was not committed to the team's cause. It is said that one of South India's best batsman T.E. Srinivasan was dropped before being given his due since he had dared to show Sunny a chink in his technique in Australia and New Zealand tours of 1981. This was something Sunny loathed. No one dare tell him what to do.
Autocratic Leaders are incredibly efficient. It is like, if you wanted quick and strong decisions or if you required to go a particular direction for quick results, these are the type of leaders one should go to. These are leaders who are used when there is crisis, when you require decisions to be made without dissent, for such decisions which are complex. These are like military commanders requiring their troops to just focus on the act and nothing less than accomplishing would stop them. Whether it was Sunny in 1985 Benson & Hedges Cup, during which nothing less than victory could have stopped him, or for that matter, Greg Chappel's action of asking his brother Trevor to bowl under-arm to Lance Cairns to stop him from hitting a six of the last ball or the legendary Douglas Jardine's method of bowling to stop the "Don" in the infamous Body Line series, all are examples of Autocratic Leadership styles. Autocratic leaders use various methods to show their dissent or protest and that too happens due to their quick thinking styles. Greg Chappel in one of the tests against Pakistan in Faisalabad made all the eleven players to bowl in order to vent his protest to a dead pitch prepared by the Pakis to stop the Aussies from even attempting a Win. There is no negative or positive about the style, only the result mattered. And each of these Leaders did what they wanted.
Sunny was a very strong example for this type of Leadership style since he was someone who had a very uncanny style which was positive, negative and neutral in result. Someone who defined the style in toto. His infamous walk out in the Melbourne test in 1981 to show his dissent for being given out (it was more due to the manner in which he was asked to leave the pitch by Lillie, showing where the ball hit). This understandably was something which Chetan Chauhan, his partner did not approve of. It is said that since that twin tour of Australia and New Zealand, Chetan Chauhan never donned the India Cap. Something which is still talked in hushed tones that Sunny was responsible for this too.
These type of Leaders are required when any task requires quick and complex decisions, requires to be done without dissent and allowing their troops to focus their energies and attention only for performing their assigned tasks and missions. Totally focused leadership style.
One of the best batsman ever and arguably India's best was Sunil Gavaskar. No one could dispute his technique in front of the stumps and the best of the fastest bowlers, would give the last of their dime to get his wicket. Sunny was again one of the most shrewdest leaders in the Game's history and probably India's best. Autocratic leaders are those leaders who have complete Power over their people and Sunny could exercise this power without even lifting his finger. Just a stare from him on the field meant that the person responsible to receive that stare was pretty sure that the next test would be without him. It was like Sunny was a General, like Napoleon and the rest of the team was assigned one task i.e., to focus on how to stave off defeat. Autocratic leaders are very strong performers, never willing to give up on the lime-light. Sunny was someone who would never give up his wicket. He did not like to play second fiddle, even if there was a maiden over, it was that his technique was supreme compared to the bowler who stopped him from taking any run. And when he wanted to score fast, he wanted to be better than India's best ODI batsman in those days, Srikkanth and better he did, scoring a fifty faster than Srikkanth did.
Sunil Gavaskar was a very strong character. He could do a task which no one dared to do even in their dreams. He was responsible for sacking India's best all-rounder ever Kapil Dev for one test, the only test Kapil ever missed in his illustrious career and that was because Kapil was not committed to the team's cause. It is said that one of South India's best batsman T.E. Srinivasan was dropped before being given his due since he had dared to show Sunny a chink in his technique in Australia and New Zealand tours of 1981. This was something Sunny loathed. No one dare tell him what to do.
Autocratic Leaders are incredibly efficient. It is like, if you wanted quick and strong decisions or if you required to go a particular direction for quick results, these are the type of leaders one should go to. These are leaders who are used when there is crisis, when you require decisions to be made without dissent, for such decisions which are complex. These are like military commanders requiring their troops to just focus on the act and nothing less than accomplishing would stop them. Whether it was Sunny in 1985 Benson & Hedges Cup, during which nothing less than victory could have stopped him, or for that matter, Greg Chappel's action of asking his brother Trevor to bowl under-arm to Lance Cairns to stop him from hitting a six of the last ball or the legendary Douglas Jardine's method of bowling to stop the "Don" in the infamous Body Line series, all are examples of Autocratic Leadership styles. Autocratic leaders use various methods to show their dissent or protest and that too happens due to their quick thinking styles. Greg Chappel in one of the tests against Pakistan in Faisalabad made all the eleven players to bowl in order to vent his protest to a dead pitch prepared by the Pakis to stop the Aussies from even attempting a Win. There is no negative or positive about the style, only the result mattered. And each of these Leaders did what they wanted.
Sunny was a very strong example for this type of Leadership style since he was someone who had a very uncanny style which was positive, negative and neutral in result. Someone who defined the style in toto. His infamous walk out in the Melbourne test in 1981 to show his dissent for being given out (it was more due to the manner in which he was asked to leave the pitch by Lillie, showing where the ball hit). This understandably was something which Chetan Chauhan, his partner did not approve of. It is said that since that twin tour of Australia and New Zealand, Chetan Chauhan never donned the India Cap. Something which is still talked in hushed tones that Sunny was responsible for this too.
These type of Leaders are required when any task requires quick and complex decisions, requires to be done without dissent and allowing their troops to focus their energies and attention only for performing their assigned tasks and missions. Totally focused leadership style.
Comments
Post a Comment