Acumen Bootcamp - 7th Week Reflection

Parts 0, 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 of the Acumen virtual bootcamp series can be found here.

The topic of the 7th session was on Adaptive Leadership. All organizations want individuals to be invested in the rat race. This always shows a better return on investment in salary.  And we are also engaged in the dance of email, instant messages, and meetings. But reflecting in the midst of action is an age-old wisdom, and it is really difficult to achieve.  The crux of the session was on reflection amid action and vice versa

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, a book written by Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky, and Ronald Heifetz, was referred for detailed reading.  The best part in the summarized reading was our Illusion of the Broken System: There is a myth that drives many change initiatives into the ground: that the organization needs to change because it is broken. The reality is that any social system (including an organization) is the way it because people in that system (at least those individuals in that system (at least those individuals and factions with the most leverage) want and factions with the most leverage) want it that way. In the sense, on the whole, it is that way. In the sense, on the whole, the system is working fine, even though it may appear to be “dysfunctional” in some respects to members, and outside observers, and even though it faces danger just over the horizon.

Adaptive leadership requires helping people to gain a clear perspective in the midst of action and uncertainty; making sense of complex, often conflicting, signs and data; and sifting through what is most important, what is at stake, who will support, and who will resist change.

This transformation is based on “mapping the system” of stakeholders surrounding the challenge, mobilizing key stakeholders. A leader has to mobilize resources and goals and transform the organization. Our focus is less about the “problem” and more about other people’s relationship to the problem, and how to engage them in narrowing the gap. This profound shift is done by leveraging leadership capital for excellence into pragmatic steps for the stakeholders.

The stakeholders are spread in the factions like yourself, authority, allies, opposition, casualties, and troublemakers, with each having their respective Values, Loyalties, and Losses. The opinion inside an organization is different, and conflicts have to be replaced with a confluence of interests.

As an adaptive leader, I had not practiced much of the courageous belief in how things should be in the face of a persistent problem. I can articulate ‘the gap’ that is a leadership challenge in the development sector. It's about the decay of grant-based work and the move towards building a service-based model. I will use the tool to analyze the problem and the relationship of stakeholders in my organization. Hoping the process will be a fascinating reflection on the ways individuals perceive their own experiences, but how men and women in particular might forecast the scenario. In the end, I will develop some capability of adjusting to the requirements of different perspectives and the transformation agenda.

Acumen Bootcamp - 6th Week Reflection

Parts 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the Acumen virtual bootcamp series can be found here.

I approached our readings, 14 pages from ‘On Identity by Amin Malouf, with great eagerness. Amin Maalouf, born in Beirut, is a prolific writer of fiction, non-fiction, and operatic librettos. In 2010, he received the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. The discussion was focusing on the issue of identity on a very basic level.

The most marketable skill in leaders is the ability to abandon one's own identity and slip into someone else's. Most people have the privilege to associate with identities that can give them access to new opportunities through a network. This was the aspect that was visible in the group. Whatever people understand and enjoy in human products instantly becomes theirs, wherever they might have their origin. This is true in most cases.

I stepped up and shared the experience that is related to imposed identities connected with stereotypes. Stereotyping and malign propaganda always led to the labeling of the person under an identity. An individual trapped in a limited identity will be exploited by the authoritative state or community politics. Such imposed identities put constraints on the individual's open interaction with another individual belonging to a different belief system. The dilemma of choosing between integration and emigration from mainstream identity & picking either freedom or security is one of the toughest decisions for an individual. There is a huge relation between identity, tolerance, and violence. Due to a shortage of time and a lack of depth in the panel, the relation wasn't explored in the meeting. There is a huge topic of identity politics and social justice movements that can be discussed in a class of sociology or political science. I will recommend readers to go through the Identity and Violence work by Amartya Sen for a deep dive.

Assignment: An assignment was given that was quite similar to a privilege walk.  We have to design a flower with petals, each petal representing a factor of influence in society. It is a good incubation exercise for individuals who have never wandered into the areas of the humanities and social sciences.

Digital Well Being

“The struggle of man against social media is the struggle of concentration against distraction.”

Do you know ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)? I have most of the signs of this disorder that has increased from the last few years. But, I am slowly turning the tides by changing the micro habits and following simple rules.

1. Know about Cal Newport’s prescriptions for creating 90 minute slots\ for solid, uninterrupted work. Practice this by increasing gradually from 60 - 150 Minutes. While working on the desktop, allocate specific start and end time of the task and close all other windows.

2. Uninstall LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Tweeter from the smart phone. Login and Logout each time from the social media application on the desktop. This will lower the craving to stay connected all the time.

3. Do Not Disturb Mode: This starts by disabling WhatsApp/Telegram and text message notifications and sound. In the peak hours of work, there is need to avoid incoming calls too.

4. Stop refreshing Inbox for constantly new emails. Plan your working hours with meetings, lunch, tea break, and phone call in between concentrated work hours.

5. Digital Down Time: There must be for digital downtime every evening. When you are done with work for the day, try to shut down work related task for the day completely. Phone calls, share market, social media and text messaging are all covered in this session. During dinner, movies, reading and jogging, start leaving your phone alone.

6. Wind Down Time: The entertainment has to be fixed post-office and pre-sleep hours. I put my phone on on wind down between 12 - 7 AM. Good sleep improves work productivity.

7. Partial phone/desktop/TV deprivation is good for health. This can be extended from 4-12 hours during day time.

8. Digital detox will leave a void in the life and there is huge need to reinvest back in the family, friendships and relationships

9. I have committed in 2020 for “no new hobbies, no new books.” I had acquired several books in the last few years and read only one fifth of the home grown library.

10. Binging is bit smaller issue but also leads to erosion of the self control. The discipline to say No is the core of the self control.

11. Stop Consuming too much of news, entertainment, and reports. Start a habit of creation: reading, coding, painting, gardening, jogging etc..

Consumer culture drives us to explore in a rabbit hole. Think an example like Youtube surfing. Digital Wellbeing is an essential part of the mental health. I often have to challenge myself for this experiment and I have huge withdrawal symptoms too. This is an attempt to go deeper and cultivate self control. Its like watching grass grow. It will take perseverance and belief in the power of self.

Ankur Capital Dialogues - Navigating Recovery Post COVID-19 for Consumer Food Brands

I have the privilege to attend a webinar on 15th April, Wednesday Navigating Recovery Post COVID-19 for Consumer Food Brands organized by Ankur Capital.

The panel had good expertise in FMCG and the food industry. They shared a more comprehensive range of challenges and issues faced by the consumer food brands amid lock-down. I will summarize the webinar in six points:

1. Managing human resources: The legal aspects of managing human movement was relatively easy for the firms. But, a lot of personal communication was established by the leadership team to establish trust between them and employees. There were a lot of queries on the risk involved as the mainstream media has heightened a sense of panic and anxiety. Communication with the employees and all key stakeholders is the key!

2. Organization culture: While business metrics are important, companies should adopt a people-first approach and ensure that the well-being of their employees and customers is the key. The whole culture has been put to the litmus test and the lock-down has put the values of the companies in the action.

3. Alternate partnerships: Companies have ensured seamless supply through partnering with new partners and tackling logistics issues. Companies have re-prioritized the channel distribution strategies by considering the willingness, infrastructure, and payments of the partners. The situation is different for each partner.

4. Embracing technologies solution: Leadership has been pushing for technology like Microsoft Team and Zoom to the reluctant adopters.

5. Financial Liquidity: Startups have negotiated cash discounts to distributors. The Cash crunch has led to the cutting cost and made them functional for 2-3 months. There will be changes in the product portfolio, and processes to make companies more efficient.

6. Ecosystem Recovery: The recovery curve will be U shaped rather than V-shaped in consumer food brands. The behavioral habit of the consumer such as out-of-home shopping, and dining will change as people venture out less often. There will be trust building by brands through reassurance, hygiene, quality, and the process they follow at the back end. Unknown brands will be either buried or raised from the debris. The online groceries ecosystem will change and rapidly evolve in the next 6 months. A lot of medium food brands will change the rules of engagement in the online space.

Covid is a moment of truth and companies are looking to emerge from this stronger. Brands should focus their efforts on building trust and ensuring that the values that the organization stands for come to the forefront during times like these.