Leadership: Oscar Schindler defines power in the movie Schindler’s list

Leadership: Oscar Schindler defines “power” in the movie Schindler’s list

Schindler says “Power is when we have every justification to kill - and we don't.”

Drawing parallel to leadership at workplace… We see so many leaders throwing their weight around - especially in difficult situations when team is not performing - coming down harshly on people for mistakes, criticizing them overtly (and worse covertly). It gives them (false) sense of power, I guess. By doing this, they get the “things done” over short term, not realizing the damage done long term by de-energizing the team.

Acting with affection or getting along with team members (especially the during difficult situations) is a far cry for such leaders.

Connecting back to my post on JRD Tata... I feel affectionate leadership produce more sustainable results ... the control during the difficult situations is the power.

As leaders we expect our team member to respond in the way we would respond when placed in her shoes. This is when we stop getting along with them. We fail to harness their individuality, their strengths and their perspective. Instead of expecting them to follow our way, we need to get used to doing things their way. The “control” is about control over imposing ourselves on them – when you’ve every justification and hierarchical position to do that.

The lessons of leadership are learnt not only at the workplace but also during seemingly mundane things such as teaching sustainably good driving skills to a new learner.

Leadership: JRD Tata’s take on it.

Leadership: JRD Tata’s take on it.

“If I have any merit, it is getting along with individuals, according to their ways and characteristics… at times it involves suppressing yourself. It is painful but necessary… to be a leader you have got to lead human beings with affection.”
-J.R.D. Tata (July 29 1904 – November 29, 1993)
(ReF: http://epaper.livemint.com/ArticleImageEx.aspx?article=29_07_2009_003_007&type=1&mode=1)

I see so many so called "intelligent" leaders missing this simple point. Great organizations are built, slowly… with excellence achieved in every small process, everyday and by everyone. This can happen only when the most of your team members want – from within - to excel. On sustainable basis, this is possible only by the way JRD has explained above.

Education: Industry Analysis[1]
Use of IT in education: customer segmentation
§ By Government Schools: To promote computer literacy, a large number of elementary and Secondary Government educational institutions are focused on this initiative. (The large part state government tenders concentrate on this).
§ Private Institute: Few Government Secondary/Higher Educational Institutions and a large number of Private Educational institutions have moved towards utilization of digital content for computer aided learning. In most private schools and higher education institutions the focus is on Computer Aided Learning since they already have exposure to computers and have well established labs. The use of IT as a tool to support education, content development and Remote learning is very nascent, but has immense potential since the content developed can be re-used and remote learning centres which are set up allow the content to be delivered anywhere, eliminating geographical constraints.
§ Corporate Sector: Companies across the world are using Computer Aided Learning methodology that includes content development and delivery (either on-site or remote) for various management development and staff training programs.
§ College Education and Higher Learning: There are around 17500 colleges (2004-05) affiliated to 229 universities, 96 deemed universities and 13 Institutes of National importance in the country. In the area of technical education, the total number of engineering colleges is in excess of 1200. There is a huge potential for various courses in the college and higher learning segment. (Source: www.education.nic.in and www.indiatelevision.com)

5.1 Government Schools:
§ Since 1999 the Government has embarked on large scale initiatives to promote computer literacy across all Government Schools in India.
§ These initiatives have been undertaken by the respective State Governments.
§ The entire computer literacy program has been initiated on a BOOT model with active involvement of private sector.
§ The State Governments have offered State wide/District wide contracts to Companies through a tendering process.
§ The successful companies in the bidding process are awarded 4-5 year contracts to provide necessary infrastructure and impart IT education to the students.
§ These projects are funded out of schemes such as:
o Sarva Siksha Abhiyan
o ICT@Schools.
§ Business opportunity:
o Setting up IT Education Infrastructure in Schools & Colleges. (Educomp, Everonn, NIIT)
o Delivering IT education in Schools & Colleges. (Educomp, Everonn, NIIT)
[1] Reference: Everonn Information Memorandum, filed with SEBI in August 2006