What Uddhav Thackeray can learn from Naveen Patnaik and Devendra Fadnavis

Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. ANI

Having spent the higher a part of my life within the company world, now as an observer of Indian politics, I usually are inclined to view political leaders by means of the lens of organisational management. To be clear, the rules of management run by means of all walks of life — enterprise, sports activities, politics. It’s only the context that varies calling for various ability units in numerous conditions. Many former sports activities personalities like Mike Brearley and Paddy Upton are wanted company coaches. Sir Lawrence Olivier’s son — Richard Olivier — has constructed a profitable observe out of utilizing Shakespearean performs for management improvement.

With the presidential system taking roots internationally, political leaders in India too are behaving more and more like company CEOs. Subsequently, a comparability of the management type of various leaders could also be instructive and attention-grabbing. And what is usually a higher place to start than the current drama in Maharashtra. Although it’s nonetheless work in progress, one can nonetheless draw classes from the conduct of the lead actors. These could also be helpful in our private lives as effectively.

Uddhav Thackeray has all the time given the impression of a Shakespearean “tragic hero”. Folks have known as him a reluctant politician and even much less of a “fundamentalist”. A typical chorus has been that he’s a misfit in at this time’s ruthless and poisonous company atmosphere. The identical is at occasions additionally mentioned of Rahul Gandhi. A extra related comparability could have been Naveen Patnaik. Earlier than his legendary father died, Naveen Babu used to stay in a distinct universe a number of light-years away from the dirty world of politics. He was parachuted to Bhubaneshwar and turned out to be probably the most admired and longest serving chief ministers of the state. In his fifth consecutive time period, Naveen Patnaik has cemented Biju-babu’s legacy however in his personal type with out attempting to mimic the charismatic character father.

File photograph of BJD (Biju Janata Dal) supremo
and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. PTI

What one noticed within the case of Naveen Patnaik occurs usually in enterprise too. A traditional instance is Azim Premji — who needed to return midway by means of his graduate research at Stanford College to take cost of the household enterprise after the premature demise of his father. There are a lot of different situations too the place an incumbent has grown in his function after an abrupt transition usually determined by destiny.

Wipro chairman Azim Premji on the Annual Assembly 2009 of the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland on 31 January 2009. Picture courtesy Monikia Flueckiger/WEF through Wikimedia Commons

A typical trait of those personalities — is all of them discovered their very own voice by means of a deep sense of self-awareness about their strengths and weaknesses. Whereas these individuals know that in an age of disruptions sustaining status-quo shouldn’t be an possibility, in addition they perceive the significance of “change with continuity” in heritage establishments. Above all, they collect the proper expertise round them. Kumarmangalam Birla managed this transition brilliantly after the untimely demise of his father, Aditya Birla to take the group to nice heights.

Typically rising underneath the shadow of a matriarch or patriarch can be limiting, particularly if the latter has a larger-than-life persona. This may increasingly have been a handicap for Uddhav. However the place he maybe erred most is in outsourcing the technique to a couple round him and his fast household, who had been additionally missing hands-on expertise in operating an iconic celebration with a tradition rooted in regional and spiritual identification. His selection of aides was, maybe, primarily based extra on issues of loyalty than political acumen. Consequently, he could have lower himself off from the grassroots and thus choked channels of communication.

***

Additionally Learn

Uddhav Thackeray: A take a look at the large wins and the largest misplaced

Lotus to bloom? The subsequent step in Maharashtra politics after Uddhav Thackeray quits as chief minister

May Uddhav Thackeray have prevented the Maharashtra political disaster? Here is what we all know up to now

***

It’s mentioned in Uddhav Thackeray’s defence that his character and impaired well being didn’t permit him to bodily attain out to constituents. Therefore, this activity was largely delegated to his son and elevated his dependence on satraps, who had been the previous guard fiercely loyal to his late father and his ideology. Typically one thought, he noticed himself extra as a caretaker or custodian of the throne for his son, ready for him to come back of age.

It’s attention-grabbing although that Balasaheb himself seldom stepped out of his residence — Matoshree. But, his grip on the celebration and knowledge community ensured that nothing moved inside the Shiv Sena with out his data or approval.

The litmus check of a pacesetter comes within the type of managing crises. Right here too a comparability with Naveen Patnaik is probably not misplaced. Naveen Babu too is understood to be predominantly housebound and inaccessible. He operates by means of a number of loyal and exceptionally competent bureaucrats. The key of his energy are his extraordinary political instincts. This has not solely helped him preserve a dynamic equilibrium with the federal government in Delhi — with wholesome trade-off between the pursuits of the state and the Centre with out making it an adversarial relationship. He’s remarkably clear about his priorities and practical in his ambition. So, he doesn’t should expend power in unproductive confrontations. When some celebration members tried to stage a coup whereas he was on a uncommon abroad journey, he was capable of quash it very quickly.

In distinction, Uddhav Thackeray seemed to be at sea throughout the present denouement. First, there was an enormous intelligence failure, which has been broadly commented upon. However by means of your complete episode there was obvious confusion in his camp with individuals taking pictures in numerous instructions. Folks spoke in numerous voices starting from wild bravado to maudlin sentiments. It was not clear as to who was in cost. There was a definite impression of his being suggested by outsiders, who could not have been in sync along with his and the Shiv Sena’s curiosity. So, his strikes didn’t encourage confidence both within the ranks or exterior stakeholders. Because the chief he appeared beleaguered and pushed towards the wall.

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde. PTI

Compared the Eknath Shinde camp and his sponsors working behind the scenes, no prize for guessing it was the BJP led by Devendra Fadnavis, labored with clockwork precision on a masterfully crafted technique. Having learnt from their earlier mistake of 2019 — little doubt guided by the central management of the celebration — nothing was left to probability, and all gaps had been plugged, and contingency plans saved on stand-by anticipating each transfer of the adversary. In the end, it was a victory of flawless execution over scattered and incoherent responses.

File picture of Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. PTI

Equally, there’s a lot to be taught from Devendra Fadnavis. However allow us to preserve that for one more article. For now, the important thing lesson is how he recovered from the setback of 2019. When acceding defeat then, he had mentioned: I shall return. Come again he did and the way. As Uddhav Thackeray embarks upon rebuilding his celebration, he can take a number of leaves out of Fadnavis’ e book — as certainly be taught from different leaders on the planet of enterprise and politics who’ve risen from the ashes because it had been, just like the proverbial phoenix.

The creator is a present affairs commentator, marketer, blogger and management coach, who tweets at @SandipGhose. Views expressed are private.

Learn all of the Newest Information, Trending Information, Cricket Information, Bollywood Information,
India Information and Leisure Information right here. Observe us on Fb, Twitter and Instagram.