Dhoni's leadership lessons from success and failures: 1) If ideal conditions are not present to be effective, be efficient and make the most of the available conditions. 2) There is no such thing as a right or wrong decision - the outcome determines if it is good or bad. Have conviction in your decisions. 3) Performance matters most when it is needed the most during crunch moments. Give extra effort during tipping points. 4) Managing pressure, especially during high stakes matches against rivals while leading an inexperienced team, is key to long term success. Keep composure. 5) Have a clear goal and vision in mind and take the necessary actions without shortcuts

1. Leadership Lessons From
‘M’idas ‘S’entient ‘D’honi
Team Hit and Run

2. If you can’t be Effective be Efficient
• Effective : Adequate to accomplish a purpose;
producing the intended or expected result.
• Efficient : Performing or functioning in the
best possible manner with the least waste of
time and effort.
• Analysis on Wankhede stadium shows ‘victory
favours the team that bats first’. Knowing the
home ground conditions, Dhoni ideally wanted
to bat, but lost the toss to bowl. “Never mind”
said the leader Dhoni
• Things will never happen the way you wish. If
you don’t get ideal conditions to perform
(effective), embrace the available conditions,
and do the best (efficient).

3. Just decide: There is no right or wrong
decisions
• The probability of a decision
going right or wrong is ½
• Making Joginder Sharma, an
untested bowler with an high
economy rate bowl the last over of
the ICC T20 world cup and
Second, though he was in poor
form, he tinkered with the batting
order to move himself up pushing
the ‘best form Yuvraj’ back in spite
of the experts warning him.
• No decision is good or bad. Only
the outcome determines it. Just
decide with the best ability, stick to
it, and make it work.
•

4. Performance matters when in need
• When the going gets tough the tough
get going.
• Dhoni was in a poor form through out
the tournament ,but his magnificent
‘man of the match’ knock turned the
tables around. The same goes with the
Innings against Punjab in IPL-2010 in
the semi finals .
• Identify the moments of truth that will
make a difference in your life. Give
extra-ordinary effort to create a tipping
point.

5. Manage Pressure
• “Cricket is a pressure game, and when
it comes to an India-Pakistan match
the pressure is doubled.”- Imran Khan
• Playing in the World Cup final after
28 years at home soil and leading an
inexperienced side to England where
India hasn’t tasted success , amongst
criticism from media and critics and
tasting success .
• Managing periods of high stress
without losing your composure is the
key to long-term success.
• Take accountability, make tough
decisions, communicate and keep
your cool.

6. Have the GOAL in mind
• There are no shortcuts to achieving
your goals. Vision without action is a
daydream. Action without vision is a
nightmare
• In the world cup final, Dhoni knew
that keeping wickets were crucial to
win, and hence encouraged
Gambhir, Yuvraj and self to go for
singles and doubles (which is not his
usual style). Dhoni always relies on
taking singles and twos rather than
boundaries to reach the target
especially in WC final.
• Define a clear goal, identify what
success means, and do what it takes
to get it

7. KANNA KEEP CALM…