This document provides an overview of leadership styles in Asia compared to Western leadership theories. It discusses how Western theories do not fully capture Asian leadership approaches, which tend to value group harmony, consensus building, and respect for seniority over individualism and performance. The document examines differences in how authority, uncertainty, and relationships are managed across cultures. It also analyzes the influence of cultural values on leadership in various Asian countries, finding preferences for directive, compliance-based, and analytical decision-making styles. The document concludes that understanding these cultural influences is important for developing leaders and managing talent effectively across regions.

1. LEADERSHIP IN
CONTEXT TO ASIAN
CONTINENT
TERM PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF TERM ONE COURSE OF
MICRO-ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
COURSE COORDINATOR: Prof.Rajesh
TERM PAPER SUBMITTED BY:
(GROUP 4)
1. SAURAV SINGH (50037)
2. NITIN ANAND(50027)
3. HIMANSHU KUMAR(50014)
4. KAUSHAL KANT(50017)
5. SHALINI SRIVASTAV(50038)
6. RATANDEEP KUMAR(50033)

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CONTENTS
SL No. TOPIC PAGE No.
1. Introduction 3
2. Exploring limits of western leadership
theories in Asia
4
3. Western Vs Asian Leadership Style
(Uniqueness & Difference)
8
4. Cultural values of AsianLeadership 11
5. Public sector leadership in Southeast
Asia
16
6. Prominent organizational leaders of
India and Charismatic leadership in
India
21

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Introduction
In the era of globalization, where every company is trying to break their horizons in
order to capture the potential market. Leadership capabilities and style has always
been matter of concern for these companies. Western companies are trying to expand
and strengthen their market capitalization on the other hand Asian companies are
trying to break their horizon and reach out freely in west. We live during an era in
which the pace and scope of change are unprecedented. This is particularly true in the
Asia-Pacific region where rapid growth has challenged the capacity of people and
organizations to adapt. It has become increasingly clear that learning is now the
keystone to bringing about change at both the personal and organizational levels.
In today‘s global economy, where there is a significant shift in the global economic
power, emerging markets such as China and India are becoming important players.
Along with other Asian powers such as Japan and Korea, there is a significant
empirical domain for leadership research. As Asian firms go global, and Western
firms grow in these Asian nations, there develops need to build greater knowledge
about Asian models of leadership.
In our paper we have tried to sum up all the significant information available in
context to Asian leadership. Main emphasis has been laid on exploring the
significance of western leadership theories in context to Asian subcontinent,
Uniqueness and differences in style of leadership, cultural values and leadership for
public limited companies. At last we have tried to sum up leadership capabilities and
style of some of the prominent leaders of India.

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Exploring limits of western leadership theories in Asia
There is a direct connection between the leadership styles in a country, the
developmental stage of the economy, the maturity of companies within that country
and industries in which leadership is required.
Western leadership tends to be much more task-oriented on the hand Asian leadership
is a much more holistic model focusing on trust, harmony and interrelationships
among people.
Underlying values attach considerable importance to understand leadership nature:
• Relative equality of power and status between leaders and followers;
• High tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty on the part of all concerned;
• High levels of trust and openness;
• A desire to share feelings and emotions;
• A willingness to confront personal conflict and difference of opinion, and
to take risks
• Strong beliefs in the virtues of team working.
These values can be translated into well-known dimensions of national culture as
follows:
• Low power distance. The less powerful individuals in society are unwilling to
accept an unequal distribution of power without question and are unwilling to
regard it as normal.
• Low uncertainty avoidance. People are not made nervous by situations they
consider to be unstructured or unclear or unpredictable, and they do not try to
avoid such situations by adopting strict codes of behavior; they tend not to
believe in absolute truths.
• Low individuality. People place relatively high value on group membership and
less on individual identity.
• Medium masculinity. Roles in a culture for either sex are defined somewhat
differently, meaning that men are expected to be relatively assertive and to
compete, and women to serve and to care for children and the weak, and to have
regard for the non-material quality of life.

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Research findings, and commonsense tell us that many countries have cultural
profiles which are quite different. When we compare cultural profiles of western
countries with Asian, no any countries matches profile on more than one dimension.
Comparison of elements of the Western ―ideal‖ leadership with Asian paradigms
Element Current Western leadership
“ideal”
Leadership in Asia
Influences
on leadership
practices
Paramount concern for
organizational performance. Drive
for efficiency and competitiveness
urgency. Follower-dependent, thus
participative.
Maintenance of harmony
fundamental. Attention to social
networks. Consensus valued
respect for seniority, age,
experience. Expectation that
managerial authority will be
exercised with moderation.
Managing
authority
Relative equality of authority and
status between manager and
subordinates Delegation/
decentralization Teamwork
―Empowerment‖
Leadership from the top.
Respect for seniority. Goals set
by top management.
Acceptance of wide power and
status differentials between
managers and subordinates.
Managing
uncertainty
High degree of tolerance of
ambiguity. Uncertainty accepted as
normal .Continuous change viewed
as natural and desirable .Sense of
urgency
Deep-rooted, shared theologies
and philosophies provide
relative certainty and security.
Long-term view of evolving
change. Hierarchy and
conformity stressed
.Collectivist mutual duties
Managing
relationships
High levels of trust and openness
valued .Open confrontation of
differences. Conflict valued as
potentially creative. Support of
followers essential. Drive to secure
commitment and high morale.
Emphasis on maintenance of
harmony and personal dignity.
Persons valued over issues.
Avoidance of confrontation and
conflict. Maintenance of social
networks important.

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Current western leadership theories are not widely applicable in Asia. The major
reasons have to do with significant differences in values concerning authority, group
loyalties and interpersonal harmony. Leadership in the West is follower- and
performance dependent, and therefore inclined to be more participatory. Concern for
employee welfare masks an overriding interest in the performance of the individual
and of the organization, whereas in the East the maintenance of harmony and face
have deep philosophical and cultural roots, which can override short-term commercial
considerations but (paradoxically, perhaps) still be in the long-term (performance)
interests of the organization.
Traditional and Contemporary Western Leadership Theory in an Asian Context
 Theory X and Theory Y
Theory X: employees are lazy so strict and authoritative leadership.
Theory Y: leadership to satisfy higher order needs, with involvement and
participation
 Trait theories
Intelligence, personality, competence, and empathy are important, but it is difficult
to predict which ones are more important
 Behavioral theories
Examine the styles of individuals who are thought to be good leaders in an
attempt to identify those behaviors associated with successful leaders.
 Contingency theories
Successful leadership depends upon the characteristics of the situation, the
characteristics of the leader and/or the characteristics of the followers. Thus,
appropriate leadership styles may change depending on the nature of the situation
and participants.

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 Transactional leadership
Influence followers by focusing on transactions that are based on self-interest, such
as rewards or avoidance of punishment
 Transformational leadership
Leaders and followers interact and produce a community with a common purpose.
Four components: inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, idealized
influence and individual consideration
 Charismatic leadership
Motivating and directing followers primarily by developing in them a strong
emotional commitment to a vision and set of shared values.

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Western Vs Asian Leadership Style (Uniqueness & Difference)
Leadership is about the vision of future and the ability. Leadership style in Asian
organization is quite different from the Western style.
It is not surprising to us that leadership has interested human beings for centuries and
that leadership has always been a contested terrain. What surprises us is the fact that
despite being an interdisciplinary field, leadership, as taught and studied in west, has
been largely influenced by psychology, social sciences, and business management.
The leader is anyone ―who can organize the experience of the group, make it all
available and most effectively available, and thus get the full power of the group. It is
by organizing experience that we transform experience into power‖. While the
leader‘s functions are to coordinate, define purpose, and anticipate, Follett pointed out
that the essence of leadership is ―not to make decisions for his subordinates, but to
teach them how to handle their problems themselves‖. In short, leadership should not
be conceptualized as much as ―leaders persuading people to follow them,‖ but more as
―training people to work with.‖
Asian promotes family leadership at expense of professional leadership. Asia and
West are two global regions that have some distinct features that make the leadership
style in these regions vary.
Leadership style in Asia is political. Family leadership is also followed in west but it
is more common in Asian countries.
Directive style of leadership is more common in Asia than in West. The leader offers
direction to be followed by member of organization. In western countries a leader is
incorporated in work force and they operate like team.
The participative style of leadership is also more common in Asian countries like
Japan but very unpopular in America where new form of leadership in which follower
are energized is being adopted especially with autonomous division.
Western leaders tend to participative or empowering style of leadership whereas in
business leadership style is exhibited by Asian managers and entrepreneurs.
Family leadership example Li Ka Shing (Hong Kong based Hutchison holding group)
runs his company and planning to pass the leadership of his firm to his two sons but in
west commonly firms are run by professionals who are replaced by professionals.

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American CEO average about thirty years with their firms and own less than 4% of its
share, also there is less freedom of action for an executive and boards in America than
in Asian countries where adaptability is less common.
Prominent leadership styles
Directive- Well known but is declining in frequency. It stresses the direction given by
executive to others. Leader is very much in charge. Is commonly practiced in Asian
sub-continent.
Participative- Involves close team work with others, more common in Europe, also
practiced in Japan.
Empowering – Relatively new and stresses delegation of responsibility to sub-
ordinates. American company with large customer division employs this style.
Adaptability is focused which is less seen in organization flourishing in Asian
continent.
The essence of leadership is not only how it happens in practice, for example through
language, but also how that practice is framed by people‘s values and philosophical
principles.
Concepts of Chinese and Western philosophy
Chinese Philosophy Western Philosophy
Philosophy of change (Yijin). Refers to a
comprehensive system of cosmology, culture,
and ethics. Guan is the process used to observe
changes and is grounded in practice. It is both
subjective and objective, for it allows space for
emotions and experiences. Change is seen as
divination which provides a way to reveal
limitations in one‘s life and a way to change
one‘s situation by acting appropriately.
Philosophy of human nature, an
ontocosmological view. Man is seen in
interrelation to the experiences of nature, his
actions are shaped with situations, and his
Nature of society. Society is seen as
stable or not. The regulatory or
ordered perspectives seek to explain
society in terms of unity and
cohesion, where small changes lead
to equilibrium. The radical change
and conflict views seek to explain
society in terms of deep-seated
structural conflicts, domination, and
contradictions.
Human nature. Often seen from
voluntarist and determinist
perspectives. Voluntarists believe

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wishes with possibilities. It is this unity between
individuals and cosmos that defines Chinese
human nature as opposed in the West where
human nature is seen as centered in the
individual.
Philosophy of knowledge. There are several
schools of thought, including observational
ontoepistemology in the Zhouyi, epistemology
of virtues in Confucianism, and an epistemology
of the ontocosmological dao in Daoism. A
theory of knowledge that considers the unity of
reality and reason, unity of knowledge and
action, and unity of knowledge and valuation.
Philosophy of culture. Based essentially on the
concept of li that refers to guiding principles
deriving from inherited rituals and conventions.
From a Confucianist view, culture is grounded
in principled action as (a) it emphasizes the
social situation and context, (b) it considers that
civilization is achieved through rituals, and (c) it
promotes the practicing of rituals in all
occasions.
that a person has free will when
determining what to believe in.
Determinists hold that each state of
affairs is necessitated (determined)
by all the states of affairs that came
before it.
Ontology. The metaphysical study of
the nature of being and existence.
Reality is considered as ranging from
subjective perspectives (reality is
dependent on thought) to objective
perspectives (reality is independent
of thought).
Epistemology. The study of the
nature of knowledge. Positivists
consider all knowledge as based on
perceptual experience (physical,
material world), whereas anti-
positivists accept science as based on
intuition or revelation (metaphysical,
nonmaterial world).
Philosophy of governance. Guanzi and Mozi
advocated for governance based on objective
standards. Anaclets and Mencius suggested a
―humane government.‖ Daodejing suggested a
nature and nonaction approach. Xunzi suggested
that governance should be done through
transforming, educating people (references
included in Burrell & Morgan, 1979).
Methodology. Two main viewpoints
are considered. The nomothetic view
involves the search for abstract
universal principles. The ideographic
is concerned with discrete or unique
facts or events.

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Cultural valuesof AsianLeadership
Culture clearly plays a part in leadership and how it is expressed in different
places. People who live or move within different cultures encounter these differences
and know they are real; the words to accurately describe or understand the differences,
however, are often lacking.
The experiences of leaders in different countries clearly shape them. Two researchers
looking at leaders in China, India and Singapore noted difference in challenging
assignments, developmental relationships, dealing with hardships, education and
personal experience. All of these influences shape individuals into the leaders they
are, and gaining an appreciation for each individual‘s personal biography is insightful
and essential for understanding their own expression of leadership with its gaps and its
strong areas.
One way of understanding leadership differences is through behavior styles. What we
need is a fully descriptive, universal language for behavioral description, one that
resists the bias of assigning ―good‖ and ―bad‖ labels to different ways that effective
leaders get things done.
Two leaders, both equally effective, can take very different paths to arrive at similar
results using different behavioral strategies. Being able to describe those differences
objectively, like a scientist, and avoiding personal biases allows us to expand our
appreciation of different leaders and ultimately to develop more top talent for
tomorrow‘s leadership positions.
Research that done with 1200 leaders in Asia led to see clear behavior style
preferences in different cultures. In multinational companies (MNC‘s), understanding
these differences allows for context-specific leadership development as well as
company-wide efforts to cultivate the next generation of top talent.
Some summary observations*
Leaders in India had a strong tendency to express dominance (direct, problem-
>solution orientation) in their leadership styles, especially in the business world.
In Korea, compliance-steadiness (detail-orientation, careful and analytical decision-
making) were strong markers shared by many in the top levels of leadership.

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In China, the preferred styles for leaders were dominance, compliance (detail-
oriented, analytical rules-based decision-making) and dominance-compliance
(directness and high standards).
In these countries and across Asia there was a noticeable preference for a factual,
objective approach to persuasion and motivation methods rather than extroverted,
personal and humanistic approaches.
This research showed that cultural differences do indeed show up in self-expressed
behavioral preferences by leaders. However, within each culture there is still room for
a diversity of styles and approaches even where one or a cluster of styles is preferred
more often than others. This has some implications for talent management and
leadership development.
First, organizations have their own culture just as nations do. Different MNC‘s doing
business in the same country or markets may have very different profiles or styles of
leadership. Sometimes, the preferred style imposes its own blinders on the rest of the
culture. When it comes to behavior style, diversity is a potential strength, but it must
be managed or else decisions (and the culture) tend to reflect arbitrariness and chaotic
tendencies.
Second, good talent management practices will not focus simply on ―competency
models‖ or modelling based on traits; it will be closely connected to business results,
cultural awareness and experience-based learning and development. The good news
for talent management is that there are tools and proven precedents for defining what
success looks like and what kind of leadership is desired for future growth; it is not
simply about luck, intuition or other subjective biases.
Third, in terms of leadership development Asian leaders have historically valued a
small number of close relationships and relied on personal experiences to guide them
through difficult leadership trials and challenges.
A leadership style that projects personal warmth and charisma or inspiration more
broadly (as North Americans are perceived to do) has not been part of their repertoire.
This is not a shortcoming or gap; it reflects preferences, comfort level and
conditioning which is part of the culture. More leadership development in Asia needs
to be individualized and respect the high-context cultural reality, rather than importing
Western models of executive education.

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Indian Leadership Culture
Indian culture is a curious conglomeration of beliefs, some which are religious, and
some which are demographic in nature. The challenge is to strike a balance between
the seemingly conflicting demands of the various groups of people. An Organisation
may have personnel from diverse religious, linguistic, ethnic and regional backgrounds.
The need therefore is to understand this cultural diversity, the factors which bring
about unity in this diversity and the appropriate means to harness it in order to
enhance effectiveness.
The Indian culture is one such culture where there is a inherent reluctance to question
decisions and authority. The immediate task is to convert this resigned acceptance into
tacit approval of authority.
Every individual looks for achievement, recognition, advancement and growth.
Basically everyone wants to do a job well in order to satisfy the ever-present inner
urge of being accepted by the society in general and the peers in particular.
The behaviour of every individual is strongly influenced by what he believes.
Optimal results can be achieved by bringing about a confluence of the righteous and
the desired. Righteousness in Indian culture is defined and encompasses values, which
are invariably cherished by all Indians without being burdened by any constricting
strictures.
Some of the more important of these values are as follows: -
 Honour
 Patriotism
 Honesty and Integrity
 Loyalty
 Competence
 Unity
 Courage
Compared to the western countries spatial mobility is restricted in India. Languages
and regionalism constrain movement to distant places. Family and social obligation
create a condition of social gravitation whereby Indians tend to move towards and live
at home base.

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Indian culture is also authoritative. Indians manifest a certain amount of rigidity in our
social and interpersonal conduct. The social do's and don'ts are sharply defined and
conformity to them is demanded in many spheres of life.
A strong need also exists for power and status and hierarchy is emphasised. The
Indian need for power is also very strong.
As individuals Indians are very prone to being dependent. That is, Indians tend to seek
support, guidance and encouragement even in situations where they are perfectly
capable and competent to make decisions and function without being patted on the
back. However dependence-prone persons may be induced to work hard, take
initiative and risks, and even behave in an independent fashion. The more dependent
prone an individual is the more he would be very receptive to the expectations of
others, particularly of those who served as the role models.
Preference for hierarchy is another typical characteristic. Castes are hierarchically
arranged, as are states of mind, animate and inanimate objects. Psychologically
Indians feel more comfortable in a superior-subordinate relationship then in a peer
relationship. The status for hierarchy manifests itself in a strong status orientation.
Seniors and superiors are respected and obeyed. They are listened to more
deferentially. They are expected to make decisions, which their juniors and
subordinates are in turn expected to implement.
Preference for hierarchy also fosters dependence proneness. The superiors and seniors
create conditions where dependency is unavoidable or appreciated. The dependent
ones are rewarded and independent subordinates are suspected and distanced. It is
because of this that the subordinates seem to push the leaders further towards
paternalism. They expect it, relish it, and feel motivated by a leader who functions as a
benevolent figure. The genesis of this relationship probably goes back to the early
socialisation process, which makes even the adults in India strive for the father's
approval. The father as the head of the family is respected and obeyed since he helps,
guides, reprimands and encourages self-sacrificing behavior.
The leader has to work with human relationships and the modes of such relationship
are embedded in the surrounding culture. His behavior has to be prototypical of the
broader societal modes of superior-subordinate, senior-junior, elder-younger and the
primordial father-son relationships. Because the modes are quite basic to the
socialisation process and are acquired quite early in one's life, they are taken for
granted and are not explicitly articulated.
In the Indian context this leads to a nexus between patronage and loyalty. This often
works as a grapevine often disregarding the formal hierarchical authority lines. The
grapevine is useful in many ways. It provides subordinates special ladders for

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advancement and avenues for extracting even undeserved favours. In his turn the
leader can collect information-even confidential information-quickly. He can mobilise
loyal subordinates and get things done even without organisational support. The
superior has obligations too. He must help, protect and guide his subordinates.

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Public sector leadership in Southeast Asia
We live during an era in which the pace and scope of change are virtually
unprecedented. Individuals are under pressure to adapt to rapid changes in the
workplace, society, and in their personal lives. Here rapid growth has challenged the
capacity of people and organizations to adapt to a continuous stream of social, cultural
and economic changes. In context of transformation, learning has become the
keystone to bringing about change throughout society. This holds true for
people in their individual lives and also for organizations. In order for organizations to
adapt to the demands of this rapidly changing environment, they must also
demonstrate the capacity to learn. Thus, the notion of the "learning organization" has
become highly salient to leaders in a relatively short time.
Although the idea originated in the private sector, it has since spread into the public
sector as well. Leaders in large public sector organizations face the same challenge of
increasing the adaptability and responsiveness of their enterprises as
private sector executives. However, in the public sector, system leaders often work
with greater constraints, in terms of resources, traditions and policy structures. This is
even more the case in East Asia where cultural norms as well as large, highly rigid
organizational structures impede the development of public sector organizations.
A fundamental prerequisite to developing the capacity for change in individuals,
institutions, or societies is a healthy sense of community. Without a sense of
community spirit, individuals may lack the courage to attempt to change or the
support needed to make their way through the sometimes difficult change process.
Though many changes we deal with in organizations require the development of new
knowledge and skills, it is spirit that is at the heart of any change process. The
emerging era will require East Asian leaders to find ways of achieving results while
maintaining a cohesive community, a significant challenge.
This challenge is further complicated by the fact that although the public sector in East
Asian is less as intrusive, it is equally if not more rigid and highly centralized. This is
a carryover from the past when centralized decision making by a small, highly
educated elite was more appropriate to the needs of the society. However, today, as
business has found, bureaucracies lack the necessary responsiveness to meet rapidly
changing demands.

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The culture of a public sector organization is not easily susceptible to change,
particularly in the short term. The tools available to system leaders in changing
organizational cultures are also limited.
Public sector leaders often operate with inadequate resources, face ongoing political
interference and work toward goals that shift rapidly and that are beyond their own
control. Staffing, from selection and evaluation to work rules, is often characterized
by rigidities and traditions that impede innovation. They may also lack the direct
authority of private sector executives. Under these conditions, public sector leaders
have traditionally relied upon a tortuous, lengthy and uncertain process of policy
mandates and directives to achieve incremental change.
The changing environment of organizations today renders this strategy increasingly
less effective. Rapid shifts in government policy, increasing demands for worker
input, higher levels of employee education, continuous technological innovation, and
rising expectations among consumers are reducing the efficacy of centralized control
strategies. The shortage of skilled labour in East Asia further complicates the situation
as high turnover makes it difficult to train workers for increasingly complex jobs.
While these trends apply to corporations, in the public sector, comparatively low
salaries and an eroding sense of respect for Civil Servants make it difficult to attract,
train and retain valuable workers. Together this presents a daunting challenge during
an era of rapid change.
The transformational nature of the context for organizational leadership requires a
change in focus for public sector leaders. They must focus on second order change
strategies - improving the system's capacity to improve - rather than on direct
administrative intervention in practice. Given the shifting nature of organizations, the
increasingly complex and urgent global market forces, and the virtual bombardment of
end users by vendors and consultants, organizations must keep getting faster and
smarter at identifying and integrating improvements into their everyday life.
Improving this improvement capability should be a key element in every
organization's improvement strategy.
The notion of second order change - capacity development - is fully consistent with
the concept of learning organizations. Leaders can stimulate, foster, shape, and
support the development of public sector enterprises as learning organizations:
 Modeling;

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 Articulating Goals And Purposes;
 Fostering Networks;
 Developing People;
 Managing Information.
Modeling
Modeling is a key facet of leadership. In a sense, the system leader becomes the
head learner of a learning organization. Several elements must be in place to support
individual and collective learning:
o motivation to learn;
o exposure to new concepts, models and practices;
o a teacher and/or coach;
o time to practice new skills under the guidance of a coach;
o appropriate equipment and tools;
o a place to learn;
o a social climate/environment that supports risk taking;
o encouragement and support during the learning process;
o feedback on efforts to implement new learning.
Articulating goals and purposes
Goals focus the attention of staff on selected purposes or areas of activity. Clear goals
are mentioned frequently as a hallmark of effective organizations. There is little doubt
today that consensus among key constituencies over values; purposes and goals
represent a desirable organizational characteristic. Yet, what is the role of system-
level leaders in formulating and articulating goals and purposes? McLaughlin has
noted: "You can't mandate what matters to people, but what you do mandate does
matter." Society, community, and family all try to maintain stability and to prevent, or
at least to slow, change. But the modern organization must be organized for
innovation - for "creative destruction." It is the nature of organizations that they

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accumulate goals, policies, and rules faster than they shed them. While most leaders
are familiar with processes for setting organizational goals and policies, they have few
such processes to deal with their elimination. In order for unit leaders to focus on their
goals, system leaders must systematically provide support for deciding what they will
not do.
Fostering Networks
Even information technology and networking represent important vehicles for
stimulating the development of learning communities. Public sector organizations
become units within networks, not based solely upon arbitrary institutional affiliation,
but upon perceived needs and common interests. This notion of networks shifts our
traditional notion of the learning organization to a much broader context.
Developing People
Change at the individual level depends largely upon the capacity to learn new skills,
develop new attitudes, and/or come to new understandings. This is a lifelong process
that goes well beyond selection, orientation or employment certification. A persistent
problem facing public sector organizations entails how to foster staff learning
throughout their careers. There are several ways in which the system level can foster a
culture for lifelong learning. First, it is important that staff come to view continuous
learning as part of the professional role. Surprisingly, within the public sector, lifelong
learning has been conspicuous by its absence as a professional norm. Even in nations
with highly-developed systems of certification such as the USA, professional
development has generally been viewed as an option based upon individual choice.
When the choice of whether to engage in professional development is left to the
individual, some will simply neglect it. Others will desire the opportunity to develop,
but they may lack the necessary fiscal and human resources and support.
The process of change requires both pressure and support. The clear articulation of
System expectations for growth is not incompatible with the culture of a learning
community. Thus, policies that hold organizational units and staff accountable for
continuous development are appropriate, even in decentralized systems.
At the same time, the choices of how to develop and in what domains are best left to
organizational units and individual staff. For example, part of an annual planning
process ought to determine the areas in which the staff will engage in learning

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collaboratively. Another policy dimension might focus on the learning goals and
activities of individual staff members
Managing information
One of the revolutionary changes today concerns the availability and use of
information globally. As suggested above, there has been an explosive growth in the
amount of information available today. The combination of technology and
information is transforming the management and operations of business organizations
throughout the world:" Public sector organizations are, unfortunately, lagging behind
business both in terms of access and use of this information. The skilful use of
relevant information will become a characteristic of successful organizations in the
future.

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Prominent organizational leaders of India and Charismatic leadership
in India
Mr. NARAYAN MURTHY (Co-Founder Infosys Technologies Pvt.Ltd)
Mr.Murthy will remembered for showing sceptical Indians that serious wealth could
be created legitimately and ethically and in a single generation .An iconic figure,
Murthy has greatly inspired a whole generation of Indian entrepreneurs from humble
backrounds.He is highly respected for creating a model of corporate structure, which
was transparent and laid emphasis on good governance. Murthy describes himself as
―compassionate capitalist‖ and INFOSY‘S ESOP plan was born from that belief. In
time, Infosys created 2000plus dollar millionaires.
For Murthy. ―the best use of all wealth,financial,intellectual , or emotional , is to
share it with less fortunate‖. In 1996, the company promated Infosys foundation,
which helps the underprivileged in improving health care, social rehabilitation,
education, art, and culture.
Leadership style at INFOSYS.
Central to the authentic approach to leadership is their commitment to values. In the
earliest days of Infosys, its founders were committed to honesty and integrity despite a
business climate in India that was used to graft and corruption. Similarly, the founders
envisioned Infosys leaders codified our values into a mnemonic that helps everyone
remember the various facets: C- LIFE, which stands for Customer Delight, Leadership
by Example, Integrity and Transparency, Fairness and Pursuit of Excellence.
Strategic leadership Unique positioning , differentiation
Change , Adversity and Transition
Leadership
Anticipating and leading through
resistance, managing crises and
integrating new lines of businesses
Operational Leadership Flawless execution
Talent leadership Individual and team performance
Relational and networking leadership Social capital asset management
Content Leadership Triumphing as a thought leader

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Mr.AZIM H. PREMJI(Chairman of WIPRO)
A STRATEGIC LEADER
It has been proposed that some people are strategic leaders who embody both the
stability of managers and the visionary abilities of leaders.
Azim Hashim Premji (born 24 July 1945) is an Indian business tycoon and
philanthropist who is the chairman of Wipro Limited, guiding the company through
four decades of diversification and growth to emerge as one of the Indian leaders in
the software industry. According to Forbes, he is currently the third wealthiest Indian,
and the 41st richest in the world, with a personal wealth of $15.9 billion in 2012. In
2000, he was voted among the 20 most powerful men in the world by Asiaweek. He
has twice been listed among the 100 most influential people by TIME Magazine, once
in 2004 and more recently in 2011.[6]
Premji owns 79 percent of Wipro and also owns
a private equity fund, Premji Invest, which manages his $1 billion personal portfolio.
Azim Premji Foundation and university
In 2001, he founded Azim Premji Foundation, a non-profit organisation, with a vision
to significantly contribute to achieving quality universal education that facilitates a
just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. The Foundation works in the area of
elementary education to pilot and develop 'proofs of concept' that have a potential for
systemic change in India's 1.3 million government-run schools. A specific focus is on
working in rural areas where the majority of these schools exist. This choice to work
with elementary education (Class I to VIII) in rural government-run is a response to
evidence of educational attainment in India.
The Azim Premji University was established under an act of the Karnataka Legislative
Assembly to run programmes to develop education and development professionals,
offer alternative models for educational change and also invest in educational research
to continuously stretch the boundaries of educational thinking.
WIPRO was awarded the ― Ethics in Good Business ― award for the year 2002 , by
Punjab , Haryana and Delhi school of commerce and Industry(PHDCCI),recognizing
Wipro‘s ethics and value based performance. Wipro has compiled an ―integrity
manual‖ that defines the way Wiproites should deal with customers. Wipro has also
introduced a helpline known as ―Wipro SOS‖. This helpline comprises senior
members of the company, including chairmen Azim Premji, who are available for
guidance on any moral, legal, or ethical issues that a Wiproite may face.‖

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The secret mantras for his success stories are:
Wipro‘s company Values
 Human Values: We respect the unique needs of customers and employees. We
are sensitive to their differing needs in our interaction with them.
 Integrity: we deliver that we commit. With honesty, fairness, reliability, and
uprightness in whatever we do.
 Innovative solutions: We consistently offer novel and superior solutions to
satisfy the needs of the customer.
 Value for money: Delivering higher value to the customer through continuous
improvement in quality , cost , and seed in simplified processes.
Once when he was asked about his secret about his, Azim H. Premji said that it was
his obsession for excellence. The media-shy global leader has always kept a low
profile and let his work speak instead. He is among the richest individual in the world
but prefers to fly economy class and stay at budget hotels. According to him,
―challenges are a part of life, you win some, you lose some.‖ He says, ―You must
enjoy winning, but do not let it go to your head. The moment you do, you are already
on your way to failure. If you do encounter failure, treat it as an equally natural
phenomenon. The important thing is , when you lose, do not lose the lesson.‖
Charismatic leadership in India
Charismatic Leaders:
Charismatic Leadership - a leader‘s use of personal abilities & talents in order to
have profound & extraordinary effects on followers
Charisma - means gift in Greek
• Charismatic leaders use referent power
• Potential for high achievement and
performance

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Late Mahatma Gandhi: A karma yogi par Excellence
Gandhi was called Mahatma ( a spiritual elevated soul or great soul), because he
always stood for the truth , ahimsa(non-violence),compassion , and service. ―To serve
humanity is the service of God‖ was the principle of his life. He was a social savior of
the oppressed. With no aspiration for any recognition or reward , he had his limited
desires and needs to the bare minimum.What he did he did with the right intention,
right spirit, and conviction, and he worked for the benefit or others irrespective of
caste , creed, or religion. Notwithstanding the power he wielded over the Congress
Party and the masses, he never aspired for or accepted any kind of office. He
exemplifies nishkama yoga , or selfless action.
Gandhi influenced important leaders and political movements. Leaders of the civil
rights movement in the United States, including Martin Luther King andJames
Lawson, drew from the writings of Gandhi in the development of their own theories
about non-violence. King said "Christ gave us the goals and Mahatma Gandhi the
tactics."Anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela,
was inspired by Gandhi.Others include Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Steve Biko,
and Aung San Suu Kyi.
In his early years, the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was a
follower of the non-violent resistance philosophy of Gandhi.[199]
Bhana and Vahed
commented on these events as "Gandhi inspired succeeding generations of South
African activists seeking to end White rule. This legacy connects him to Nelson
Mandela...in a sense Mandela completed what Gandhi started."
Gandhi's life and teachings inspired many who specifically referred to Gandhi as their
mentor or who dedicated their lives to spreading Gandhi's ideas. Albert
Einstein exchanged written letters with Gandhi, and called him "a role model for the
generations to come" in a later writing about him. Einstein said of Gandhi:
Mahatma Gandhi's life achievement stands unique in political history. He has invented
a completely new and humane means for the liberation war of an oppressed country,
and practised it with greatest energy and devotion. The moral influence he had on the
consciously thinking human being of the entire civilized world will probably be much
more lasting than it seems in our time with its overestimation of brutal violent forces.
Because lasting will only be the work of such statesmen who wake up and strengthen
the moral power of their people through their example and educational works. We

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may all be happy and grateful that destiny gifted us with such an enlightened
contemporary, a role model for the generations to come.
Mr. S Sreedharan(Metroman)
In the modern times. Sreeddharan, managing director of Delhi Metro rail Corporation
(DMRC), is a highly respected and admired Karma Yogi. An unassuming
septuagenarian and an extraordinary bureaucrat, he believes in certain values and has
sustained them throughout his life against numerous odds. He is a religious man who
thanks God for giving him success but religion to him does not mean going to
temples.It is rather leading a virtuous life and serving the country without any desire
for reward.He enjoys his job as work for him is not simply his duty but his dharma.A
stickler for punctuality.He is a true role model today of simple living and high
thinking.
Because power is an ability , individuals can learn to use it effectively. The most
effective power bases-referent and expert – are ones that must be developed and
strengthened through interpersonal relationships with employees.
Delays , cost overruns, and red tape have plagued big projects in India for decades, but
Elattuvalapi Sreedharan , Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Chief , demonstrated how the
high expert power of the leader of an organisation combined with vision and honesty
can make possible the seemingly impossible tasks.He strongly believed that his
country deserved only the best and that he could give Delhi the world -class
transportation system , thereby changing the Urban Transport in India.With his
professional competence and utmost dedication to work , that is exactly what he has
achieved and at the most economic cost as well.His clockwork efficiency and
leadership ability to meet deadlines even with such a vast and challenging project of
utmost national importance has amazed the country.His unparalleled reputation as a
technocrat of completing the Konkan Railway project within the budget has and ahead
of schedule,access to officials and even the Prime Minister has, and a mandate to ump
obstacles himself rather than wait for civic authorities have inspired his team and
enabled him to get results.it is his willpower and dedication to work that seperates him
from an ordinary leader, and he is not a workaholic. He simply likes his job for
because for him, his job for DMRC is not only his duty but hid dharma.

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Late Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (JRD)
When talking about India‘s greatest leaders, one name just cannot be skipped—J.R.D.
TATA. For decades the sole Indian businessman, global leaders had ever heard of,
was Tata.
It‘s different today—the Sunday Times, Forbes and even the hallowed Harvard
Business Review now carries articles written by Indian mgt. gurus on Indian case
studies. But for years the world passed India by. Only J.R.D. Tata made an impact.
When J.R.D. became chairman of Tatas in 1938, British firms dominated the
environment, but the House of Tata towered above all others. It had 14 companies
with sales of Rs. 280 crores.
The year he died, 1993, it was still India‘s biggest business house. Sales had
mushroomed to Rs. 15000 crores and there were over 50 large manufacturing
companies besides innumerable holdings and concerns. He was a distinguished and
respected industrialist who was also awarded the ―BHARAT RATNA‖, remarkable
achievement.
What sort of value system made the great man achieve his greatness?
Following is an analysis of some of the virtues & vices, which J. R. D. displayed
through the course of his eventful life:
Virtues:
J.R.D. was………
•Approachable: - J.R.D. had no problems making friends easily. He had one of the
most comfortable personalities that was probably his benchmark of becoming a
successful individual.
•Diplomatic: - One of the most difficult talents is to say ‗no‘ in a nice manner. But
Diplomacy was never a problem for J.R.D. Even when he was angry at Nehru for
going against industrialists, he was never rude but made his point diplomatically and
walked away friends.

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•Realistic: - J.R.D. never plunged into unviable projects, howsoever exciting they
might be. He briefly flirted with the idea of making bombers with ―Tata Aircraft‖—
but despite his love for flying, he shot down the project himself when it became clear
that there was no money to be made.
•Charismatic: - When J.R.D. was elected chairman of the group, there was no question
about the selection. There was no one else who could have been chosen by the board.
J.R.D. by then was a hero. The daring pilot, the shrewd businessman. He was already
outstanding.
•Courageous: - J.R.D. had always supported Nehru‘s views on socialism. Something
that the board of Tata sons did not agree with. But J.R.D. refused to sign the manifesto
against socialism. It must have required considerable courage for a 30- something to
stand up for views, which differed so widely from those of the old guard.
•Compassionate: - People talk of Russi Mody but he manipulated people. J.R.D.
genuinely felt for workers. His approach to labor was that of Fabian socialism. After
J.R.D.‘s entry, the management of Tisco changed its policy of confrontation. The
trade union became not only acceptable but also an
association which was vital to the interests of the workers.
•Supportive towards innovation: - Apart from his supportive attitude towards Tisco‘s
lab technicians, perhaps Tata chemicals provides the best demonstration of J.R.D.‘s
willingness to support innovation in his business and among his managers.
•Aware of a sense of responsibility: - There were opportunities for J.R.D. where he
was tempted to joined politics. But he rationalized to himself by concluding that he
could do more for the country in business and industry than in politics. He says, ―I had
no doubt that freedom was on its way. But who knows, I might one day have an
opportunity to serve in more useful ways than by going to jail today!‖
•Committed to values: - J.R.D. never believed in paying under the table for getting a
license approved. He never believed in exploiting the workers, society and earning
more profits. It was believed that wealth and respect are disjoint. J.R.D. was
considered to be an exception to this rule.

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•A visionary: - J.R.D. was the only director on the board of the Tata group who
supported Ratan Tata‘s plan to enter high investment – high risk industries like oil
manufacturing & computers. He believed, that being that stalwart business house of
India, such investments were a responsibility.
Vices:
J.R.D. was:
•Conservative: - J.R.D. always preferred the more conservative approach. His
conservativeness left Tisco unprepared for the outbreak of the second world war and
the license-permit raj of free India.
•Aloof: - Unlike G.D. Birla, J.R.D. had kept aloof from the congress leadership. For a
group that depends as much as the Tatas did on government patronage, this was a
major lacuna.
•Bad tempered: - Instead of trying to patch up the differences, J.R.D. withdrew into
himself. He rejected Nehru‘s invitations to the UN session in Paris, and the invitation
to lead Indian Rare Earths, one of the first PSU‘s. J.R.D. forgot the Public Relations
implications of these prestigious invitations and the signals his refusal emitted.
After going through the above virtues and vices of India‘s greatest industrialist, we
learn a lot about what it takes to be successful in business, career, and in life.

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