| | | ManagementFunda - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
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niharika
Veteran
Posts: 210
 |  Posted 2009-08-12 1:05 PM
Subject: Management Funda - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
(Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Wharton India Economic forum , Philadelphia , March 22,2008 )
Question: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?
Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India 's satellite launch vehicle program,
commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India 's 'Rohini' satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal.
By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts -- I had four or five of them with me -- told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal . It was a big failure.
That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish D hawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am , and the press conference -- where journalists from around the world were present -- was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India ]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility or the failure -- he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed.. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization.
The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, 'You conduct the press conference today.'
I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.
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jon
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 345
| Posted 2009-08-14 4:47 PM
Subject: Re: Management Funda - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Very nice post Niku.
Really, the top leaders are the ones who know very well how to credit their teams.
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niharika
Veteran
Posts: 210
| Posted 2009-08-16 7:02 AM
Subject: Re: Management Funda - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Yes, and am a top top top leader :D
now work nicely to get a promotion, hehe
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roxc
Regular
Posts: 68
| Posted 2009-09-21 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: Management Funda - Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
1. "We will do it" means "You will do it"
2. "You have done a great job" means "More work to be given to you"
3. "We are working on it" means "We have not yet started WORKING on the
Same"
4. "Tomorrow first thing in the morning" means "Its not getting done
"At least not tomorrow!"
5. "After discussion we will decide-I am very open to views" means "I have already decided, I will tell you what to do"
6. "There was a slight miscommunication" means "We had actually lied"
Office-management-fundas
7. "Lets call a meeting and discuss" means "I have no time now, will talk later"
8. "We can always do it" means "We actually cannot do the same on time"
9. "We are on the right track but there needs to be a slight extension of the deadline" means "The project is screwed up, we cannot deliver on time."
10. "We had slight differences of opinion "means "We had actually fought"
11. "Make a list of the work that you do and let's see how I can help you" means "Anyway you have to find a way out no help from me"
12. "You should have told me earlier" means "Well even if you told me earlier that would have made hardly any difference!"
13. "We need to find out the real reason" means "Well I will tell you where your fault is"
14. "Well Family is important; your leave is always granted. Just ensure that the work is not affected," means, "Well you know"
15. "We are a team," means, "I am not the only one to be blamed"
16. "That's actually a good question" means "I do not know anything about it"
17. "All the Best" means "You are in trouble"1."We will do it" means "You will do it" | |
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