Month: June 2017

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – June, 2017

Welcome to June, 2017 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

It is a great pleasure to open the curtains of June 2017 post of blog carnival series with Songs of Yore completes seven years that presents what has by now been a well-established tradition of presenting some quite unusual songs and songs of some unique personality form the world of music on the occasion of celebration of the birth anniversary of this blog. Master Madan is the case in point this year.

We will now take up the posts on the anniversaries or eulogies:

‘Not very beautiful but vivacious’: How Nargis was cast in her breakthrough movie ‘Taqdeer’ – Kishwar Desai –  June 1 marks the birth anniversary of Nargis, one of Indian cinema’s greatest actresses. Nargis had appeared in a few films in small roles before Taqdeer, which was directed by Mehboob Khan. She was 14 at the time, and was paired with Motilal.

The Spontaneity of Nutan That Rose Above ‘Acting’ – Antara Nanda Mondal pays a tribute to the legendary actress Nutan with a brief journey through some of her immortal songs – in which she essayed an amazing variety of roles. Her spontaneity and versatility made her rise above the accepted norms of ‘acting’ in mainstream cinema.

Nutan speaks about Bimal Roy is recently added by the Youtube channel WildfilmsIndia which features many videos of a geographical, historical and cultural nature.

KA Abbas, ‘biggest bulk buyer of tickets’ of his own films and eternal dreamer – Juhi Saklani– The medium was always the message for Khwaja Ahmed Abbas (June 7, 1914-June 1, 1987), the celebrated writer, filmmaker and columnist.

Chaar Rahein – K A Abbas at the junction between tradition and progress – is one of the most structurally interesting Hindi films of its time, with separate stories coming together through the device of the crossroads and the personal journeys of the characters passing it. Two years earlier, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s debut film Musafir had used a house and its landlord to link three discrete narratives. If the “makaan” in that film represents a society made up of many types of people, Char Dil Char Rahein is about the tradition-modernity conflict facing a nation; it is, literally and otherwise, set at the intersection between old roads and a new one.

Sajjad Hussain, the composer whose music has endured ‘with a tenacity that defies reason’ – Rudradeep Bhattacharjee – June 15 marks the birth centenary of the multi-instrumentalist and legendary composer of the movies ‘Sangdil’ and ‘Rustam Sohrab’. …Hussain’s work in the film, a historical titled Daiwayogaya (1959) (a Sinhala film), has largely escaped our attention. This, among other things, means that most of us have been bereft of the pleasure of listening to the spellbinding Adarayai Karunawai.

Sudhir, in his tribute post on Atul’s Songs a Day remembers Sajjad Hussain  thru’  Chali Pawan Purvaai, Chali Pawan (Dharam, 1945; Singers – Naseem Banu, Ratanbai).

Gaddeswarup Blog adds Sajjad Hussain: A biography and his perhaps most popular song…

Ye Hawa Ye Chandani Teri Ek Nazar Ka Khumar Hai – Sangdil (1952) – Talat Mahmood

The June 2017 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs was dedicated to V Balsara, known probably more for his mastery in playing different musical instruments.

Here are posts on other subjects as well:

Documentary retraces the journey of the woman from Faizabad who became Begum Akhtar – Nandini Ramnath – Nirmal Chander’s visually sumptuous (documentary) ‘Zikr Us Parivash Ka’ is a cradle-to-grave account of one of India’s most celebrated classical music artist.

Two snake dances from S.D. Burmam and one from Naushad

O Pardesiya..Pyar Ki Bahar Leke, Dil Ka Qarar Leke… – Bahar (1951) – Shamshad Begum – S D Burman

Serpent Dance – Guide (1965) – S D Burman

Snake Dance – Dastan (1950) – Naushad

Film Songs Based on Classical Ragas (12) – A morning with Asavari/Jaunpuri in which the guest author Subodh Agrawal decodes the similar ragas Asavari, Jaunpuri and Dev Gandhar with his characteristic clarity.

‘Roop Tera Mastana’ simply refuses to grow old – Arun Fulara  – ‘Aradhana’ director Shakti Samanta filmed the song in a single audacious take.

My Favourites: Memorable Scenes From Hindi Films, depicting many moods; scenes that, if you tell the name of the film, are the ones one will immediately recollect.

Before ‘Tubelight’, ‘Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani’ dreamt of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai – Nandini Ramnath – V Shantaram’s 1946 movie retraces the journey of Indian doctor Dwarkanath Kotnis from Sholapur to the Chinese battlefield.

Homes and Houses: Ten songs – Hindi cinema has done ample justice to the concept of ‘home’ and ‘house’, from songs like Ek bangla bane nyaara to films like Dastak, Biwi aur Makaan, Hamaara Ghar, Gharaunda and Tere Ghar ke Saamne. The author has picked pre-1970 songs of Homes that are envisioned, homes that are hoped for, homes that light up with joy because of the coming of a festival or the arrival of a loved one, homes destroyed. Here are a couple picks form the list:

Cycle trails of Bollywood – After taking us through horses, tongas and steam engine, DP Rangan now logically takes us on a joy-ride of cycle songs. Along the way, he also writes a dissertation on its history.

Nain se nain from generation to generation

Ustad Fateh Ali Khan of Patiala – Raag Darbari

Raag Darbari fusion with rock music – composed by his nephews Wali hamid ali khan & Kamran Akhtar

Shah Rukh Khan’s Doodle Among Stunning Rare Film Collectibles, Stills, Artwork in Osian’s Auction –  Antara Nanda Mondal– Among the rare collectibles in the auction are a bunch of original artworks by renowned filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Mani Kaul. Besides there are original publicity-material art for Andaz (1949), Anari (1959), Guide (1965), Deewaar (1975) and others. A huge collection of rare posters, showcards, lobby cards, photographic stills from the golden 1950’s period to the era of Amitabh Bachchan to the current trinity of Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir Khan go under the hammer at the prestigious auction on 22 June, 2017.

SIKENDER. 1941 starring Prithviraj Kapoor in title role
Sepia toned Photographic Stills Mounted on Lobby Cards, probably used for early re-release publicity ({Pic: Osians)

In our series Micro View of Best Songs 1948 @SoY, we have commenced the detailed posts on Male Solo songs with those of Mohammad Rafi and Mukesh.

To end the today’s post with an article on Mohammed Rafi, I have zeroed upon an old post – Seven of My Favorite Rafi Songs– from Dances on Footpath. The author also has noted that these seven songs are not appreciated as Rafi songs go. Well, of the seven songs mentioned therein YT link 4 links have become dysfunctional. At least two songs do certainly would not be qualified as “unappreciated” So here are just two songs that stand out:

Nazron Ke Teera Maare Kas Kas – Do Ustaad (1959) – with Asha Bhosle – O P Nayyar – Qamar Jalalabadi

My Dearo Dearo Mummy Nahin – Nagina (1951) – with Shmashad Begum – Shanker Jaikishan

I trust you will always feel free to proffer your suggestions for making this series of posts more lively and informative….

The Micro View of the Songs of 1948 @ SoY – Male Solo Songs – Mukesh

Numerically, Mukesh has highest number of solos among all male playback singers in 1948.

The songs that we have selected here fall in two broad categories.

The first one is the songs that were, and still have been exceedingly popular. These are:

Mukesh’s Popular Songs

Zinda Hun Is Tarah Ke Gam-e-Jindagi Nahin – Aag – Ram Ganguly – Behzad Lakhanavi

Jeevan Sapan Toot Gaya – Anokha Pyar – Anil Biswas – Jiya Sarhadi

This song has an equally popular female version too, in Lata Mangeshkar’s voice.

Ye Pyar Ki Baatein Ye Safar Bhool Na Jana – Anokhi Ada – Naushad Ali – Shakeel Badayuni

Gaaye Ja Geet Milan Ke Tu Apni Lagan Ke – Mela – Naushad – Shakeel Badayuni

Woh Teekhi Nazron Se Mere Dil Pe Kuchch Aisi Bijali – Veena – Anil Biswas –

Gokul Ki Ek Naar Chhabili Jamuna Tat Par Aayee Re – Veena – Anil Biswas – Swami Haridas

Bahe Na Kabhi Nain Se Neer – Vidya – S D Burman – Y N Joshi

Mukesh’s Noteworthy Songs

The other category is the songs that have been noteworthy, but could not attain the sustained popularity.

Woh Teer Kaleje Par Ik Shuakh Ne Mara Hai – Anjuman – Bulo C Rani – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Jalanewale Tujhe Kya Unko Khabar Ho Na Ho – Gunjan – Ashok Ghosh – S R Saaz

Koi Din Jindagi Ke Gungunakar Geeta Gata Hai – Gunjan – Ashok Ghosh – Deepak

Aye Duniya Bata De Bhagwan Kahan Hai – Jeene Do – Shaukat Hussain (Dehlvi) – Shewan Rizvi

Hoshiyar Naujwan Jag Aye Naujawan Jal Raha Hai Makan – Padeshi Mehman – Hans Raj Behl – Pandit Indra

He Khag He Mrig He Madhukar Tum Bin Suna Jeevan – Rambhakt Hanuman – S N Tripathi – B D Mishra

Beet Chali Barakha Ritu Site, Sudh Na Mili Tumhari – Rambhakt Hanuman – S N Tripathi – B D Mishra

Lakhi Bulbul Mere Kahe Ko Dinhi Videsh – Suhaag Raat – Snehal Bhatkar – Amir Khushro

Mere Sapno Ki Raani Re – Veena – Anil Biswas – Narendra Sharma

We will take up Solo Songs of G M Durrani and Surendra in our next episode of Male Solo Songs of 1948.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – June, 2017

Welcome to June, 2017 edition of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We will commence our episode with a lighter perspective of Quality.

I have picked up a few recent articles from CQI|IRCA:

Fish Fraud: How the Marine Stewardship Council tackles unregulated fishing – In the early 1990s the impact of overfishing on the marine environment and on seafood supplies was reaching a critical point. This year the Marine Stewardship Council is celebrating its 20th anniversary and the picture is looking far healthier. In an extract from June’s Quality World magazine, Dina Patel speaks to supply chain standards director Michael Platt and manager Jaco Barendse to discover how they are leading the sustainable seafood movement.

The cost of rework: Finding the key to improving productivity in construction – Seán Connolly, the quality leader at Expanded, a Laing O’Rourke company, asks whether reducing rework is the key to improving productivity in construction.

Getting value from your supply chain – Bob Hughes, CQP FCQI, explains why an organisation’s products and services are only as good as its supply chain.

Brexit: Quality challenges facing new supply chains – Adeyemi Shodipo, director at training and consultancy company Charis Management Systems, explains why the quality profession will play a crucial role post-Brexit now that companies may have to engage more with three new trading blocs: ‘The First World’, the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the developing world.

When we talk of the challenges of productivity, innovation and competitiveness there is one profession that sits squarely at the centre of this – quality.

We will now turn to our regular sections:

For the present episode we have picked up the article The Lesson We Can All Learn From the Way Drucker Questioned Clients from William Cohen, Ph.D.’s column Lessons from Drucker @ Management Matters Network. Drucker asked not only his Famous Five Questions[i] and they may not be the most important questions he used as he analyzed an organization’s situation and needs. As a teaching technique he did not ask many questions to encourage intellectual interaction or get students to reason to a predetermined logical conclusion. These were the question meant to demonstrate just how elusive definitive answers were, even if the author of these principles was Drucker himself….When Drucker consulted for companies, he didn’t ask questions to demonstrate the problems with the solutions. Instead, he asked questions to enable the client, or group of clients, to reach an optimum answer for their business…..These questions came, as he himself stated, not out of his knowledge or experience, but out of his ignorance of the industry, the company, or other facts or factors that consultants sometimes collect…The lesson to be learnt is that you can find good answers, not only by listening to Drucker (or any expert for that matter), but by asking questions and listening to yourself.

From Ask The Experts, I have picked up a question from the archives – Audit by exception. The question seeks to know whether this technique, deployed mainly in financial audits, can be done in a manner compliant of management system standards. The response to the question states that “A robust internal audit report will identify non-conformances, but will equally focus on areas that can be improved or that have improved. …One of the ways to accomplish this, is to share audit results that report on findings, OFI and the status of objectives or targets that have been established. Auditing by exception, usually will not provide this level of reporting.”

In our ASQ CEO, Bill Troy column this time there appears to be now new post. So we pass on to our next regular column.

We now watch the latest ASQ TV  episodes:

Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems for the month of May, 2017:

  • Expanding the Quality Professional’s Role :  Quality professionals should be in the culture change business : One of the foundational truisms is that management must lead any culture change if it is to be successful. Quality professionals can expedite this by showing leadership the potential power of a statistically minded organization based on a few basic principles-
  • Maintain a bottom-line focus. Quality professionals must move beyond “show me the data” to “show me the money.” The principle of all project management should be bottom-line impact.
  • Focus on the vital few tools integrated with a problem solving framework that is sequenced and linked together. The key is to confine the set to the vital few (of the hundreds available) and make sure each tool generates outputs that become targets for the next tool in the sequence.
  • Employ top talent to lead the effort. The organization will judge the effort as crucial if it has been staffed with top talent.
  • Create a supporting infrastructure, which typically should consist of a project selection process, formal training program, project tracking and monitoring systems, an audit process for closed projects, a communications plan, and an employee reward and recognition plan.
  • Provide focused training. Resistance can often be overcome by combining training with live projects as many companies do already.
  • Focus early on “quick wins.” People like to succeed. When they see early tangible results, they are eager to repeat the process.
  • Plan for longer term improvement. We should be reminded that maintaining momentum comes from the effect that achievement of significant, measureable benefits has on the outcome.
  • Clarity is Key: A line in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland popularly states that, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” Hence, create your vision of what you truly want to accomplish. You must get completely clear about what you do want to have happen. Only then you’ll discover that you are indeed able to make it happen. Think about it, and you’ll realize that you are extremely well equipped and intended for achievement.

I look forward to your active participation in enriching the blog carnival as we pursue our journey in exploring the happenings across quality management blogs…………

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[i]

Nothing Changes: Drucker’s questions are eternal | Jorge Sá | TEDxGrandRapids

The Micro View of the Songs of 1948 @ SoY – Male Solo Songs – Mohammad Rafi

We commence our detailed journey for the year 1948 with Male Solo Songs.

It is simply stating the obvious that there are far more songs that I have heard for the first time in this exercise. So, I would wait for the recap of each of the section to draw any of the personal conclusions.

Solo Songs of Mohammad Rafi

If we recall the year of 1949, we had observed that Mohammad Rafi had a fairly large number of solo songs, both in terms of number of films or number of music directors who chose Mohammad Rafi.  Apperently, this can be considered as the effect of songs that Rafi had rendered in 1948 (and before that).

Like what we did for 1949, we will split the songs in two categories – one in which were popular then and are even now and the other which do merit note but fall short on the comparative yardstick of popularity.

Mohammad Rafi’s Popular Songs

Hum Apne Dil Ka Afsana Unhe Suma Na Sake – Actress- Shyam Sundar – Nakhshab Jharachavi

Aye Dil Meri Aahon Mein Itna To Asar Aaye – Actress – Shyam Sundar – Nakshab Jharachavi

Sab Kuchch Luataya Humne Aa Kar Teri Gali Mein – Chunariya – Hans Raj Behl – Mulk Raj Bhakhari

Ye Zindagi Ke Mele Duniya Mein Kam Na Hoge Afsos Hum Na Hoge – Mela – Naushad Ali  – Shakeel Badayuni

Ek Dil Ke Tukde Hazar Hue Koi Yahan Gira Koi Wahan Gira – Pyar Ki Jeet – Husn Lal Bhagat Ram – Qamar Jalalabadi

Mohammed Rafi’s other noteworthy songs

These are the songs which could not measure up on the normal level of popularity.

Do Wida Do Pran Mujh Ko – Adalat – Datta Javdekar – Mahipal

Kismat To Dekho Humsafar Char Kadam Saath Chale Nahi – Adalat – Datta Javdekar  – Mahipal

Kyun Bichchud Gaye… Jivan Saathi Bichchud Gaye – Adalat – Datta Javdekar  – Mahipal

Wah Re Jamane Kya Rang Dikhaye Pal Mein Hasaye Pal Mein Rulaye – Ghar Ki Izzat – Govind Ram – Isvar Chandra Kapoor

Doobi Naiya Aa Ke Kinare Jaun Kahan Hum Ab Gam Ke Maare – Jeene Do – Shaukat Hussain (Dehlavi) – Shevan Rizvi

Bujh Gaya Deep Ghira Andhiyara Jyot Kahan Se Laun – Mere Lal – Purushottam – Mahipal

Nigahe Milane Ko Jee Chata Hai – Parai Aag – Ghulam Mohammad – Tanveer Naqvi

Sultan-e-Madina Sulatn-e-Madina Maula Ke Dulare – Rehnuma – Ghumi Khan –  Habib Sarhadi

Kismat Se Koi Kya Bole – Rehnuma  – Ghumi Khan – Habib Sarhadi

Aye Dil Neend Aayee Tujh Ko Tamam Raat – Shahnaz – Ameerbai Karnataki – Akhtar Pilibhiti

We will take up Solo Songs of Mukesh in our journey of Songs of 1948.

Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: June, 2017

V Balsara – Sunaye Hal-e-Dil Kya Hum Hamara

It was in 70s that whenever I could sneak out from my official work during visits to Bombay, I used to be in look out for a sneak pick into(the then) Rhythm House at Kalaghoda, even if for a few minutes. On one such visit I was on a quick look out for records of Manna Dey’s Hindi NFS. I was quickly shown one EP record that contained these songs:

Ye Aawaara Raaten Ye Khoyi Si Baaten (1960)

Nazaaron Mein Ho Tum Khayaalon Mein Ho Tum

I listened to these songs briefly and purchased the record. On way back I read its back cover to see who the music director of these songs was. When I read that it was V Balsara, the name was new to me then.

I kept listening to the record several times on reaching home. One of my friends then took it to his home. There his father also liked the songs. Few days later when he returned the record, it was accompanied by one more record. That record was an LP of his instrumental tunes, which among others, had the following:

We all were now very devout fans of V Balsara. I then went on to add a few more of his instrumental LPs.

For our present series when I noticed that June (22nd, 1922) is his month of birth day, it was with great apprehension that I started searching for his songs for the article for this month from his maiden film Circus Girl (1943) to other films like O Panchi, Rangmahal, Madmast, Talash, Char Dost, Vidyapati and Pyar. Well, my apprehensions were quite misplaced, as our netizen friends have been able to place many of the songs on net.

So here are a few of the multi-faceted songs in tribute to V. Balsara (Vistap Ardeshir Balsara).

Roothi Hui Taqdeer Ko Ab Kaise – Mukesh (NFS) – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani

It seems that till he started regular work for composing music for Hindi films, V Balsara very rightly adopted the route of publishing records of NFS. These songs went a long a way in keeping V Balsara in to the memory of the listening public. There are a couple of more NFS mukesh songs that can be accessed on YT.

Ye Hawa Ye Fizza Ye Nazare Hum Yahan Tum Wahan… – Geeta Dutt

It is recorded that Geeta Dutt has only 25 NFS in her career. It is our luck that the present song happens to be one of them.

Our big catch happens to be songs of Madmast of 1953.

Chaal Anokhi Dhang Nirale, Tadap Uthe Hay, Aji Dekhane Wale – Madmast (1953) – Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani

Kisi Ke Zulm Ki Tasveer Hai – Mahendra Kapoor, Dhan Indorewala – Lyrics: Manav

In our May, 2017 episode on Snehal Bhatkar, we had listened to the first solo song of Mahendra Kapoor. The present song takes on the credit of first ever recorded song of Mahendra Kapoor, much before he came to limelight after having won Murphy contest and then singing on Chand Chuupa Aur Taare Doobe

Main Lal Paan Ki Begum Hu, Begum Begum Begum Hu, Main Lal Paan Ki Begum

Main Baadshah Hu Kalekha, Main Baadshah Hu Kalekha – Shamshad Begum, S D Batish – Lyrics: J C Pant

Sunaye Hal-e-Dil Kya Hum Hamara – Lata Mangeshkar –

We then have Vidyapati (1964) which has one more Lata Mangeshkar gem which is totally forgotten.

More Naina Sawan Bhadon – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma

A song with same mukhda, based on the same raga Sjivranjani has so much of our mind space that listening to this song is so enriching experience.

Chubh Gaya Kanta, Ui Kaise Main Ab Ghar Jaaun – Pyar (1969) – Aarti Mukherjee – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma

The common listener may have treated the song as too experimental for his liking…

We cannot conclude the episode without taking note of some of the instrumental compositions of V Balsara.

In an interview on Doordrashan Calcutta, V Balsara had narrated his association with Hindi Film world as specialist instrument player.  He has played harmonium like an accordion in several of SJ songs. Here are three such examples:

This is considered to be Solo Piano Concert. Robin De has captured it as a very documentary piece of V Balsara’s association with Bengali Music.

And Madhumati (1958)’s Aja Re Pardesi

Continuing with our tradition of ending every episode with a Mohammad Rafi song, we will end our present episode with the two solos, in two totally different moods, by Mohammad Rafi, composed by V Balsara :

Door Gagan Ke Chanda, Kahiyo Sajan Ke Sandesh…… Mo Se Rooth Gayo Banwaari Jari Gayo Madhuban, Sukhi Jamuna Gali Gali Dukhiyari – Vidyapati (1964) – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma

Here we have signature Mohammad Rafi song, starting sakhi on a very high note then coming back to a pathos-suited scale, interspersed with scaling peaks.

Rahoge Kab Tak Hamse Dur, Pyar Ka To Aisa Dastur Ishk Pukarega Tumko, Aana Hi Hoga Re Aana Hi hoga Re, Ishq Pukarega Tumko Aana Hi Hoga Re – Woh Ladki (1967) – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma

This can also be considered a very typical of Rafi romantic song, which we normally associate with his care-free songs.

We will continue our search for Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.

Business Sutra |2.2 | Context of Leaders

Business Sutra |2| Leadership

In the first episode of the TV serial on CNBC 18, spread over three segments, Devdutt Pattanaik presented to us the most visible form of the business – the corporation : its meaning, its purpose and its action perspective.

In the second episode Devdutt Pattanaik discusses Leadership. The first segment of the second episode dealt with the role of the leader. In the present, second segment, what impact does the context have on the leaders.

Business Sutra |2.2 | Context of Leaders

Team Activ8 in its blogpost 4 leadership “weapons” used by great leaders states that ‘good business leaders display many traits but there are 4 leadership “weapons” used by great leaders:

  1. They use their “business binoculars” to provide CONTEXT
  2. They instill VALUES using their “moral compass”.
  3. They build TRUST with their “business shield”.
  4. They encourage MOMENTUM with their “business rocket booster”.

This gives us one dimension of the context of leaders wherein the leader sets the direction for the organization. Neither the leader nor the context impacts each other. Leader sets the sail w.r.t. to the given context.

In The Leadership Paradox, Jim Selman adds one more perspective.  He states that leadership is inherently paradoxical in that it is inclusive of both the individual and the group or team or community. If this is so, then leadership is a context, a powerful opening for innovation and something new to emerge. From this perspective, leadership isn’t about process, or technique, or some set of skills beyond the capacity to be authentic and committed to a possibility larger than oneself.
Leadership from this perspective is the ability to operate within the present and appreciate the larger context: that results and possibilities grow not from our individual choices only but from the power and contributions of those we lead.

Tony Mayo states that Context-based leadership manifests when environmental factors and individual action come together. And “come together” is the most important part…..The environmental factors create a specific and sometimes unique context for business. Within this contextual framework, some individuals envisioned new enterprises or new products and services, while others saw opportunities for maximizing or optimizing existing businesses, and still others found opportunities through reinvention or recreation of companies or technologies that were considered stagnant or declining….. In other words, it can be construed to reflect awareness of and ability to adapt to the contextual intelligence…..The ability to succeed in multiple contexts is based on what Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas in Geeks & Geezers called adaptive capacity — the ability to change one’s style and approach to fit the culture, context, or condition of an organization. Success in the twenty-first century will require leaders to pay attention to the evolving context.

That brings us to the theme of Victor H Vroom and Arthur G Jago’s paper:  The Role of the Situation in Leadership – Leadership depends on the situation. Few social scientists would dispute the validity of this statement. Three distinct roles that situational variables play in the leadership process are:

  1. Organizational effectiveness (often taken to be an indication of its leadership) is affected by situational factors not under leader control.
  2. Situations shape how leaders behave.
  3. Situations influence the consequences of leader behavior.

Looking at behavior in specific classes of situations rather than averaging across situations is more consistent with contemporary research on personality and more conducive to valid generalizations about effective leadership. If . . . then . . . relationships are not only at the core of attempts to understand what people do but are also the basis for attempts to understand what leaders should do.

In What the Best Leaders Know: Context Matters, John Kamensky sees ‘the traditional leader is seen as a charismatic hero, a lone figure, towering above the rest.  These are seen more in the military or business worlds – General George Patton, auto executive Lee Iaccoco, computer guru Steve Jobs.  But in reality, the success of a leader depends on the context or environment, in which they work – the deck they’ve been dealt….Today, new forms of shared leadership are evolving – where a leader serves as a visionary, a broker, a convener, a mediator.  And occasionally is recognized as a hero!  

In an in-depth study, Leadership in Context, Michael Bazigos, Chris Gagnon, and Bill Schaninger note that ‘even the best scripts can ring hollow in the wrong settings. (Their) research suggests that the most effective leadership behavior reflects the state of a company’s organizational health. Top-management teams that are serious about developing vibrant businesses and effective leaders must be prepared to look inward, assess the organization’s health objectively, and ask themselves frankly whether their leadership behavior is strong enough in the ways that matter most at the time. This question has implications not just for developing but also for assessing a company’s leaders. However much an executive may seem to have a leadership “it” factor, the organization’s health, not the claims of individuals, should come first when companies determine which kinds of behavior will be most effective for them. In short, they should spotlight different sets of actions in different situations. Fortunately for aspiring leaders, they don’t have to do everything at once.

Reams and reams of literature have been published on the subject of The Context of Leadership. Within the limitations of only one post on the subject, we have set up the stage for enlisting some of the articles and papers to know what the current Western thinking is on the subject.

In Leadership in Context, Kim Turnbull James sets the tone for the future. He states – the leadership literature has begun to identify that if leadership is to meet the organisational requirements of organisations with complex bureaucracies, with multiple stakeholders, multiple professional practices, politics (with small and big ‘p’), working across boundaries within and across organisations, then hoping for a few, or even a whole raft of individuals who can influence deep into an organisation will be insufficient. In addition to good strategic leadership from the top, leadership must be exercised throughout an organisation. Identifying individuals who have leader potential is not the (only) solution. Leadership development ‘in context’ does not just mean individual leadership development adapted to a specific locale, but means people from that locale coming together to learn to lead together and to address real challenges together.

Now, let us look at what Devdutt Pattanaik has to say on the subject in the Segment 2: Context of leaders: jaisa yug, vaisa avatar

Do various incarnations of Vishnu represent leadership at different stages of a corporation’s life cycle?

Before go into reply to the question of different incarnations, we need to understand Vishnu. Mythology is a method of communication of ideas through form. Let us look at image of Vishnu. Vishnu manages the world. He holds a conch with which he communicates with the people. He has a wheel on the other side. He also has a mace and a lotus flower, called Padma. The wheel in his hand is for review. Lotus flower is for appreciation whereas mace is for maintaining the discipline.

In a way this image represents ideal traits of leadership. We do not see any rule book here, but if he has to set the discipline, rules of reference are needed.

However rules exist in a given context only. Rules can thus be interpreted differently, but have to be interpreted with reference to a fixed principle. The concept of context is explained in mythology using the age (Yuga). Human cycle of life has four parts. There is childhood when we learn, then youth when we mature, then old age that represents systems slowing down and then comes death.

In many ways, this represents the phases that a corporation also undergoes. Each of the Age will have different set of rules based on a common principle called Dharma(loosely translated a Faith of morality). Dharma is a principle, not a code of conduct and certainly not religion. So you have to understand the principle of Dharma and then you have to understand the concept of The Age, and then the Incarnation in each of these. Each one is upholding Dharma but following very different rules. For example you have Ram who is monogamous, faithful to one wife and you have Krishna, lover of beautiful, many women. How do you reconcile the two who both are Gods and both are upholding the Dharma. For Parashuram, there is no wife around in his life.

So we have three gods and each has a different rule. In other words, there an overarching principle: different kind of leadership is required in different phases of the life cycle of an organization, but all are abiding one Principle.

All these are equal, they just represent different phases and different styles of leadership, then why is one greater than the rest? For instance, every time we talk of a perfect society we call it Ramrajya. It is supposed to be heaven on earth. There are many other leaders, there are many other gods, then why is Ram revered so much more than the rest?

Remember that’s the only form of God which is visualized as a king. Krishna is not King he’s a kingmaker. You worship Krishna as a cowherd and a charioteer not as a king. Ram is only deity of all the deities in India who has so many temples in India. He is only one deity who  was visualized as a king. He is the only one king who’s worshipped.

But it can’t be his position that draws the faithful. The fact is that being the king is not instrumental in why he is so visual. What is different?

Difference is in his role. Krishna is Vishnu but so is he the cowherd or the charioteer.

Why so much emphasis on the kingliness of Ram?

Because he is doing what a king is supposed to do; he’s living the life of as what a king is supposed to be. That is what Ram is associated with. And, what is that supposed to be? He is living for the people, to the point that when given a choice between an honest and faithful wife and cruel, unjust, unfair subjects, the King takes a decision to choose his cruel subjects and rejects his faithful wife. It’s the classic conflict between personal life and professional life. He chooses the professional life over the personal life. He sacrifices.

But he sacrifices the professional life for the good of the people not the professional life for his own personal advancement in the profession.

If you look at our legends, not mythology, people who have sacrificed their children are put on a higher pedestal, because we know how impossible that is.

So Ram Rajya is almost the attainment of the impossible, because it is about sacrificing what your love for your dearest, and chooses to love others.

We thus observe that both, Western and the Indian view of role of leadership are driven by the context. In so far as the leader does what the context has demanded to do in terms of the dictates of the fundamental principle(s), of is caring for others, first , he has done justice to his role of befitting the Leader.

In our next session next month, we will take up segment 3 of second episode – Leadership – of Devdutt Pattanaik’s TV serial Business Sutra viz. Leadership in different Business Cycles

Note: The images used in this post are the irrevocable property of their respective creator. They have been taken up courtesy the internet, so as to illustrate the point under discussion.