Dare to Lead, the Transformation of Bank of Baroda

Citation

Bensiali, A. (2013), "Dare to Lead, the Transformation of Bank of Baroda", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 284-285. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437731311326701

The book Dare to Lead is an exciting account of the efforts of the author, Dr Anil Khandelwal, of the steps and phases in a transformation and change process of the Bank of Baroda (BoB).

The author narrates his experience in two banks and uses many examples to highlight a variety of facets of leadership and management. He shares his views and approaches in his endeavour to bring change to a public sector bank that was plagued by challenges, and transform it into a highly valued, modern, technology driven and customer‐centric bank.

Throughout its chapters, the book compares and contrasts the situation that exists in an organisation such as the BoB and a fervent commitment to challenge the status quo and refusing to accept it, especially when all leadership, management, employees and unions felt the uneasiness yet opted to live with the problems. The author constantly reminds the reader of the importance of one's mindset and to ask two simple questions: what is the state of affairs and what should be done to improving the situation. The descriptions of many accounts highlight the shaping up of mindset from parents’ teachings and inspiration to a wide variety of soft issues such as morale, principles, honour and the teachings of virtues such as helping others and the pleasure of the quest of knowledge.

The author introduces a variety of concepts pertaining to managing and leading people as well as interacting with others in the workplace. In many parts of his book, the author describes the importance of human resources and ways of introducing the notion of training and how industrial relations can shape up the success or failure of organisations. Capacities of management and leaders to negotiating, and to positioning themselves is crucial in the power struggle and thus it is essential that the equation is focused on business and its success. This approach and its positive and constructive mindset, should lead all stakeholders, especially unions and management, to renegotiate, reposition and realign the paradigms of union‐management relations from antagonistic to developing good understanding and participatory approaches.

Another notion that the author presents throughout his book, is the emphasis he puts not only on the tangibles in terms of measurable business outcomes but also on the importance of the intangibles that cannot be measured in financial terms such as employee motivation, initiatives, ideas, courage, innovations, attitudes, listening and communicating and customer satisfaction. Unlike the usual belief, his phrase sums it all up: manage the intangibles and the tangibles will follow. The challenge is in articulating the effects of the soft issues that are intangible, such as instigating a high‐performance culture, “engaging employees” through their heads, hearts and hands and in showing that that such a culture can only be sustained in an environment of caring and compassion.

Whilst his first chapter is an introduction to the banking system in India, Chapters 2‐7 are almost an autobiography concluding in a testing one‐year experience of the author managing Dena Bank and developing his leadership skills.

From Chapters 9 to 26, the author describes his three‐year plan to craft the future of the bank and preparing it for the next century. He describes his experience in putting into practice his knowledge and wisdom, and grasps the opportunity to set up a high tempo in developing confidence and trust throughout the bank. He highlights the importance of communicating the bank priorities, such as strategic thinking and institutionalizing the culture of winning. He also learnt to rely on his instinct and judgement and concludes that the onus was on leadership to move the Bank forward and energise its human resources for a new vision, bigger horizons, improved decision making and in repositioning international operations. The author shares plenty of details on the innovative approaches, using his experience with HR, training, industrial relations, unions and systems of work and how he brought all these together as ingredients of his success in the BoB.

From Chapter 27, Dr Khandelwal gives a series of advice to the CEOs and his last 100 days in office.

In the last chapter, he shares his leadership code that he has followed over the years; that leadership involves the fine art of execution and how it should be exercised to lead, deliver excellence, change and challenge the status quo. He shares that effective leaders are hands‐on, visible, accessible and courageous.

This is an exciting book that can be recommended to leaders, managers and students aspiring to learn how to prepare themselves to play a part in shaping organisations’ future, knowing that the challenges are in all organizations and that it takes not only knowledge and wit but also courage, commitment and strategic positioning to take up challenges with resolve, smartly and sustainably to make a positive and worthwhile transformation.

Transformation of an organization goes hand in hand with improving performance culture and management systems and is not only a question of cosmetics but requires a real change at the DNA level.