A leader needs to accept diverse views

AJAY KAPUR joined Ambuja in 1993 and for the first 8 years served as the executive assistant to then managing director, NS Sekhsaria. In 2013 he was appointed the deputy MD and CEO and less than a year later was elevated to the post of

MD. He talks about being and grooming a leader. Excerpts:

How do you define a leader?

A leader is one who has a vision, and the drive and commitment to work towards that vision. A leader is not just one who leads a group of people but is able to step in during crisis and take swift decisions. He should be confident to be able take calculated risks and must be focussed on the common goal of the group.

What are the most important traits of a leader?

Apart from those mentioned above, a leader also needs to be positive and have the highest level of integrity. The person must possess extremely strong communication skills, selfconfidence and the ability to manage people without any ego hassles. A leader also needs to have an open mind to accept diverse views.

As the CEO of one of India’s largest cement firms, and one that is part of a global conglomerate, how do you cultivate leaders?

At Ambuja, we encourage people to think independently and creatively. Through this approach we promote the virtues of accountability and empowerment at each level and keep staff motivated.

Has lessons from your parent company (Holcim) helped you in developing as a leader?

Holcim enjoys a global presence in over 70 countries and with a century-long legacy, thereby seeing so many cycles of development all over the world. This has given me a good perspective on how businesses evolve over various stages of development. The Holcim group encourages independent decision-making at different levels with timely interventions from senior management for course correction.

The Indian cement industry is passing through a tough phase. What are the challenges? How do you groom leaders from within your organisation?

We have a very mature talent management programme. A lot of it comes from the group level where every year we look at our top and mid-level succession management through a very detailed process. We employ a very scientific method and based on this evaluation we make individual development plans where each employee is mentored through a leadership role.

Two years ago, we also started a management training programme where we got MBAS from premier management institutes. We also have tie-ups with business schools — Indian Insitute of Managements (IIMS) and Indian School of Business (ISB). At the global group level, talents are also sent to IMD, Harvard, Wharton or LSE as part of

the grooming programme.

What is the leadership advice that you would like to pass on to Ambuja’s future leaders?

I believe integrity is one of the most important traits a leader should have. That is the starting point for any leader.

What is your leadership mantra?

Stay motivated, work hard, work intelligently, have your ear to the ground and encourage independent thinking

Who are the leaders who inspire you?

I have drawn inspiration from many leaders over the years. Ambuja’s chairman and founder-promoter NS Sekhsaria is one of them. His visionary approach and execution skills helped the company to grow to its current size.

The other leaders who have inspired me in some way or the other are Ratan Tata, NR Narayana Murthy, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar and Jack Welch.

What is the biggest leadership lesson that you have learnt?

Leadership is about creating new leaders and this is something I learnt long ago. It is not having more followers. And the flipside to this approach is that you have to be open to criticism, scrutiny from your colleagues as well as juniors. Leadership is also about passion and the ability to have firm execution skills. A leader must also have the ability to say NO and then also justify the reason.