THREE LAW’S – IMPENDING LANGUAGE

To begin with, did you notice the warm welcome hug, between the two great leaders of two great nations? In our instinct, we all thought it would be a differentiator. Didn’t we?

Law of impending language of makeover

I saw some more photographs and videos of Hon Prime Minister, Mr. Modi and Hon President, Mr. Obama, there and then, ‘three laws of impending language’, struck like a lightening. I am sure, it won’t be fair if I don’t pen it down, black and white.

There was something really common, between those two leaders and their thought processes. I have tried to align them into in my learnings and termed them as ‘three laws of impending language’ (inspired by three laws of motion).

Going step by step, let’s first list down, what are these three laws of impending language: –

Law #1: What do you stand for, needs to be clarified.

Statements by both leaders like, I stand for…, you can count on me for…, was a live example of clarifying and committing to the stand. They both buried the past and looked for futuristic, impending language. Communication always is key differentiator between a good and a great leader. They both came in as leaders and left the stage as heroes.

Law #2: Enrolment of your people is important at the time of makeover.

When we talk about impending language or cultural change, we as people leaders need to enroll our people in to it. Welcome statements were made in Hindi, the language was warm, choice of words, and examples of Mahatma Gandhi in co-relation with Martin Luther King or Vivekananda, or the details from our constitution was perfect. Name of the people visited last time and their presence, was so minute yet so impacting, like an icing on the cake. It was all done to ensure people of India and America are enrolled, and in turn the World gets enrolled into their vision. I think most of us were left dumbstruck with this out-of-box approach.

Law #3 Impending language with a long-term vision and commitment, can transform the Organisation/Nation/World.

Words like I am committed to…, We see the future…., If a grandson of a cook and a chaiwala…., Youngest workforce…, etc., were used by the leaders. Even Mr. Obama, referred to it by stating that he won’t be the last President, to visit India twice. How the largest democracies can combine was the flavour of the though, which is still very fresh, and would remain in my memory with a lasting imprint. The communication and intent was clearly visible.

Now as we have defined the three laws of impending language of makeover, we need to list down, what were the great leadership lessons we could learn and implement in our daily lives, which may change our outlook, and organisational effectiveness.

Let’s us understand that in a decade we would have one of the youngest workforce. We are also stated to break into one of the top #4 nations in the World by 2020 (as per World bank). We would have one of highest educated workforce and highest women workers, in the history by demographics.

If I have to put down the top ten learnings and implement it in my daily life and organisation level, it would be: –

1. Communicate, communicate and communicate: Yes, the intent, honesty, impending language, and with a right vision is important. In these testing times, you need leaders to be available, on shop-floor, and 24X7 on mobile for timely feedback. Simple usage of words and local flavour always helps in a diverse country like India. Change is permanent, it our choice, how to deal with it, positively or negatively.
2. Long term vision and its communication in right manner is important.
3. Enrolment of team/s, and people is utmost important to ensure the long term success. I have realised it very recently, if you have done something right, people always back you.
4. Minute details and knowledge about the culture of the people, being close to them, helps you to connect more easily. Build trust and emotional connect, which may lead you to victory.
5. Integrity, towards the approach of the change or makeover is very important.
6. Breaking it down, to what’s in for them (people/teams), can ensure long-term buy-in, support and success. This may impact engagement and balance sheets directly through productivity.
7. With youngest workforce; social media intelligence, media presence, and handling people would also be a key. For example ‘the hug’ was so warm on camera. Camera and technology, will catch every minute detail.
8. Walking the talk, being committed to it, and it adds to the engagement level.

9. Opening the window of possibility, even in tough times, is the true character of a leader.
10. The impending World transpires and emerges to the people, in the positive way, depending on how the leader puts it forward.

If you ask me, out of these three laws, the most powerful is the law of impending language with a long term vision. Vision and its communication would be the most powerful take away, apart from enrolment.

I am pretty much sure that most entrepreneurial and people’s leader would believe in it. This futuristic language opens the possibility, which is declarative in nature, simple yet ahead of its time. It takes you away from the state of dilemma, right or wrong, to a more assertive state. Success is sure to follow.