Leadership Amidst Crisis
S.D. Shibulal
October 27, 2009
Running Time: 49:35

About the Lecture
In thirty years, S. D. Shibulal has seen his share of economic crises, three to be exact. But in thinking hard about the role of crises in the future for today's students, he predicts: they will occur more frequently, and will be less predictable, longer lasting and more costly.

Within this framework, Shibulal sets out to share his experience and wisdom on this issue with hopes of inspiring the next generation of leaders to not fear crises, but to embrace them and use them to learn and grow. He details three main themes for survival: accept reality, practice learned optimism, and lead by example.

In general terms Shibulal explains how important it is to accept a crisis in the making. Accepting, rather than denying a crisis, will in itself lead to a better and quicker response. Learned optimism is not just keeping a rosy picture of the situation. Instead Shibulal underscores the need to be mindful of what is in your control and focus attention on those elements, noting that pragmatism is a key ingredient in this response. Most importantly, he advises, stay out of negative cycles, which can reinforce a downward trend and put enormous pressure on an organization. Leading by example often means reacting quickly, with conviction and finding a way forward.

During the Q&A session, Shibulal provides insights into India's economy, and education system, discusses the rapid growth of Infosys and its prospects for the future.

Source: MIT

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Added: 12 years ago.
Topic: Leadership