Thought Leadership Anecdotes From Santanu Bhattacherjee

"People who have a knack for leadership and enjoy the same will always come forward to take the responsibilities and drive things."

Santanu Bhattacherjee is a Senior Product Dev Manager with one of the leading product-based companies. A leadership enthusiast and an author, he loves sharing his leadership and business management knowledge through his books, blogs and other informative articles across various social media and print media platforms.

In a candid discussion, the leadership virtuoso shared his insights on a range of topics from AI to attrition, from the importance of mid-management to workplace politics. Excerpts from the interview.

How do you think AI is changing leadership styles?

Technology always empowers people. The same goes for AI. I see AI as a great method to empower leaders and help them do better. AI can help leaders get rid of inconsequential tasks to focus on what's more important and where the efforts and insights are required. Having said that, I strongly feel that AI will never have "a soul", and it cannot replace human leaders. Strong and mature leadership is required to guide the development and applications of AI.

Do you believe the middle management layer is becoming increasingly irrelevant?

In large organizations with a pyramid chain of command, it is very common to have a mid-management layer. And, in terms of productivity and relevance, I would say that a lot depends on how the organization uses its skillset. Who are mid-level managers? They are future executives or senior executives in the making who will play an important role in establishing and driving a company's mission and vision in the coming years. Rather than dismissing them as irrelevant, it is preferable to invest time and effort in developing their leadership skills and moulding them into capable senior executives.

What is your current assessment of the market?

The market is getting better. Many more businesses are embracing digitization. Consider how much work it is generating. If there is one thing that this pandemic has done for society, it has pushed companies to accelerate their digitization programs. As a result, this has created opportunities for leaders to step up and assist companies in completing the digitization effort as quickly as possible.

So, with more digitization comes up more job opportunities along with the risk of high attrition. How do you think an organizational leader should address this threat?

I'll take a step back and ask why there is attrition. Is it just for a higher salary, or is there something else going on? Any organization's leader must first identify the cause before moving on to the solution. If the underlying cause is a low salary band, it is best to conduct a market analysis and revise the salary. If the issue is related to work or company culture, you must address it appropriately.

How should a leader handle workplace politics?

If you are a part of a system, you must accept that there will be politics and that you must sometimes play politics as well. What matters most, however, is whether it is good or bad politics. Developing people skills, connecting with more people, and influencing or negotiating with them to get the job done are all important aspects of good politics that should be encouraged. What is not acceptable is when someone uses their position of power and network to disparage another person, stifles the growth of others for the benefit of oneself, and so on. One of the most important roles of a leader is to put a stop to such negative behaviour.

How do you spot leaders among young talent?

One and the only thing that I check is their tenacity to take ownership and drive things. It can be as small as planning and executing a small fun event at the workplace or arranging a birthday bash. People who have a knack for leadership and enjoy the same will always take the responsibilities and drive things. And that's how I spot young leadership talents