In his heyday, Simon Taufel was one of the best umpires international cricket had seen. Between 2004 and 2008, he won the ICC (International Cricket Council) David Shepherd Umpire of the Year award five consecutive times. Following his retirement in 2012, the Australian served as ICC’s training and performance manager till 2016. In his book, Finding The Gaps: Transferable Skills To Be The Best That You Can Be, which he wrote last year, Taufel chronicles lessons he distilled from his 13-year career spanning 74 Tests, 174 one-day internationals and 34 T20Is. Many of these can transcend the cricket field and steer organisations on the path of growth and high performance. In a conversation with Forbes India, Taufel shares his insights on how leaderships need to stay focussed yet humane in order to survive the onslaught of Covid-19. Edited excerpts:
Q No training or experience can prepare CEOs for a crisis like this. How does one steer an organisation in these extraordinary times?
What would help leaders through this crisis is a culture based on trust and team success. In this environment, it is crucial that leaders are inclusive. One person doesn’t know it all and we are experiencing events that we haven’t been through before. But the fundamentals of leadership are applicable even now and I would encourage every leader to look at the performance lessons from sport and apply them because now is the time to be resilient.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
