Team Anna had a clear cut goal and a defined strategy.
Clearly , there are management lessons for all:
1) Set clear objectives that can galvanise and motivate an entire
work force. From the start, Anna'sgoal was to convince the government
to introduce his preferred version of a Lokpal bill in Parliament.
His method: a fast unto death. Only an extremely dramatic gesture fit
his ambitious goal and could capture the imagination of millions.
2) Follow a strategy. Anna's startegy was not to accept anything
less than a Lokpal bill drafted by civil society. In fact , when talks
between the government and civil society failed and the government
introduced its own version of a Lokpal Bill to the Parliament's
standing committe, Anna threatened another fast unto death. Nobody in
the government took him seriously , but Team Anna stuck to their
gameplan.
3) Choose a perfect time to launch. Target market, geography and
timing matters a lot in terms of generating a buzz. Anna Haxare could
have done his fast in his Maharashtra village Ralegoan Siddhi or some
other state , but he decided to sit at New Delhi’s famous Jantar
Mantar. He also planned his fast for after the IPL tournament was
over. His big deadline for the government was August 15, Independence
Day. The second venue: the much bigger and even more central Ramlila
ground.
4) Do not get intimidated by the money and muscle power of the
competitor. Anna Hazare's team had a clear startegy to deal with the
government's high headedness. Anna had to go to jail on Aug 16 to get
a place at the Ramlila ground to do his fast. He refused to budge or
compromise, and eventually the government and opposition accomodated
him.
5) Focus on delivery and the company's unique selling point to
reach out to the masses. Clearly, Anna's USP was a non violent
movement and invoking the great Mahatma Gandhi in his every speech.
That message played well with people including the government.
6) Always play to your strength in business and allow other team
members with different skill sets to execute the plan. Anna's strength
was to sustain the fast for a longer period. He did that successfully
in the past and he played to his strength. His other team members with
skills in operations, law and media management handled the external
envirnment.
7) Good negotiation skills are necessary when dealing with demanding
suppliers, dealers and other stakeholders. Team Anna kept the
'negotiation window' open right from the start till the last minute,
when talks hit a dead end. They held numerous meetings with
government, the Congress Party, opposition leaders and other civil
society members.
8) Always motivate and encourage employees to keep the overall goal
in mind. Anna Hazare used to address the people every day. Team Anna
played motivational and devotional songs at the Ramlila ground to
keep people engaged.
9) Always admit a mistake and move on. Anna Hazare was quick to
retract his statement regarding Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi
(he praised the BJP chief minister for doing good work in the area of
rural development.) When he realised that the statement would damage
his own movement and give others a chance to undermine his credibility
with his target market, he quickly disassociated himself with that.
10) Effective communication. Messages about progress and the road
ahead have to be communicated clearly to all members of a team. Team
Anna made it a point to convey the details of theirmeetings with the
government on a daily basis to the media and the crowds at Ramlila.
Everybody knew what the government's stand was, what Team Anna aimed
for and what other government stakeholders believed.
Of course, Hazare's team still has a long fight ahead of them to get
their bill passed. This fight will require that they use every tool
in their management arsenal - including ones we haven't seen yet.
Clearly , there are management lessons for all:
1) Set clear objectives that can galvanise and motivate an entire
work force. From the start, Anna'sgoal was to convince the government
to introduce his preferred version of a Lokpal bill in Parliament.
His method: a fast unto death. Only an extremely dramatic gesture fit
his ambitious goal and could capture the imagination of millions.
2) Follow a strategy. Anna's startegy was not to accept anything
less than a Lokpal bill drafted by civil society. In fact , when talks
between the government and civil society failed and the government
introduced its own version of a Lokpal Bill to the Parliament's
standing committe, Anna threatened another fast unto death. Nobody in
the government took him seriously , but Team Anna stuck to their
gameplan.
3) Choose a perfect time to launch. Target market, geography and
timing matters a lot in terms of generating a buzz. Anna Haxare could
have done his fast in his Maharashtra village Ralegoan Siddhi or some
other state , but he decided to sit at New Delhi’s famous Jantar
Mantar. He also planned his fast for after the IPL tournament was
over. His big deadline for the government was August 15, Independence
Day. The second venue: the much bigger and even more central Ramlila
ground.
4) Do not get intimidated by the money and muscle power of the
competitor. Anna Hazare's team had a clear startegy to deal with the
government's high headedness. Anna had to go to jail on Aug 16 to get
a place at the Ramlila ground to do his fast. He refused to budge or
compromise, and eventually the government and opposition accomodated
him.
5) Focus on delivery and the company's unique selling point to
reach out to the masses. Clearly, Anna's USP was a non violent
movement and invoking the great Mahatma Gandhi in his every speech.
That message played well with people including the government.
6) Always play to your strength in business and allow other team
members with different skill sets to execute the plan. Anna's strength
was to sustain the fast for a longer period. He did that successfully
in the past and he played to his strength. His other team members with
skills in operations, law and media management handled the external
envirnment.
7) Good negotiation skills are necessary when dealing with demanding
suppliers, dealers and other stakeholders. Team Anna kept the
'negotiation window' open right from the start till the last minute,
when talks hit a dead end. They held numerous meetings with
government, the Congress Party, opposition leaders and other civil
society members.
8) Always motivate and encourage employees to keep the overall goal
in mind. Anna Hazare used to address the people every day. Team Anna
played motivational and devotional songs at the Ramlila ground to
keep people engaged.
9) Always admit a mistake and move on. Anna Hazare was quick to
retract his statement regarding Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi
(he praised the BJP chief minister for doing good work in the area of
rural development.) When he realised that the statement would damage
his own movement and give others a chance to undermine his credibility
with his target market, he quickly disassociated himself with that.
10) Effective communication. Messages about progress and the road
ahead have to be communicated clearly to all members of a team. Team
Anna made it a point to convey the details of theirmeetings with the
government on a daily basis to the media and the crowds at Ramlila.
Everybody knew what the government's stand was, what Team Anna aimed
for and what other government stakeholders believed.
Of course, Hazare's team still has a long fight ahead of them to get
their bill passed. This fight will require that they use every tool
in their management arsenal - including ones we haven't seen yet.
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