The Shape of Work

#103: Namrata Dhasmana on common leadership myths, 'GROW' for team building and the panacea for dysfunctional teams

September 02, 2021 Springworks Season 1 Episode 103
The Shape of Work
#103: Namrata Dhasmana on common leadership myths, 'GROW' for team building and the panacea for dysfunctional teams
Show Notes Chapter Markers

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Namrata Dhasmana, Human Resources (CoE and Best Practices) at Genpact.

Namrata wears multiple hats to lead a purposeful life. She is the Honorary President WICCI- Telangana CSR Council and is a member of the All Ladies League. She's served the Corporate world for over 15 years and led the HR function for companies like Vedanta and Wells Fargo.

Namrata’s transition from military to corporate is one of the very few success stories which got featured in Corporate Citizen 2021 May edition.

In this episode, we discuss with Namrata:

  • The common leadership myths
  • Her ‘GROW’ approach for team building
  • Feedback vs feedforward approach for employee feedback
  • Why dysfunctional teams need coaches more than managers
  • What inclusion is beyond just gender and culture

 Common Leadership Myths

  • Leadership is attached with a position or a title 
  • Experience and Intelligence are Indispensable for Leadership 
  • Leading Everyone in the Same Manner 

Leaders should be versatile. They should be intuitive and be able to respond to changes with complementary skills and behavior. A leader should identify their people’s strengths as well as weaknesses and guide them accordingly.

GROW Approach for Team Building 

G stands for Goals. 

It is of paramount importance to have a clearly defined goal. The team works to achieve that goal. 

R stands for Reality. 

A good team leader should ensure a smooth ride for the team members.

O stands for Options. 

A team leader should explore all the alternatives and the resources that are available to achieve excellence. 

W stands for Way forward. 

A leader should ask the questions such as what, where, when, and by whom to strategize the road ahead. They should fix the accountability of different team members.

Feedback V/S Feedforward Approach

Organizations should implement a feed-forward approach instead of a feedback approach. The feed-forward system is a positive strategy that values the employees and tells them what they have achieved and how to carry it forward. 

In a feed-forward approach, a leader develops a sense of being valued in the employees and empowers them. The leader acknowledges how they have contributed to the organization’s growth and encourages them to perform better in the future.

Team Coaching - Dysfunctional Teams need Coaches more than Managers

A team becomes dysfunctional when it fails to accomplish its goals. Their performance is not satisfactory. Dysfunctional teams and their managers need coaching and mentoring. 

Coaches understand the dysfunctionality by analyzing different team members’ strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. They create complementary synergies among teammates. 

Cultural Inclusivity in Organizations

People of different backgrounds, cultures, mindsets, etc., work together in an organization. A capable leader should develop a culture of inclusivity in an organization where the differences are respected. 

Despite being from diverse backgrounds, there should be a unifying bond among the employees that would help them to enhance their performance. Ms. Namrata believes, “being a leader is a responsibility towards people, business, and yourself”.

Follow Namrata on LinkedIn

Get the highlights of this episode in our blog.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

The common leadership myths
Her ‘GROW’ approach for team building
Feedback vs feedforward approach for employee feedback
Why dysfunctional teams need coaches more than managers
What inclusion is beyond just gender and culture