MS Dhoni: A Legendary Captain and His Valuable Lessons for Leaders

What budding managers can learn from one of the greatest leaders Indian cricket has had!

MS Dhoni, India's most successful cricket captain, has nothing more left to prove; it’s his passion for the game that is driving him on even years after retiring from playing the game in the international arena. "Mahi" as he is lovingly called by his fans or "Thala" the name that is permanently linked with him through his Chennai Super Kings franchise, led the team to yet another IPL title yesterday.

People have previously ascribed his achievement to luck, timing, good fortune, and other factors. However, Moris Media, India’s leading digital marketing agency feels a definite pattern emerges from a deeper examination of his achievements. Dhoni's leadership approach teaches managers at all levels crucial lessons. This has been further consolidated in the 2023 IPL, wherein his contributions as a player may have not been jaw-breaking as in his glory years, but his cool demeanour as a leader, enabled him to inspire his team to come out with the goods when most required.

Unrestricted expressions

Dhoni, who comes from a modest background, never allowed this affect his style or personality. He was able to harness this raw rustic energy into his violent on-field performances. He was never afraid to express himself in any scenario. In a competitive business environment, you are often assessed or stereotyped based on your history, thus it is critical to keep a good ego at all times.

Ego management

In a squad filled with stars and past leaders, Dhoni was propelled to skipper ahead of other veteran players in a hierarchy-led atmosphere. He took time to acclimatise himself without interfering with the tried-and-true techniques of the senior pros in the team. What he did on the other hand was to get the most out of these stars most of the time without ruffling feathers. This is a learning lesson for many rookie managers who acquire positions based on their lineage in heritage organizations.

Tackling change effectively

Dhoni did not hurry through personnel and team culture changes. He first built his credibility, then dealt with this problem and managed the changeover via natural attrition and performance management over time. CEOs that are tackling change management issues can learn from MS Dhoni in how to calmly handle the transition process without impacting performance.

Controlling Success

Dhoni handled his early success with maturity and his feet firmly planted on the ground, which ultimately led to his ascension. To deal with fame and money at such a young age demands a tremendous deal of maturity and humility. Early success in business does not have to translate into arrogant attitudes toward colleagues and clients. We have witnessed young managers who have early success lose their equilibrium and experience early professional burnout.

Managing Stress

Dhoni's greatest skill as a captain is his ability to remain calm and cool with an apparently uncluttered mind. This calms the remainder of the team's anxieties and ensures that they stay focused and believe in themselves. Dhoni exemplifies the capacity of all leaders to handle extraordinarily challenging work circumstances. Managing stressful situations without losing your cool is essential for long-term success and healthy health.

Focus

Dhoni has an exceptional capacity to isolate himself from his surroundings and remain focused on the task at hand. In the aftermath of the IPL issue wherein his team got banned for two years, he separated out this turmoil and did not let the same affect his other priorities. Managers must maintain a good attitude and concentrate on the job at hand in order to prevent distractions and bad energy at work.

Instinct

When presented with statistics, managers often lose sight of the 'gut component' in decision making. Dhoni has often followed his instincts and has been proven correct on the majority of times. During a critical phase of a Champions trophy campaign,  stats would have shown that he should have chosen Umesh Yadav to bowl one; however he went with Ishant Sharma for the critical over that changed the match in India's favour.

Failure management

After the euphoria of World Cup 2011, the Indian cricket team had to withstand a prolonged and agonising period where they simply couldn't deliver the results. After a succession of humiliating defeats, it took enormous spirit and attitude to recover. He accomplished it in style, once again answering all of his naysayers with the sheer weight of his performance. Failure does not necessitate that you change your approach; be as cool about it as you are when achieving success, while ensuring that you have unwavering focus on tasks at hand.

Invokes the opposition's respect

Dhoni commands immense respect and dread in the opposing camp just by his presence, serenity, and body language. You definitely must be doing something extraordinary if your work is appreciated by your competitors and they have acquiring your services on their wish list. This is achieved by pure performance and recognition from internal and external stakeholders.

Stands up for his teammates

He has complete faith in his team and expects them to execute desired results. When you eliminate the fear associated with the consequences of failing among team members, they get the freedom to be more expressive in their roles. At work, team members reciprocate and feel a sense of responsibility as a result of their superiors' confidence in them.

Versatile

Dhoni displays his versatility by adapting himself to any situation that he is presented with. He can bat in any position, maintain wickets, and roll his arm over, if necessary, in all three versions of the game. Executives must be versatile and adaptable in order to achieve long-term success.

As a leader, Dhoni is conscious that the focus is on him, but he never takes advantage of it. He controls his emotions at all times, whether in triumph and failure. We, at Moris Media, as sincere fans of this talented leader and team man, hope that we see him again in IPL 2024, executing what he does best in his unique style!