POWER POLITICS AND

INFLUENCE

MIMI PROJECT

BY
RACHANA BU

(200101217081)
 Oskar Schindler

Early life and education

Schindler was born on 28 April 1908, into a Sudeten German family in Zwittau, Moravia,
Austria-Hungary. His father was Johann "Hans" Schindler, the owner of a farm machinery
business

After attending primary and secondary school, Schindler enrolled in a technical school, from
which he was expelled in 1924 for forging his report card. He later graduated, but did not
take the Abitur exams that would have enabled him to go to college or university. Instead, he
took courses in Brno in several trades, including chauffeuring and machinery, and worked for
his father for three years. A fan of motorcycles since his youth, Schindler bought a 250-cc
Moto Guzzi racing motorcycle and competed recreationally in mountain races for the next
few years.

Soon after his marriage, Schindler quit working for his father and took a series of jobs,
including a position at Moravian Electrotechnics and the management of a driving school.
THE LEADERS

There were two key leadership styles we identified in this film:

transformational and autocratic.
Oskar Schindler, the main character and unlikely hero of the film, truly demonstrates
characteristics of a transformational leader. As the film opens, it’s clear Schindler is a
savvy, charismatic businessman who will stop at nothing to make a fortune. So, when
Nazi law encourages the exploitation of Jews as workers, Schindler jumps at the
chance to take advantage of the scenario (despite knowing the exploitation is wrong).
However, as World War II progresses—and the fate of the Jews becomes more and
more clear—Schindler slowly transforms from a greedy war profiteer to a courageous,
sympathetic leader determined to use his power (and persuasive charisma) for good.
Sacrificing his safety and wealth to help others, Schindler bravely stands up for what
he believes in through bribing Nazi/SS commanders to protect his Jewish workers
and keep his factory a safe “sub-camp” for them.
Demonstrating courage, kindness, assertiveness and charisma—all in the face of one
of history’s most ruthless regimes—Schindler provides an extraordinary example of
leadership still relevant today.

On the other hand, the antagonist of the film–Nazi commander Amon Goeth–is
an autocratic leader, using a ruthless, authoritarian leadership style to assert his
power and control over the Jews of the Plaszów work camp. Deeply entrenched in
Nazi philosophy, Goeth rarely listens to input from others, refuses to admit he is
wrong for fear of showing weakness and dictates all decisions in the camp–including
shooting random prisoners from his Villa balcony for fun.
POWER TACTICS USED SUCESSFULLY
Because Schindler’s List is set during World War II, the ethical dilemmas are essentially
embedded in the tumultuous plot–an intersection of conflict rooted in politics, business and
humanity. However, there is an important turning point in the film where Schindler begins to
struggle internally and the main ethical dilemma of the film arises. As Schindler witnesses
the violent and dramatic evacuation of the Polish Kraków ghetto, he sees a little Jewish girl in
a red coat aimlessly wandering the dirty streets. Sticking out among the black and white
images of the film, it becomes evident that the girl awakens a form of humanity in Schindler.
It is from this point forward that Schindler begins making a personal effort to bring Jews to
safety in his factory–and, consequently, has to bribe, work with, and obey members of the
Nazi regime.
 Leena Nair
Leena Nair (born 1969) is a British Indian business executive who is the Global CEO of
Chanel. Nair previously served as the Chief Human Resource Officer of Unilever and
member of the Unilever Leadership Executive. Nair was responsible for the human capital of
Unilever, which operates across multiple regulatory and labour environments spread over 190
countries. Under her leadership, Unilever has been named the number one FMCG graduate
employer of choice in 54 countries. She headed the Diversity and Inclusion agenda for the
organization ensuring that its workforce is diverse and inclusive. Nair is an advocate for
human-cantered workplaces and compassionate leadership.

Early life and education

Her hometown is Kolhapur, Maharashtra. She is the daughter of K. Karthikeyan. She is
cousin of industrialists Vijay Menon and Sachin Menon. She was a student of Holy Cross
Convent High School in Kolhapur. She was also student of The New College Kolhapur.
Before graduating from XLRI – Xavier School of Management as the gold medallist (1990-
1992), she studied Electronics and Telecommunication (E&TC) engineering at Watchband
College of Engineering, Sangli (Maharashtra). After working at Jamshedpur, she started
working at three different factories in Kolkata, Ambattur, Tamil Nadu and Taloja,
Maharashtra.

Career
Chanel
 In 2016, Nair became Unilever's "first female, first Asian, youngest ever" chief human-
resources officer
 In December 2021, Nair was appointed chief executive officer of Chanel
 She is the mentee of Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo

Unilever
 2016: Appointed Chief Human Resources Officer and member of the Unilever
Leadership Executive
 2013: SVP HR Leadership and Organizational Development and Global Head of Diversity
 2007: Executive Director HR of Hindustan Unilever Limited
 1992-2007: Various roles in factories, sales and corporate headquarters in Hindustan
Unilever
 1992: Joined Unilever as management trainee of Hindustan Unilever

ACHIVEMENT

Awards and recognition

 Role Model of Year, The Great British Businesswoman's Awards (2021)
 Fortune India's Most Powerful Women's List (2021)
 Global Indian of the Year – The Economic Times’ Prime Women Leadership Awards (2020)
 LinkedIn Top Voice (2018-2020)
 Thinkers50 List – Thinkers Who Will Shape the Future of Business (2019)
 Top 10 list of FT Heroes Champions of Women in Business by the Financial Times (2017-
2019)
 Recognized by Queen Elizabeth II as one of the accomplished Indian Business Leaders in the
UK (201
Nair was the first woman and youngest-ever Chief Human Resources
Officer of Unilever- a company with which her association spans for 30
long years. It was Unilever, that broke the news of Nair’s new appointment.

STORY OUTLINE
 Leena Nair switched lanes from engineering to management after she realized that
engineering was not for her.
 Nair carefully plans her days, and leaves out time to learn new skills, and meet interesting
people.
 Nair had a life-altering experience during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
 Nair writes three things she is grateful for, every night.
 Nair believing in taking care of her physical fitness.

Humble Beginnings 

Nair, who grew up in Kolhapur (Maharashtra), had to fight many taboos, and convince her family to
allow her to pursue an engineering degree in Electronics and Telecommunication. However, on
completion, she worked as an engineer for about six months as she did not see a future for herself in
that profession. So, she switched lanes and went to study management at XLRI, Jamshedpur, which
took another round of convincing the family. But, clearly that career mov e was the best decision
for her.

Lessons From Mumbai Terror Attack

One of the most important lessons on leadership that Nair learned was on the fateful night of
2008 Mumbai terror attack, when she was part of one of the groups stuck inside Taj.
“Throughout the attack, I remember the courage of the girl who was leading the staff and the
guests. She showed so much situational leadership, trying to find places for us to hide, giving
us water through the night, trying to give us whatever information she could find.. She was so
calm and composed. I learned that day that leadership is situational, it doesn't matter if you are
senior or junior, what matters is stepping up.” 
Always A Learner 

Nair has definitely not transformed into the boss lady she is today without a fair bit of careful
planning. At the beginning of every year, for instance, she allocates her time prudently. She assigns
only 60 per cent of her time to work and the other forty per cent she keeps for ‘meeting interesting
people, going for conferences and Ted Talks, and for just being open to what’s happening around
her’ 
She describes herself as a learner, and in the last decade had tried her hand at horse-riding, golfing
and even learned how to play the keyboard, although she isn’t particularly musically inclined.
Currently, she is brushing up her Spanish-speaking skills. 
In an interview in 2019, Nair had said, “These learnings may not make sense to me today, but the
dots will connect someday. They keep me young and fresh, and always hungry and curious.” 

Counting Her Blessing 

Nair also believes in self-care and gratitude lists. “ I write a list every night, before sleeping, about
three things I am grateful for and I get both my children to do it. They do it under protest, but they
still do it,” she had previously said in an interview. Nair, who was obese at one point, is also a fitness
freak. She loves nature walks and jogs often. 

Every Sunday, in fact, she jogs to a temple nearby. “I’m perhaps the only devotee in the temple in
skin tight pants, and jogging t-shirt. I sit quietly and meditate. I reflect on the week and thank god,”
she said. That’s another thing about Nair, she believes in counting her blessings. 

.. 
 Abraham Lincoln, 1860

Abraham Lincoln is considered a model of leadership. He fought to preserve national unity

amid the United States’ greatest trial, the Civil War, and successfully worked to end slavery.

Leadership and Management

Leadership is one of the most important concepts in management, and many researchers have
proposed theories and frameworks for understanding it. Some have distinguished among
types of leadership such as charismatic, heroic, and transformational leadership.
Other experts discuss the distinctions between managers and leaders, while others address the
personality and cognitive factors most likely to predict a successful leader. The many
dimensions of leadership indicate how complex a notion it is and how difficult effective
leadership can be.
Management versus Leadership

Though they have traits in common, leadership and management both have unique
responsibilities that do not necessarily overlap.

Qualities that Made Abraham Lincoln a Great Leader

Capacity to Listen to Different Points of View

Lincoln had the capacity to listen to different points of view. He created a climate where
Cabinet members were free to disagree without fear of retaliation. At the same time, he knew
when to stop the discussion and after listening to the various opinions, make a final decision.

Ability to Learn on the Job

Lincoln was able to acknowledge errors, learn from them, and then move. In this way, he
established a culture of learning in his administration,

Ready Willingness to Share Credit for Success

Lincoln spoke up and indicated that he and his entire Cabinet were to blame.

Awareness of Own Weakness

Lincoln would follow up with a kind gesture or letter to let the individual know he was not
holding a grudge

Ability to Communicate Goals and Vision

His greatness consisted of the “integrity of his character and moral fiber of his being.”
 Anil Manibhai Naik ( A. M. Naik)
Anil Manibhai Naik (born 9 June 1942) is an Indian industrialist, philanthropist and the
Group Chairman of Larsen & Toubro Limited, an Indian engineering conglomerate, and since
2018, the Chairman of the National Skill Development Corporation.
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's 3rd highest civilian award, in 2009.In 2019, he
was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's 2nd highest civilian award. Naik is also the
recipient of the 'Economic Times - Business Leader of the Year Award, for the year 2008.

Early life
Naik is a Gujarati.[10] He was born to a family of teachers in Gujarat, also referred to as
Master Kurumba in Gujarati language. His father, who used to teach at a public school in
Mumbai, heeded Mahatma Gandhi’s call to revitalise India's villages, and decided to return to
his native village along with his family. Young Anil's early schooling therefore was in Endhal
and the neighbouring village of Kharel. In June 1958, Naik enrolled at V.P. Science College
in Vallabh Vidyanagar, where he would prepare for a year for admission to an engineering
college.
He graduated with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Birla Vishvakarma
Mahavidyalaya Engineering college in Vallabh Vidyanagar in Gujarat.

After graduation, he went to Mumbai with a note from his father introducing him to Viren J.
Shah working in Mukand Iron & Steel Works Limited to apply for its engineering
programme. Due to his lack of proficiency in English, the personnel manager had asked him
to improve his English. So Naik started working on his English skills. In the meantime, he
joined Nestor Boilers, which was a Parsi-owned firm. Changes in ownership and
management style at Nestor Boilers prompted Naik to turn to L&T.

Career at L&T
On 15 March 1965, Naik joined L&T, as a junior engineer. A rapid rise followed. He was
appointed Assistant Manager within three years and 15 days of joining – a record at L&T He
was promoted as General Manager in 1986. He became Member of board of L&T Limited on
23 November 1989.

In 1999, he took over as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. In 2003, he
became the Chairman of Larsen & Toubro, the first employee in the Company's history to be
elevated to this post. At the helm, Naik initiated the transformation process that made L&T
into a more entrepreneurial organisation with increased emphasis on wealth creation for all
stakeholders. In an interview to McKinsey, Naik explained his reasons for the portfolio
rationalisation that he undertook.

In 2017, he stepped aside from executive responsibilities, and took over as Group
Chairman.

Ring fencing L&T

In the late 1980s, L&T encountered a take-over attempt as a large business group seized
substantial stake in the company. Matters came to a head in 2002, when the group's entire
holding was transferred end bloc to yet another family-owned business house. The way in
which Naik thwarted the take-over and fortified L&T against such threats has been widely
covered in the media. It ended in a ‘win-win’, with all parties concerned being happy with the
outcome. S. Gurumurthy, currently on the Board of the Reserve Bank of India described the
events as a ‘security threat for L&T being converted into a security ring.’ The Employee
Stock Options which emanated from the successful resolution of the issue gave financial
security to a large section of employees, and allowed them to share in the Company's growth.

Shaping L&T into a ‘Nation Builder

Naik's stewardship of L&T is characterised by a sharper focus on sectors of national
significance - defence, nuclear, aerospace, infrastructure, oil & gas and power. He has been
instrumental in imparting a strong, nationalistic orientation to the Company's products,
offerings and capabilities, giving rise to its description as ‘the company that is building 21st
Century India

Chairman – NSDC
In 2018, the Government of India appointed Naik the Chairman of the National Skill
Development Corporation – the apex body to promote skilling and part of the Skill India
mission of the Prime Minister. Making the announcement, Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said under Naik's leadership, the corporation
apart from its engagement in executing skilling modules, should also be a think-tank
providing direction and necessary guidance for creating a demand-based skilling ecosystem
in the country. Naik said NSDC has developed a unique model combining skill development
with strong industry partnerships. NSDC, under the ministry, aims to promote skill
development by catalysing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
The organisation provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training
initiatives.

ACHIVEMENT
 Honorary Consul General for Denmark.
 Senior member of the Confederation of Indian Industry.
 Member of the Board of Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.
 Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
 Former Member of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad.
 Nominated as the Chairman of the IIMA (IIM Ahmedabad) Society and the Board of
Governors, for a period of three years starting 28 March 2012[75]
 Conferred ‘Doctor of Letters’ (Honoris Causa) by the Sardar Patel University on 15 December
2011
 Conferred Doctor of Philosophy from Gujarat Technological University on 19 January 2013
 Conferred Doctor of Letters from Veer Narmad University of South Gujarat on 26 February
2016
  Conferred Doctor of Science from Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in December
2016
 Ranked India’s Most Generous Corporate Professional by Hurun India and Edelgive
Foundation - 2021

2021 Lifetime Achievement Award Business Standard [36]

2019 Padma Vibhushan Government of India [37]

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Bombay Management Association [38]

2018 Lifetime Achievement Award Business Today

2017 India's  50 Greatest CEOs Ever Outlook Magazine

2015 Giants International Award Giants International

2015 Businessman of the Year 2014 Award Business India

Lakshya Business Business Visionary National Institute of Industrial Engineering

2015
Awards 2015 (NITIE), Mumbai

India Today Power List – 50 Most

2014 India Today
Powerful People

The Best-Performing CEOs in the

2012 Harvard Business Review
World

D.M. Trivedi Lifetime Achievement

2012 Indian Chemical Council
Award

2012 Infrastructure Leader of the Year Infrastructure Excellence Awards

2012 Most Powerful CEOs Economic Times

POWER TACTICS AND LEADERSHIP
Managing leadership succession is very challenging for all organisations, tougher for more complex
entities. Unfortunately, in several cases, neither the incumbent nor the board wakes up to address
this challenge early on. 

Typically, in their hurry to grow the organisation, they either forget or do not devote adequate
attention to such a strategically important matter before it becomes a crisis. The leadership change
at L&T has attracted a lot of attention precisely for the same reason. There are several lessons from
this experience. 

Leadership succession is like a relay race. Choice of the runners for each lap depends on the
challenges ahead, the first and last runners being the fastest. There has to be adequate preparation
and perfect understanding between runners about the timing of passing the baton. 

The person handing over the baton should feel confident that the person receiving it has caught hold
of it. The two runners have to have perfect understanding between them about each other. In a
well-trained context, this happens in split seconds. Played out in slow motion, the same thing
happens in leadership succession in corporations.

In this highly professionalised organisation, the board and management have always been aware of
the need for finding a successor to Mr Naik, who is already 70. In fact, media reports that appeared
about two years ago had described the dilemma that the company was going to face. 

It is unfortunate that the board did not do much then or earlier about choosing the runner for the
next lap with all the appropriate capabilities, and prepare the ground for a smooth change over. This
was in spite of the fact that the entire team of executive directors was over 60 then!

Start Early 

The board should have started the process of identifying the successor at least five years back with a
definite deadline, and intensified the search especially when it was clear then itself that there was
no obvious choice available. 

The company would have been better off with a younger top leadership to steer the organisation to
achieve the 25 percent compound growth planned in the next several years. Such an approach
would have guaranteed smooth transition of leadership at L&T, with an over lapping phase for the
baton change to be trouble free.

Doubles Game 

The current decision to split the responsibilities between chairman and managing director appears
to be a convenient decision. The new duo of chairman and MD/CEO is going to face sharing the
responsibilities of shaping the destiny of the organisation. It may not be easy for the new entrant to
flourish when Mr Naik’s shadow continues to loom large as the executive chairman.  
Given that Mr Naik and Mr Venkatraman will play a doubles game for the next five years, it is critical
for them both as well as the board to objectively discuss the roles they will actually play
independently and jointly. The new MD should not become a figure head.

Prepare Next Runner 

Mr Naik has built L&T into a giant organisation, fighting several odds. He has a larger than life image.
In such a scenario, it is for the incumbent to remind himself of the trusteeship role he is playing and
prepare the organisation for the next leader. It appears that Mr Naik did not do it early enough.

By asking Mr Naik to continue as the executive chairman, the board has signalled its lack of
preparedness for a change which is inevitable for anyone. Many leaders in business and politics do
not believe that their time for retirement would ever come; they tend to think that they alone are
capable of running subsequent laps. They do not recognise the need to prepare the next lap runner
early on. Mr Naik and the board failed in their trusteeship responsibility.

Insecurity of Retirement 

The longer a leader stays and the bigger the success, the greater is likely to be the challenge for his
departure. Individual egos play a dominant role in refusing to accept realities. This is where some of
the basic teachings of this country such as detachment, contentment and feeling of duty become all
the more helpful. This is when leaders show their maturity.

National Institution 

L&T is a national institution, respected and regarded for its professionalism by multiple stakeholders.
The top team, representing all the stakeholders has a responsibility to ensure that it starts preparing
for the next lap runner now itself. As trustees, they have to constantly remind themselves that no
individual is indispensable.