Leadership Lessons From Captain Cool M. S. Dhoni

Known for his cool and collected behavior in any situation, both on the pitch and off, Captain Cool M. S. Dhoni leads the Indian Cricket team to many victories. Touted to be one of India’s most successful captains, he led the team to victory in the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20, the Commonwealth Bank Series of 2007– 2008, the 2010 Asia Cup, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. But, he is not just known for his excellence on the cricket pitch. The former Indian skipper’s leadership style offers invaluable lessons to managers at all levels.

Here are some of the many leadership skills budding entrepreneurs can learn from India’s most successful captain M. S. Dhoni:

Establishing credibility
Dhoni was made the captain of the Indian Cricket team over established senior players like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. While many doubted his skills, he bid his time to make the necessary changes, learned what the senior players had to offer, observed methods that had been proven to work and then slowly built an unbeatable team. He took his time to establish his credibility with the team first and then with the world. Many new managers, in the thirst to prove themselves, forget to observe and listen to the problems the company might be facing. Instead of rushing in head first to mark your territory, focus on the main goal and slowly make the necessary changes. He has stated in multiple interviews during the early years of his captaincy that he learned a lot from the senior more experienced members of his team.

Confidence and success
Dhoni has always been confident and forthright about his decisions, his teammates and the game. He did not let anything hold him back, he knew what needed to be done and many times, his risky decisions won the Indian team the game. One of the most important characteristics of a successful leader is leading the team from the front. Being confident about your decisions and finishing what you began, no matter how risky is good leadership. Despite severe criticism, Dhoni never lets anything affect his decisions. He knew his team better than anyone else and had the confidence in his teammates to make his strategies work. That’s the kind of mindset any entrepreneur should develop. To this date, Dhoni remains humble regardless of his many achievements. It is always a team effort and a team achievement. He handled fame like a professional and that is something every entrepreneur should learn.

Focus and Instinct
The ability to distance yourself from the environment and concentrating on the game is vital for success. It is an art form that Dhoni has mastered and implemented in all his years as the captain and after his resignation as well. Focusing is the capability to isolate yourself from the environment which helps to cut through distraction and negative energy. Dhoni demonstrated this character in abundance during all the major championships. Another major quality entrepreneurs should learn from Dhoni is his aptitude to trust his instinct. He trusts his instincts based on knowledge and experience and they, generally, don’t lead him astray. While leaders have advisors and data to help them in decision making, true leaders also rely on their gut to make the right decision. In a Champions League final against England, Dhoni chose Ishant Shama over Umesh Yadav or Bhuvaneshwar Kumar to bowl the 18th over. His instinct was right and India took 2 crucial wickets leading to victory.

Captain cool has proved it time and again that a calm, collected and focused mind can do wonders for the team. Rather than dictate what to do, he leads from the front and is a complete team player. All these characteristics make him one of the greatest leaders of today.

Watch how M. S. Dhoni overcame all obstacles to become the most beloved captain of India