Lessons Coaches and Online Business Owners can Learn and Implement from Tata

These management lessons were adapted from the book ” The Tata Saga: Timeless Stories From India’s Largest Business Group ” by Penguin Random House India

Leaders are great readers. And ever since I developed the habit of reading, I’ve had this practice of making notes. That manner is there in me from my school days, I should say 🙂. Taking notes always helped me to organize my thoughts and record vital information in every area of my business and life. Richard Branson believes everyone should be taking notes and carries a notebook with him everywhere. Well, anyway, this blog is not on note-making.

I thought of sharing these valuable lessons that I learned from this amazing book.

Right from the salt, we add to our food to the watch we wear and to the car we drive, TATA is a household brand name that is synonymous with loyalty and trust. A careful analysis shows that a value-driven organization like the TATAs is led by mission-oriented leaders. Tata not only aims to generate huge profits in businesses but also aims to transform the lives of their employees, the communities in which they live, and the society at large. Ratan Tata, the Chairman of Tata Sons has shown the world what leadership means and what a true leader sets out to build and achieve. Here’s how you can use the leadership secrets from Tata, the giant of an industrialist and flag bearer of philanthropy, and apply them in your coaching business.

Lesson #1– Coaches must be visionaries: Any business without a vision falls flat in due course of time. The business owner has to be a visionary at heart. Only a visionary can see newer avenues of business expansion where others perceive possibilities of failure. This is evident when Mr. Ratan Tata himself claimed to have been dissuaded whilst venturing into automobile manufacturing without a foreign joint venture. Ratan Tata once recollected that everyone told them it couldn’t be done without having a joint venture or a partnership with an international company. But he went ahead believing in his visions, and India’s 1st indigenous car, The Tata Indica was born. Instead of listening to other people, listen to your intuitions and work towards building your business. Learn from the failures, correct the mistakes, and proceed with the single aim of achieving your goal.

Lesson #2– Coaches are defined by humility: Humility to embrace everyone with dignity and respect is the symbol of a genuine leader. One who has humility can bring together diverse talents in a dynamic ecosystem and empower them to give their best in every situation. Ratan Tata embraced the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and made sure that they were well taken care of. Everyone associated with TATA ventures takes great pride in being associated with an organization driven by supreme human values.No one is perfect. Everyone loses. Everyone makes mistakes. It is important to use those humbling times as opportunities for growth. Its when we are most humble that we are most open to feedback and guidance from others. Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage.

Lesson #3– Coaches must be innovators: A coach must have the knack of transforming a crisis into an opportunity for growth. This calls for innovation. After brand Tanishq was launched in 1995 with the view of creating a market segment for delicate 18K jewelry bordering on western designs, it faced terrible losses amounting to Rs 150 crores. It was only after a lot of market research that the management, under the leadership of Mr. Ratan Tata, innovated in terms of process and product. Tanishq not only launched 22K traditional Indian designs in the market but also devised Karatmeter to test the purity of the gold it was vouching for. This completely changed the game and as more people came to trust the scientific way of evaluating gold, the business picked up. Tanishq is now the Leader in the Jewellery industry. An innovative coach puts clients on the pathway of success by providing personalized practices, encouragement, and strategies. A coach’s creativity also inspires clients to perform better and encourages individual creativity.

Lesson #4– Coaches must be able to take criticism as a lesson: Ratan Tata once said, “Take the stones people throw at you and use them to build a monument.’ Conviction in one’s own belief is critical to turn around any situation. Criticism is inevitable, especially if we invite diverse perspectives and boldly lay out a big vision. Apply the criticism to your role, not yourself. Pause and reflect.

Lesson #5– Coaches must have the courage and confidence to undertake risks: Working on a safe mode always can lead to an organization becoming stagnant in due course of time. Taking risks ushers in difficult and confusing situations and precisely, these situations can act as forerunners of innovation. The ability to break free from the comfort zone is the key to gaining new markets. Acquiring Jaguar Land Rover, against much apprehension, went to boost the profits of TATA Motors. This is the secret behind highly successful effective businesses.

Will you use the leadership secrets from TATA to create an Online coaching Business?

Type LST in the comments if you do.

Every person is a front-runner in his or her own way. Many a time, these latent skills need to be nurtured. The best and structured way to polish these skills is by continuing learning, one can explore effective coaching to turn your expertise into online courses and then grow it into the next level at Marvelous Entrepreneurs Academy. This course aims to equip future coaches with skills that will help them drive a people-oriented business and create an ecosystem for impact and freedom. If you want to learn how to do this, I have a 60-minute training that you can access for FREE.

Maybe you are able to see a different aspect of these pointers. Feel free to share in the comments.

Until next, Stay Marvelous!

Kavitha Rajeevkumar