Robin Sharma eyes ‘new path to leadership’

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Sharma is also givign leadership coaching to companies. He will be giving an exclusive conference in Istanbul.

Istanbul is preparing to host Robin Sharma, the writer of one of the most popular books, “The Monk who sold his Ferrari,” on May 23. Ahead of his visit to Turkey, Sharma answered some questions to Hürriyet Daily News. Sharma, this time, aims put forward a new path to leadership.

“Leadership’s actually easy. It’s the execution that takes focus, effort, discipline and patience,” according to Sharma, whose latest book offers a new model of leadership.

“I teach in my new book ‘The Leader Who Had No Title,’ that the old model of leadership is obsolete. Now, anyone in any job can show leadership. Because leadership is not about a title or a position. True leadership’s much more about staying positive in tough times, doing world-class work, building fantastic relationships, innovating like Picasso painted and using your life to make history, in your own way,” he said.

You don’t have to have a title to do that, he said, adding that organizations that grew leaders at every level of the organization would dominate their industry.

While many people know him primarily for his bestseller “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari,” Sharma pointed out that, “I’ve been helping companies like Starbucks, GE, NIKE, Oracle and FedEx unleash the leadership potential of their employees for over 15 years,” he said.

Who should read this book?

“The ‘Lead Without a Title’ philosophy is not just for businesspeople. Just imagine a world where kids saw themselves as leaders of their schoolwork and fitness and their lives,” he added.

“Just imagine if chefs and filmmakers and scientists began to think of themselves as having the responsibility to show leadership each day,” he said, adding that this would be a world he’d love to live in.

“Anyone who wants to achieve a dramatic improvement in the quality of their work, real improvements in their productivity and performance and anyone who wants to live a life they feel super proud of at the end,” replied Sharma.

This book is already causing transformations in many people’s lives around the world.

What should the reader expect?

There are actually a series of Lead Without a Title “best practices” that Sharma shares in the book to help people shift from being a victim to working and living like a world-class leader.

“To have the results that very few have, we must be willing to start doing the things that very few are willing to do,” he said, adding that these new behaviors were the ways adopted by the CEOs and billionaires coached by Sharma.

According to Sharma, one of those key behaviors is “leaving people better than we find them.” Elaborating on this, Sharma says, “In business, if you take care of the relationship the money will follow. If you obsess about giving customers 10 times the value they expect, they will beat a path to your door. That’s what this rule you mention is all about; remembering to wow customers, and teammates, every time you have the privilege to encounter them.”

How can a leader benefit from attending the event?

“First, there is massive value just taking time away from the office to spend time with smart, inspired people. Their ideas and energy will influence you. And make your work and life more robust,” Sharma said.

Second, at this event, I’ll teach hundreds of ideas and tactics the attendees can immediately use to become a far better leader, doubling productivity, to drive much higher innovation and develop a team of elite performers that get big things done fast, he said

“Also, everyone will learn how to create a much richer and happier life. That’s so important too. Because what’s the point of getting to the end of our careers and being Best in The World at what we do, but completely empty inside.”

Sharma added that he was excited to be back in Istanbul for the event. “Turkey is a nation I love very much,” he said.