Mantras for success and leadership!

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Prakash Iyer, the author of one of the bestsellers The Habit of Winning, has now written his second book The Secret of Leadership, which was launched in Mumbai recently. Prakash opens up about the joy of sharing all that he has learnt, his favourite leaders and drawing inspirations from bus drivers in Andhra Pradesh to footballers in Europe.

Unleash the winner in you
Both my books aim to help unleash the winner inside each of us, and help us lead the life we were meant to lead. I use stories to get the message across. There are about 60 stories in each book, drawn from sources as diverse as cricket and the cola wars, porcupines and giraffes, Andhra bus drivers and footballers in Europe. .

The power of stories
I often find myself looking at something — say a game, or an animal, or even an object - and then trying to draw lessons from it that could apply to life and work. And often after reading a 300 page book, or after talking to someone, I found that what stayed with me was just one line, or a little 30 word story. I found I could draw lessons from that and could relate it to my work in some manner. In its own way, looking for that common ground between seemingly unrelated things can be great fun!
Thanks to my bosses and colleagues
In a corporate career of over 25 years, I have found stories to be very powerful in getting your message across to teams. Stories stick in the mind, and can be powerful tools to change attitudes and behaviours. And I have been touched by several fabulous colleagues, from whom I learnt a lot!

Looking for leadership in unusual places
I was born in Jaipur, and am the youngest of three siblings. My parents have been huge influences in my life. And I learnt a whole lot from my father. I am also a great admirer of people like Rahul Dravid. (Rahul has written the foreword to the book).

Keys to success
I am a huge optimist. I believe good things will happen. I am passionate about whatever I do, and genuinely believe in the dictum ‘If it is to be, it is up to me!’ I enjoy working with other people! And yes, I don’t take myself too seriously! Stop focusing on what you don’t have - and focus instead on your strengths. Stop blaming other people and take responsibility. Don’t procrastinate. Take that first step — today!