To be a successful person, you need a dream, a plan to achieve it, and a strong mindset. But to be a leader, you need so much more. India has seen some great businessmen but none like Mr. Ghanshyam Sarda. His superpower? Reviving a done and dusted business.
Reviving the jute industry
Few people were aware of Mr. Ghanshyam Sarda’s great potential as a commercial entrepreneur when he joined the family firm after graduating from St. Xavier’s College in Kolkata. Initially, he put all of his hard work into reviving the jute industry. He put all his efforts into this sector because it was not difficult for him to recognize that the jute sector was one of the key export earners.
Keen observation let him see the opportunity that other industrialists failed to notice. Even in his younger days, he had the capability to run a company.
Mr. Sarda is now regarded as a source of inspiration for millions of people all around the Western Hemisphere. He believes that knowledge is not the legal authority, according to him; rather, it should be referred to as potential leverage.
Reviving the seafood plant
The Sarda Group currently holds a 20% market share in India’s booming jute sector. Mr. Ghanshyam Sarda did not back down as he pursued the opportunity to buy a closed seafood processing facility in Raichak, West Bengal. The seafood plant is now acknowledged as one of the major processors in Northern Bengal. This was possible because of Mr. Sarda’s expert leadership skills.
As the years rolled around, he acquired many such failing projects and turned them into successful ventures.
Philanthropic work
Mr. Sarda has established the Ram Dev Sarda Maha Vidyalaya in Purnea, Bihar. This institution was founded by Mr. Sarda to honor his father and his belief that it is important to return to nature what we took from it. Every year, this college is able to accommodate up to 5000 students.
In addition, an announcement was made, where rupees five crores were allotted for the development of a Trauma Middle School in Bikaner.
Inherent Leadership
Mr. Ghanshyam Sarda is a textbook example of a good leader. His philosophies of managing people go a long way to show how he has managed to rule the business world for so long.
- Make people feel important. It is necessary to value people. Great leaders make people feel like they are a part of the process.
- Make an effort to connect. Take the time to get to know the people you will be working with. Try to listen to them. When you connect, you’re investing in the development of even more connections.
- Even if the news is negative, be honest and straightforward. Always talk openly and honestly. Try and demonstrate that you are not scared to tell it how it is in any situation. Take the sting out of it.
- Accept responsibility if you are to blame—whether for direct actions, a failed strategy, or a leadership failure. Make no excuses and blame others.
- Give credit where credit is due. The most effective leaders recognize that they could not have achieved much on their own. Therefore, giving credit to each member of your team for your accomplishment is important since it takes a team to make things happen.
- Make sure the people you lead get the respect, gratitude, and validation they deserve. Delegate responsibilities instead of micromanaging them.
- Delegation does not imply rejecting individuals, abandoning them, or setting them up to fail. On the contrary, coaching and guidance should be included in the delegation process. Appreciate talent and discover new skills of the employees. Mr. Sarda was one of the first people to set up a training institute for factory workers.
- Appreciate talent and celebrate skills. Look for the best in others and assist them in recognizing and appreciating their abilities.
- Remember that significant progress comes from taking risks, and invention begins at the edge of discomfort.
- Encourage and motivate. Motivate others to achieve their full potential, even if they are unaware of it.
- Team spirit. Give team spirit a higher priority than individual achievement. Long- term success can be achieved through focusing on spirit.
Leaders that stand out from the crowd aren’t necessarily those who wield absolute power but rather those who have the potential to empower others. Due to his perseverance and hunger for knowledge, Mr. Ghanshyam Sarda has managed to stay on top of the business world for decades. Few leadership traits of Mr. Sarda can even be seen in his son Mr. Neetish Sarda. He recently reached new heights with his company ‘Smartworks’ that deals with managed office spaces.