It takes a village

As the euphoria and disappointment of the cricket world cup dies down, I read an interesting article read it here that mirrors my own thoughts about the Indian cricket team.

How did this Indian team become such a formidable side? In 1983, Kapil Dev single handedly gave us hope for the first time. Azharuddin had a long tenure which coincided with the advent of cable television and we were hooked. Although we would still switch of the television if Sachin Tendulkar got out. After the match fixing scandal, Sourav Ganguly rebuilt the team with fearless leadership and we saw some of the best skills on display along with Sachin, Dravid, Sehwag, VVS Laxman and Kumble. Then MS Dhoni came along and shifted the focus from individual to team and learning the art of winning. Virat Kohli has now brought in supreme fitness and has the best ever bowling unit which makes them the favorites every time they step on the field. The point is, every captain (and supporting staff and administration) has pushed the cricket team forward to where it is today.

When we watch a running relay, our focus is often on the last lap. We must not forget that the first, second and third laps have all contributed to the win.

Very often in organizations, those who contributed in the earlier stages are often overlooked. If you recognize these contributions, your people will not focus on short term wins. Perhaps a good time to remember the African proverb - it takes a village to raise a child.

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