After a glorious career spanning 16 years, Rahul Dravid retired from Test cricket on Friday, March 9, !

1 " #ike everything else that he did on field, the prolific $atsman%s complete e&it from international cricket 'as 'ell(thought of, dignified and devoid of e&cessive sentimentalism" Dravid%s consistent performance ( coupled 'ith his impecca$le professional and personal conduct ) offers great lessons that can $e applied across a variety of careers" *ere%s 'hat company +,-s can learn from Rahul Dravid. 1" After a glorious career spanning 16 years, Rahul Dravid retired from Test cricket on Friday, March 9, !1 " #ike everything else that he did on field, the prolific $atsman%s complete e&it from international cricket 'as 'ell(thought of, dignified and devoid of e&cessive sentimentalism" Dravid%s consistent performance ( coupled 'ith his impecca$le professional and personal conduct ) offers great lessons that can $e applied across a variety of careers" *ere%s 'hat company +,-s can learn from Rahul Dravid. less 2. 1. Recognise your strengths and weaknesses Rahul%s first stint in one(day cricket 'as tougher than the young de$utant 'ould have e&pected" *e 'as soon la$eled a /Test(specialist%" 0ut Rahul 'as unpertur$ed" 12 recognised3 2 needed to get $etter at my one(day game if 2 'anted to have a long and successful career" 2 kne' that, $y far, 2 'as not a finished product early on" 4o, 2 needed to keep getting $etter"5 0usinesses can do 'ell to follo' this approach" 2f things are not 'orking out, it 'ould $e 'orth'hile to revie' the operations o$6ectively, scrap ideas that don%t 'ork and instead $uild on the company%s core areas of e&cellence" 2. Train hard/ work on your craft 2f Dravid%s story 'as to $e summari7ed in t'o 'ords, it 'ould pro$a$ly read. 1persistence pays5" A relentless hard 'orker, the former 2ndian captain diligently 'orked on his limitations 'ithout taking success for granted" *e holds the record for highest num$er of catches in Tests" 2t%s not luck" 12n chilly 'inters, he 'ould ensure he took around 8!(1!! practice catches daily" 2 have never seen him missing those catching sessions,5 off(spinner *ar$ha6an 4ingh remem$ers" ,arning an M0A degree could get you an entry into the $est companies" Talent, hard 'ork and some luck could get you to the top" 0ut constantly updating your kno'ledge through professional training or certification courses could ensure you hold the competitive edge" 3.Reinvent Mere kno'ledge is insufficient" 2t takes 'ill po'er to try out ne' things $y shedding one%s inhi$itions" -ne of the greatest pro$lems that companies face from staff and management is resistance to change" This re9uires an open mind, enormous team spirit and a commitment to adapt" Dravid $atted in every slot for :o"1 to :o";, kept 'ickets and $o'led the occasional off( spin" 2t surely 'as not easy" ,ven in the a'ay Test series in ,ngland last year< Dravid reinvented the 'ay he approached $atting as he played a more aggressive $rand of cricket to stand tall amid the team%s ruins even as he 'as fle&i$le 'hen asked to open the $atting, as he has done innumera$le times in the past" And those 'ho adapt reap the yields" 0a6a6 Auto 'as synonymous 'ith /scooters% for many decades $efore it dared to enter the motorcycle market" Today, it is the country=s second largest motorcycle manufacturer

4. Believe in yourself 14ome succeed $ecause they are destined to, $ut Rahul Dravid succeeded $ecause he 'as D,T,RM2:,D to,5 t'eeted former 2ndia opener :av6ot 4ingh 4idhu" At a time 'hen the genius

of Tendulkar, aggression of >anguly, elegance of #a&man 'ere gra$$ing headlines, the defiance of Dravid earned him the so$ri9uet /The ?all%" Dravid%s self($elief came from his solid techni9ue and 'illingness to focus on the positive side of things" -ptimism and self($elief is 'hat pushed :R :arayan Murthy to 9uit his 6o$, $orro' from his 'ife%s savings and pump in the money into a company called 2nfosys" 2nfosys today, is an inspiration and an immensely(admired institution" 2sn%t Dravid too@

5. Kee track of the co! etition/ learn fro! eers 2t takes courage to stand up and speak" 0ut it also needs courage to sit do'n and listen" As The >uardian%s Ro$ 4myth o$served, 1Dravid 'as never too proud to seek advice"5 2n !! , Dravid had no reservations in seeking $atting tips from Michael Aaughan after the ,ngland $atsman had $lasted off 2ndia=s spinners" +ompany +,-s could $enefit from keeping track of the competitors% thinking patterns, discuss trends, share concerns and offer collective solutions" Brofits are only a small part of $usiness" -verall gro'th can only $e ensured if the entire industry moves for'ard in a conducive $usiness environment

". #uard your credi$ility 2t takes centuries to $uild a reputation" 2t takes minutes to destroy one" Cust after Dravid $ecame an overnight sensation after his legendary de$ut series in ,ngland, a cola advertisement had a humourous take on Dravid%s 1Mr 4erious5 image" 1A$hi naya hai3phir style maarega3D E*e%s ne' to stardom< he%ll soon turn flam$oyantDF,5 the female character predicted a$out Dravid" 0ut time proved her 'rong" Till he retired 16 years later, Dravid guarded his upright moral values as fiercely as his off(stump" Rare, for an international sportstar" +,-s carry an enormous corporate and social responsi$ility" 4peech gaffes, corrupt deals, accounting frauds, political lo$$ying, environmental negligence can tarnish the credi$ility of companies" Top $osses should lead $y e&ample and ensure that the company remains untainted in the eyes of investors as 'ell as customers"

%. &ook at the $igger icture Dravid rarely /played% an innings" *e painstakingly /$uilt% it through toil and s'eat" *e 'as 'illing to $ide his time, leave alone the good deliveries and patiently 'ait to punish the $ad one" At times, he 'as 'illing to aggressively defend" *e al'ays had the larger interests of the team in mind" -nce playing, he 'as neither afraid of the hardship, nor tempted $y personal glory" 4ome $usiness decisions may $ring in immediate criticism" 0ut a good +,- $ears it 'ith stoic courage and focuses on the long(term returns, rather than the short(term costs" >ood +,-s measure things not only in terms of profits, $ut of value" The FM+> $usiness may not $e raking in immense profit to 2T+, $ut the cigarette giant has no' successfully forayed into this sector under the leadership of G+ Devesh'ar" According to 0usiness 4tandard, the chairman is eyeing a Rs 1!,!!! crore $usiness, even if FM+>%s current contri$ution to profit is negative

'. (ever $e co! lacent/ rest on ast laurels Despite the num$er of runs and centuries that Rahul Dravid scored in international cricket, his pre(match preparation had a routine that visuali7ing himself scoring runs on the pitch to $e used for the forthcoming match" >reat sportsmen don%t play for money or glory" They play for a feeling

that is something $eyond" -r something very $asic ) the reason that they picked up the sport in the very first place ) a spiritual 6oy of e&cellence" >reat +,-s are driven $y the urge to develop something /faster, higher, $etter or stronger%" 2t is perhaps this reason that Apple keeps launching a ne' device every fe' months, outperforming even its $est product capa$ilities

). *eliver des ite the odds Many 'ould remem$er 2ndia%s victory over Australia in !!1 for *ar$ha6an%s hat trick and #a&man%s monumental dou$le(century" #esser num$er of people 'ill remem$er Dravid%s 18! not out in the same match" And many less 'ill remem$er that Dravid 'as un'ell during the knock and 'as on anti$iotics" The master $atsman 'as also prone to dehydration throughout is career" *e countered his physical limitations $y pacing his innings through proper planning" Broduct prices are heavily dependent upon costs of storage and logistics" +ritical planning and $ack(up product delivery mechanisms ensure that goods are moved along supply chains even in times of natural disasters or other crises" A good +,- also needs to $e resourceful"

1+. Know when to retire Despite his fitness and hunger for runs, Dravid retired at the age of H9, leaving everyone shocked and 'ondering a$out the future of 2ndian cricket" A revie' of 2ndian $usiness houses Eas in 2ndian politicsF 'ill reveal that many $usiness patriarchs refuse to retire till almost the end of their lives" This leaves little room for the successor to groom himself Eor herselfF for the a$solute top 6o$, and also restricts the movement of fresher ideas in and out of the $oardrooms" ?hile critics are gunning for Tendulkar to $id good$ye follo'ing his poor run 'ith the $at, and speculations run rife a$out #a&man%s place in the team, Dravid has managed to achieve 'hat many others haven%t" Dravid may $e out, $ut he ensured that he did not retire /hurt%