M.S.

Dhoni’s
10 Leadership Lessons

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has developed a reputation for
being one of the greatest leaders that the game of cricket has ever seen. 

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
 Dhoni holds several records
including most wins by an Indian
captain in Tests and One Day
Internationals, and most back-to-
back wins by an Indian captain in
One Day Internationals.

MS Dhoni has retired from international cricket after a long and

successful career with India both as a captain and as a revered
wicketkeeper-batsman.
By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Under Dhoni's captaincy,
• India won the 2007 International Cricket Council (ICC)

• World Twenty20, 

• the Commonwealth Bank Series of 2007–08,

• the 2010 Asia Cup,

• the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and

• the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Managing egos and legacy
personalities
• Dhoni was made captain ahead of
several other established players and
former captains in 2007.

• He took his time about making changes

and maintained methods that had been
proven to work.

• He managed the egos of most of his

players.

• he talks about learning from the seniors

in his team.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Handling Success
• Dhoni won fame and money at an early
stage in his career but he was, and still is,
humble and modest.

• He maintained a steady path and was not

brash, flash or overbearing.

• Managers who gain success too early on

often lose their balance and cannot
maintain the poise required for longevity.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Staying calm under
pressure
• Even when severely tested,
Dhoni manages to stay calm
and this influences his whole
team to resist caving in.

• They gain self belief and

continue to perform at their
best, inspired by their captain.
This is one of the biggest gifts a
leader can give to his company. 

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Staying Focussed
• Being able to insulate yourself from
your environment is vital for
success, and Dhoni demonstrated
this during the Champions Trophy
when there was controversy over
the Indian Premier League.

• An ability to cut through distraction

and negative energy is one of the
best marks of a leader in every
situation.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Trust your Instinct
• Leaders generally have advisors and
data to help them in decision
making, but they also need to rely
on their gut instinct.

• True captains can do this.

• In a Champions League final

playing against England, Dhoni
chose Ishant Shama over Umesh
Yadav to bowl one more over. The
match turned for India.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Handling Failure
• In the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni and his
team were spectacularly successful but
then suffered a string of losses.

• Dhoni fought back simply by playing

well.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Competitor respect
• In sport as in business or any other
field, you know you have achieved a Shahid Afridi
milestone when your opponents take
you seriously and allow themselves to
show a degree of respect to you.

• Dhoni has made that happen by his

consistent, calm behavior.
McCullam

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Team Playing
• Dhoni backs his players at all times
with trust and confidence.

• This support gives them the ability

to play at their best and also
endows them with a sense of
responsibility to perform well.

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
Versatility
• Staying agile in sport and business is
another masterstroke.
• Dhoni can play three formats of the
game; he can bat, keep wicket and
bowl.
• He is popular but does not demand
attention.
• He does not get over- emotional in
victory, or in defeat.

Versatility is another key to longevity in business and in sport!

By E. K. Vinod Nambiar
By E. K. Vinod Nambiar