Episode 534: Unleash Your Leadership Potential (Premium Preview)

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Episode Summary

Leadership expert Shyam Ramanathan joins Cornelius Fichtner to unpack what great leadership looks like for project managers. Shyam brings over two decades in IT, an extensive leadership blog with 400 plus posts, and two books, “Maximise Potential” and “Maximise Potential 2.” He outlines a clear, three-part foundation for leading well, then connects it to day-to-day project work. You hear how vision sets the direction, how the ability to inspire moves people to act, and how leading by example creates credibility. Shyam ties these principles to project realities like reading the charter, clarifying scope and budget, selecting and positioning the right people, and building a balanced team through honest self-awareness.

• Sports as a leadership laboratory, including preparation habits, how top performers handle losses, and why grace in defeat signals true strength.
• Team leadership in practice, from “brilliant on the basics” to mentoring, using candor with management, and applying “disagree and commit.”
• Competition and winning, setting meaningful benchmarks, celebrating others, and keeping the cause bigger than the individual.
• How leaders slip, where greed overtakes ambition, and practical safeguards like journaling, early escalation, and mentorship.
• Ethics and accountability, financial integrity, respecting laws and culture, and why cross-cultural teams benefit from careful listening and example.
• The one trait Shyam puts at the top of the list, practical optimism, plus simple routines that keep it alive when crises hit.
• Stepping up beyond projects by asking for opportunities, strengthening communication, and, most of all, enjoying helping people succeed.

Throughout, Shyam uses memorable stories and clear language to make leadership actionable. You get direct guidance you can apply on your next project status call, during your next scope debate, or when you must ask for a team change. No tennis racket required.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Three Core Duties of a Leader - How vision, inspiring action, and leading by example guide effective project leadership.
• Translating Principles to Projects - Using the charter, clarifying scope and cost, and putting the right people in the right seats.
• Team First Practices - Mentoring, protecting self-esteem, using candor with stakeholders, and applying “disagree and commit.”
• Ethics Under Pressure - Keeping financial integrity, respecting local laws, and navigating cross-cultural norms.
• Practical Optimism - Maintaining solution focus and daily habits that help leaders show up strong.

Resources Mentioned

• Maximise Potential 2 - The follow-up volume with additional curated posts.
• MaximisePotential.blogspot.com - Shyam’s leadership blog with 400 plus posts.

Quotes from This Episode

• “Leading is about three things for me. One is having a vision, the ability to inspire others, and then finally lead by example.” – Shyam Ramanathan
• “Without a team, there is no leader.” – Shyam Ramanathan
• “You need to be a practical optimist, you acknowledge the situation, but you always find a solution.” – Shyam Ramanathan

Connect with Shyam Ramanathan

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsundarramanathan/
• Website: http://maximisepotential.blogspot.com

Time-Stamped Show Notes

• [00:15] – Episode introduction and interview setup.
• [03:31] – What makes a leader, three pillars, and how that translates to project leadership.
• [08:48] – Sports analogies, preparation and handling losses, plus the Rahul Dravid example.
• [14:46] – Team leadership, “brilliant on the basics,” mentoring, candor, and “disagree and commit.”
• [28:45] – Competition and winning, setting meaningful milestones, and keeping the cause larger than the individual.
• [37:25] – Slipping up in business, greed versus ambition, journaling, and beating the news home.
• [45:06] – Ethics and accountability, financial integrity, and leading cross-cultural teams with care.
• [58:06] – Traits of great leaders, practical optimism, and simple routines that keep leaders steady.
• [1:00:47] – Stepping up beyond projects, asking for opportunities, and why liking people matters.

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