Friday, February 27, 2015

Why Virat Kohli Is The Best Role Model For India's Youth Now

Virat Kohli is the perfect role model for Gen Y - a generation that seems to have most older people pulling out their hair. Gen Y is seen as arrogant and brash, and more than that distracted, low involvement, superficial and the worst of all, have a smug the-world-owes-me. Whether it is their fault or ours we will leave out for now but one thing we look for is the kind of role models we wish to see in Gen Y who can inspire many from their bracket. No better name comes to mind than that of Virat Kohli.

The Gen Y Giveaways
Tough as nails, highly competitive, I'll-be-what-I-am Virat Kohli epitomises all that the Gen Y is. Tattoos, brands, attitude, reputation, girl, cars, gadgets, designer clothes etc. But why he is the perfect role model for Gen Y is what he does on the field despite all this and many more distractions I could not list. In fact no Gen Y will ever be judged by his or her distractions if they perform as Kohli does.

What He Really Is About
Kohli is high performance. He is amazingly consistent. He is highly adaptable and he is tough when the going gets tough. He learns fast and makes less errors each time. He wants to win and turns in high impact performances each time, each one better than the last. Kohli is a man anyone would want in his team for the sheer value he brings, the amount of impact he carries on any game.

What Gen Y (and all other Gens) Could Learn from Him
High Performance comes from Careful Preparation
To perform so consistently at all levels requires a tremendous amount of preparation and growth orientation. Its quite clear that Kohli desires to perform above his peers and is willing to work for it. What we are seeing, the consistency and the mental toughness, is the result of deliberate practice, far above his peers. Kohli is not easily satisfied and tries to approach a new boundary each time.

Match Wining Ability comes from Clear First Principles and Deliberate Practice
But then, he is also of impact. He adapts himself to the team's cause and cuts out all flamboyance and playing to the gallery when the situation demands. It is about the team, not about him, which makes him so special.

Adaptability comes from Process-orientation
To be able to do lesser and lesser mistakes when others in the team who are probably more talented than him are struggling, Kohli, reflects great process orientation and capability to self-correct. He will make a mistake, but a new mistake, which is about growth. He will analyse and understand each part of his game and this requires clarity, growth orientation and a good work ethic.

This, despite his distractions. Gen Y could well take a page from Virat Kohli's success. Don't merely adopt his flashy lifestyle, that is a perk he has earned. If you have to adopt something, adopt his approach to his work, his hard work, preparation and constant desire to perform, grow and deliver when most others are not able to. If you adopt that and start turning in match winning performances in whatever field you are in, none will deny you your right to enjoy the perks of what you have earned. Which is why to me, Kohli is the role model for Gen Y - and for all others Gens too as mentioned earlier.



No comments: