Just a few days ago, Abhik Prasad published an interesting piece on whether start-ups had considered how much they might actually need a Brand Nurturer. He used the word “Asha” in place of brand nurturer as an easy-to-understand analogy that every Rodinhooder would relate to – w.r.t. our very own Rodinhoods editor, Asha Chaudhry. I have continued the same analogy… with a wave and greeting to Asha, Alok and Abhik!!!! I had to write this one because it resonated deeply with me….. 🙂 So here goes!
Why does your company need an Asha?
We all can answer that one: We all need a loyal and sensitive nurturer who tells it like it is and is the glue that keeps our company together. She shares the organisation’s vision and adds value to its beliefs because she breathes life into them. An Asha is nothing but your Brand Nurturer; your sutradhar – the one who holds the thread of your story together; your loyal, guardian angel and finally your staunch ‘earthing’ who keeps you grounded and tells you the truth even when you don’t want to hear it. Beware of the last one. It stings and needs great openness of mind to accept. But look on the plus side – if someone who’s intelligent, sensitive and caring, believes in your vision and goes all out to promote it, then that says a lot more for your vision than you ever could!
But how do you go about creating an Asha for your fledgling company? (Or for your large organisation.) Is it even possible? Well, an Asha is not for everyone. Especially not the faint-hearted. But if you really, really need one, here are ten tips…. open up your heart and mind, and read on.
1. Look hard! Don’t settle!
Find an employee or a potential employee who is enthusiastic about your company and what you are trying to do. She could even be a friend, a neighbour, a college mate or a business associate. She could even be a fellow Rodinhooder! Start looking now!
2. Once you’ve found her, sell her your idea.
Enthuse her with your vision. Share your dreams. Be transparent. An Asha is for genuine people and not for pretenders. She is smart and will see through you quickly if you don’t believe! So be clear before you try persuade her.
3. Give her the status her role needs.
Define her role clearly. It should be formal and have complete clarity in her mind and in those of her company members. It should be publicly obvious that she is responsible for the aspects that you have entrusted to her. Trust her. Believe me, that always changes things hugely.
4. Defer to her better judgement.
If she is advising you differently from what you think, respect her by listening to her opinion. She really knows the pulse of the company and has interacted with each member and knows them better than you do. Remember, they reveal themselves to her more than they do to you!
5. Recognise her contribution. The more publicly, the better.
Give her the praise for a job well done. Give her her hurrahs and bravos in public. Make sure she is there for every single event your company organises. Keep her close to the centre of things. She is part of your corporate heart and your company’s Fairy Godmother, isn’t she? Then treat her with the public recognition she needs to work her magic.
6. Empower her to take decisions. Give her ownership.
Trust means you let her take the decisions. It means she knows you trust her and she is at peace because of that. Plus the company too should know who calls the shots. She is the steward and deserves to be recognised as such.
7. Brook no disrespect to her.
Give her your unequivocal support. Put your might behind her. If she advises you to ignore something, please do so. If she assigns priority to a task, take it up as soon as possible. Do not allow company members to get away with being rude to her or taking her for granted.
8. Keep sharing your ideas and thoughts. Every single day!
The more you share, the more she’ll care! It’s about being inclusive in your vision and not exclusive. Giver her the benefit of knowledge and watch her run with the ball, farther and farther than you could ever have done.
9. Use her as a sounding board and then listen to her!
No point having an Asha and not hearing her out with an open mind. So do respect her above all, by giving her a patient and fair hearing.
10. Reward her fairly and generously.
Give her the fuel she needs to keep that fire lit. It could be money, recognition, ownership, stock options, love! Or perhaps a combination of all the above. If you think she’s valuable, she’s worth rewarding! Think long-term on this one, especially if she’s a keeper.
What did you think! Yep, it takes effort to nurture an Asha. Have fun, and all the best. May the force be with you!