For most people, the key to becoming a better leader lies not in training or skills development, but in appreciating the hard work of the team that stood by you during difficult times.

Kunal Bahl, the co-founder and CEO of Snapdeal, follows similar strategy as he uses every opportunity to appreciate the incredible work of his team members.

"At “Chai Pe Charcha” with Rohit and I, top performers gathered around each month and chatted – we discussed everything - our personal lives, issues about work, short term worries and long term hopes," wrote Bahl in a LinkedIn post on Monday.

"The enthusiasm of each member of the team is the building block of our business," according to Bahl, who co-founded Snapdeal along with his school friend Rohit Bansal.

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And the result was evident: The average tenure of a team member at Snapdeal is 3.5 years, which is much longer than what one sees in Indian startups.

Another idea that Bahl promotes is sharing the company's success with families at home, whose immense support played the most critical role in keeping the team’s spirits high and execution focused.

"... success and special milestone belongs not only to all of us in the office, but equally also to the families at home," wrote Bahl.

Source: Snapdeal CEO Kunal Bahl's LinkedIn post

According to Bahl, the co-founders learnt following things about themselves during their journey at Snapdeal:

Entrepreneurship is lonely. A great co-founder is often the difference between hope and despair. Rohit and I are fortunate to have each other - we couldn’t have done this without each other.

Family support is key. Some of the most stressful times at work melt away in the simple joyful moments at home. Your family will always be your oasis.

Leadership under fire is who you really are. Tough times bring out either the best or the worst in you. Strong leadership is not about being hard in harsh times. It is about being clear, calm and confident in challenging times.

Don’t let skeptics discourage you. Recently, someone asked me, “So, what are you up to these days?” - suggesting that there must not be a lot of work left to do at Snapdeal (or even better that there may no longer be a Snapdeal!) and that I may have shifted focused onto other endeavours. I smiled and moved on to the next item on my task list. It’s not my intent to convert people, and I don’t let their ignorance or indifference deter me either.

The culture that will last the test of time and adversity takes a lot of consistent physical and emotional effort to build. Invest time happily, willingly and excitedly with the team by constantly communicating with them. It’s the best investment one could make.

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First Published:Oct 11, 2018 8:00 AM IST