‘Unless support staff or players respect you, it is difficult to get that loyalty’ – MS Dhoni sheds light on leadership mantra

Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, renowned for his leadership and man-management skills, emphasized the essence of earning respect and loyalty from players through actions as the cornerstone of leadership. Speaking at an event organized by Single.ID, the wicketkeeper-batter highlighted the significance of leading by example.

Under his captaincy, the Indian cricket team achieved remarkable success, clinching two World Cups and a Champions Trophy while ascending to the summit of the ICC Test rankings. Dhoni’s insights shed light on the profound impact of his leadership style, which fostered a culture of excellence and camaraderie within the team. His words highlighted the fact that actions speak louder than words in the domain of leadership across various fields.

“Loyalty has a lot to do with the respect factor. When you talk about the dressing room, unless the support staff or players respect you, it is difficult to get that loyalty. It is actually about what you are doing and not about what you are speaking. You may not actually speak anything but your conduct can earn that respect,” said Dhoni as quoted by News18.

“I always felt that earning respect (as a leader) is important as it does not come with the chair or rank. It comes with your conduct. People are insecure at times. Sometimes, even if the team believes in you, you are actually the first person who will not believe in you. To sum it up, don’t try to command respect but earn it, as it is very organic. Once you have that loyalty then the performance too will follow,” he added.

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Dhoni endorses childhood friend’s sports shop in heartwarming gesture

Ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League season, Captain Cool was spotted honing his skills in the nets, where he wielded a bat adorned with a special sticker. Observant supporters noted the 42-year-old’s bat featured the name ‘Prime Sports’, which belonged to his childhood friend Paramjit Singh. This unique gesture served as Dhoni’s way of endorsing his friend’s sports shop.

Here’s the picture of Dhoni’s gesture towards his friend: