Dian’s ‘cornerman’ ethos

Thursday, 21 August 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Well-known corporate personality Dian Gomes in this wide ranging interview talks about his new book, what inspired him to picked the title ‘Cornerman’ for his latest book and also what leadership really means to him in big business. Dian is Group Director of MAS Holdings. By Cathrine Weerakkody Q: Dian, what really inspired you to put this book together titled ‘Cornerman’? A: It was supposed to be my retirement book, something to chronicle the journey taken by Sri Lanka boxing and the numerous young men and women who were part of this resurgence of boxing from the doldrums in the 1980s. Boxing is my passion, but the creation of opportunities is also a key motivation; and where the two merge – is where I am in my element. I wanted a book to honour all the boxers of Sri Lanka and the administration who believed in me 15 years ago, trusted in my vision for the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka, which soon became the dream of the collective.

I wanted to write a book to inspire, to keep the dream alive, recording into austerity the role one can play as a corner man – both literally and figuratively in the boxing ring and out of it. This is role I have played; having been the corner man to many boxers, rural boys and girls; in their corner at three World Championships, three Commonwealth Games, two Asian Games and over 300 international fights, and most significantly I accompanied a boxer to the Olympics in 2008. Thus the idea of the book, ‘Cornerman’, crystallised. Things changed in March 2012, when I was awaken to my own mortality. A stark realisation that what we take for granted is what matters most. In that one moment, time stood still as I looked beyond my own health condition to what was left ‘unfinished,’ that which was left ‘unsaid’. After my heart bypass surgery, with renewed vigour I gave myself three years to set in motion action plans for the unfinished – a succession plan for MAS Intimates, a strategy for sustaining boxing and fencing Sri Lanka, and of course the unsaid is now realised in the form of ‘Cornerman’. When I discussed the idea of the boxing book with three colleagues selected to narrate this, they pointed out that being a cornerman was not defined by a boxing ring, but by a role I play in people’s lives, whatever be the field. They proposed we extend this to include my corporate life, especially the glory days of Pannala; where the ethos of the cornerman flourished. The book therefore is a selection of stories from my sport and professional lives. They are but two sides of a whole, never did they take separate paths of my life, but is one whole construct of my personality and passion. These are the stories that warrant re-telling because of the lessons. Something I hope will inspire others – both in boxing, in other sports and of course in the corporate arena. Q: Going through the book I see a lot of passion, tenacity and a unique style of leadership to a make a real difference. How and where did this all begin? A: It began way back during my boxing days at Royal College, in the mid-’70s. The boxing ring is the ultimate equaliser. Family backgrounds, political connections and wealth will not get you in you in the ring. If you do not have the will, the hunger to win, the speed and the reflexes, you will be kissing the canvass in no time. This was strengthened when I moved to Pannala in 1992 to become the Chief Executive of Slimline. I saw hardships and humility of the villagers and my colleagues, the daily tragedies that made them stronger. The emotions were more genuine, the interactions more sincere; life was simple, heartfelt and real. I soon realised that it was important to create opportunities for people, so they can go beyond their potential. The ethos of the cornerman is, therefore, prevalent in my leadership style, in the culture of MAS Intimates and in boxing Sri Lanka today. It is all about how to empower your team to win. It is about how to fix the team and the combination so they go on to win without fear. They can dream of becoming a global company and winning Olympic gold medals. Given the right motivation and ignition of the passion, Sri Lankans can pursue this dream and win the world. I believe in crafting heroes of everyman! Be it in the sports or corporate arena. Q: Was there one event that you have talked about in the book that pushed you over the edge while playing the role of cornerman to many young budding athletes/leaders? A: I would say that it was taking a boxer, Anuruddha Ratnayake, to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. When Anuruddha, qualified for the Olympics at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, it was us leaping towards realising a dream of a boxing medal at the Olympics. Having the honour of representing Sri Lanka as Chef de Mission, and being able to accompany this boxer to the Games, made me euphoric. During a bout, the role of the cornerman is different that of the coach. At the moment we walk out with the boxer onto the ring or during the one minute breaks at the end of each round, the coach will advise on technique and strategy – he talks to the boxer’s brain and body. Then the cornerman takes over, he talks to the fighter trapped inside the body, it is the job of the cornerman to set that fighter free. Those last words are critical because at this time the fighter is totally focusing on his corner-man. For MAS’ own boxers this is multiplied. As their mentor, their father and advisor they tend to hang on my every word at this point. Qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics was achievement enough, but securing a medal meant a preparation regime for Anuruddha like no other seen in boxing in Sri Lanka. Then dawned the day of Anuruddha’s first preliminary bout at the Olympics, against Brazilian Robenilson Vieira. For me this was the culmination of a life dedicated to my passion, Boxing. The hard work put in by countless people to bring boxing in Sri Lanka to this point. If Anuruddha won the preliminary bout, we would be closer to our Olympic dream. That moment of leading the boxer into the Olympic boxing arena, into the ring, is a rush of adrenaline. But, it is also rife with stress, the weight of the dreams and aspirations of a nation. Words of encouragement I talk to him – of the entire population of Sri Lanka who are marching into the arena with us, in spirit. And then I say the words “putha, balala gahanna”. Words that would haunt me to this day. Did these words curb the natural fighter that was Anuruddha? Did it cage the beast into the glory of the Olympic? Did it circumscribe Anuruddha and restrain his ferocity? Or was this another situation where the nemesis of stature came in the form of the tall and lanky Robinelson, hitting home yet again the problem that had plagued our boxers – height. Had I succumb to the strain of it all? Is our boxing journey, resplendent with stories of heroism and the young rural lads and lasses who surpassed all odds, going to end in a whimper at the first bout in Beijing? This goes to illustrate the importance of the role one plays at the corner. This can also be translated to corporate life.

Q: Your book reminds us about the true role of a mentor in an Organisation. What are some of the key lessons you learnt in the boxing ring that you have used well at MAS to build and grow your brand of leaders? A: “If you stumble or fall, or if tragedy strikes, I will be there at your corner, and so will my men and women.” This is who we are, this is our leadership brand – it is always personal, it is always about the individual and not the employee. The corporate culture bequeaths an unwritten assurance that the company will always be there for you. Your personal growth is as important as organisational growth. Lessons from the ring that we live in our daily corporate lives at Intimates include:

Sri Lanka can be world-class. Perpetuate the hero-narrative through the stories of men and women who defeat the odds for the sake of the glory of their country
What we need is to select the right people and give them the freedom and space to do their job.
Resilience is a way of life – it is not about the ‘knock down,’ but most importantly about the ‘get up’.
The hunger to win – excellence is a part of our DNA
Boxing is an individual sport, but there is a team working hard behind the scenes to make this possible. It is a team effort to create the champions.
Boxing at MAS has been a great unifier, as colleagues across all plants get together in a cohesive whole with one hope, to cheer on their own.

Q: What is your concept of CSR and sustainability? A: Nurturing teams and focusing on the well-being of the communities in which we operate was something that grew organically in our culture. Long before there was a label or theory, well before there was a concept of license to operate. We are in the business of belonging through uplifting living standards and enhancing infrastructure. First and foremost it’s the wellbeing of our people and communities, to see them thrive. When businesses play a dominant role in the lives of people and communities, there is a necessity for the business to ensure that the community is thriving and invest in its wellbeing. This thinking evolved during the time I spent in Pannala, where I saw the hardships of our employees, and equally, our ability to make meaningful and lasting change in their lives. We have developed and evolved our sense of how we focus on employee wellbeing, community engagement based on these experiences and I would even call them experiments. What we saw was a great outpouring of goodwill and community support, and a shared sentiment of ownership that made our employees proud of contributing to their own environments. The “local connect” continues to be a cornerstone of this strategy, where communities needs and priorities are brought to our attention by employees. It is an informal stakeholder engagement that continues to help us accurately identify what is material to the community, to our employees, to the individual. Business also has an inherent responsibility to minimise its environmental impact and invest in restoration and regeneration of ecosystems. As a company which puts a premium on sustainability, I see a need for us to play a leadership role here. Thurulie is a good example, where we created a new model on how to look at apparel manufacturing facilities, brining strong environmental focus in design and construction, with a specific focus on energy and carbon. My concept is simple, as an organisation we need to make a difference in the lives of our employees and our operating localities which goes far beyond economic impact. Trust is important to us. It is more than talent attraction; it is part of the identity of MAS. We are enablers of community growth. Today our CSR strategies are only partly based on charity and philanthropy but more towards sustainable initiatives that will have long term socio-economic impact. Q: Going one step further, how do you get your team to live this philosophy day in day out? A: Inclusion is the key, it creates a sense of belonging in creating our own futures. The local connect ensures that we address real time priorities and needs of the community, raised by our employees, community spokespeople (like principals, Grama Niladharis, etc.). The communities see the organisation getting involved where it really matters, much beyond the economic benefits for their sisters and daughters. Most times developing health and education infrastructure where it is critical. This positive outpouring is infectious. The morale of the employees is strengthened – people feel good seeing the positive impact in their own localities. It also creates a sense of pride that they belong to this organisation which is making a difference in their community. It bequeaths a sense of trust which is a determinant on where future talent would choose to work. Also the community becomes part of the organisation through various open-house days that we foster. These are family days for the families of new recruits, children’s days, elders’ days, Avurudu celebrations, which are held within the factory premises. Best practice sharing is also a prevalent practice at MAS Intimates plants, where we have visits from schools, universities, government organisations, regional authorities, the military, cadets etc. who come on learning tours to see the world-class systems (such as 5S and lean) being practiced at our plants. We also have a leadership team that lives this philosophy. People, who personally sponsor less privileged students through school to university, people who are always willing to lend a helping hand during illness and employees’ personal troubles. In terms of the environmental sustainability, although our initiatives are focused mainly on reducing our own manufacturing footprint, we have extended this consciousness to the community via awareness at the community level through various training programmes and consumer awareness initiatives. This is strengthened through the Eco Go Beyond program which is a sustainable development education initiative done by MAS in 29 schools around our operating localities. Q: Having grown with MAS from almost its inception, what would you say really makes a great company? A: The organisation’s core values and culture that is constant as the strategy and priorities evolve. The organisation has evolved, but our building blocks continue to be the stability upon which we create an identity that relates to all stakeholders in their own context. Our employees drive success with a sense of purpose which is nurtured through mutual respect. This is understood that all must contribute to the success of the organisation and to sustain a globally renowned apparel company. A daring and vision always distinguished MAS, an idea that we can be world-class. Something more than the superior working conditions, standards or the relationship between the management and the shop-floor employee; which set MAS apart from the tradition apparel manufacturer. This evolved with the growth of the company to a participative management style that was based on mutual respect and a sense of belonging, which is strengthened by the company’s investment in the community and employee upliftment. The HR framework that evolved within the company is merely an expression of the values and processes that drive the organisational thinking. It is based on principles of mutual respect and recognition that all must contribute to drive forward the organisation. Q: Finally, what is your vision for the game and what do we need to do as a country to get there? Also is there anything beyond what you have already accomplished and done that you wish to explore from now on? A: I continue to dream of an Olympic medal in boxing. Today the framework is in place so that future generations of managers and administrators will work towards this ultimate goal. This is the collective vision of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka. Those that bring home the medal may not be those whom I directly mentored and I may not be their cornerman, but I will continue to be in their corner, be it figuratively. Those young men and women who join the Slimline Boxing Club in the early 2000s have today gone on to become coaches and technical officials. They carry the same passion and fire as they stand in the corner of a new generation of fighters. New and innovative methods of talent identification and taking the game to the grass-roots have been implemented. One example of this is the highly-popular reality boxing show, broadcasted by a local TV station that directed to scout for hidden boxing talent in Sri Lanka. This was launched in the beginning of this year with the objective of creating opportunities for the next generation of boxers in Sri Lanka, focusing on promising boxing talent amongst schools, targeting the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The program covered all 25 districts, with 15 two-day training sessions seeing the participation of well over 10,000 enthusiastic young boxers from across the island. A pool of 128 promising young boxers were chosen in 4 weight categories, under the supervision and guidance of the Schools Boxing Association and Boxing Association of Sri Lanka. I will continue my efforts to keep Sri Lanka on the international boxing map, through my affiliations with the international body AIBA. This will give us good negotiating power for international level funding and strengthen Sri Lanka’s position as a key player in the region. I have held several positions such of Secretary of the AIBA Finance Commission, and of the AIBA Marketing Commission, and am presently a member of the AIBA Athletes and Youth Commission. I am also a member on the Commonwealth Advisory Board on Sport (CABOS). I will continue to use these affiliations as an avenue for us to create our own networks amongst the international boxing fraternity, enabling us to further Sri Lanka’s reach in a global stage. This year I have taken over the Presidency of the National Association of Fencing Sri Lanka (NAFSL). Another sport I was instrumental in establishing as fencing came to Sri Lanka in 2008. Today NAFSL has nine registered fencing clubs and conducts regular training for over 100 fencers across the country. The sport’s first international medals were won at the 2010 South Asian Fencing Championships held in Chennai, India. Sri Lanka continued their winning momentum at the 2012 South Asian Fencing Championships in Hyderabad, India, with the team winning a total of 14 medals. Having implemented a 2020 strategy to develop the sport at school and village level, NAFSL is also focusing on more technical aspects of the game, with referee and coaching camps aimed at increasing the resources and support services that will be readily available to support the increased requirement of the sport. I think what I would like to further explore the sharing the knowledge, spreading my leadership philosophy to many others. To continue to tell the stories of people who made me, building a world-class organisation and the compelling boxing stories. Through this I can share some practical lessons on how to live one’s passion. I have done over 350 lectures at various global and local forums, from top corporate CEOs to school children. But I think I would like to focus more on this. It is an important legacy to share the learning with future generations, not only of leadership, but also of method, passion and meaning. (The writer is a freelance journalist, a CIMA graduate and final year undergraduate student in the UK.)