For Adlabs Chairman, Manmohan Shetty, that clients and customer satisfaction are topmost priorities underpins some of the experiences from a long span of 30 years that he shares with Nidhi Jain.

Lessons you learnt
The main thing that I feel personally is that customer satisfaction is very important for the growth of the industry. One should not compromise on any kind of service provided. In every area of business I worked in these past years, only good work is appreciated. Don't compromise on services. I will not compromise on any service and would not allow my company to do so.

I have been lucky in some ways. I have been working in the same company since the last 30 years and most of the people are still the same. After Reliance came in 2005 July, new people came in management. It has been a blessing in disguise for the company because with Reliance came a lot of money and Brand value and our visibility became larger.

It has helped us grow very fast since they came on board in 2005. Our perspective has also changed, all of which has added a lot values in the work of the company. I don't think of any competition as of now. In today's fierce competitive environment, if a job is done really well, then there will be no competition to face. Today, most people are trying to cut corners and make money. For us it is all about providing a good service; be it quality popcorn or quality parking, it's all about giving good service.

Chaos Theory
Well I haven't had any kind of chaos yet. We are all in the job of growing bigger and working faster because we all are under pressure.

People that influenced
I have seen people telling me that I am the role model but I have never seen myself like that and am not influenced by anyone personally. Because I have had very different kinds of growth in my personal life. I come from a very remote village and success did not happen to me overnight.

Strategies
If anyone is just specialized it limits the capacity to do something. We must look around to experiment or try new things. If someone has blinkers for 15 years, suddenly remove it then think there are so many other things one you can do. I think that is how we picked up in Cinema and other productions.

Even if I had opened a blinker earlier, there was always a restriction on funds. In July when Reliance came we innovated. So the vision was always there, only the right kind of strategy and input was required. But there is a limit as to when, what should be done. So we thought we should have the right people at the right time to implement the vision. We had money but we just required the right management. That's why we took a lot of time.

Changing rules
I don't think we have changed. Reform but don't change. Actually we are in a learning process.

Ensuring that your team delivers
We have targets. We have 4 - 5 divisions like production, distribution, multiplexes and so on. Each one is given a target based on their performances. How much investment we can do and what numbers they have to give. So we ensure that every quarter they come up with new targets and perform well. That delivers the cause.

Fun part of your business
I enjoy when we process a good film and if the results are good. I think I enjoy all my work. I am very happy the way I work and how it's going. A lot of people may not be as lucky as me.

I, Manmohan Shetty leader of today?
Leaders are chosen by someone else - my employees, my companies or the shareholders. I can't say that I am the king. How they define leadership is more important, whether I am a good leader, average or poor. As per performances I think we have grown all the time. I would not have grown well today if the market conditions were not good. There is no yardstick. I could have done it 5 years earlier maybe I would have never done it. So is it correct? I don't know?

Amar Deb, head honcho, Channel [V] tells Nidhi Jain on what it takes to be a leader of youth.

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.
Ralph Nader

Lessons you learnt
I have learnt from other leaders. First lessons was from Alyque Padamsee, my boss at Lintas. He believed in the theory, practice makes a man perfect. . Whenever he went to make a presentation he practiced it three times till he was perfect and only then would he present it. So if a man with a theatre background and as accomplished as him practices, then we all really need to follow the same format.

Sunil Lulla, CEO, Times Now, believes leadership will always be an ongoing process. Leaders will get acclaim depending upon how they deal with situations, he tells Nidhi Jain.

Lessons you have learnt

Leadership is an ongoing process, I have learnt from my own experiences and from others' actions. Words are weaker than actions. I have read a lot about how leaders are made on the basis of their actions.

Leaders have to be responsible; they should take charge of situations. They should communicate well; have to constantly keep motivating people about different situations. Thus, it is a consequence of effective communication.

Methods of pacifying madness

I won't say that chaos is very essential but common. It does bring out creativity and sometimes it makes sense and is essential. A challenge is to find out a funnel that leads to quality, task orientation, and goal orientation. Always define a way of handling chaos or so called madness. Energy put on task orientation, on quality whenever required can bring out success.I have a simple philosophy - God is in the details. We cannot work for a particular assignment if we cannot work on details first. Chaos makes the execution perfect. We should be able to wake up and have a vision for the task. We should explain that to our subordinates and funnel the chaos in a very positive form of energy.

People who influenced you

There are many. Some directly and some indirectly. Some influenced me by their actions. Some with whom I worked. My early influence was by reading a lot on Swami Vivekananda; he showed spiritualism with the stands he took. In his speech in Chicago, he got a standing ovation. Next is Mahatma Gandhi who held the nation together. I also admire Jack Welch for his leadership skills. These two words define Welsh for what he stood for. His leadership skills definitely had something inspirational about him. I admire Mr Azim Premji and Narayan Murthy. People I have worked with give me great substance too. My current employers, the Jain Family, Mr Samir Jain and Mr Vineet Jain inspire me on hardcore entrepreneurship.

Changing rules of Work

The environment changes but the rules remain the same. There are goals to be achieved for execution. A large pool of young talent provides enthusiasm in a working environment. There has to be a lot of responsibility and enthusiasm, and a little impatience to succeed. Though the rate of bearing failure is higher nowadays.

How do you ensure that your team delivers

We share a common platform. Thus we are very clear about our goals. We work with people who take responsibility. My 30 years of work experience has been successful and fortunate because of this.

Fun Part of your business

The fun part of our profession is the unexpected. There are a lot of young people and a lot of creativity.

As Anon puts it: 'A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune'. Pix business head and AXN, Animax India country manager Sunder Aaron tells Nidhi Jain that in today's business scenario one has to play a dual role, that of a manager and mentor.

Lessons you learnt
First and foremost - in India it has to be kept in mind that it has a very young corporate culture, because business culture has been around for just 10-20 years. It is a very important thing to be kept in mind while managing people. The work force is predominantly very young, so lots of inexperienced, na?ve people come in. We have to give them lessons not only on business but also life. Therefore, a lot of compassion and empathy is required.

I have to be a good manger and mentor on a personal basis too. We, all of us, not only have to improve our lives, but also get better jobs. I cannot prevent anyone going to a better company for a better life. I have to groom these people so that they can go on to have better lives, not just be a better employee for me, but also to do better in whatever they do.

We also need to delegate, give others responsibility, which often doesn't happen. There's a lot of fear in organizations. It's just the nature of the business. Organizations are also political creations. As we all are humans and have egos, politics is bound to enter.

India has a history and tradition of being bureaucratic. When people are always too eager to please, fear enters people and organizations. We have to try our best to remove those obstacles.

I encourage my staff to make mistakes, make a decision, and gather all information you can. Juggling balls means you are not doing anything and that's the worst being in business. We should be fast and determined.

Method of pacifying madness
Things do get out of hand when there is so much of stress. The best way is to personally have discussions with the team, about what they are feeling and thinking. Even five minutes on that can calm everything. Retrieve time outside office too.

Max DePree - "Leadership is much more an art, a belief, a condition of the heart, than a set of things to do. The visible signs of artful leadership are expressed, ultimately, in its practice".

People that influenced
In India, (Set India CEO) Kunal Dasgupta has been a big influence. He is calm, controlled and has a great vision. (Times Now CEO) Sunil Lulla is a strong inspiration, the way he manages people, and is very successful.

We ought to maintain a balance between personal and professional life. Mumbai can be hard city. Just like New York, it's always about 'moving' very fast. We have to make real commitments also to other things like being healthy, staying active in sports, staying close to the closest friends. My friends in the US have fundamentally had a lot of influence on my life. We should not dilute our relationships because of work. There are periods when we work harder and take a lot of time, and then communication becomes important. We have to work and maintain those relationships.

Strategies at Work
Sometimes it's very frustrating, and it is visible also. One of the simple strategies is to calm down. So think and relax before saying anything or dealing with people. Being impatient is certainly not the best thing.

In the market, I am in favor of doing unique things, strategies or approaches for people in business. We have to think out of the box.

For instance, when we were launching our new movie channel Pix, it was coming into an already crowded market. Our approach was to emphasis on stories in the movies with no big stars, budgets. A famous book on screenwriting called Story was where I got the inspiration to launch a channel focusing on the fundamentals. Movies are human experiences and watching them is so human. Like parents telling us stories, caveman told stories by engraving. We strive and communicate through storytelling.

As the Pix example shows, an idea doesn't always come from conventional sources.

Changing rules of work
Rules have not been formed yet. Being motivated does not work in a company that we don't want to work with. I am in this industry because I love film and TV. I enjoy my work and am good at it also. It's important to be balanced; we shouldn't overspend life within the office because it will be no good for anybody. One needs to bring freshness to work.

Charles S. Lauer - "Leaders don't force people to follow - they invite them on a journey".

Ensuring that team delivers
Communicate what is expected of the team. Juniors have a hard time communicating to their seniors. After delegating, we need to monitor also. They should not be intimidated that you are peering over their shoulders. You should be a mentor to help them do their jobs.

Fun part of your business
Almost everything. It's very competitive working with creative, bright people instead of a bunch of dumb, boring people. TV is an enormously growing industry.

Max DePree -"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality".

Turner India advertising sales vice-president Monica Tata tells Nidhi Jain how kids changed the cycle of her life.

My life has to be dramatic? I need to spice it up though it's been a good life so far. I started off being a traveler because my dad was in the Air Force. That bug of traveling caught me. It has lessened now but conceptually I love to travel. I can't have an environment which doesn't allow me to travel and meet people. I would not be able to take it since I need to have constant interactions with people. But at this stage of life I also want time for myself as well, my own space. Sometimes I wish to do nothing and just sit at home and watch TV and spend time with kids. Kids have been my huge source of strength .I just enjoy having them around.

During the course of my career, which happened by default, I got an exposure to an industry that is a great place. I love every part of this industry. I can't even think of any life not being in media. If given a chance and choice again, I would definitely choose media only.

I Love to watch movies. I'm a complete movie buff. When I get a chance to watch Hollywood or Bollywood, I just grab it. I Love music, and have an eclectic taste. Feel no shame about dancing my night away to Bollywood songs.

I like music ranging from Jazz to rock to pop. I am not at all into heavy metal though, which is something I can't understand and relate too. I would love to see U2's Bono who is GOD, somebody to look out for.

Travel schedules are more tuned according to the kids. Personally, hopping over to goa is a must, since it is my favorite place. Besides that, Europe is something I have liked as a holiday destination. London is quite a favorite. I like this place called Kosamvi where I had gone for a conference.

I love New York. As a tourist I have managed to get into a bus and see the city on my own.

I have a fetish for shoes, bags and jewellery. I have to buy from everywhere and continue stocking up when I get an opportunity. I am not a fussy shopper. I spend money fast.

Over the years I have become quite regimented in my health routine. As we grow older we have to be more aware. Have a controlled diet, go to the gym and have regular health check-ups. Yoga is something which I really want to explore. I am quite attuned and attached towards alternative mediums like Reiki. I am looking for both a yoga teacher and time. I thoroughly believe in alternative form of thinking. Reiki is a very close part of my existence.

I love food but a key difference is I eat to live but not live to eat. In cuisines I love Thai but I truly believe that Indian food is the best - Rajma Chawal, bhindi, chapatti, dal works for me big time. Not too much into continental and Italian, European or French. I like spice, love to have green chillies with Pasta. Kashmiri food is my all time favorite.

I would have loved to sing and write songs. I get to do this when I am at parties or with friends. Whenever there is a karaoke opportunity I just let myself go. I really wanted to pursue singing. I learnt guitar, harmonium. Once I started work, I didn't give that attention to other things. It's about focus and priority. If you have the will, you will find a way. I just wasn't willing enough.

Lyrics I have written...
O sanam,
Aaja Sanam,
Main hun kahan,
Tu hai kahan,
Tu aa bhi ja mere sanam,
Tujhe meri kasam?

Athletics is in my blood since childhood. Whenever I get an opportunity I play basketball and badminton. I haven't lost touch. I have done river rafting, bungee jumping. I jumped from the second highest fall in the world in Nepal, an exhilarating experience. That was a fabulous free fall from a ridiculous height. I would love to do it again. I love crazy roller coaster rides.

In my life there is still so much to be done. I want to make a difference in people's lives. Many many miles to go before I sleep. Thank God.

Pix business head and AXN, Animax India country manager, Sunder Aaron tells Nidhi Jain on how he lives life in the fast lane.

 I? was in Madras few years back visiting family. They introduced me to a person who loved bikes. He had a beautiful Enfield Bullet 1966 model and I got it completely modified. A weekend spin around Bandra on a Bullet is simply great. All my friends team up and drive down to Lonavala. I really like antique vehicles. I would really like to get behind the wheel of a Jeep Classic, but I have still to find one.

 I? play lot of sports videogames. Play stations are my favorite but tend to break down in Mumbai's climate. I and my pals used to spend hours drinking and playing football videogames till 5 in the morning.

 I? have not seen the real North India like Shimla. I want to do a nature reserve? I got to do it and I will. Goa is so near that I go half a dozen times in a year. My family is in the south so I keep visiting Kerala. I have back-packed to Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Delhi, Agra and all through Rajasthan as well.

 I? love pets and have two German Shepherds.

 I? wish Mumbai had more theatre culture. Otherwise Mumbai does lot of activities culturally.

 I? like classic furniture; the furniture in my house is from Jodhpur.

 I? am very fond of art. Most of my art work has been done by artist Anu Aggarwal from Chennai. I have a famous    painting by her called BoneRed. I collect art because that is something that moves me. I take a lot of care of my paintings.

 I ?would like to go scubadiving in Lakshadweep. At some point of time I want to try paragliding too.

 I? play basketball with (actor-model) Dino Morea and (model) Kelly Dorjee during weekends.

 I? am a big fan of classic Indian cinema. Music and melody were so much more in that era, but today Hindi cinema is more about business. I like Mani Ratnam's school of thought in cinema.