A Leader's Perspective: Anup Baral on Leadership and Resilience

Anup Baral is the Managing Director of Narayani Auto Business, with over 24 years of experience in the automobile industry. Recognised as a leading automobile entrepreneur, Baral’s journey began in sales in the year 2000, and over time, he has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of the business. For Anup, sales is not merely a profession but a dynamic field that fosters relationships, contributes to the economy and generates employment opportunities. His insights into the profession have shaped his leadership style, which emphasises teamwork, mutual growth and balancing the needs of both the organisation and its people.

In addition to managing Narayani Auto Business, Baral plays an active role in various social organisations. He serves as the Operations Director of the We Will Rise Foundation, an organisation dedicated to promoting Nepal’s tourism and providing relief during times of crisis.

Baral’s leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that guiding others towards shared goals while supporting their growth is key to achieving long-term success. His journey as an entrepreneur and leader is defined by both challenges and accomplishments, as he continues to drive innovation and growth within the industry.

In this edition of Business 360, we spoke to Baral regarding what leadership actually means to him and how he has been leading the organisations he is involved with.

What leadership positions are you involved in besides Narayani Auto Business?

Narayani Auto Business is my entrepreneurial venture with several sister concerns under its umbrella. In addition to this, I am actively involved in various social organisations where I hold leadership roles. One such organisation is the We Will Rise Foundation, where I serve as the Operations Director. This is a fully social organisation dedicated to promoting and developing Nepal’s tourism sector. Through the foundation, we also provide support during times of crisis, such as earthquakes and floods.

I am also involved with the Nepalese Marketing Association and am a member of the NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal. Within NADA, I have chaired the committee responsible for organising the NADA Auto Show – Nepal’s largest automotive event – for three consecutive years.

How do you define leadership? What are a some qualities essential to be a leader?

Leadership is about direction. It’s not just about leading people, but about how you support and carry people forward. True leadership is about moving forward together with the people you lead. When you guide others for their betterment or show them how to do the right thing, that’s leadership. Leadership encompasses various elements, including your approach to work and the perspectives you offer to others. Every individual is unique, and therefore, each person has their own way of working. The only commonality is that they follow the company’s directives. However, within that framework, some perform exceptionally well, some perform moderately, and others may fall below expectations. A true leader recognises these differences and works with each individual, distributing the workload in a way that maximises efficiency.

Today’s biggest challenge in leadership is achieving balance – balancing the workforce, managing the workload, and providing the right direction so the team can build a future for themselves and the organisation. The challenge now is to create an environment that allows both the individual and the organisation to grow. If that balance is achieved, that is true leadership. Leadership has never been easy, and while it wasn’t easier in the past, the challenges have certainly evolved and become more complex.

Is leadership ‘inborn’ or ‘acquired’?

I believe leadership qualities can be inborn. However, just because those qualities exist within you doesn’t mean you will automatically become a leader. You must refine and develop them continuously because leadership is a position that is always at risk.

Which organisation are you leading? At what point in time are you leading? Under what circumstances are you leading? You need to be conscious of these factors and lead accordingly. Every person is born with certain qualities. For instance, someone works in agriculture and another in the automobile industry – these are two different fields. Similarly, the environment and circumstances for someone in education versus someone in medical science are also different. However, it doesn’t mean a person in the automobile industry cannot excel in medicine, or that someone in education cannot lead in the automobile sector. People tend to get involved in particular fields, but the key is to reflect and ask yourself whether you are capable of leading in that specific sector.

It’s essential to study yourself; it is a process of self-discovery. You need to dig deep within. If you realise you have a talent for teaching, that’s where you should aim to lead. But if you excel in something else and try to lead in teaching, you will likely fail because you lack the necessary competence in that field. That’s what determines whether you are a leader. I believe everyone is born with leadership potential, but that alone is not enough, you must continually polish and
improve it.

One incident that tested your leadership ability and how did you handle it?

My leadership was truly tested during the earthquake. I had just started my business and the earthquake caused it to collapse. In a country like Nepal, where the economy is small, this was a significant setback for a small entrepreneur like me who had made a substantial investment. I had just transitioned from a job into entrepreneurship, having invested nearly Rs 4 crores – a huge amount for a budding entrepreneur. When it all collapsed, it could have easily discouraged me, but I refused to give up on what I had set out to do. It was incredibly challenging, and I had to put in a lot of effort to rebuild my business. I had a sizable staff who were skilled in their work, but the numbers dropped to just five. We had no proper office space to even sit.

Additionally, there was severe shortage of petrol and diesel which directly impacted the automobile industry. At a time when people were more concerned about basic survival – where to live and what to eat – who would be interested in buying vehicles? To make matters worse, we faced an economic blockade at the southern border. It was a period where not only had the business collapsed but the future of the entire sector seemed uncertain. Despite all this, I persevered, and I have successfully brought my business to where it stands today. My leadership was undoubtedly at risk, and it was a significant challenge.

Another critical test came during the Covid pandemic. Even now, as I speak, the automobile industry continues to face immense challenges due to Covid, the economic downturn and government policies. When all three of these factors combine, large business houses may not be as affected because they have capital reserves and banks tend to trust them. But who considers what happens to small business owners whose funds quickly dry up? Despite this, I persisted, and I have managed to bring my business to where it is today.

There have been many challenging moments, but these were the most significant. That is why I always emphasise that the most important traits for leadership are confidence and patience.

When should a leader pass on the baton?

I believe it is essential for everyone to consider this aspect while working. You must recognise the right moment to pass the baton to the younger generation. The reason our country has struggled to develop – whether socially, economically, or in any other way – is largely due to the mentality that we must not allow those below us to rise to our level.

For example, if my son is genuinely interested in the automobile industry, even though he is young, I need to give him the opportunity and bring him into the business. However, if he is not interested, I should not force him to join me in the automobile business. Let him pursue what he is passionate about. In that case, I should seek another partner, someone younger, and immediately start shaping a succession plan.

If we think we can do everything ourselves and hold on to power until we are old, that form of leadership will fail. When the time is right, you must step aside and perhaps continue in a consulting role. The key point I would emphasise is that leadership should be transferred when you are still young to someone even younger.

How can one win over or influence people?

It is all about trust. You must trust the people you work with. However, while trust is essential, it must be paired with inspection. Always remember: people perform based on what you inspect, not what you expect. They will not necessarily do what you anticipate, so even though they are working for you, it is important to trust them but also to consistently review their work.

You need to guide them continually and ensure the work is being done correctly and on time. Regular reviews are essential. This is why I believe leadership is an ongoing process. You must trust that your team members are capable, and then delegate responsibilities accordingly. Only then will you find success.

How can a leader prepare for the unknown?

From the experiences I have gathered, I would say it is crucial to have a backup. By backup, I don’t just mean financial resources. As I mentioned earlier, after the earthquake, my team was reduced to only five people but they were exceptionally good, and they stayed with me. That was my backup. Our showroom was damaged and our workshop was in ruins. There was no place to sit, so we rented a hall and started from scratch again. We didn’t panic.

The first thing I would emphasise is that you must trust yourself. When you have confidence in yourself, you can move forward and others will trust you too.

When you are a trusted figure, able to guide your team in the right direction, and you lead with integrity, your team will follow suit. If the office opens at 10 am, I can’t arrive an hour late just because I am the owner or the boss; I have to be there on time and set an example. Making others responsible is also a key duty of a leader.

What leadership style do you follow?

I adhere to a democratic style of leadership because being autocratic simply doesn’t work. You cannot always order others to get things done. While democratic leadership is effective, I now aim to embrace a more supportive and participative approach. The mindset should be, “let’s do it together.” If you are autocratic, your team members will eventually leave you. These days, I believe strongly in participative leadership. We should work alongside our team, fostering mutual effort from everyone involved.

Who is your ideal leader and why?

My father, he was the head teacher, and later he was promoted to District Education Officer. It is rare for someone to move from being a head teacher to a District Education Officer but he did it. His leadership was exceptional. He was soft-spoken. Despite his gentle nature, he was passionate about leadership and that greatly influenced me.

Although he worked in education, I didn’t follow that path. My journey took me into the automotive industry. I always remember with gratitude the opportunities I received in my career. The organisation I worked for and its leadership – especially Siddhartha SJB Rana and Saurya SJB Rana – had a profound impact on me. They were true leaders. Under their mentorship, I started as a sales officer and gradually rose to a position of responsibility. The leadership lessons I learned from them have shaped me immensely.

The organisation under their leadership has grown to become the largest in Nepal’s automotive industry, and I am proud to have been part of that journey. Their influence, along with my father’s, has been significant. You might wonder about the impact of where you work, how you work, and under whom you work. It is crucial. I also had the chance to work at my father’s school for a while, where I witnessed his leadership firsthand. Despite extreme challenges in the government school, he led it with strength and dedication.

Later, as a District Education Officer, I saw his leadership shine when he took charge during an earthquake in the mountainous region of East Nepal, where many schools were damaged. He worked tirelessly to rebuild those schools.