ISBN 978-81-909837-3-0 8 2 9 - 1 s e 0
` 100 g 2 a p . f t o p . o e N S l - a t y o PERFECT l T u J 2
PROFESSIONAL -
Enabling Managers to Make a Difference e u s s I 1 - l o V
Theme Based Age No Bar Madanlal Sharma
ACE of Intrapreneurship Jayantee Mukherjee Saha
Test Your Entrepreneurial Quotient Prof. T.V. Rao
The Why and How of Entrepreneurship in Family Business Prof. Kavil Ramachandran
Profession in Focus Leadership Lessons Through Movies: Reel to Real Prof. Kandaswamy Bharathan
Wellbeing A Better Present by Exploring The Past Shubha Yeri
People Practices & Talent Management Mergers & Acquisitions: What Is The Deal For People ? C. Mahalingam
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
www.tvrls.com T V Rao Learning Systems
From the Editor... “Everything Started As Nothing.” Ben Weissenstein
India is a land of Entrepreneurs. Right medical and education field, as well as in from the million kirana stores which have the social sector. In the article ‘Age no bar’, Nandini Chawla witnessed India’s growth story, to the street we have explored how entrepreneurship CEO, TVRLS vendors who do business from less than 10 cuts across ages, even post retirement. On square feet of space, to small ventures that the other hand, our face-to-face interview began in the garage and went on to make a gives fresh insights into women mark across the globe-they are all a living entrepreneurs in the financial sector, proof of the entrepreneurial spirit of our hoping to inspire others to pursue country. The spirit that nudges its people to something dear to their heart. We have also do something on their own, to reinvent a included an article on ‘Why startups fail to different wheel each time, to keep trying scale’ to explore the challenges that may and most of all to ‘hope’ that they will result in the startup not being as successful make it big. as it had hoped to be.
What better way to celebrate the rich Our section dedicated to ‘Wellness’ covers entrepreneurial talent in our country, than two different perspectives on work-life to dedicate the second issue of Perfect balance. Also, we have added a section on Professional to Entrepreneurship. ‘Personal effectiveness for managers’, where tips on effective communication for The beauty of entrepreneurship is that it great results have been shared. In addition, has no boundary. It can be witnessed in experiences in managing people in Mergers every walk of life, in every industry and and Acquisitions have been shared in the across all ages. While some of us may have section ‘People Practices and Talent many qualities required to be a successful Management’. entrepreneur, others who don’t, can either work towards acquiring them, developing We do believe that managers can play a vital them or can team up with people who have r o l e i n d e ve l o p i n g t h e i r o w n these qualities. If none of these are entrepreneurial skills and in fostering suitable, the least we can do is encourage entrepreneurial thinking in the teams that this spirit in others. they lead. We hope that the experiences we have shared with you through these articles The need for entrepreneurship is will help rekindle the entrepreneur within everywhere-from individuals within and and provide the necessary motivation to outside organizations, to family run facilitate an entrepreneurial culture. businesses and youngsters. We have tried to share perspectives from varied lenses. We would be very happy to have your views The first article gives us a close-up view of and feedback on this issue, as well as your what really constitutes an entrepreneurial thoughts on the other areas that you would personality and a short exercise to test like to see being featured in the magazine. one’s own Entrepreneurial Quotient (EQ). The next article talks about fostering Here’s wishing you all a wonderful time entrepreneurial thinking in family run reading, reconnecting and building an businesses. We have dedicated the next entrepreneurial culture. section to carry inspiring stories of All the best. entrepreneurship across industries-in the Nandini Chawla
A TVRLS Publication 1 Editor in chief: Nandini Chawla
Guest Editors: Chitra Parthasarathy
Product Development Team: Arpita Sharma, Nandita Chatterjee
Design: Arpita Sharma, Kalyani Barma, N.P. Mahesh
TVRLS Contributing Team: Kalyani Barma, Namrata Malik Tanmayi Vepakomma Geetha Ramakrishnan, Jasmine Parekh
Perfect Professional Logo Design Dharmesh Jadeja ([email protected])
TVRLS Photographer: David Barnabas (09845385418)
A NOTE TO READERS
The views & opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors & do not necessarily reflect those of the editors and publishers.
Owner T V Rao Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd.
Published by Nandini Chawla Place of Publication T.V. Rao Learning Systems Pvt. Ltd. th
No:1739, 9 Cross Road Coming Up Next 2
1 ISBN 978-81-909837-3-0 0
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E o Bangalore 560078. Karnataka, INDIA. V Ph: +91-80-65975191, 26494919 Visit us on: www.tvrls.com Write to us: [email protected]
Printed by K. Venkatesh Printed at Hamsanikethan Printers No.126, C.T. Bed, Banashankari 2nd Stage Bangalore-560 070. T V Rao Learning Systems Phone: 080-2671 4921 www.tvrls.com A TVRLS Publication 2 Specially for Managers
100 Managers in Action
Some leaders change the fortune of their organizations. How do they do it and what are their virtues? 100 Managers in actions explores facets which have enabled 100 Managers to emerge as outstanding and impact-making leaders, as revealed through their 360 Degree Feedback.
This book tells about the vision, values and foresight to take one to higher positions, and how execution and delivery of results makes one an influential and impactful individual. Through the analysis of 100 managers across business verticals, we understand through this book how ordinary people by doing the same things differently turned out to be extraordinary leaders! T.V. RAO CHARU SHARMA
Managers who make a difference
Managers who make a Difference examines how manager’s perceptions about themselves shape their behavior at work, and studies the ways in which people can translate their skills into successful management. How can you train yourself to spot competence in others and build on it to create an effective team? How do you achieve the right balance between adherence to existing systems and creative problem-solving? How to develop people skills ... and much more!
Richly illustrated with anecdotes and experiences of well-known managers from India and abroad, and with an array of tips and self-assessment tools, this book is a must read for all practicing and aspiring managers!
A TVRLS Publication 3
Contents EDITORIAL
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 6 The Entrepreneurial Personality Test Your Entrepreneurial Quotient by: Prof. T.V. Rao
14 The Why and How of Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses by: Prof. Kavil Ramachandran
18 Why Start - ups Fail To Scale? by: Prof. Satya Acharya and Jasmine Parekh
22 Butterfly Fields by: Sharat Chandra
28 Brightening Smiles On The Way To Success! by: Yogesh Virmani
32 Age No Bar by: Madanlal Sharma INTRAPRENEURSHIP
36 ACE of Intrapreneurship by: Jayantee Mukherjee Saha
40 Entrepreneurship At The Workplace by: Ajoy Chawla FACE TO FACE 46 It’s All About ‘Walking The Promise.’ Interaction With Mimi Parthasarathy
54 The Blue Bus That Carries Hope Interaction With Shridhar Venkat
A TVRLS Publication 4 PROFESSION IN FOCUS 60 Leadership Lessons Through Movies: Reel To Real by: Prof. Kandaswamy Bharathan
WELLBEING 66 A Better Present By Exploring The Past- A Past Life Regression Approach To Removing Roadblocks To Success by: Subha Yeri
70 Walking The Tightrope-Working Women And Worklife Balance by: Nandita Chatterjee & Namrata Malik
BOOK REVIEWS 76 The CII Entrepreneur’s Handbook by: Tanmayi Vepakomma
77 Take Charge by: Shaju John
PEOPLE PRACTICES & TALENT MANAGEMENT 78 Mergers & Acquisition: What Is The Deal For People ? by: C. Mahalingam PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS 86 Gone In 60 Seconds-Communicating For Results by: Elango R
A TVRLS Publication 5 |July-September 2012
A TVRLS Publication 6 |July-September 2012 The Entrepreneurial Personality
hile addressing a Sharath Babu in 2006 did not group of IIMA opt for placement, in a year that s t u d e n t s o n offered a $ 1,85,000 salary. His Prof. T.V. Rao entrepreneurship, mother raised 3 children single ShantanuW Prakash asked them to handed, with Rs 30 as a cook in a estimate the salary they would earn school. He started with an ambition in the next 5 years, after graduating to run a catering business that About the Author... from IIMA. On a liberal estimate employs 50,000 people in ten years. with a starting CTC of 18 lakhs, Dr T V Rao is He started a company called Food currently Chairman, they estimated their likely income King Catering Services Pvt Ltd to be around 1.0 crore at Rs 20 of T V Rao Learning which now has presence in 6 Systems Pvt. Ltd. and Lakhs a year. Shantanu then asked locations and a turnover of Rs. 8 Adjunct Professor, them, “how much do you think crore. In 2010, he started Hunger IIM, Ahmedabad. He you can save in 5 years?”. There Free India Foundation, an initiative was Professor at the came a modest estimate of Rs 3 to 5 to free India of hunger in 20 years. Indian Institute of lakhs a year, amounting to 15-25 To achieve this was his childhood Management, lakhs of saving. Shantanu stated, “I passion. Before joining IIMA, he Ahmedabad for over started a company in 1994 and now worked for 2 years with Polaris to 20 years beginning after 15 years, it’s turnover is 1000 pay back loans. Now he employs 1973. He has also crores, with a profit of around 400 250 people. worked as L&T crores. After all the education at Professor of HRD at famous colleges and IIMA, do you XLRI, Jamshedpur want to make Rs 5 to 10 lakhs a year Dr. Kaza Gandhi retired as during 1983-85. Dr. or set up something you can call D i r e c t o r o f A P F o r e n s i c Rao is the Founder your own, to meet the various Laboratories, a few years ago. President of the educational needs of the country During the final years of his National HRD and still make more than what you retirement, he saw the dearth for Network and was would make as an employee?”. He scientific laboratories that facilitate President of the continued, “Besides earning crime investigations. After he Indian Society for money, I touch and improve the retired, he set up Truth Labs in Applied Behavioral education standards of lakhs of 2007. It currently has offices in Science (ISABS). students and make life exciting for Jaipur, Chandigarh, Delhi, thousands of teachers, and enable Chennai and Bangalore besides one thousands of schools to make an in Hyderabad. Truth Labs is India’s impact”. Educomp Solutions first independent Forensic Science limited was founded in 1994 by Lab, established to provide Shantanu Prakash and today, it scientific investigation and reaches out to over 29,000 schools, detective services, using forensic and 19 million + learners and tools and techniques at affordable educators in the world. It started costs, with international quality. with a vision to find innovative Even before he retired, he solutions to solve critical problems, d e m o n s t r a t e d m a n y on quality of education. entrepreneurial qualities, by
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making Andhra Pradesh Forensic R&D investments, she showed Science Labs, a model lab with ISO how Indian Technologists and Certification (9001 & 170 25). R&D can do wonders. Kiran chose Today, they serve around 1500 to do business in a virgin field, clients a year and are growing. leading the biotechnology revolution in India from the front. She strongly believed in social was a Dr. Samuel Paul, c a u s e s a n d c o m m u n i t y director at IIMA and a professor of development. A person, who was Economics. After he left IIMA, he refused a job as a brewer in spite of was working as a senior advisor to being qualified, because she is a the World Bank in the early 90’s. woman, went on to set up the He decided to cut short his high world’s leading, bio-technology paying job with the World Bank, industry in India. She continues to and return back to Bangalore. Post c o n t r i b u t e t o s o c i e t y b y his retirement, he had planned to participating in a number of local share his experiences and work government and other national and with Institutions which showed International projects. interest. With a background in Development Economics and Today, India has many such cases in Governance, he undertook a study every corner. All of them have of the Public Services in Bangalore. something in common-a sense of He surveyed 2000 households and purpose, wanting to be different, got their satisfaction levels wanting to do something on their established with water, electricity, own, a knack of sensing what the transport, telephones, education, world needs, utilizing their own health and other municipal services talent and technology and in the city. With the results, he developing others, relentlessly established ‘Bangalore Score Card’ working to achieve what they and made feedback presentations to believe in, translating ideas into these agencies. What started as a actions etc. s t u d y , l a t e r l e a d t o t h e establishment of the Public Affairs This is what can be called as the Centre, a not - for - profit entrepreneurial personality. Each organization devoted to promoting of them had some form of family influence. They were not good governance through research, necessarily from business families. advocacy and action. It is Paul’s grandfather was in a business internationally known for its tool in Kerala. Gandhi’s father was a kits like citizen report Card and sugar factory employee and his (CRC) Community Score Cards mother was a home maker. (CSC’s) and social audit tools. The Shantanu’s father was an employee impact of its work is immeasurable at a PSU. And, Sharath Babu’s in economic terms as a lot of good mother used to sell idlis. gets done to the citizens. There are two interpretations of Kiran Mazumdar Shaw entrepreneurs-one that limits started Biocon in a garage, in spite entrepreneurship to business, of the many hardships she had to profit, money and economic face. In days when technology was orientation and the second that always borrowed and when India treats entrepreneurship to a set of was rated as one of the lowest in behaviours and personal qualities and extends it to all sectors.
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I n t h e o l d e n d a y s , economic activity, or some activity entrepreneurship was largely that results in generation of income limited to economic work or o r p r o f i t , m a k e s y o u a n business. In recent years, the entrepreneur. There are many who definition has extended to can be called as ‘idea men’ but they e d u c a t i o n , h e a l t h , s o c i a l fail to be entrepreneurs as they lack development, government etc. It is the other qualities required from an not uncommon to use the term entrepreneurial personality. On entrepreneurial or enterprise to the other hand, there are civil servants, educationists, entrepreneurs who may not have doctors, students, teachers, change original ideas, but are sensitive to agents, managers, etc. Thus, the t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n t h e term “entrepreneurial personality” environment or ideas of others and, has come to stay. translate them into economic activity. They are considered What is an Entrepreneurial entrepreneurs. Personality? A n y c o n s t e l l a t i o n o f Social Entrepreneurs: In the characteristics, that enable a person second category of entrepreneurs Any in any setting to do unusual things are social entrepreneurs. They are constellation of and contribute to some useful goal, also entrepreneurs, but set up c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d a s a n organizations, institutions or characteristics, entrepreneurial personality. The agencies purely with a service that enable a first in the category are business orientation. These organizations person in any entrepreneurs, those who set up are set up as ‘not for profit’ setting to do their own business, small or big, organizations and often depend on unusual things provide services and make money. government or other party grants and contribute Shantanu Prakash, Sharat Babu and and charity work. Kaza Gandhi many others like them fall in this and Paul belong to this category. to some useful category. They are self employed They are mission driven people. In goal, can be people and also creators of order to make their venture considered as an employment for others. The bigger successful, they also need similar entrepreneurial the enterprise you build, and larger type of qualities as the first category personality. the empire you have, the more i.e. business entrepreneurs. successful entrepreneur you are. In this category, there are first Employees as Entrepreneurs: The generation entrepreneurs, second term ‘Intrapreneur’ is often used to generation, third generation etc. represent employees with Just because you are born in a e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l q u a l i t i e s . business family does not make you Employees are those who are an entrepreneur. The second, third employed by someone else to or other generation entrepreneurs perform certain roles, activities, get their title as entrepreneurs by tasks etc. and deliver results of virtue of taking up the business and varying nature. Not every task, expanding it, diversifying it and activity, result is directly linked to building on it. At best, they should economic activity but the take interest in business and coordinated work of many leads to maintain it in order to be called an generation of income or money. entrepreneur. Only ideas do not Intrapreneurs are unusual make you an entrepreneur but employees. They are initiative conversion of these ideas into takers, opinion makers, and change
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agents. They think differently and They are well networked. They challenge status quo. Their unusual maintain contacts and use them to thinking may not always lead to achieve their goals. direct economic benefits to them, but at some point or the other, it In addition, Social entrepreneurs does lead to profit or cost saving etc. a r e v a l u e d r i v e n . W h e n to the organisation. entrepreneurs set up institutions and work for social purpose, they In my book ‘Managers Who Make a are referred to as institution Difference’, I have categorized builders. managers as Doers, Achievers, Visionaries, and Missionaries. How does entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs develop? belong to the latter three categories. Cutting across the various Research studies have indicated that entrepreneurial qualities may categories the following may be be formed early on in childhood, considered as constituting by the way the child is treated by entrepreneurial personality: parents and significant others. Early socialisation practises where Creativity: An entrepreneur is an parents encourage achievement, idea man, a creative person. He autonomy, independence, and solves problems by generating develop the self confidence of alternatives and thinking out of the c h i l d r e n , l a t e r r e s u l t i n box. development of entrepreneurial Spot opportunities: They have a adults. By themselves, they may nose to sense business or other not complete entrepreneurship, social opportunities. but with a goal or sense of purpose T h e y a r e a c t i o n d r i v e n : they are set to be entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs continuously engage Add action orientation to it; the in some activity or the other. story gets complete. Thus, faculties who stress on hard work, sacrifice, mbitious: The entrepreneur is an A promote self confidence and a sense ambitious personality, motivated o f p u r p o s e , d e v e l o p a n with a drive to do something. entrepreneurial personality. Initiative: Entrepreneur is an initiative taker. C a n a n e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l Achievement Driven: They want personality be developed? to excel in whatever they do. This comes from the drive, motivation The answer is yes. Some or ambition to achieve. David entrepreneurial qualities get McClelland calls it as Achievement manifested in the early years, while Motivation or Achievement others may get manifested later. Syndrome. S e v e r a l y e a r s a g o , D a v i d They have a high need for McClelland and David Winter independence. came to India and demonstrated They are characterised as that entrepreneurship can be perseverant. They do not give up developed through achievement easily. motivation training. They took They learn from their own and groups of people from different others experiences. parts of Andhra Pradesh and
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Tamil Nadu and conducted an to produce entrepreneurs, get the experiment at SIET Institute at person to think like Entrepreneurs. Hyderabad. They gave a week’s To think like an entrepreneur is the training to all the adults who were use of entrepreneurial language. either agriculturists or employees Use of language leads to thought in various organizations. In this and thought leads to action. So, one week, they were helped on McClelland and team proved that assessing their own level of by developing entrepreneurial achievement drive, and learned to language, entrepreneurship can be speak achievement language in a developed. In fact, McClelland’s variety of settings. For e.g.: They earlier work across different wrote stories in response to some countries demonstrated that pictures, described themselves in a economically progressive nations questionnaire, played games like u s e d e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l o r building a tower from wooden achievement driven language in cubes, blindfolded and using the their stories, media, literature and non-dominant hand etc. Their folk lore. behaviour in all these tests and exercises were analyzed and they Based on the above experiences, were given feedback about their four corporations in Gujarat level of achievement motivation. (GIIC, GIDC, GSFC, GSIC), In most cases, the achievement launched an Entrepreneurship motivation was low. Later, they programme. In its early stages this were told stories about those who programme consisted of training have high achievement motivation unemployed youth, technology and who had became famous graduates and others who were entrepreneurs, innovators, working in various agencies, to scientists etc. This stimulated the become entrepreneurs. The first participants to enhance their desire few batches did not have any to be achievement driven. The rest achievement motivation training. of the programme focused on In subsequent years, the different h e l p i n g t h e m t o d e v e l o p batches were given achievement achievement language through motivation training along with the more exercises, stories etc. One of above mentioned inputs. A the exercises included the comparison of entrepreneurial candidates writing their own activities by both these groups obituaries and analyzing them for indicated that those who received the kind of motivation that it AMT, showed a significantly reflected. During the entire week, higher level of entrepreneurial they used achievement language activity. This study indicated that, and practiced to use the same. AMT increases entrepreneurial Through this experiment, activity among the candidates McClelland and David Winter receiving AMT. Both these studies demonstrated that entrepreneurial have proved beyond doubt that motivation can be developed entrepreneurial behaviour or through Achievement Motivation personality can be developed or Training (AMT). The experiment e n h a n c e d . I n c o n c l u s i o n is well documented in their book entrepreneurial orientations can be ‘ M o t i v a t i n g E c o n o m i c developed through the following: Achievement’. The theory of achievement Speaking an entrepreneurial motivation is simple. If you want language at home.
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Exposure to stories and life from academic institutions, have a histories of entrepreneurs. g o o d c h a n c e t o e s t a b l i s h G e t t i n g p e o p l e t o r e a d knowledge centres. Similarly, achievement motivation related scientists and technologically literatures. skilled people can set up their own advisory services or, start ncouraging people to undertake E entrepreneurial activities. For entrepreneurial activities through example, a retired bank employee field studies, education projects, etc with banking knowledge and skills Creating learning experiences in can set up coaching centres, to schools and colleges through prepare new recruits for banking, appropriate curricular changes. insurance etc. Many of them prefer t o s e t u p n o t - f o r - p r o f i t Entrepreneurship has no age bar organizations as their economic T h o u g h t h e i n c i d e n c e o f needs are limited and their main entrepreneurial activity is aim is to keep themselves busy extraordinarily high in the younger through socially useful purposes. generation, there is no age bar to be Thus, older and experienced an entrepreneur. Many retired people, who carry high knowledge people from the armed forces, have and intellectual capital, will ensure b e c o m e v e r y s u c c e s s f u l that, the same is available for others entrepreneurs. Professors retiring at a price.
Image Source: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/ 12/05/2603790/the-definitive-biotech-etf-guide-ibb-xbi-fbt
Test Your Entrepreneurial Quotient:
Answer each of the following, on a 5-point scale where:
5 The statement in a highly accurate description of you
4 The statement is a fairly accurate description of you
3 The statement is somewhat characteristic of you
2 You tend to be that way only occasionally
1 This is not at all true for you.
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1. I am restless, if I am not occupied in some activity or the other. 2. I take initiative to do things on my own and don’t wait for instructions 3. Usually, I like to be independent in my thinking and actions 4. As a student in school, I always took initiative and was involved in some activity or the other 5. I enjoy reading stories of people who make a difference-visionaries, businessmen, leaders etc. 6. When my mind is idle, I keep planning for the next activity, accomplishment or goal. 7. My parents always encouraged me to think independently 8. I always like to succeed in whatever I undertake 9. I am a goal directed person-I have great goals in life (to do better than before or to set new standards or bench marks etc). 10. I often dream to become a well known business man, professional or an individual who made an impact on those around him. 11. I try to learn from my own experiences through reflection of my own style of functioning etc. 12. I like to try out new ideas or experiment with new things. 13. I believe that each individual makes his own future. 14. Hard work has always paid me back and my effort has been rewarded in most situations 15. I tend to reflect on mistakes and failures and draw lessons. 16. I am a careful spender. I think of the returns or benefits before spending or investing on anything. 17. I take calculated risks or take decisions after a thorough evaluation 18. I keep sharing my ambitions or dreams with others. 19. I am known as a “no nonsense person”. If I decide to do something, I can be counted on to do it. 20. I have great capacity to mobilise support or resources when required. 21. I always think of the great opportunities today’s world offers for those interested in doing things. 22. I enjoy planning my activities or projects in detail, once I am given the idea. 23. I don’t easily give up once I decide to do something. 24. I often have sleepless nights as my mind if filled with ideas or activities that need to be done. 25. I am connected through social and professional networks and am a well networked person.
Scoring pattern: Total the score for all the 25 items (simple mathematical total). Scores higher than 60 indicate an entrepreneurial bent of mind.
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The Why and How of Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses
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he world has become a Family fights, poor leadership and lot more uncertain in r e s u l t a n t l o s i n g b u s i n e s s recent years. Long competitiveness have contributed term trends forecast to their demise. Families seem to T t h a t t h i s w i l l have forgotten the need to cultivate continue, and we have to be the entrepreneurial spirit within flexible, adaptable, proactive and them. Instead, they allowed young innovative with a lot of initiative to family members to grow up under Prof. be successful. All organizations, the assumption that they would Kavil Ramachandran including family businesses have to directly step into leadership be entrepreneurial to survive and positions of existing businesses. About the Author... grow. Unfortunately, for a variety Indeed, there is often a genuine of reasons, members of many need for trustworthy additional Professor family businesses do not realize hands to strengthen existing Ramachandran is the this, and slowly go into oblivion o p e r a t i o n s , b u t f a m i l y Thomas Schmidheiny within two or three generations. entrepreneurship suffers in the Chair Professor of Our attempt here is to discuss the process. The younger generation Family Business and c r i t i c a l i t y o f g r o o m i n g prefers this ‘helicopter landing’ at Wealth Management entrepreneurial capabilities among the top as they do not have to go at the Indian School members of business families, and through the process of ‘struggle’ to of Business. He has some possible approaches to get a new venture off the ground. specialized in family business, accomplish the same. Family elders too, do not want entrepreneurship and young members to go through the strategy and has over Is it just a three generation life uncertainties involved. While the 33 years of experience span for family business? startup is like a solo performance, as an academic. Most family businesses do not joining an existing business is like Earlier he was a survive beyond three generations, entering an existing troupe, which faculty at the Indian though everyone longs for has an established theme to act. The Institute of perpetuity. For instance, most solo act requires one to be Management Indian family businesses which confident and capable, and thus Ahmedabad. He has a were successful in the Fifties and entrepreneurial. In essence, Ph.D. from the Cranfield University, Sixties either no longer exist or are families protect the younger UK.. no longer the stars. The generation from potential or universality of this pattern is perceived threats to their reflected in the adage, “shirt sleeve credibility. This protectionist to shirt sleeve in three generations”. attitude kills entrepreneurship. To add, lack of good quality family g o v e r n a n c e , The younger generation prefers this resulting in lack of agreement on the ‘helicopter landing’ at the top as they destiny of their do not have to go through the process business and the of ‘struggle’ to get a new venture off roles each family member should the ground. play to ensure
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business competitiveness, makes orientation, and ability to tap new the situation murkier. Yet another growth opportunities as they reason for family businesses to emerge. This could be about become less entrepreneurial starting entirely new businesses, globally is the shift in roles that expanding into new markets or family members get involved in. As offering new products. Such their business gets established in a families have moved beyond the competitive environment, families conventional assumption of having take care of protecting their newly a single business forever, created or inherited wealth as the irrespective of their product or key priority; starting a new venture industry life cycle. They are is secondary. Later, when the wedded to the idea of being an business becomes much larger, entrepreneurial family that creates families move up to strategy and wealth constantly and believe that governance, leaving operational starting new ventures is an essential responsibilities to family or non- part of the family culture. They family professionals. A pattern that believe that one does not learn to we notice in all these cases, is the run without learning to walk and assumption that entrepreneurship prior to that, learning to stand up. as a capability is required only at the The cradle of learning can be start of the journey or for the first within an existing business or venture for a family business. outside it, but it is always Unfortunately, this is far from true. challenging and testing the capabilities of the individual, with Why is entrepreneurship critical? success and failure as parts of it. Our rapidly growing economy is also witnessing tremendous social H ow i s e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p and cultural changes. Young family fostered? m e m b e r s h a v e p l e n t y o f Most families involve children in opportunities to develop and business decisions in different demonstrate their entrepreneurial degrees. While this is useful to get abilities. These need to be an overall interest and invitation to recognized and not seen as threats. join business, this is not good Entrepreneurship is a quality that is e n o u g h t o n u r t u r e critical for the success of both entrepreneurship. The best way to start-ups and established firms. This develop (and test) entrepreneurship capability is even more critical for a is by insisting on the young startup, primarily because of the generation starting new ventures adverse resource conditions they and proving their capabilities. Since face. Entrepreneurship can be most start-ups do not succeed nurtured in established ventures by easily, families should use this also entrusting the younger generation as a ground to build a variety of with challenges in their existing capabilities in the new generation. ventures. This should be seen only In some cases, the younger as an alternative for special generation chooses to start situations. something of their own before A close look at successful family considering the option of joining businesses would show their the family business. This could be i n h e r e n t e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l either because their existing
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business is not attractive for a T h e B u r m a n f a m i l y h a s variety of reasons, or it could also collectively resolved that their be a strategic move to gain c h i l d r e n w o u l d n o t b e credibility outside, before joining automatically parked in the Dabur the family business. For instance, Company. Puneet Dalmia, currently CEO of Dalmia Cement started an internet In yet another model, families company with a friend, soon after develop career plans for the young his graduation from the Indian generation that starts with their I n s t i t u t e o f M a n a g e m e n t implementing a new project. It Bangalore. The venture was funded could be a standalone venture or partially by his father. The even a new operating facility, most entrepreneur duo had to go often with a lot of freedom but through a lot of startup hardship w i t h d e f i n i t e r e p o r t i n g before the venture was sold off for a responsibility. The overall handsome valuation. Later, Puneet a s s u m p t i o n i s t h a t joined the family business and led entrepreneurship is much more its strategic rejuvenation process. about quality of implementation as In several other cases, youngsters much as it is about attractive ideas. have to prove their capabilities by In short, multiple approaches are starting their own ventures. This is being followed by many families, to prevent the natural possibility of to cultivate entrepreneurial m a k i n g t h e b u s i n e s s a n capabilities in their members. A employment exchange. In such common thread across their vision cases, young family members have is to be entrepreneurial and create to prepare business plans for and preserve wealth across funding by the family individually generations. Business families or collectively. Aditya Burman, s h o u l d s e e n u r t u r i n g whose family controls Dabur entrepreneurship as a fundamental Pharma, got his startup capital responsibility. Families should from his father and uncles, when believe in ‘tough love’ for their they were convinced of the children and encourage them to viability of a new business he take the plunge before finding wanted to set up. comfort zones of safety. That alone will help them avoid writing their own obituary. Families should believe in ‘tough love’ for their children and encourage them to take the plunge before finding comfort zones of safety. That alone will help them avoid writing their own obituary.
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A TVRLS Publication 18 |July-September 2012 Why Start Ups Fail To Scale?
This article is compiled from the inputs received from Dinesh Goel (Co-Founder-Innovative Ideators), Madhu Mehta (Chief Mentor and founding Team Member-iCreate), Manish Jobanputra (Founding Director-Fine Feather Dental Clinics), C M Mathew (Managing Director-Task Initiatives), Pranay Gupta (Joint CEO-CIIE), Rajan Vasa (President-TiE Ahmedabad), Ruzan Khambatta (Serial Entrepreneur) and Sushil Handa (Chairman-Fifthveda). Prof. Satya Acharya conventional meaning the idea and are unable to see of failure (lack of beyond it. When entrepreneurs do About the Author... success) is not what we not read the signals that the idea is A business mean when we ask the not feasible and they continue to management A question, ‘Why start pursue it, without making any professional with ups fail to scale?’. To some, failure alterations, the outcomes can be more than 15 years of may mean having to give up a unfavourable. Pranay Gupta, teaching and venture totally; to others it may “What is even worse is if the idea is consultancy mean a change of initial plan or very good but it is too early for its experience in the idea. It may also mean not being time”. Entrepreneurs should ensure areas of financial able to grow the business to the well defined time lines to test the management, idea scale that was initially envisaged. idea and if it does not pass the test, generation and Success is relative and is subject to they should move on. Revisiting, business plan individual interpretations. In spite evolving and modifying the idea as formulation. Trained of all the planning, challenges faced one moves along is important for in entrepreneurship and solutions identified-there can implementing it successfully. In teaching at Stanford be many reasons why start ups fail this case, having good mentors or Technology Venture to scale. This article tries to curtail well wishers is very important. The Programmes and your blind spot on the not-so- entrepreneur should not only be Indian School of obvious reasons why start ups fail open to but he should actively seek Business, Hyderabad. to scale. Awareness of factors out alternate view points for Worked as Research leading to failures increases the consideration, honest feedback as Fellow with Centre for Innovation, chances of success. well as advice. Incubation and Entrepreneurship at The inputs for the article are based In order to test the idea, the Indian Institute of on the qualitative feedback entrepreneur must have an in depth Management, captured from entrepreneurs and market understanding; three Ahmedabad. senior professionals in the industry. important factors that he must Developed cases on A summary of the inputs has been consider are human resources, Innovative shared in this article. existing and future political and Entrepreneurs of economic scenario. Avoiding Gujarat. Too obsessed with the idea failure in this case is a combination of idea, funding and team. Interestingly, those who have all the qualities for being a successful Financial indiscipline entrepreneur, can still be set up for Start-up companies that went failure, if they get too obsessed with bankrupt are characterized with a the idea. They limit themselves to management having a serious
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deficiency in managerial and G o A i r h a s n o e q u i t y o r industry-related experience. These commercial funding. Though there companies lack a strategic was a demand for 40 aircrafts, they advantage or have a poor purchased only 10. They worked operational structure. As a result, just to make sure that these 10 there is a very weak financial and aircrafts are always utilized. Now, administrative structure and with a few other airlines closing financial challenges crop up in the down, they will buy more. This is early stages itself. External factors one of the ways of demonstrating have no influence on the short f i n a n c i a l d i s c i p l i n e . failure path of these companies. Jasmine Parekh How do many start ups get money Starts ups have a high gestation from venture capitals? What is the period. Hence, the initial planning cost of money to be borrowed? and projections may not always be About the Author... What is the demand supply ratio? right and continuous corrections Jasmine Parekh has a What are the inflows and outflows? may need to be done in due course. M.B.A in Human If the demand is of a diminishing Entrepreneurs are required to be Resources and an nature, then the start up is likely to fundamentally innovative like FB, Executive Diploma in fail. For e.g. a company like Myntra G o o g l e a n d M i c r o s o f t . HRM from XLRI. selling T-shirts would have a very Understanding the customer needs She has worked in high inflow of money in some and behaviour should be at the diverse industries and months, Flipkart would have a center stage. This is tested through was a core member of regular inflow of money and the the evolution of the idea and the corporate HR education industry would have an subsequent planning for its team in her previous annual/bi annual inflow of money. implementation. engagements. She has experience in various When start ups do not have money, An important implication for new domains of HR. She there is a better synergy. Once the firm owners is that although has also worked on a money comes in, the complications entrepreneurs usually have high research paper ‘Impact of P-J fit and begin. Understanding of finance concern for tangible assets, they Comparison of Job and differentiating finance from should not undermine the Characteristic Model accounting will bring clarity to the s i g n i f i c a n t a n d p o s i t i v e & Holland RIASEC entrepreneurs mind. As mentioned contribution of intangible assets in approach.’ which is by Dinesh Goel, “The focus of any the form of human, organizational submitted for entrepreneur should be on the how, and relational capital to their publishing. when, where, why and from whom companies. to get the funds”. He should Currently, she is a understand how he can differentiate Being Technology ‘lagged’ consultant with between spending, investing and TVRLS. utilising money and have a holistic Everyone seems to be chasing understanding of the cash flows. technology. The market place is a This is where financial discipline clear indication, where the takes its place. In a normal scenario, customer base for mobile/ipad as soon as the start up gets some applications is increasing, the funding, they get so elated that they smallest of companies is creating forget the discipline to be followed. brand awareness on Facebook, and virtual meetings are getting In a normal scenario, as soon as c o n d u c t e d u s i n g S k y p e . the start up gets some funding, Technology is an effective way to they get so elated that they forget either save time/resources or the discipline to be followed. increase revenues or both. It
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changes the context in which one If personal financial interest is greater thinks. One of the factors why some than the organizational interest,. then start ups get left behind or they are not the new venture is bound to fail. Quite able to make it big is because they do evidently, there is a difference between not embrace technology or are too late investing money and investing Quite evidently, in doing so. yourself in the business. When you are there is a i n v e s t i n g y o u r s e l f , y o u a r e difference Luck (or lack of it) emotionally attached to the company; between investing when you are just investing money, money and If one had a high external locus of the focus then is on the short term goal control (this is a belief that success and of selling the venture to make profits investing yourself failure can be attributed to factors rather than long term value creation. in the business. outside and not to the individual), Values enable entrepreneurs to sustain When you are she/he would invariably have ‘Luck’ in the long run and build goodwill. investing yourself, as one of his responses for why the Diluted faith/passion you are start up failed. We have received mixed emotionally views on luck. Circumstances are created by people. Hence, it is difficult The entrepreneur should be guided by attached to the to isolate the impact of luck on the a larger purpose and at the same time company; when have belief and faith in his idea. Faith success or failure of an idea or its you are just here is defined as persistence and implementation. Failure has been commitment towards the idea and the investing money, largely attributed to wrong timing and belief that it would benefit the larger the focus then is improper analysis of market situation. society. It is this higher purpose and on the short term faith that will help the entrepreneur All religions say that if good times are goal of selling the move on and stage a come-back, in venture to make here, bad times will also follow. spite of experiencing failure in the first Tactically things change, there are or second attempt. Sushil Handa says, profits rather than good times and there are bad times. “True entrepreneurs question the long term value One can make or break the situation realities against success and will not creation. based on the choices one makes. It has take ‘no’ for an answer”. They are been found that for entrepreneurs aware that they need to experience who have clear strategic focus, luck some pain in the path to success. Faith plays a part at the tactical level. When is contagious and it will subsequently entrepreneurs focus more on the lead the whole team to work towards a effort, luck supported success more unified vision. than failure. Conclusion Failures are acceptable as long as the entrepreneur takes effort to come Lack of well embedded value system back with renewed and enhanced knowledge and experience. While an entrepreneur’s experience is important, it is not a ‘must have’ Many start-ups include integrity, ingredient for success as much as domain knowledge and passion. trust, honesty, and transparency as Everything else can be learnt, but passion/faith comes from within values that drive them. While they and that’s what makes the difference! sound great, realistically living up to Entrepreneurship is for those who are thick skinned, and who have all of them is next to impossible when the sheer tenacity to be able to hear lots of “no’s” and yet not be trying to deal with the nuances of a deterred. Failure is difficult to experience and even more difficult to start up. It would be conflicting, if a talk about. There are no rules for what works and what doesn’t work. In a nutshell, failure is not lack of success but an integral part of it. person has paid bribes to get a business Even more: the relationship between the two can be cyclical with deal and has integrity as his business failure leading to success, leading back to failure, into success and each valueIt more important to practise the containing the seed of the other and of its own reversal as the cycle values that are preached. continues.
Image Source: http://blog.startupprofessionals.com/2011/08/you-built-great-startup-but-can-you.html
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A TVRLS Publication 22 |July-September 2012 Butterfly Fields
s a student at IIMA, I Doing something in the education attended a course on sector Entrepreneurship by Prof. Sunil Handa, Given my engineering background, A where we listened to Sharat Chandra I thought manufacturing ball various entrepreneurs share their bearings was something we could experiences. Entrepreneurship, we venture into. Our initial plan were told, was coming up with an indicated that we would require an About the Author... idea and taking it forward. Our investment of Rs. 5 crores. We "Sharat is a BTech in professor used to end each session started approaching bankers for Chemical Engg. from of our entrepreneurship course loans. Initially, they spoke IITB and PGDM with one thought-‘If they could do favorably about how youngsters from IIMA. He along it, why can’t you?’ That thought should venture into business and with Praveen Yedla paved the way for my future and for how they were willing to offer (batchmates at IIMA) Butterfly fields. loans without collateral. But, when founded, Butterfly we put our specific loan request in Fields in 2005 and The Idea front of them, they refused saying straight after college. that the loan amount was too high Since then Butterfly Having worked in the corporate to offer without collateral. Since we Fields has impacted world for a few years, I had reached had no experience in the field and over 500,000 students a stage where ‘why I was doing no collateral to offer, we had to across 4000 plus versus what I was doing’ was more drop the idea. schools across many i m p o r t a n t t o m e . I h a d cities in India and romanticized on starting something Not willing to give up, we moved to abroad. The process of hands- of my own and having a team of something similar-offering consulting services to SMEs, aimed on learning is about hundred people. My family followed in Butterfly at helping manufacturing firms do was worried as I had no concrete Fields. This enables better. We did not need any funding plan, other than starting something children to o n m y o w n . I w a s n o t for this venture. We began working understand abstract extraordinarily creative; I was just with a few companies, charging a and complex concepts an average guy. I began the journey fixed amount for consulting and a better and to apply of doing something on my own by variable amount based on the them to various real exploring not 1 but 20 different revenue the idea generated. It was a life scenarios. ideas. While doing this, I was source of income but more than fortunate to have Praveen, an IIM- that it was a way to get our hands A batch mate, with me. He was an dirty on the field. This consulting aeronautical engineer from IIT was not about giving presentations, Madras with no prior experience. but about doing and showing our Both of us brainstormed and finally clients that our ideas could work. It zeroed on three ideas worth was an interesting experience and it considering: made sense as part of the bigger plan. Manufacturing ball bearings Consulting for small and medium As we moved along, we look at the size firms education field and we felt that our
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current system offered no scope for learning for us. In 2007, Young experiential learning. Learning was World covered us in one of their aimed more at cracking an exam. issues. Schools got interested and For example, Science as a subject faculty was impressed with the was sought after because everyone models we presented. We were else was doing so. Students would now invited to take sessions for the get used to theoretical learning students. This was a challenge for through class room lectures and us as till now, our workshop notes. The same system continued content had been in a free format, in college as well. But, when one catering to mixed age groups gets into the real world, there is no without any particular syllabus. one to give you notes. For us, this Teaching at schools for specific was a major gap. We took up the classes and catering to a specific idea of experiential learning as a syllabus was new to us. Even more way of contributing something to challenging was the fact that we had society. We did consulting during to address all students of 5th, 6th, the week and engaged kids on 8th and 9th which totaled to almost weekends as well as their summer 1800 students. Scalability was a breaks. It was this motivation that new parameter that we had to Each time we gave birth to Butterfly Fields. prepare for. The first session was tried something held from 8-3 pm. The room was similar we asked Butterfly Fields-The Company full of students and I had to shout at ourselves ‘are we the top of my voice to be heard. Initially, Butterfly Fields held There was commotion as some of enjoying it’. If summer workshops for children. the students were not able to see the we did, then let’s Parents wanted a combination of models being made. I was sure the do more of it. fun and learning for their children. principal would be unhappy with We never once We developed many experiential the way it turned out but was activities as a part of the workshop. pleasantly surprised when it was asked the For example, to teach optics, we quite the opposite. The teachers question, “Are would open up a camera and show and the principal were quite happy. children how it worked. Similarly, we making The energy and enthusiasm with an old gramophone helped us money?” which the children did the demonstrate how sound was activities, despite all the problems produced. Parents liked it and kids (my voice not being audible, were excited. Good feedback on the shortage of material etc) was truly workshops resulted in us getting inspiring. The activities were featured in one of the local performed across the classes during newspapers. As a result, calls from the week. This took a toll on my parents wanting to put their consulting work. The principal children through our workshops during the weekends, increased. requested us to conduct a second session the following month, once As a next step, we aligned our again linking the activities with the w o r k s h o p s t o t h e s c h o o l course curriculum. Butterfly Fields curriculum. We organized field had begun to evolve. It was never a visits to bread manufacturing firms planned effort. Each time we tried or soap manufacturers to show something similar we asked them how it was all made, as well as ourselves ‘are we enjoying it’. If we do-it-yourself activities. Much of did, then let’s do more of it. We our time was invested in creating never once asked the question, modules. It was fun as well as “Are we making money?”
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One school led to another. Some of government schools and 200 them asked us to integrate our private schools. models into their pedagogy. By 2008 we registered Butterfly Fields Initial Challenges as a limited company and gave up consulting work. Initially, we One of my initial challenges was in raised an amount of Rs. 12 lakhs and convincing my family about our expenses were more or less starting something on my own. working up to be the same. Getting my parents involved right Gradually our profits grew. Our from the idea stage helped me get revenues had grown from Rs. 20 their support. I realized that it was lakhs when we started to Rs. 48 important to share with people lakhs in 2010. what we were doing. Good feedback from parents at various In the meantime, I was invited by workshops increased my family’s Sankalp, a professional body for faith in my endeavor. I had entrepreneurship in the social space managed to earn around Rs. 8 lakhs where I met venture capitalists and with my consulting assignments investment bankers. They had and Butterfly Fields. Our expenses heard about my work and had were close to Rs. 6 lakhs which visited some of the schools where meant we were hardly making Rs.20,000 a month together. This we extended our services. They was nothing great considering that were excited about it and spoke we would have earned much more about the possibility of raising from a regular job. It was tough. My money. We asked for Rs. 50 lakhs, wife knew what I earned and yet she but that was chickenfeed for a VC married me. Her understanding and funding. This led us to work on a encouragement has been a formal business plan for Butterfly tremendous support. However, by Fields. Other VCs approached us to the end of the first year, Praveen’s create IT models of our work, but parents were worried because we we wanted to retain the hands on were going nowhere. People would experience of our activities. We were clear on our values and fundamentals. Another VC, Avishkar, who funded social ventures approached us and asked if we were open to working with g o v e r n m e n t s c h o o l s a n d underprivileged children. We happily agreed. Avishkar went ahead and offered us 5 crores to expand our business.
We got a government project where we worked with 3,500 government schools. Working for the government was a steep learning curve for us. While the margins ask us if we were giving tuitions, or were low the impact was coaching students for IITs but we stupendous. Right now we are were none of those things. That was working with close to 3,800 the time Praveen thought it made
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more sense for him to take up a They are passionate and excited regular job in the corporate sector. about the work. They are all He ended up getting a job in successful professionals, who chose Bangalore. We planned to open a to work with Butterfly Fields to Butterfly Fields centre in Bangalore make a difference in education. but once he started working he was very involved and did not have The Way Forward much free time to pursue anything else. It has been a year since Butterfly Fields has started expanding geographically. Shortly, we will be working with a large chain of schools in Tamilnadu, where our models will be integrated as part of their curriculum. We also plan to work with the government of Tamil Nadu and translate the models into Tamil like we did in Telugu in Andhra Pradesh. The decision to set up in Hyderabad was because Praveen and I had a support system in terms of family. Our expansion to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is however a business decision. These states have schools which are looking towards The Team at Butterfly Fields evolving and incorporating changes. Also, the geographical In 2008, we were a team of three proximity of these states made people including the office boy. We them a viable option. The challenge had to work out a fixed salary for for the team now would be to the staff. I did not take any salary remain connected as we expand. myself, since we could not afford it. We have been adding to the team, Going forward we plan to strike a largely based on references from balance between working with existing employees. While many elite schools, private schools and government schools. While our people were curious about the approach for each of these company, they got deterred at the segments might differ based on the prospect of teaching. Between 2007 students, the concepts we teach and 2010 the team grew to 18 would be the same. We are also people. Eventually, with the considering adopting a direct growth and success of the customer approach. This requires a organization, we set up operational different kind of marketing. The departments and started hiring challenge is all the more since we accordingly. Our team size is now are currently evolving our brand 70 employees across three states. identity. We visualize huge opportunities for both B2B and The common thread that binds all B2C. But we need to figure out a of us together is our belief in the way to grow without one work we do. Each of the team cannibalizing the other and that members found interest in the work may well be the biggest challenge in that Butterfly Fields does. the days to come.
Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33814521@N03/galleries/72157624866704174/#photo_4557142972
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Brightening Smiles On The Way To Success!
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medical practitioner that I would extend, the help that I spends years to get would provide to cure their pain, trained in his or her and imagined only blessings. Some respective field. A how, money never figured in my A medical practitioner is dreams - life was simple and so were not only a clinical expert, but also a my needs. My dreams along with professional manager providing passion and positive thinking made Dr. Yogesh K excellent medical services. it all happen. H o w e v e r , f o r m a l m e d i c a l education fails to provide doctors The initial years About the Author... with certain entrepreneurial skills, Dr. Yogesh K required to make their practice I belonged to a service class family, Virmani is a Member and money was in short supply. successful. These skills are of the Dental Council The only thing I had was my especially more important for of India, the those medical practitioners who positivity and smile. After a 4- regulatory authority wish to be on their own. They have month search, I finally located a sm for the dental to face competition from corporate all place and I started my clinic with profession in India. hospitals and have to live up to the money borrowed from my father’s He is a renowned ever increasing expectations of the provident fund. Armed with self speaker on Aesthetic, modern, well informed patient. confidence and pride, I began with Restorative & very basic equipments but with a Adhesive dentistry in national and The inspiration for starting on my list of additional equipments in mind. I worked with dedication international forums own was from the need to be my and conducts and a strong commitment to realize own master. Having worked in workshops on the hospitals under senior colleagues my dreams. It was this which made same. He is Director for a year and a half, I was unhappy me perform my best and get of the dental lab “28 with the time management. Our recognition among my patients. ACE Labs” and of duty timings were 18 hours a day Within a year, I started buying new Web Portal without relevant work. To resolve equipments to enhance the value of www.dentistindia.co this, I took the support of five my practice. The priority of buying m. Dr. Yogesh is junior doctors and some senior new tools and learning was far Chairman of the more than buying a vehicle or Dental Practitioner’s doctors, drafted our own work Forum of India and furnishing my house. I took schedule. The seniors were also the Indian gracious enough to give this work approximately five years to Academy of schedule a try. Work efficiency and establish myself to a comfortable Restorative Dentistry. happiness among the junior level. I was fortunate to get married He has been a doctors improved dramatically. to a dentist who shared the same recipient of the Best, This sparked my confidence to attitude towards work-honesty and All India State think that that I could do better if compassion. With two of us in the Secretary’s award and the system was in my hands. profession, I started another clinic the International Though I was just 21 years old, I to practice. A visit to the US in College of Dentists 1989, opened up a new world and merit award. started dreaming of having my own He can be contacted further broadened my horizons. office set up. I thought about how I at: would talk/deal with my staff and [email protected] p a t i e n t s , t h e c o u r t e s i e s It is very important in the initial
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years, to be hard working along On the professional front I started with honesty and commitment. taking small steps and went up the One should never lose the humane ladder to take a big role as an angle, and you must do only those Organizing Secretary of Delhi things that you would like others to State. This 2-year stint made me do for you. Keep dreaming and i m p r o v e m y o r g a n i z i n g aspire to do the best, money will capabilities. In 1992, when automatically follow, though a computers were beginning to make little later. their presence, I introduced computerization for membership By then I knew the mantra of and conferences. This was quite “Where do you see yourself five new and my efforts were years from now?”. My first vision appreciated and recognized. I was One should was to move to a bigger place of conferred “All India Best State never lose the work and get the respect of Secretary Award” of the year. We humane angle, colleagues. Once again, my positive saw tangible benefits in the form of and you must attitude brought positive people patient referrals from across the do only those close, and I also found the ideal country. Keeping up with new place, i.e. my current place of technology helped. things that you Our goal of having bigger offices, would like others practice. This place was 10 times bigger than my previous one. financial security and recognition to do for you. among colleagues was fulfilled over Initially, we planned to continue the next five years. Keep dreaming running the old venture until we and aspire to do could match the income level of the Things were on track. In the next the best, money new venture to the old one. Within five years we were looking for will automatically a year, we realized this goal. The old more technology investment and venture continued to earn well follow, though a more time for rejuvenation which made us change our plans. little later. through vacations. To fulfill these We decided to continue in this goals, we hired fellow dentists and By then I knew locality but with a bigger facility. made them partners in earning, the mantra of My wife would handle this which also helped in long term independently. We bought another “Where do you retention of employees. We took place, as big as my new clinic and lots of continuing education see yourself shifted into the new premises. A five years from programs, kept upgrading our few senior colleagues suggested clinics with the latest equipment now?”. keeping office hours between 9 a.m. and techniques and most important and 6 p.m. as that would help in of all, computers. There was never hiring the best staff. Their a time when my employees experience showed that working returned from vacation and during mornings and evenings something had not changed-It i n v a r i a b l y b r o u g h t i n would be either better handling of compromised staff. With quality work, or addition of something always being my priority, I changed new. Holding fortnightly staff the timings from to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. meetings to discuss progress and which helped us balance work and improvements helped. The staff family well. The changed timing was trained to handle situations gave us good family time in the calmly. This created a good evening, and more time to work for environment and our patients felt a s s o c i a t i o n s .
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warm and welcome. We took Ingredients for success c l a s s e s i n m a r k e t i n g a n d implemented the ideas in our My experience has taught me that offices by telling people about new the most important ingredients for treatment options. success are hard work, good clinical skills, punctuality, honesty, Challenges Faced pleasant manners, continuing education to keep abreast with We had to compete with non- latest developments and last but graduate dentists (quacks), as they not least, marketing, as a major ruled the market with stop gap tool. Marketing can be in the form treatments. People, by and large, of internal marketing through were not aware about the pamphlets, books, charts or qualifications of a dentist and about running awareness month for good quality treatments. It was an particular treatment options at arduous task to create awareness clinics (Of course you need extra among the masses on dental health staff for this) Ethical media and we did that both in our coverage in the form of writing personal capacity and through articles for news papers, addressing associations. Even now, as per public gatherings also goes a long statistics, only 3% of the Indian way in paving the path for success. population visits dentists. Media coverage of the profession helps My Role Model: improve awareness. Another problem was that people, Various personalities have been my especially ladies, have a habit of role model for different reasons. asking for discounts. Good services Dr. Arun Nayyar, an Indian settled come at a price, so never discount in USA, constantly enhanced my your services, as it ruins the value. knowledge in dental science and It took time to make people tools of marketing and guided me understand that good quality is to become a speaker for spreading more important in matters of knowledge. There were other health, than cheaper treatments or professionals whom I looked up to discounts. for their leadership qualities and On the office management front, I exceptional organizing abilities. I had challenging situations in respect opposition/criticisms from dealing with my staff. I learnt that colleagues within the dental my front office staff was laundering fraternity and take them as fees. Instead of asking them to leave opportunities to enhance my skills immediately, I learned their modus and reach the highest office in the operandi, talked to my other Dental Council of India. colleagues who had faced such My message/advice to budding entrepreneurs or professionals issues and developed computer is to “Dream big, be a visionary, but do not expect to be successful software and methods to end it. and rich overnight. The future unfolds itself slowly; make plans for This turned out to be a blessing in the next five year s. Have your mar ria ge par tner disguise. Now, I even distribute from a different profession to stabilize the ups and downs in this software to others to help them ones profession. With all of this, success is sure to follow and overcome similar challenges. nothing can stop you in realizing your dreams.”
Image Source: http://egg2cake.com/blog/2011/11/
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o v i n g i n t o unknown territories voluntarily and t a k i n g o n n e w M p r o f e s s i o n a l challenges is something that has always motivated me. Most people beyond 65 years look forward to relaxed and leisure filled days. However, at 67, I defied this stereotype and moved ahead with great vigor.
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This satisfaction comes from making things better by extending a loving home and family to these precious gems, while their parents work hard for their bright futures.
The decision to start this activity was essentially born out of an emotional need when my son and his family relocated to Canada. I missed my grandson very much. Madanlal Sharma Though I visited them regularly, shifting there permanently was not an option, given the extreme weather conditions in Canada. The About the Author... vacuum created by one child has been filled up today by 20. On completing his education, Madanlal The seed for this idea was sown Sharma joined his during my stay in Canada. We were family business in asked by many friends and dyeing & printing of neighbors to start a day care centre textiles and invested in Canada. There was a great 23 years in the demand for quality service in this business. A area. It seemed a good idea but I was disciplinarian both at very clear that if I had to do it, it work and at home, he would have to be in India. We have is very methodical in taken care of our children and his approach to life. grandchildren and were confident In 1985, he moved out of doing a good job. The Day Care of the textile business idea crystallized and was named ‘V and started his own Care’. It started off modestly with 2 garment kids in 2009. Today, we proudly manufacturing claim having about 20 kids ranging business. At 67, along from three month infants to eight with his wife, Manju year olds. Sharma, 64, he took on a challenge to set- up a day care centre Finding the place was not an issue as called ‘V-Care’ in we had a huge house in Mumbai. Mumbai’s suburban However, we had to invest nearly area. Today, ‘V-Care’ Rs 2 lakhs to make alterations to the is one of the most I t r e q u i r e s c o u r a g e a n d house. We got rid of unnecessary trusted day care determination to start from scratch furniture and created space for centers in the area. and my wife has been my backbone children to play. We bought toys in all my endeavors. We started this and playthings from different loving venture of child care countries for the kids. We also management at an age when people researched by meeting people normally retire. Very few can running such centres, to get a experience the sense of satisfaction comprehensive idea of what is that my wife and I enjoy today. involved to run a centre well.
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The Centre Some of my peps up our suggestions / d a y s a n d entrepreneuri gives us a a l t i p s t o d e c e n t S e n i o r income (we Citizens are to charge Rs t a k e 4 5 0 0 p e r advantage of m o n t h working from inclusive of home. Your all meals). overheads are O u r d a y m i n i m i z e d starts early and you save as most of t i m e a n d the working m o n e y o n c o u p l e s commuting. p r e f e r t o S t r e s s a n d drop their children by 8 am. We get The first baby was only anxiety is much lesser as compared to relax only after the last child 3-months old, we faced to a paid job. A portion of your leaves by around 8.30 pm when no difficulty in taking household expenses such as either of the parents take the child care of him. telephone and utility bills can be back home. The centre remains included as tax deductible business closed on Sundays and public Advertising for our expenses. holidays. In case there is a request, v e n t u r e t h r o u g h we welcome kids on these days as pamphlet inserts in Post retirement, seniors citizens well. Parents leaving their children local newspapers and can use their accumulated at the day care centre need to provide w o r d o f m o u t h experience and knowledge to earn two pairs of clothes. We take care of publicity helped us. revenue by setting up a consultancy everything else. We feed them, bathe c r e a t e a w a r e n e s s . business from home. They can also them, and even put them to bed. As Gradually, the number convert their hobby into a business their eating habits differ, we prepare of kids left under our or go online, depending on their food for all age groups. This is a c a r e i n c r e a s e d . experience or interests. They can tough task because we all know how However, it was not explore various online options that patient one needs to be with little smooth sailing. We allow them to earn a good package. ones at all times. The 8 am to 8 pm faced difficulty in hiring shift involves providing the children people to assist us in our They could start a blog or even take with healthy food all through the endeavor. Our biggest up online assignments or join net day, incorporating parent’s request, challenge continues to communities. following medical instructions and be getting good maids other do’s and dont’s. Meticulously and helpers. At present, But before you start, let your health maintaining each child’s activities we have 6-7 full time and enthusiasm determine the during the day, is no doubt a ones to take care of amount of work load you can take challenging task. We do it with c h i l d r e n . W e a r e and work out the risk and returns genuine love that has made the p a r t i c u l a r a b o u t before investing in any venture. children affectionately call us cleanliness and hygiene Lastly, let us remember to: “Never ‘Nanu’ and ‘Nani’ (Grandparents). and the maids are give up and make something new t r a i n e d p r o p e r l y . happen everytime”. It is this With such care on offer, it wasn’t Running the day care attitude towards my work which difficult for us to attract parents and centre is no child’s play has brought me this far. our centre got its first customer but we have managed to within a week of opening. master the art. Reference: “The Economic Times Wealth” Issue on senior citizens dated Jan 31, 2012 by Amit Shanbaug
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T. V. RAO LEARNING SYSTEMS PVT. LTD.
Announces A Program in “Building A Leadership Pipeline Through Coaching”
Faculty: 1. Prof Diane Lennard (author of Coaching Models: A Cultural Perspective, is an executive development coach and a Clinical Associate Professor of Management Communication at New York University Stern School of Business)
2. Dr.T V Rao (Chairman, TVRLS)
Program Dates: 6th to 9th August, 2012 in Bangalore (Non-residential)
Contact Person: Namrata Malik Email:[email protected] Ph: 080 - 65975191, 26494919
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A TVRLS Publication 36 |July-September 2012 ACE of Intrapreneurship
“Many millions of people proudly claim the title "entrepreneur." On the other hand, a title that hasn't gotten nearly the amount of attention it deserves is entrepreneur's little brother, "intrapreneur": Jayantee Mukherjee Saha "an employee who is given freedom and financial support to create new products, services and systems, About the Author... who does not have to follow the company's usual Jayantee Mukherjee routines or protocols." While it's true that every Saha,PhD (Mgt-Cont.), MPhil. (Mgt), MBA company needs an entrepreneur to get it under way, (HRM), BSc, Cert. healthy growth requires a smattering of intrapreneurs (Human Rights), Cert. who drive new projects and explore new and unexpected (How to tackle discrimination in the directions for business development”- world of work- ILO) Sir Richard Branson she is the Director and Principal Consultant of Aei4eiA, a Sydney- he term 'intrapreneurs' In simple words, intrapreneurship based specialized was first coined in the at any level (individual, group or management research 1980s by management organization) fundamentally and consultancy firm. consultant Gifford involves taking ownership, i.e., Prior to this, she T Pinchot (Investopedia, operating with an entrepreneurial worked as Consultant 2012). The American Heritage mindset (Seshadri & Tripathy, to the Australian Dictionary defines an intrapreneur 2006, p17). It allows an employee to Institute of Management, Principal as a person within a large apply inherent business and Researcher at corporation who takes direct technical skills to innovate new Singapore Human responsibility for turning an idea products, processes or services Resources Institute. into a profitable finished product thereby adding value to the broader She has been working through assertive risk-taking and goals and objectives of the closely with innovation (Wikipedia, n.d). organisation. Intrapreneurship Government, public helps foster innovation and sector agencies, Companies like Google, 3M, creativity and invigorates the multinational corporations etc. organisation. Few elements are a Virgin, Adobe etc. have a company across 7 countries. c u l t u r e o f p r o m o t i n g must have for in individual She has over 38 intrapreneurship. For instance, Intrapreneurship - Acumen, publications to her Adobe recently launched an Capital and Enterprise (ACE). credit. A book titled i n c u b a t i o n p r o g r a m m e . 'Succeed or Sink: Employees initiate ideas and after ACE of Intrapreneurship Business Sustainability approval, these ideas get the I believe intrapreneurship is more under globalisation' co- support from Adobe's global behavior led than anything else. authored by her was recently published by e x p e r t p o o l f o r f u r t h e r One has to have the passion to surge ahead no matter how strong Chandos, Oxford, UK. development. In addition to an This article is based on initial funding, the idea initiator the obstacles are. It is about making this book. She can be also gets a 6-12 months window a perfect equation with the reached at- period to work on it (IBEF, 2009). [email protected]
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ACE(Acumen, Capital and There are examples galore that Enterprise) factors (briefly intrapreneurship may also be a explained in Exhibit 1 ). pathway to entrepreneurship and vice versa. For example, Steve Jobs Exhibit 1 r e g a r d e d h i m s e l f b o t h a s A= Acumen (i.e Wisdom and Insights to intrapreneur and entrepreneur make business sense) whereas co-founder of Apple Corporation, Wozniak worked at C= Capital (i.e Capital source and financial Hewlett Packard when he and Jobs strength) and first experimented with creating a personal computer (Haller, 2012). E= Enterprise (i.e Originality, initiative, Cross over does happen for the creativity, (intra)entre/preneurship story to boldness and risk taking ability) to continue. carry on the passion. …And the story continues Once formed, the (intra) entre / Be it within the shell of an preneurship takes its own toll - organisation or outside of it, the passing through the business life- A C E f a c t o r s e n a b l e s t h e cycle stages of initiation, growth, phenomenon to take place, leading saturation and beyond.With to enhanced innovation and dynamic business environments p r o d u c t i v i t y , e m p l o y e e a n d m u l t i p l e v a r i a b l e s , engagement, customer satisfaction organisations around the world a n d i m p r o v e d f i n a n c i a l encounter the challenge to performance (outlined in Exhibit recognise uncertainty and take 2). remedial measures on time, every time. Any uncertainty a business or Exhibit 2 e n t e r p r i s e faces will Outcomes heighten the Key factors Phenomenon pressures for # Enhanced t h e # Acumen innovation and organisation Intrapreneurship t o b e Productivity vigilant and # Capital (within an # Employee creative in organisation) Engagement # Enterprise e n s u r i n g # Customer b u s i n e s s satisfaction v i a b i l i t y . (ACE) # Improved During such Crossover financial p e r i o d s , performance productivit y in general, a n d innovation Entrepreneurship i n particular, will be the order of the
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day (Rowley, Mukherjee Saha & you can praise them, disagree with Ang, 2011, p113-114). To them, quote them, disbelieve summarise, the contemporary them, glorify or vilify them. business environment certainly About the only thing you can’t do promotes the essence of (intra) is ignore them. Because they entre/ preneurship- which, as change things. They invent. They noted in the following quote from imagine. They heal. They explore. Apple Inc. , is here to stay. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. “Here’s to the crazy ones. The While some see them as the crazy m i s f i t s . T h e r e b e l s . T h e ones, we see them as genius. troublemakers. The round pegs in Because, the people, who are crazy the square holes. The ones who see enough to think they can change things differently… the world, are the ones who do”.
—“Here’s to the Crazy Ones,” The Apple Creed, www.apple.com
References Haller, H.E. (2012), Steve Jobs the Ultimate
A TVRLS Publication 39 |July-September 2012 Entrepreneurship At The Workplace Opportunity is missed by most people, because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Thomas Edison
ntrepreneurship at the brand, and secondly, multiple new w o r k p l a c e ( a l s o categories like bags, belts, wallets Mr. Ajoy Chawla commonly referred to etc. to be simultaneously explored, as Intrapreneurship) with virtually no existing E implies creating new, competencies internal to the About the Author... profitable and sustainable revenue organization. Thirdly, it also involved creating a new retail Mr. Ajoy Chawla is the streams for the organisation. Vice president, Encouraging the spirit of format that would need to be Watches and entrepreneurship is advantageous experimented with and rolled out Accessories division, not only to the organization but quickly. Titan Industries also to its employees. While it helps It was a huge task. What facilitated limited. A BE explore the potential of an its execution was her immediate (Mechanical organization, it brings vibrancy superior, who was a willing engineering) from sponsor. The team was set up VJTI Mumbai and and versatility in the work of an PGDM from IIMC, employee, thus enthusing him/her despite challenges in managing he joined the Tata to optimize innate talent. headcount, marketing investments Administrative Services This article is a summary of my etc. New products were developed with external and internal support, (TAS) in 1990. He was personal experiences and learning’s posted by TAS to Titan a new retail business model was o n t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f Industries in 1991. developed and in a short span of 5 Entrepreneurship at the workplace Since then, he has years, the brand grew to be India’s and the role that individuals, handled multiple most exciting and amongst one of portfolios in Titan superiors and the organization the largest youth brands. More including marketing, culture plays, in order to nurture importantly, it led the way for sales, retail, supply this quality. chain management, other brands and businesses in the international and new same organization. business incubation etc. A peek into the world of In 2010, he attended intrapreneurs ‘Small is Beautiful’!! the Advanced The head of manufacturing of Management Program ‘Creating an iconic youth brand’ jewelry had always wondered (AMP) from Harvard about Indian’s love for gold and the Business School. The marketing manager of a youth sheer quantum of business, that watch brand, felt that there was a many local jewelers did, especially huge opportunity to extend the from small towns in South India. brand from a single category to As he was himself from the south multiple categories. There was a and he had deep customer and deep desire to build an iconic, cultural insights, he went about exciting, youth accessory brand. building on the idea he had, of Her close understanding of the creating a business, which was cost youth and their aspirations fuelled competitive, customer friendly, this desire. This, firstly called for and based on a ‘small town’ driven articulating a larger vision for the business model.
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However, the rest of the size of opportunity was large organization was geared towards enough. Hence, he went about selling design differentiated, higher creating a new retail format. This premium jewelry, largely in the top idea faced a fair amount of metros and state capitals of the opposition from within the retail country, based on significant o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d s e v e r a l competencies in design, marketing, conceptual questions were raised. brand management, and a high Will it be a smaller showroom, will value added supply chain. it dilute the image for the brand, or Contrastingly, the new business will it merely eat into the local proposition needed a cost dealer’s sales? How will it be conscious, low margin, high serviced, will it need extensive volume, small town, customer organization support? Without any c o n n e c t - d r i v e n a p p r o a c h . additional resources, he leveraged Moreover, the business case needed his contacts, formed a small group to pass through many skeptics in of people in his team, who were the larger organization, at various willing to work on this as an levels and also at the level of the additional assignment along with Board, due to the investments their regular and high pressure jobs. involved. Nonetheless, the He built a powerful business case manager pushed hard to pilot the by demonstrating 4 successful idea with his existing manpower in pilots. a couple of small towns in Tamil While there are still fuzzy Nadu. Despite the challenges, his questions that need to be answered team virtually doubled up from and policies for exploiting this being manufacturing professionals opportunity are yet to be finalized, to customer facing retailing experts, all have seen the power behind the with a deep passion for making this i d e a . M a n y c h a n g e s w e r e experiment work. Success implemented in the subsequent followed and the idea blossomed stores and there has been immense into a full-fledged 1000 crore learning on the run. All the 40 business. stores are profitable for both- the company and the franchisee, and The Magical Middle India! significant incremental revenue has A Sales Manager felt that while his been added to the business. All this organization had exclusive was accomplished in a period of 2 showrooms in many larger towns, years. the many smaller sized multi-brand dealers in small towns did not do W hat distinguishes these adequate justice to the opportunity Intrapreneurs from other line and aspiration of the emerging managers? middle class in India. He was able to These are managers who went well sniff the huge opportunity in small beyond their brief and created town India, now popularly called as something which they can be truly ‘Middle India’ (with population of 1 proud of! So what differentiates to 10 lacs). these Intrapreneurs from other The showroom business model regular managers? Some qualities I involved large investments and have observed in my 21 years of hence seemed to work only if the work life are:
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Distinguishing Factors of Intrapreneurs
Restless Explorers: never content A nose for profits: This is with the present/status quo, they instinctive. It is an unusual quality like to explore opportunities all the and seen in only a few. It involves time. Many exhibit a restless an innate understanding of energy that never permits them to balancing revenues, margins and f e e l s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e i r costs. achievements. Evangelists: Willing to be a Sensibly Ambitious: dreaming the relentless flag-bearer, convince impossible, yet practical and higher powers, building a strong grounded, knowing that it is business case or at times inspiring important to build organization relevant stakeholders with a credibility by ensuring early powerful vision. They are able to successes. Scale is something that cut through hierarchies and make seems to drive them. their case – be it in elevators or in Thriving in ambiguity: They board rooms! remain unfazed by the many Tenacity: A new business venture unanswered questions, knowing does not always turn out the way it that these questions can be was envisaged. Every new venture answered along the way. What has the risk of wrong assumptions, matters is a clearly visible poor estimation or changes in opportunity. They don’t get lost in environment. A successful too many conceptual tangles. intrapreneur recognizes the Healthy allergy towards processes challenge and is willing to manage & t o o m a n y r i g i d setbacks. They are tenacious in controls/conditions: Intrapreneurs chasing their dream. recognize that processes are man- Flexible, agile: Making constant made and are meant to help achieve adjustments to align to the market an objective. They are not rules o p p o r t u n i t y o r b u s i n e s s ordained from heaven and hence, environment or competition they do not see them as constraints. moves. Not fixated on initial ideas They see processes as mere or rigid strategies. variables that can be modified to Sound judgment: Willingness and suit the business or organization the ability to take business calls or context. Many land up taking some risks on limited information. chances and bend a few rules to An ability to inspire team push their agenda! members, attract talent and create a winning team
It is truly rare to see all these Are Intrapreneurs born with these qualities in one person, but my qualities or can they be created? experience has been that at least 5-6 In my assessment, all people are not of these are needed as a critical mass built for intrapreneurship. Some of for Intrapreneurship to blossom. these qualities are inherent in an
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individual-such as: ability to take more guiding role, acting as risks, sniffing a profitable bouncing boards for ideas and loud opportunity, ability to operate in thinking. Building diversity of ambiguity or even the restlessness thought amongst junior managers or discontent with present. Much by encouraging them to challenge of the rest can be cultivated by the ideas that may come from individuals, providing they have leaders is a frequently observed the drive and sincerity to put in phenomenon in such “open- sustained effort. c u l t u r e ” o r g a n i z a t i o n s . However, all intrapreneurs need teams to take forward their ideas. A collaborative culture: Such Further, it is obvious that very organizations tend to have an rarely can one individual bring informal network of people, who forth all the qualities mentioned collaborate to create and bring above. Hence, as individual ideas to fruition. Many companies managers, it is also possible to have tried to promote this culture collaborate with others having by creating Cross Functional complementary skill sets and come Teams (CFTs). This works well together as an “Entrepreneurial when interested individuals team”. So, all managers can volunteer to participate in the participate in the Intrapreneurship CFTs. A top-down mandated CFT process to build new revenue may not work as it could quickly streams, brands, businesses or deteriorate into a loose federation projects by understanding their of uninterested people with limited roles clearly. Some will however, be ownership. Another common the flag bearers who initiate and reason for CFTs to lose steam is the lead these efforts providing the perceived lack of support or vision, conviction and judgment. empowerment to take decisions. Hence, top management support is Organization DNA required for vital for success. nurturing ‘Intrapreneurship’: A healthy and vibrant middle layer Just like a seed needs the right of management: An organization amount of sunlight, water and where managers do not need to ground conditions to germinate, keep consulting senior most leaders Intrapreneurship tends to blossom for direction, all the time, fosters under the right organization intrapreneurship. If middle level culture. Some of the observed managers are used only to conditions are listed below: “execute” strategies created at the top, it is unlikely to naturally Open & participative leadership: spawn intrapreneurs. Allowing An Informal culture which does middle level managers to envision not depend on seniority for respect the future and seek out new is conducive to intrapreneurship. In opportunities, either in new such an organization, Leaders listen business areas or within their a n d r e s p e c t t h e v i e w s o f existing categories, by way of new younger/junior people. Here, customer segments or new leadership tends to play more of a
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customer needs, is a fairly common feature cost reduction is usually associated observed in such organizations. to “efficiency seeking” mindsets. In my opinion, ‘Cost cutting’ is not A reasonable risk appetite the same as Intrapreneurship, even In such organizations, risk taking is a though it may be enterprising and celebrated virtue, with recognition instead of beneficial. The energies associated penalties for “failed ideas” that were with these two are very different promising but did not work out. Risk taking though both may emerge out of need not imply taking huge risks that can i n n o v a t i v e t h i n k i n g a n d cripple the organization. Leadership tends to experimentation. Usually, people take on the role of “mini venture capitalists” w h o a r e e n e r g i z e d b y challenging the business model and taking a intrapreneurship, are unlikely to macro view of the industry to enable risk be passionate about cost cutting management. Further, there is a more initiatives. graduated approach with consumer inputs, expert views, proof of concepts and Respect for Capital: establishing a business case before investing Abundance of capital may not have large amounts in a new business idea. too much of a role to play for However, one of the challenges associated building intrapreneurship. In fact, with review by top management in a scarcity of capital inculcates a consensus driven culture, is that the process of healthy respect for capital and a ensuring consensus may slow down the pace strong discipline of demonstrating of decision making. In order to circumvent the potential before seeking large such a situation, the organization can form a investments. In such case, the smaller team of senior experienced tendency to come up with leaders/board members, who are best suited innovative low cost or asset-light or to evaluate such new ideas. The aim is to be scalable business models is a able to strike a balance between risk and necessity which pushes people to caution and allow people to take calibrated think creatively to enable quick risks (in relation to the company’s balance visibility of profits. sheet and cash flows.)
Focus on revenue generation over focus on Some common Examples of Intrapreneurship: costs: R e v e n u e s e e k i n g Creating new brand/ product line/ new price band for a opportunities are more new untapped customer segment. glorified compared to Expand to different markets–e.g. Geographic expansion cost cutting ideas, to new countries/smaller towns, etc. though both can and Tapping new accounts/new customers who may not be usually coexist in in the same category- e.g. Non -traditional outlets for different parts of the existing products to explore possibilities? Also co- organization. Seeking promotion of similar products new revenue streams are New product development / brand extension to same an inherent part of the customer franchise creation process, while Create different retail formats to tap unique opportunities Create new business model to tap an opportunity Leverage existing skill set from within to tap into an unrelated business
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What behaviors are needed for Seeking resources for any new Intrapreneurs to be successful? business can take several months or years before organization Focus on customers and their conviction can be built up. unfulfilled needs: spending time Knowing when the time is ripe for with them to understand them, an idea is a matter of fine their businesses and challenges, are judgement! usually a fertile ground for new ideas. Willingness to work extra hours on the side over and above the Humility to learn from peers regular job, without getting any w i t h i n t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n , benefits on your performance competitors, international appraisal! Most organizations will examples, or companies from other not tolerate slip up on existing non-competing categories. For e.g. duties and almost always won’t if Asian paints can customize colors have dedicated roles for such jobs- for their end consumers, how can I so extra effort comes as a “perk” apply this to my industry? with the aspiration to be an ‘Intrapreneur’! Having spotted an opportunity, too many of us are too lazy to build Leverage hidden resources like upon the idea. It takes a lot more summer trainees and project effort to start exploring, validating trainees to pursue projects. A and sharpening the opportunity. manager I knew, always managed Nothing can replace good deeper to have some trainee or the other all r e s e a r c h a n d p e r s o n a l year long! understanding. Research can’t be left only to agencies-one must get a Knowing when to let go-The first hand view by interacting with passion to see the idea becoming customers, experts, industry and successful and big and allowing it to trade. grow with the right team and people many a times different Building a strong business case and teams who may be more suited or a proof of concept is essential to needing dedicated people. It is convince oneself and others, before tough to let go of your baby, but seeking large investments. this is needed for it to blossom.
Do not give up unless your idea or Be willing to recognize that business case has been heard out by someone else’s judgment may be the very top decision maker, as right-and one maybe wrong about there can be many layers of the idea, its timing or the approach. bureaucracy. It requires tenacity, An entrepreneur is always flexible conviction and ownership. and open to change!
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It’s All About ‘Walking The Promise.’ An Interaction With Mimi Parthasarathy
A manager in the corporate world, a businesswoman, a yoga teacher, a classical Indian dancer, a Philanthropist and an animal lover. Mimi Parthasarathy is all of them. Given below are excerpts of the interview with Mimi, as she shares her journey from the corporate world to setting up her own financial advisory and planning company called Sinhasi, her passions and her pursuits.
Could you share with us a little had yet to be set, was one of the about your early professional life most wonderful experiences that I and the lessons you learnt from could ever have asked for. Most of your first assignment in the my colleagues were single and corporate world? younger than me. Hence, while Soon after I finished my double their life largely revolved around MA in Marketing and Finance work and the office, it was only me from Switzerland, I got married who was in a desperate hurry to get and was blessed with my daughter, back home to my daughter by 6.15 Hamsini. I spent those initial years pm. However, my motto of ‘Just dedicated to raising her and do it’ really helped me achieve this enjoying every single minute of it. balance between work and Once she turned three, it was my personal life. I took on all the mother who reminded me one fine responsibilities-whether it was day, when she said, “You are an coordinating with the advertising intelligent and highly educated girl. agency for advertising campaigns, Your daughter is old enough now. placing orders at the amazing Don’t you think it is high time you Tanishq factory for products for do something in your professional the stores, creating a product and life?” That was enough to get me training manual or placing orders moving. On the advice of a very for uniforms of Tanishq store dear well wisher, who also employees. I did everything and happened to be one of the founders anything. By the time I left Titan, of Titan industries, I joined the in just 8 months, we had expanded marketing function of the the Tanishq showrooms from 2 to upcoming brand Tanishq (The 11. Being a part of Titan, was a jewellery division of Titan) in 1997. fabulous learning experience for Working as one of the 6-member me. If I were to share the single team, on a brand that had yet to be most important lesson that I learnt established and with systems that from my first job, it would be
In your initial years, it doesn’t matter what kind of work
“comes your way and how much you are paid. Just take it, own it and do it well. There is learning in every single thing “ that you take on, be it in execution, in managing people, or in doing things, which have never been done before
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Could you share with us some of for success. And for this, you have the key takeaways from your other to “Walk the Promise”. corporate stints? To me, one of I moved from Titan to a totally As an entrepreneur, the ability to the critical different industry, the Airline sell the idea to your own people Industry. When I joined Jet and get them on board is of great requirements of Airways in 1998, their fleet size was importance and is a big challenge. an entrepreneur just 5. In those days, dedicated sales When and how did you learn the is true teams were only meant for art of managing people? salesmanship. connecting with travel agents. For This is a quality that I learnt while It’s about how the first time in Bangalore, a working at Jet Airways. The role of the entrepreneur dedicated Corporate Sales team was corporate sales in Jet was created in the interest of business. However, conveys his or created. This team would directly connect with the corporate it might have been something that her heart, some may have seen with passionate idea customer and the business community, as Jet was clearly skepticism, as it was a new concept. and commitment catering to the business traveler in Not being from the same industry, in such a way the country. I took on the role of it took effort to focus on the reason that the other Corporate Sales Manager. My why the team was formed and what person also mandate was to establish the team was the task on hand. Two qualities feels its power and process of corporate sales. that helped me were - I never saw and is willing Over the next year, we met over myself as a boss or manager and to invest in it 1000 corporate houses and were the once again, I had no hang-ups in doing things myself. I kept a simple or buy it. first in the country to sign a corporate deal with Wipro. While working style in the team and did Titan gave me an initiation into not create any layers or complex marketing, it was Jet Airways that reporting. I continue to use the taught me true Sales. Even today, I same principles even today at I learnt that you use those learning’s. To me, one of Sinhasi. It is my deep belief that one need to let go of the critical requirements of an of the key roles of the founder of your ego and entrepreneur is true salesmanship. any organization is to focus on focus your It’s about how the entrepreneur setting the right foundation, ethics, principles and values of the energy on the conveys his or her heart, passionate idea and commitment in such a way organization. The only way to right way of ensure that the team is highly communicating that the other person also feels its power and is willing to invest in it accountable is to trust the team and your ideas and or buy it. Any idea is saleable only give them the freedom. They then make them through the communication have the right to say ‘I own this powerfully element and that is exactly what the client; I will do whatever is saleable for word ‘sales’ signifies. Even though necessary and will take full success. And selling an airline was completely responsibility’. This is possible for this, you d i f f e r e n t , i t c o n t r i b u t e d only if there are no layers and have to significantly to molding my through conscious efforts aimed at professional personality. I learnt creating a feeling of oneness. I “Walk the would like to say that team Sinhasi, Promise”. that you need to let go of your ego and focus your energy on the right truly possesses this unique quality way of communicating your ideas of accountability, which we are and make them powerfully saleable very proud of.
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When did the seed of doing something on your own actually germinate? Having done my cost accounting and masters in Finance in Geneva, when the opportunity to set up the Wealth management and private banking function at IL&FS I n v e s t s m a r t ( n o w H S B C Investsmart) came my way in 1999, I took it up. Moving from an airline industry to the financial sector was an uphill task. It took a lot of effort to get the acceptance of my team, to learn details on the Indian financial industry and set up a totally new break from corporate life and function at IL&FS Invest smart. explore more creative pursuits. Again, I feel the quality of not Without anything tangible, I just getting intimidated with an put in my papers on March 31st, unknown function, unknown 2005. As a part of the transition, I industry or an unknown product started communicating to my helped me make this transition. clients, asking them to find a new This quality of risk taking is very account manager. That was when essential for an entrepreneur. I also they truly encouraged me to set up learnt the importance of “Walking something of my own and the Promise”, getting into details “Sinhasi” was born. The word and doing everything for the client- “Sinhasi” has its origin in Japanese be it opening a demat account, art and depicts a protective shield, filling up application forms, doing which is meant to ward off evil and manual excel portfolio updates etc. ill omen. One must pride oneself in doing all Thus, my main inspiration and these for the client and that is the motivation to begin something on only way that one can ever get my own was the trust and belief my respect from a client, and truly own clients had in me. This might be a the client, - by knowing unique case where the seed of everything important about him or entrepreneurship was actually her. Wealth management is a sown by my clients. I can be serious business, where trust has to classified as an entrepreneur by be built moment by moment. chance, not by design. As a part of my training, IL&FS sent me to Japan. It was there that I Could you share some of the got a firsthand experience of how challenges that you faced in the the Japanese treated art and culture initial years of setting up Sinhasi. and this inspired me to think of Sinhasi had a very humble doing something creative and focus beginning. I converted the existing on art. By then, I had spent a good 5 cow shed in the back portion of my years and IL&FS Invest smart had h o u s e i n M a l l e s h w a r a m , b e c o m e a m u c h l a r g e r Bangalore, to a small office and organization. I decided to take a began with the bare minimum
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infrastructure required. The investments. The 2008 Lehman biggest challenge that I faced in the Brother collapse, which brought initial set up phase was that while in about a global collapse of the stock the corporate world, you had markets, including the Indian different departments to take care markets, created a lot of of things, as an entrepreneur, uncertainty amongst our clients. It anything and everything rested on was natural for them to feel your shoulders. You had to manage insecure about their investments and train your people, handle and ask us questions. Events like administration, taxation and the fall of Lehman Brothers were recruitment, generate business, and predicted only by a handful of take care of clients. people globally. Explaining and One of the biggest challenges I managing the clients’ panic and faced, was to get team members anxiety, was a big learning who understood the concept of experience. Being a conservative true financial planning and player, we had never taken any advisory, along with a long term leveraged positions, nor were we commitment to the job at hand. over exposed to equity. Since our This was felt more so during the f u n d a m e n t a l i n v e s t m e n t boom time in the year 2007, when philosophy is in investing in simple the markets were at their peak and and straightforward investments there were so many players with clear goals, we had invested entering the financial service space mainly in plain vanilla mutual as commissions and margins were funds and largely blue chip stocks, high. Salaries had gone out of hand based on each portfolio and clear and managing and retaining people asset allocation. I shared with my was a very big challenge. In 2008, clients the fundamental logic that we saw the sudden collapse of most of the stock market is made Lehman Brothers which was up of companies, owned by smart followed by a period of great and intelligent people and they challenges. In one way, it was a would surely not allow the market boon in disguise as it helped sieve and therefore their wealth to go out the chaff, leaving behind just down to zero! This constant dedicated team members, who c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d r e - truly wanted to become financial inforcement of our simple belief of planners and advisors. With discipline and commitment to the c o n t i n u e d r e f o r m s b e i n g financial plan, helped us tide introduced in the financial service through the crisis. Constant and sector, identifying and training relevant communication is an dedicated and committed financial important practice followed at advisors and planners with a strong Sinhasi. foundation on holistic financial A natural fall out of the recession planning, is a major focus at was Sinhasi helping clients get Sinhasi. greater clarity on “why they were The other challenge I faced, actually investing?” By 2009 end, a especially before the 2008 clear structure was developed, meltdown was the high expectation financial plans were prepared for all of returns from investors, our clients and they were all especially from risk related enrolled into it. Today, we have
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implemented financial plans for Your message to entrepreneurs close to 50 families (including their or professionals who plan to walk children), who are high net worth on the same path in the future? individuals, either entrepreneurs or For those who are a part of the p a r t o f s e n i o r c o r p o r a t e corporate world and plan to start management, with a clear something of their own eventually commitment to invest into their financial plans over the next 10 to Treat your corporate career as a 15 years. great learning ground. Forget the Today, Sinhasi is committed to politics and drama and focus clearly growing to the next level and on why is it that you are there and sharing its expertise and uniqueness on your role. If you are in a in the space of financial planning, customer facing role, win every advisory and well being to a larger client and make them feel the audience. We have invested in our passion that you feel. In this way backend operations, software and you become ‘precious’ not only to people, and are in a position now to the client but also to your offer these value added services to a company. Corporate life gives you larger community. We operate in a such a great opportunity to work niche business and we will continue with so many people whom you To me, and to find suitable clients who require don’t know at all-some you will get to team Sinhasi, these services. to know, some you won’t, some it is a privilege Managing peoples’ money is surely you will like, most you will dislike. and a life- not for the faint hearted. It is a It is such a great training ground serious business. By managing our that prepares you for bigger roles in long honor to clients’ portfolios and financial your life, the best part being getting manage the plans, we become accountable for p a i d f o r t h i s l e a r n i n g ! portfolios and the past, present and future of each In all my corporate assignments, financial one of them as well as for their the common thread was that I took plans of our families. As I say, we are actually in accountability for my work: I clients. the financial wellness space. ‘owned’ it and ‘loved’ it. It really Therefore, our commitment to the didn’t matter what salary I was financial well being of our clients getting, or that I was just an has always been complete. employee in the company. Our clients must view the work Whatever I did, I did it as if it was done by Sinhasi on his portfolio my own and thanks to this, my and investments like a swan gliding learning curve was rather sharp. It effortlessly on a lake. But as you prepared me well for my own know, the amount of consistent venture. Success germinates first in and committed paddling done by the mind. Hence, in all the the swan below the water is indeed assignments that I took, in my tremendous, consistent and hard, mind, there was no other option and this is the true spirit of Sinhasi. than to excel. It is my strong belief To me, and to team Sinhasi, it is a that ‘if you take up something, do it privilege and a life-long honor to well and give it your ‘all’. manage the portfolios and financial Otherwise, don’t take it up’. plans of our clients.
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For those who have just begun tell people that my work and my on their own: life are the same. So, blend life and Focus first on your clients and not work in your mind, then there will on financial gains. The quickest be no separation, only success. path to success is to think and focus about giving freely, with passion What are some of the other and wholeheartedly to your clients. ventures that you, dream of pursuing in the future? As you succeed in your venture, Firstly, this year I look forward to you will have many people who taking Sinhasi to the next level of will try to advice you. Many will growth and spreading our unique keep reminding you to focus on services of financial planning, competition. Again my suggestion advisory and wellness to many is-Don’t waste your time too much on what competition is doing. more families. The last few years, I Entrepreneurship is anyway about personally have grown through creating your own space. Focus on yoga and dance. Both have helped what you are doing and do it well. me professionally and have also kindled in me, the pursuit of Keep everything simple. Hire spiritual growth. I see a complete simple people, breakdown your Keep connection between financial well- processes to make it simple. There being and spiritual well-being. I am everything is huge merit in being simple. simple. Hire eventually looking at contributing simple people, Your message to aspiring to this process as well. Thirdly, I breakdown w o m e n e n t r e p r e n e u r s , want to pursue my passion for the considering that they may have a environment and animals. your processes lot more to take care of in their Incidentally, that is also my to make it life? daughter’s aspiration. I want to set simple. up a nature conservancy in India, There is huge I believe that women can be more where forests are created and merit in being successful as they are gifted with existing forests are protected for some important traits required for p e r p e t u i t y w i t h a r e t u r n simple. entrepreneurship like passion, component included. Along with dedication and the ability to give. financial wellness and spiritual The extra effort that a women wellness comes the commitment to entrepreneur may have to make is environmental wellness. This to enroll the family. If you see any would be my way of leading a life of new venture as eating into time humble significance and having the spent at home, with children, or great honor of giving back. parents etc. it will not work. I often
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Akshaya Patra’s Little Blue Bus that brings hope and a hot meal to 1.3 million Indian children Every single day.
The Blue Bus That Carries Hope For most children awaiting these buses, This is their only meal of the day. This meal is the only reason they come to school. The only reason, they are sent to school. - Interview with Mr. Shridhar Venkat, Executive Director, Akshaya Patra by Ms. Geetha Ramakrishnan and Ms. Arpita Sharma
What inspired the Akshaya In the year 2000, 24 years later, Patra initiative? Mohan Das Pai (then the CFO, Board Member of Infosys Ltd), A story of compassion. mentioned to Madhu Pandit Dasa (President - ISKCON, Chairman- It was the year 1976. One fine day, Akshaya Patra), his thought on after a function in Mayapur, a extending this ‘daily prasada village near Calcutta, His Divine service’ beyond the temple-taking Grace A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami it to the schools within the vicinity Prabhupada heard the cries of of the temple, to feed children children. He looked out of the going to government schools. This window and saw a group of thought sowed the seeds for the children fighting with street dogs Akshaya Patra Foundation. over bits and pieces of rotis. From Akshaya Patra was started with the this simple, yet heart - breaking vision that “No child in India shall incident, came the determination be deprived of education because of that: No one within a ten mile hunger.” radius of our Krishna Temple should go hungry. The prasada In June 2000, the foundation service of giving every devotee who began the mid-day meal program visited ISKCON temple a bowl of in Bangalore, by feeding 1,500 ‘kichdi’, ‘flavoured rice & dal’ was children in 5 government schools started. in Peenya. At that time, there was
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Against all odds, the foundation has not missed reaching out to school kids even on a single day, till date. There are 450 vehicles that diligently carry the food daily, to ensure that no kid goes hungry.
Shridhar Venkat Executive Director, Akshaya Patra
no state - run school meal program In some areas, reaching out to in Karnataka. Within a few weeks, schools due to absence of there were hundreds of requests motorable roads remains a from nearby schools, who challenge. expressed the dire need for such a Creating awareness is yet another scheme. The foundation set up the hurdle that the foundation is world’s largest and first, not-for- working on, with dedicated profit centralized kitchen. Today, resources today. the foundation feeds 1.3 million Against all odds, the foundation has children daily, across 9 states and 18 not missed reaching out to school locations. kids even on a single day, till date. There are 450 vehicles that W h a t w e r e t h e diligently carry the food daily, to hurdles/challenges faced during ensure that no kid goes hungry. implementation of this initiative? How does Akshaya Patra I would like to clarify that Akshaya work? Patra is a separate legal entity (it is more often associated with We have centralised kitchens for ISKCON). many locations. Each Akshaya One of the major challenges that Patra’s centralized kitchen has the we faced and continue to do so, is capacity to cook between 50,000 to the lack of reserves. Whatever 1,50,000 meals daily, thus achieving comes is spent on the mid - day economies of scale. The cooking meals for children. We need about process starts at around 2:30 am. Rs.25-30 lakhs a day to meet our First, the entire kitchen is sanitised expenses. Out of every Rs.100/- with hot water and steam. collected, Rs.11/- is spent on Thereafter, nonstop cooking administration, Rs.89/- goes to the happens for 6-7 hrs. Cooking takes cause. place in mechanized, steam - heated cauldrons, custom - built to reduce Given the perishable nature of the ‘cook to consume time’. The food, one of the challenges is to process ensures hygienic and maintain hygiene and quality.
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quality food. The freshly cooked in Tamil Nadu. The program was food is then packed in stainless steel set up to reduce hunger and containers. By 7 am, the entire encourage universal primary cooking and packing is completed education. and the meals are transported to On November 28, 2001 the various schools in custom built Supreme Court of India passed an vehicles (Blue Bus). Each vehicle order stating: covers about 10-15 schools. These “ W e d i r e c t t h e S t a t e vehicles are escorted by security, to Governments/Union Territories ensure food is safely delivered to to implement the Mid-Day Meal students. Scheme by providing every child in every Government and How has Akshaya Patra Government - assisted Primary developed a huge network? School with a prepared mid-day meal." When Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Minster K. Kamaraj saw a boy near By that time, Akshaya Patra had the town of Cheranmahadevi successfully implemented lunch herding livestock, he asked him, programs in various schools in “What are you doing with these Karnataka. So, we were invited to cows? Why didn’t you go to give testimonies for verifying the school?” efficacy of the scheme. The child immediately retorted, “If I go to school, will you give me As per the report of Karnataka food to eat? I can learn only if I eat." Human Development, 2005, the This is a critical problem faced by Government of Karnataka was the the nation: Nobody can learn on a ‘first to take this step’ of involving hungry stomach. NGOs in development programs. The report states that this ‘involvement of the NGOs in multilateral/bilateral programs, raises the level of co-operation to another level. NGOs become not only implementers; they also find a place in designing and managing programs, together with the government at all levels.’
This was one of the main reasons for achieving the objective of the program. The achievements of these private- public partnerships have even influenced the Central Government. By setting up This simple incident gave rise to the and encouraging private-public Mid-day Meal Scheme as it is p a r t n e r s h i p s , t h e known today, started in the 1960s
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government is successfully enrolment in schools, attendance, leveraging the skills and resources performance in studies, and of the private sector for the greater malnutrition. To share with you good. Today, India's mid-day meal excerpts from the report: scheme is one of the largest school In Baran, there was an increase of lunch programs in the world, as much as 41% enrollment in Class reaching out to nearly 120 million I students during the first year of children in the country. program implementation. On an average, student enrolment in Class What kind of support does I increased by 23.3% during the Akshaya Patra receive? (from other agencies, Govt, funding f i r s t y e a r o f p r o g r a m houses or corporates) implementation in all the centers surveyed. As mentioned earlier, generating Overall attendance in the schools funds is a major challenge. But, we surveyed, increased by a total of are fortunate enough to get support 11.67%. from the Government, Trusts and Approximately, 85% of Heads of Individuals. We have not faced any institutions/teachers across all bureaucratic barriers. 100% locations reported that the capacity is raised by ourselves, out proportion of students getting of which, 60% comes from Govt. higher grades has increased, while s u b s i d i e s a n d 4 0 % f r o m the proportion of students getting Individuals, Trusts, PSUs, and lower grades has reduced. Corporates. Impact study conducted by M.S. The annual expenses are around Ramaiah Medical College: Rs.160 crores, of which Rs. 85 The number of children below the crores comes from government optimal nutrition level has reduced subsidies on grains. PSU, from 60% to almost 0%. Corporates, Individuals and Trusts Anemia was reduced from 40% to contribute about Rs. 30 crores. less than 5%. ISKCON contributes Rs. 20 Skin infections decreased from crores to Akshaya Patra. About Rs. 80% to almost 0%. 35 crores is generated by In addition, children developed professional marketing programs better resistance to diseases, and conducted by Akshaya Patra in t h e y s h o w e d s i g n i f i c a n t India, US & UK. improvements in height and weight. When Akshaya Patra first What kind of impact is began the program in rural Baran, Akshaya Patra making on the children gained ½ kilo (1.1 lbs) of society and lives of those millions weight per month. In contrast, of children? during a ten day winter break in the villages, when the program was not The impact which is made by in operation, the average child A k s h a y a P a t r a i s dropped ½ kilo in weight. Transformational in nature. Impact on the Girl Child : A C Nielson has studied the impact on many parameters such as
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Enrolment of the girl child in A k s h a y a P a t r a ’ s E R P schools has increased. We feel this implementation is underway. This will make a greater impact, because is mainly to cater to the need for if a woman is educated, it has an real - time information and build a impact on generations to come. robust decision - support system. The aim is to standardize routine The after class Tutorials: processes and create a platform for Heart - warming Testimonials analysis and internal bench- The foundation, in a new initiative, marking. is working with students to help Sachin, a 14 year them fare better in academics. They old from Six Sigma is yet another initiative at are given coaching for over two Sheshadripuram, the foundation, that is being hours after school. 107 days of Bangalore is implemented in the current additional coaching is given in studying in a financial year. We are looking at Maths, Science, English and government high improving donor care, accelerating Kannada. 1,120 students of SSLC school. His father is process cycle time in meal delivery, from the BBMP schools’ students a tailor and earns standardization of processes, are expected to benefit from this around Rs. 80-100 reducing costs per meal, increasing initiative. The foundation is per day. He scored return on people, capital, etc. working in collaboration with 87 percent in the Lotus Education, which designs recently conducted We do look for people with an special work books as teaching aids. SSLC Board exams. intrinsic motivation to ‘transform’. He wants to get a ‘The cause is greater than the Going beyond the schools - individual and the entity, and that Diploma in Serving Humanity electronics and is what makes the “difference”.’ communication. The foundation has started to serve Though the nature of business meals thrice a day in the Beggars is different, sustainability is Colony at Bangalore. “It is no important for this venture also. longer a hell hole. The food is good. What does profitability mean in I am happy”, said 65 year old Vennila, studying in this context and how do you Lakshmanappa who returned to the measure it? BBMP high school, Beggars Colony. The runaway Magadi Road, children on railway platforms too, Rightly said, sustainability is very Bangalore, has get mid-day meals from the important even in this venture. We scored 91% in get support from Governments and SSLC Board exams. foundation. t h e y a r e i n c r e a s i n g t h e i r She wants to What are the fundamental contributions too. Moreover, become a software differences in social and for - profit public - private partnerships are of engineer. Vennila’s founders? great help. We also look forward to father sells sarees, contributions from the citizens of door-to-door & I don’t think there is any difference our country. There are more than her mother between the two. Even the 500 million adults in the country. If works in a home - challenges are the same. In social one out of 100 people is able to based industry. organizations, ‘enterprise and contribute Rs 3 per day i.e., intelligence’ is used not-for-profit; approximately Rs 100 a month, 5 but for a ‘social cause’. The way million children can be served food Akshaya Patra is run, stands for a whole month. testimony to the way any other W e l o o k a t m e a s u r i n g professional organization is runs. sustainability as:
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The ability of every kitchen to be and knowledge dissemination able to fund for itself (to be self- (social - sector enterprises) at reliant) and the availability of all Harvard Business School, MIT, kinds of resources to serve the cause IIMs and others such institutions. for a 3-5 year horizon. What is Akshaya Patra’s H o w d o y o u a t t r a c t aspiration/vision for next 10-12 talent/people to work with years? Akshaya Patra Foundation?
People who believe in this cause are our target group. It’s difficult for us to match the pay of the corporate world. However, we are well placed and at par with other not- for-profit organisations. We have ensured a good culture and working environment. We give freedom to work and develop entrepreneurial culture and innovative thinking in our employees. Most of the people working with us are from well known corporate like BBC, ABB, Our mission is to reach out to 5 Wipro, CISCO, etc. million children by 2020. Those who join us, have strong A report by World Bank mentions extension motivation. All of them that there are close to 13.5 million have made sacrifices through under privileged children in India. money, other opportunities, etc. They are out of school and in child We have people who are with us labour, in order to earn one meal in since inception. We have been able a day. When basic needs like food, to manage issues concerning the clothing and shelter are not met, workmen so far - ‘the cause has education becomes the last priority. always been stronger’. We have a We aspire to help under-privileged total of 4,700 people working at all children, by providing them with a levels. healthy, balanced meal, that they would otherwise have to work for. To ensure we get good talent, we The meal is an incentive for them to have consciously worked towards continue their education. It helps b u i l d i n g o u r b r a n d . T h e reduce the dropout rate to an foundation is audited by KPMG. enormous extent and increase We are International Financial classroom attendance. Reporting Standards(IFRS) compliant. We have received the To be the ‘Bellweather’ for the ‘Gold Shield’ for our financial ‘Not - For - Profit Sector’ reporting from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, To attract the best talent, to be the for the year ending 2010. We are a preferred place to work in, in the case in point of academic reference social sector.
A TVRLS Publication 59 |July-September 2012 Leadership Lessons Through Movies: Reel To Real
A TVRLS Publication 60 |July-September 2012
“Theories speak to our heads, stories resonate in our hearts”
o v i e s , b e s i d e s October” (1990), the tale of a Soviet p r o v i d i n g nuclear submarine captain, who entertainment, also defects to the United States. Sean Prof. Kandaswamy provide interesting Connery plays the character of Bharathan M l e s s o n s i n Captain Marko Ramius. He is a leadership. Usually, such lessons first rank Soviet Navy captain who About the Author... are gleaned from the main has trained most of the submarine Prof. Kandaswamy characters in the film, who service’s officers. He is an example Bharathan graduated demonstrate unique qualities of of someone who follows his from IIM Ahmedabad vision, motivation, team work and hunches and personifies Peter in 1978. He worked for 12 years in the crisis management. Drucker’s observation that Automotive & Textile In the first issue of Perfect leadership is about performance. industry before moving Professional, I shared 7 lessons Ramius not only performs, but he on to the entertainment from the film industry, largely succeeds in a wonderful fashion. sector. He is currently learnt from producers, cameramen, the Executive director directors and other key ‘behind the While Captain Ramius is charting of Kavithalayaa Productions, a well- scene’ contributors. In this issue, the nuclear submarine “Red known film and we will look at leadership lessons October” into enemy waters, television production from selected films. Films, with Moscow dispatches 58 attack house. He has been unique storylines, script and submarines to hunt him down and Executive Producer of creative concepts, which are destroy Red October. What many Award winning relevant in a corporate as well as a follows is a rare blend of intuition films such as Roja, societal context. and craft by Jack Ryan (Alec Muthu (Dancing Maharaja), Saamy, Baldwin) of the CIA, who comes Kuselan, etc. Creating and living the Vision - u p w i t h a c o m p l e t e l y Bharathan is currently a Visioning with Intuition unconventional thought process. Visiting Faculty at the C He is able to envision a large IIM Ahmedabad and a Living the vision is one of the key number of possible solutions few other leading leadership lessons from the movie (intuiting) and then critically Business schools industry. Creating the vision for an teaching a course titled evaluate those alternatives "Contemporary Film organisation is also about (thinking). Industry - a business “following your hunch”– intuitive perspective". The thinking and reasoning that His hunch is that Ramius is going course was designed by propels a manager into creating a to defect, not attack. him and is considered vision for his enterprise and setting as "an innovation in the goals for the business, i.e., the management education The character of Jack Ryan shows in India". He has “Big Picture” his willingness to risk a great deal written five case studies on a hunch, which singles him out on the management When it comes to intuitive as a consummate leader. Intuition is aspects of Indian leadership, very few films can a rare ability to take informed entertainment industry. compare with “The Hunt for Red decisions, informed by both fact
A TVRLS Publication 61 |July-September 2012
and feeling, to A lot of what we associate as poor teamwork has blend left-brained to do with the disconnect that the individual linear reasoning, experiences with the rest of his team (like an based on empirical outsider). Breaking down the ‘island self ’ data with wildly creative, circular, around the team-member, figuring out the reason o u t - o f - t h e - b o x , for the disconnect and repairing the damage r i g h t - b r a i n e d becomes the responsibility of a good leader. thought. This trait By initiating damage control measures, the team d e f i n e s t h e can come together with real strength, and overcome characters of not any obstacle that comes in the way of victory. only Ryan and Ramius but also a The Director is the “first among In today’s number of key players in this film. equals” in the movie’s organisation management structure. world, having a A quote from Ralph Larsen, former Chairman and CEO of Johnson & hunch has become A good example of a leader who Johnson is very relevant in this respectable and inspires his team to great heights is context: “Every time I have been that of Coach Dale in the American acceptable. As one burned in decision-making, it is film “Hoosiers” (1986). It is about a management because I have gone against my basketball coach Dale, who has expert has instincts.” taken on an apparently impossible rightly put it: task of coaching a demoralized “If logical In today’s management world, college team, caught in a streak of reasoning and having a hunch has become humiliating defeats. This role is scientific analysis respectable and acceptable. As one played by Gene Hackman, the have brought management expert has rightly put charismatic actor who played key it: “If logical reasoning and knowledge to the roles in “The Poseidon Adventure” scientific analysis have brought (1972) and “Beyond enemy lines” crown of human knowledge to the crown of human intelligence, then (2001). Coach Dale transforms intelligence, then intuition – and its himself from a volatile, self-serving intuition – and its inseparable twin, creativity – form sport dictator into a mature and inseparable twin, the jewel in the crown.” compassionate leader, who creativity – form ultimately changes others. This the jewel in the Together Each Achieves More – transformation that he inspires in TEAM crown.” his team is more personal than T athletic, resulting in a small-town F i l m m a k i n g i s a h i g h l y team rising like a “phoenix” from collaborative art form, where the dust of defeat to become the people with diverse skill sets come champions. together and work harmoniously to produce a movie. The A lot of what we associate as poor collaboration assumes even more teamwork has to do with the significance as there is no defined disconnect that the individual hierarchy in the industry. The experiences with the rest of his Director of the movie is accepted as team (like an outsider). Breaking the leader of the team or the captain down the ‘island self’ around the of the ship, as she is commonly team-member, figuring out the referred to in the industry.
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reason for the disconnect and Cut, Take 2 – Having effective repairing the damage becomes the Mentoring responsibility of a good leader. By C i n i t i at i n g d amag e con t r ol Immediate feedback and teaching measures, the team can come new artists and technicians, together with real strength, and becomes the basis on which overcome any obstacle that comes excellence is built and sustained in in the way of victory. the film world. In the absence of formal education in this sector, Mine the Gold and not the Dirt mentoring by seniors with experience, is a common practice. MTo create successful teams, which This mentoring goes beyond just can reach the goal, the leader has to acting skills or technical constantly mine the strengths knowledge; it usually extends to (gold) of his team-members, while what is considered as “appropriate being aware of their limitations behaviour” in dealing with peers, (dirt). seniors and subordinates in an In the same movie “Hoosiers” industry with a very high “human referred to above, Coach Dale quotient”. (Gene Hackman) creates certain boundaries for his team, where The 1979 film is one none existed. While he gathers a lot “ Norma Rae” of information about his team and of the most popular pro-worker recognises their aspirations and films ever made; a film which made anxieties, Dale also recognises what the point that extraordinary power the team members don’t have - a far does not have to depend on status more powerful instrument for or title. It is the story of a woman, motivating individual and group Norma Rae (Sally Field). Who is at behaviour. first is dependant and isolated but goes on to becomes a charismatic Given the manner in which Coach leader, who enables significant Dale interacts with his team, he change to take place in the lives of might have studied Abraham her friends and co-workers. This Maslow’s hierarchy of needs at transformation is guided by a Harvard! Maslow’s theory was that successful mentor-protégée - all human beings are driven by five relationship, that stirs enough needs: Basic needs like food and human energy and will to reverse shelter, safety, love and belonging, the grind of a textile company of esteem and self-actualization. t h e s i x t i e s . R u e b e n , t h e experienced leader from the labour The theory identifies that the union, becomes Norma Rae’s missing elements in our lives, drive mentor. The Director skilfully us to higher levels of performance. portrays the partnership at work, Dale is able to discern what’s where Rueben the mentor, must be missing in his player’s lives and is Norma Rae’s student as well as her able to offer real and not teacher. While Norma Rae is warm conceptual solutions along with the courage to use unconventional and enthusiastic, a real “people’” methods to create the magic core leader who encourages others to team. join the cause, she has a harder time learning the difficult balance of
A TVRLS Publication 63 |July-September 2012
authority and compassion and the of a minority defendant, a boy power of confrontation when accused of stabbing his father to necessary. In this movie, we witness death. A guilty verdict and the boy the sure and unmistakable will receive the death penalty. The development of leadership capacity jurors spend a whole day, sifting in someone who seemed destined to fact from fiction and deliberating be always a follower. the testimony of witnesses, who claim to have seen or heard the This film is a great example of how killing. One by one, the members leaders learn and evolve. of the Jury vote guilty, except for Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) who casts 12 Angry Men Mix of leadership styles and the the lone vote against a conviction. teaches a very Power of Persuasion Leadership of the group quickly practical M passes from the foreman of the Jury leadership Good leaders employ a mix of to Juror 8, who proceeds to lesson - so leadership styles based on the deliberate and orchestrate in a relevant in situation and the person who is in manner that provides real insight question. today’s into leadership by influence and persuasion, and a complete reversal business and Leadership is also largely about the of the guilty verdict. societal “art of persuasion” – convincing environment. o t h e r s t o c o n s i d e r n e w “12 Angry Men” teaches a very It is not enough perspectives, new goals, new practical leadership lesson - so to change the insights and new solutions to relevant in today’s business and opinions and complex problems. Persuasion is a societal environment. It is not fundamental yet challenging task of enough to change the opinions and behaviour of leadership because it requires a deep others: that is behaviour of others: that is mere investment of personal character, management. Only when others mere mental stamina and a degree of are influenced sufficiently to management. emotional intelligence. All three change, has real leadership taken Only when constituents need to be perfectly place. others are balanced with the ability to reason. influenced Dealing with crisis The 1957 classic “12 Angry Men” sufficiently to starring Henry Fonda, John Fiedler change, GoodD leaders are adept in dealing and others and directed by Sidney with crisis situations. It is not the has real Lumet is a classic example of the art crisis itself which brings down an leadership of persuasion. A unique courtroom organisation but the way in which taken place. film - it is set after the trial is over, leaders react and act in dealing with evidence presented and witnesses the crisis, which can save or sink a heard. An old-fashioned film, this troubled enterprise. Film directors movie has no fast cuts, no great cope with a variety of complex a c t i o n , b u t a m e t i c u l o u s situations before a movie sees the observation of behaviour. light at the end of the tunnel for a theatrical release. The twelve members of the Jury are known only by their numbers. The movie “Apollo 13 (1995)” is They have been instructed to decide about leaders and teams brilliantly by unanimous agreement, the fate improvising their way through an
A TVRLS Publication 64 |July-September 2012
unprecedented crisis. The routine reputation (“NASA has never lost “stirring” of oxygen tanks on the an astronaut in space, and we’re spacecraft (NASA calls this the sure as hell not going to lose one on housekeeping procedure), creates a my watch!”). Often, the real test of mysterious explosion that cripples leadership is how to push beyond the Odyssey (Apollo’s command the recognised limits of function module) sending it into a and discover new capabilities. The catastrophic plunge, towards a famous line from Gene Kranz in 100% failure - no moon landing, no Apollo 13 “well I suggest you spaceship and no astronauts. gentlemen invent a way to put a square peg in a round hole, rapidly” Jim Lowell’s (Tom Hanks) calm encapsulates a tremendous but eerie radio transmission leadership insight. An organisation “Houston, we have a problem” has can have the best of reports, become a popular statement for procedures, systems, processes, crisis management in the class guidelines, manuals and expert staff rooms of the B-schools of the west. with superior training, but crisis Flight Operation’s commander situations do not play by these rules Gene Kranz comes off as a leader’s and procedures. Leaders and teams leader and a master team builder. have to use ingenuity, clever After the first crisis surge, he calms improvisation and imagination to the room by giving quick deft come up with rapid-fire solutions, instructions on immediate tasks, as play by different (and difficult) well as on behaviour, and moves rules and learn fast to put a square with calm assurance from console peg in a round hole and make it fit ! to console, gathering information and evaluations from his team. His Films have always provided approach to dealing with a unforgettable lessons for anyone catastrophe is a lesson in applied who seeks to lead. In a sense, optimism: find something leadership is teaching. It is (anything) in the situation, that is inextricably linked to the ability positive, and then keep the both to instruct and to learn. As optimism going strong. He fuels most Bollywood films highlight this optimism by focusing on the individual heroism as against big picture (“Failure is not an collective leadership, I have option”) while at the same time confined my examples in this w o r r y i n g a b o u t N A S A ’ s article to Hollywood classics.
A TVRLS Publication 65 |July-September 2012
A Better Present By Exploring The Past-A Past Life Regression Approach To Removing Roadblocks To Success
A TVRLS Publication 66 |July-September 2012 The past never dies, every deed counts (Unknown) Only the past is immortal (Delmore Schwartz)
e are all ‘spirits’ thoughts (which arise from deep having a human within our own mind), have to experience on this pass. In PLR, this critical filter is earth. We have temporarily removed, so that the chosenW to begin this journey of our person can consciously access the Subha Yeri own, with free will, for the joy of past lives in the subconscious, and creation. We are bigger, brighter resolve current issues. and more spiritual than we think we are and we really need to One of the most important About the Author... repossess our powers, which we thoughts, engaging people in all Shubha Yeri has been seem to have lost to ignorance, walks of life, is whether they are researching on life immediate worries and fear of the bound by destiny in every decision after death, how unknown. they take or whether they have free Karma works and the will. This is as true of unskilled various levels of Past life regression (PLR) is a labor as it is for the most qualified consciousness since scientific tool, which helps us and experienced CEO. the last 16 years.She has been practicing achieve this, by letting us How does one know, if one is Past Life Regression consciously visit our past lives, to embarking on-a new project, a new Therapy since the last deal with present issues of health, job or withdrawing from the rat 3 years in Pune with relationships, fears and phobias. It race to pay attention to an many heart-warming can also take us to that point in alternative career, is the right and exciting results.She writes a time, when we sat with our decision or not? Blog which covers all spiritual guides, to plan our agenda topics related to our for this life. There are times when one actually evolution and the final hesitates to give the final push, not destination. It's URL There are two parts to our because one might fail, but because is goinghomeshubhayeri. consciousness. The top 10-12 % is one might succeed. Fear of success, blogspot.com our conscious mind, which is seems to be holding back at least an completely absorbed with the equal number of people, if not current life. The lower 88-90% is more, from achieving their goals, as our sub-conscious mind, which has fear of failure. memories of all our past lives, people with whom we shared our Let me give you an example. life, incidents that happened, the mistakes made, the good deeds, A few years back, a web designer lessons learnt, knowledge gained came to me, to find out, why he was and wisdom acquired. stuck in his position for the last 6 Between these two levels is the years. He knew he was brilliant, critical filter of doubt, questions, but he also knew that he was simply intellect and ego, through which, not trying hard enough. All his all the inputs coming from outside friends had moved up, so he just (through the five senses) and dropped out from the group and
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had no real friends now. He was This needed a resolution. also worried that his wife, who was making rapid progress in her job, The crash was not his fault in any was getting impatient. This had way, was it? No. potential to upset their relationship Was there satisfaction in having and life together. “What is stopping done a good job? There was. me from realizing my potential?”– After leaving his body, having seen was his question. the bigger picture, I asked him, He went to his immediate past life, what were the lessons that he could carry to his next life? That’s when in which he lived with his mother he shared his learning. “Do your and grand-mother. His father was a work. Make friends. Balance work senior scientist and stayed away with family. Do not let your from the family for years together. happiness depend on someone His father started taking interest in else’s appreciation. Live.” him only after his matriculation. In He was thoughtful after coming that life, he craved for his father’s out of the experience. His attitude acknowledgement and love, so he changed, once this burden of shock worked very hard. At the age of 24, and hopelessness was gone. The he was chosen to read his paper at habit/pattern of working to the an International Conference in exclusion of everything else and Spain. then shying away from succeeding at work, from friends, his wife etc. Thrilled at the honor, excited broke over a short period of time. beyond words, he boarded a flight He is now enjoying a satisfying for the first time in his life and balance between his work and reached the venue. ‘It’s HUGE’, he personal life. said, awestruck. ‘There is a BIG hall and hundreds of chairs and a There are many moments in our current life, when we wonder podium’. I prompted him to go “Why is this happening to me? I ahead to the end of the conference, have done nothing to deserve this.” to see how he had fared. Not in this life, maybe, but we “I’m not there.” He said sadly. I certainly have, sometime, and the asked him to come to the point seeds thoughtlessly or deliberately when he began reading his paper sown then, are now giving a bitter and once again, he said “I’m not harvest. there”. He sighed. I then asked him to go back to the point when he One man had a query, which he reached the venue. I asked him to initially hesitated to speak of, proceed from there, hoping that he because he did not think PLR could had not fallen ill. He had not. solve it. He was in the business of Heart-broken, he said “The ceiling renting cars. He had bought an collapsed. I died.” I asked him to SUV, whose engine had stalled describe his last thoughts. His fists twice in three months. clenched, he shared with me: “Why did I study so hard? What was the He asked me, “There wouldn’t be a point of all that hard work? I had solution to a vehicle’s problem, no friends. No girl friend. No social would there?” life. I wasted my life”
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I wondered if the stalling had How does one deal with such actually saved his life. He too had confounding issues? Here are some thought of it, but once it was he learning’s: who was driving and the second Accept that there could be a bigger time, his driver. picture than the one which is visible I asked him who serviced his and convenient to you. vehicles? He replied, “There is Meditate on a daily basis to be Babubhai, and all my vehicles grounded-make it a daily habit. always go to his garage.” here is a beautiful Hawaiian I asked him to go to a past life with T meditation called Ho’ponopono Babubhai. He said, “I’m in Goa. He which means ‘to right a wrong’. It works for me. He does odd jobs. He has four sentences: I am sorry, is standing in front of me, asking me Please forgive me, I love you, his dues and I’m not giving him.” I Thank You. Repeat these in your asked him if there was a reason for mind throughout the day, as and this. “No. No reason actually, but I when you get the time. The first did not pay him till the end.’ A two are an apology and the next quick calculation including interest two sentences express gratitude. from that life to this day, indicated Somehow, not deliberately, we do that he owed him about Rs 10, 000. lack in giving both. Read about it in my blog and you will realize how I don’t know how he explained this powerful this is. Practice it for 3 to Babubhai, but he went and paid weeks. The results would be him the money in one go and since amazing. then his vehicles have stopped giving him trouble. Dwell over the lessons learnt by our young scientist. We live with our conscious mind, Live in awareness and enjoy. which has limited vision. Tools like ‘intuition’ are not taught, In the end, it’s not going to matter understood or thought dependable how many breaths you took, but in our current life style and work how many moments took your culture. breath away” Shing Xiong
A TVRLS Publication 69 |July-September 2012
ightrope walking is the art of maintaining balance while walking Talong a tensioned wire between two points. Tightrope walkers sometimes use balancing poles and may perform the feat without a safety net for effect. It requires a lot of conscious effort, determination and practice. And yet all of us are attempting it every day-the only difference being that
A TVRLS Publication 70 |July-September 2012 Walking The Tightrope-Working Women And Worklife Balance common zone to be sacrificed first). Eventually, this leads to a burnout: f a m i l i a r s y m p t o m s b e i n g irritation, depression, physical exhaustion etc. work-life Recognizing this, the medical field balance is is talking about ‘wellness/well- being’. As a society, we are steadily having transitioning from health to well- sufficient being. There is enough medical control and evidence that reiterates the need to autonomy have both-A healthy heart and a over where, healthy mind, to live life to its fullest. Organisations reckon that when and they need to take accountability for how I fulfill my the same. Many provide support by responsibilities offering wellness programs like inside and yoga/meditation at the workplace, coaching and counseling etc. This outside the also adds to their “Great place to workplace. work” image. Therefore, However, the ultimate onus to I would call balance his/her own work-life, lies with the individual. It is up to the it work-life individual to decide how much navigation, control to handover to others. The since it is more more one loses control over one’s about life, the more one’s schedule gets navigating filled with other’s dreams, aspirations and priorities. A good through life amount of control over our own and lives is possible, only if we know recognizing the rope has been replaced with what we want of it! something much larger-LIFE. work as an Today, we are living in a This article brings you the important perennially “switched-on” and part of it. d e m a n d i n g e n v i r o n m e n t . experiences of two women and Technology, competition, multi their journey on walking the tight tasking etc. are taking their toll on rope. Both have more than a decade the corporate professional making of work life behind them. They work life balance ever more share their personal experiences and difficult. Pushed to the brink, the learning’s, in the hope that it will professional tends to trample over make some difference to those his/her personal zone (the most facing similar challenges..
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my responsibilities inside and She is an MBA in HR and also has outside the workplace. an M.Phil in Management. She has more than 12 years experience in I personally do not believe that the industry and academia. She work-life can be fully balanced. began her career in Public W i t h t h e k i n d o f w o r k Relations. After two years in the environments that exist today and public relations, as a conscious the life-style challenges that we face, it is truly a tight rope walk, trying move, she got into training and to balance work and life fully. development and has conducted Nandita Chatterjee Therefore, I would call it work-life v a r i o u s p r o g r a m s o n navigation, since it is more about Communication and Behavioural Skills. As a logical navigating through life and progression she moved into academics and has been in the recognizing work as an important academics for around 8 years. The institutions she has been part of it. associated with include Alliance Business School and R.V. My education and early years of my Institute of Management, Bangalore. Currently, she is a professional career were spent in consultant at TVRLS. Raipur. Initially, I was into Public Relations. It required me to put in A balanced life gives an individual long hours at the office, meet sufficient opportunity to distribute various people etc. Being single, life his/her energy and efforts for was all about working during the development and growth, which week and having a good time with include emotional satisfaction, family and friends during the weekends. My first need to balance professional satisfaction, physical family and work came when my wellbeing and spiritual growth. It is mother passed away in 2001. I was the balance between crucial aspects just a year into my first job and had of life-career, family, friends, no option but to take on the hobbies and other interests. responsibilities at home. Along Neglect of one or more aspects, can with my father, who had his share make life quite frustrating, both for of challenges of managing his the individual and also for the business, I also have a brother who people involved in his/her life. is mentally challenged. My mother had been taking care of him. Now, Work-life balance for each we felt the need to get him trained individual has a unique meaning. and become as independent as To some it means justifying possible. I was faced with a spending more time at the work dilemma-should I continue with place and less time at home, while my job or should I quit? The time for others it means ensuring demands of the job made it difficult s u f f i c i e n t t i m e f o r o t h e r to fully explore possibilities for my responsibilities. ‘Balance’ varies at brother. For instance, many times I different stages of life even as one’s would have an appointment with priorities change, making a single an NGO, in connection with my definition unrealistic. This is brother, and not be able to make it compounded by differences in because of deadlines to be met in the socio-economic circumstances: for office. Opportunities for people those in low-paid work, longer with ‘special abilities’ were not hours may be a financial necessity. easily available in Raipur, and For me, work-life balance is having hence, in order to explore sufficient control and autonomy possibilities for my brother’s over where, when and how I fulfill
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training, I decided to take a break alone and I did not know how my from full time work for around 6 family would manage without me, I months. This, for me, was a major was not sure if I should take up the learning. I realized that at a certain new assignment. My mother-in-law point in life, it is not just about was visiting us that time and it was work life balance, but about setting she who encouraged me to take this priorities, even if it meant that on. With my family’s support, I was career temporarily took the back able to manage the transition seat. In those 6 months, I was able to smoothly. Since then, there have give 100% to my family and help been quite a few assignments which my brother get trained in required me to travel and each time, computers and I found a suitable support from family has not just opening for him in one of the helped me to focus on my work but special schools. I also took on some also helped me enjoy my work. part time training activities to keep myself busy. When my brother Juggling between roles, be it at the began working, I felt more work place or at home, I realized confident about moving back to a the importance of high energy. full time working mode. Since I had After a long day at office, I still have been taking training sessions, as a to go back home smiling and be logical next step, I got into ready to attend to my elderly academics. father’s health issues or spend time with my brother in doing some After marriage, I moved to craft activity. Bangalore and once again faced the challenge in managing work and Physical fitness is vital. Without home. Since my father and brother this, I cannot imagine being able to were in Raipur, any health related cope with things. Therefore, my issues for my father would become daily schedule begins at 6 am in the a concern for us. My husband and morning with yoga and ‘Sudarshan in-laws supported me and we kriya’. I ensure that even when I am decided to bring my father and travelling, I do not miss ‘Sudarshan brother to Bangalore. I was then kriya’. This gives me not just the working as a faculty at one of the stamina but also the mental peace to reputed B-schools. I took a month’s enjoy every moment. Having a set leave to go to Raipur and we routine at home for day-to-day is completed shifting in 2009. After something which keeps me focused. my family moved to Bangalore, we This has been my life over the last explored a possible job opportunity decade or so. To summarize, the for my brother, near our home. My key lessons that can be shared based organization was very supportive on my experiences in work life during this entire period. Since then navigation would be: it has been easy for me to manage Effective prioritization: If you are work and take care of home as well. sure about what you want to I cannot imagine being able to do achieve from work, it is easy to any of this, without the support of navigate. To each this is different family and the organizations I had and hence one needs to prioritize been associated with. and act accordingly. Support from family and In 2011, I moved from academics to organization: It is impossible for consulting. During the first round one to imagine work-life navigation of interview for this job, I was told without support from both family that it would require some amount and the organisation. This makes of travel. As I had never travelled
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life easy and ensures that one’s job is these aspects is a very dynamic a pleasurable experience. process and it continuously changes Physical fitness: It is said that the based on ones role and as one body and mind are co-related and progresses in life. ill-health can lead to poor performance, which eventually I shall share with you some of the leads to more stress at work. Poor lessons that I learnt through my health is not only a cause of concern own experiences and from others. for an individual but also disturbs They have personally helped me to the entire family. Therefore, manage the tight rope walk. focusing on health is not only beneficial but also essential to achieve work-life synergy. Habits Balance is about making such as timely food, sleep and conscious choices: exercise, help an individual Work-life balance involves being maintain good health. Yoga and fully aware of the options that one meditation are ways to ensure one’s has and making conscious decisions energy is channelized in the right without regrets. Today, when I direction. look at my personal life, there is a s e n s e o f s a t i s f a c t i o n a n d Namrata Malik has a rich business contentment that fills me and that’s experience in the corporate what matters the most, when you environment. A Masters of retire at the end of the day. Even Management Studies (MMS) from though I have an MBA education the University of Mumbai, India, backed with some great work she has a fine balance between line experience, I decided to dedicate the experience, entrepreneurial initial years of my married life to experience as well as experience in my growing child. As it was a well HR functions. thought through decision and a conscious choice that I made, not N a m r a t a h a s b e e n a n Namrata Malik once did it cross my mind that my e n t r e p r e n e u r / f r e e l a n c e r peers have moved ahead in their conducting training programs in career. My husband’s work needed US and India, a senior content developer with Vega us to travel on various projects Information Systems India, an Assistant Manager with across the globe. Not wanting to Ujagar Exports India, an Officer in charge of Clearing and completely lose touch with my Settlements at National Stock Exchange India. Her varied work, I looked at this as an experience has contributed to the enrichment of the opportunity to upgrade my skills trainings imparted across different industry sectors. She has and knowledge and explore other travelled widely across the American and European areas. Although my Finance continents and has conducted various programs on Self management experience was with Management She is a certified Yoga Teacher and is also on the equity markets, I chose to do the advisory board of Shrimath Yoga School which is something new. Something which recognized by Yoga Alliance International. She is currently would allow me to explore new a senior OD and HR consultant with one of India’s leading avenues and at the same time allow HR consultancy. me to take care of my child. After upgrading my skills, I took up To me, work-life balance is freelance training and chose to run achieving a desired balance in the my own Stress Management time spent in professional, personal Modules. I got associated with some and spiritual pursuits. As we Universities and chiropractors in transition from childhood to US. I did short assignments with adolescence to adult life, the level of large IT companies. I managed to responsibility, complexity and stay in touch with work and yet expectations from self and others retain the joy of being with my keep changing. Hence, balancing all child. We moved 10 houses in
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5 years on foreign shores. There was been trying times at work with stiff absolutely no support in terms of deadlines, seemingly impossible targets etc. helpers etc. My career had taken a but there has never been a time when my complete backseat, but that was my family has allowed me to give up. So life to conscious choice. I was confident I me is an equation-what we give, is what could build my career at any point, comes back. I truly believe that what you but I would never again get the same give with genuine and honest feeling is time with my child. I gave my rewarded in its own way, in due course of family and my child my time, when time. they needed it the most. And, when I felt they were ready to manage on It takes wisdom, courage and self- their own, I made a choice to get discipline to do what is right back to the corporate world. The As our son grew up, it was time to take awareness of each decision and its ourselves to the next level. That’s when we outcomes helped me lead a guilt free (my husband and I) embarked upon the life when I was taking care of the study of Vedic scriptures. We learnt that family and even when I resumed most people suffer from stress and working. frustration not because they don’t prioritize but often because they don’t Life is Fair and often you get back know/realize what to prioritize. There is a The what you give: lack of clarity about what is my dharma When I resumed work after my son (duty) in life. As I recollect from our study awareness of was a bit older, the challenges of a of scriptures, we plot our dharma, using 2 each decision typical demanding corporate life coordinates. Traditionally on the X-axis and its did take its toll and I understood w e h a v e t h e a s h r a m [ l i k e t h e that the corporate world can be Brahmacharya ashram(student phase), outcomes pretty ruthless.However, this Grihast ashram (Married phase), helped me lead realization also brought another retirement phase etc] and on the Y-Axis the a guilt free life. learning -if the fire (of your caste we belong to i.e. [Brahmans priorities) is burning strong within, (teachers), or kshatriyas (warriors) etc]. In people around you start respecting today’s context you could read the caste as When I was it sooner or later. Once I was back the work that you do. The point of taking care of into the corporate world, I realized intersection of the 2 dimensions is your that it would not be possible to dharma (duty). Our study taught me that I the family and achieve anything without the owe my family as much as I owe my work even when support of my husband and my son. in the society. The way to maintain sanity I resumed There were times when I worked is to strike the right balance between the long hours, worked under pressure two. We need to keep prioritizing based on working. to honor deadlines, woke up at 3 in the type of situation that arises; for e.g. the morning to prepare for the when I had a choice to make between my delivery of a training program etc. sick child and an important meeting, I But during all those times, there was chose to tend to my sick child first. Yes, in immense support that I received trying to strive for this balance, it does from both-my husband and son. slow down your so called “pace of Both of them gave me (and continue corporate success”. But, to me success in to do so) a helping hand in the home life is about keeping this fine balance. chores, which made it possible to To sum it up, ‘Work-life balance’ is a manage home and career. My journey of constant reflection and husband and I used the commute contemplation. It is a journey of conscious time to work to connect with each decisions. It is the journey about doing other and catch up on our lives. what is right (which may not necessarily be They often reminded me that it was the easiest or the most comfortable path) their turn to support me just as I had done for them earlier. There have Image source: narcissistsblog.wordpress.com
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he CII Entrepreneur’s handbook is a or debt financing and the logic behind using practical guide for entrepreneurs and them. It covers options like angel investing, aspiring ones as well.. It is a collation venture capital, private equity, bank funding, of interviews with models of government policy packages, state financial T enterprise, articles by entrepreneurs corporations and many more. Each of these and a host of other material to aid potential options is explained in detail along with the entrepreneurs as they find their foothold.. Third institutions to approach, the preparation required in the series from the Confederation of Indian and the pros & cons involved. Industries (CII), it hopes to promote inclusive Part 4 and Part 5 talk about business structuring innovation in India. The 15 contributors are and delve into details of capital structuring, entrepreneurs - Mr. Satya Prabhakar, Mr. Mahesh incorporation of taxes and the process of Murthy, Ms. Hemu Ramaiah, Mr. K.P. Balraj, Mr. computing income and related details. The book Kalpathi S Suresh, Mr. Suresh Raju, Mr. C K talks about intellectual property rights and ways R a n g a n a t h a n , M r . B to protect one’s business. Part 6 and S o u n d a r a r a j a n , M r . P Part 7 cover the growth and P o n n u d u r a i , M r . R transition phases of a business. C h o c k a l i n g a m , M r . N . Information on sealing a business Chinnaswamy, Mr. J. Murugavel, once it is established, scaling it up Mr. A.K.Bishnoi, Mr. Devendra and then planning for succession Saharia and Mr. T T Rangarajan. and establishing professionalism Logically structured into 10 parts, are covered. it covers the whole breadth of an In Part 8, Jayashree Suresh (Dean, Entrepreneur’s journey. Stating SRM School of Management) talks from what essentially makes an of planning an entreprenuer’s exit entrepreneur, to the first steps strategy to enable a business to run one must take. Getting resources, on its own. She highlights various structuring business, protecting exit strategies that an entrepreneur products, handling growth might consider. Case studies on 6 phases, transitioning and finding entrepreneurs -Soundarajan the right balance through it are all (Founder, Suguna Poultry Farms), addressed. Ponnudurai (Lion Dates Impex Mahesh Murthy (Founder Private Limited), Chockalingam Pinstorm), Satya Prabhakar (Srinivas Fine ArtsPrivate Limited), (Founder & CEO, Sulekha.com) and Hemu N Chinnaswamy (Pazhamudhir Nilayam), J Ramaiah (Former Founder/ CEO Landmark) Murugavel (Consim Info Private Limited), A K talk of how one can simply be different by being Bishnoi (Techpro Systems), Devendra Saharia their natural selves. They recognize that each (Ajuba Solutions India Private Limited) are individual is unique and declare that the key to covered in this part. being a great entrepreneur is resolve and not The book concludes with TT Rangarajan’s ambition, and offer lifeline tips for future descriptions of the qualities of an entrepreneur entrepreneurs. Jayashree Suresh (Dean, SRM and finding the right balance even while being School of Management) throws light on the Dos, successful. Don’ts and Must haves of Business Plans. The The book is a comprehensive source of second part of the book largely focuses on information, inspiration and guidance to preparation. Information on the Planning independent entrepreneurs, aspirants and Commission guidelines and TIIC guidelines for employees alike. financial assistance is covered to aid entrepreneurs in creating the right profile Part 3 of the book focuses on finding the right Tanmayi Vepakomma resources be equity financing options -Project Associate, TVRLS
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s India fertile g round for His exposition of the Fear-Fun-Fantasy Entrepreneurs? Entrepreneur equilibrium is simple yet substantial. What is all the more interesting Are you an Entrepreneur? is that he allows the reader to build upon I their own experiences and then connects to What kind of Entrepreneur are we? the core of the action plan.
And how do we go about it? Though the first few chapters of the book may perhaps make for slow reading, the takecharge! is replete with pearls of wisdom following chapters are indeed spell-binding, that are anchored in anecdotes, r i v e t e d statistics, stories and incidents, with rich that attempts to engage the above f a c t s , questions. It is more like reading brilliant an enchanting story. stories, a n d Gaurav Marya knows what he is inspiring talking about and what his readers character would like to do as entrepreneurs. s - all well His emphasis on the methodical related. approach to building an entrepreneurial mindset using the T h i s 10 Entrepreneur Mindset book by Strategies is a matter of G a u r av appreciation. The strategies are M a r y a rooted in practicality, and are non- makes an dogmatic and flexible. Above all excellent takecharge! makes for an reading inspirational reading. for those who dare The topical lessons from an MBA t o program are easily learnt by going f a n t a s y through these pages. It gives a a n d blue print of action for anyone d r e a m who is interested to venture and b i g . offer value to others. Each of the Endorsi lessons is buttressed by Gaurav’s n g personal experience in consulting and the Gaurav, let me also wish the reader “Shubh successes and of course, the failures he had. labh!”
Shaju John Consultant - TVRLS
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A TVRLS Publication 78 |July-September 2012 Mergers & Acquisitions: What Is The Deal For People?
elcome to the Mergers & Acquisitions-A reality world of Inorganic check: The European Management growth through Journal (Volume 19, No3, 2001) W M e r g e r s & outlines some staggering statistics Acquisitions. In a buoyant about mergers & acquisitions as economy, corporations grow under: C. Mahalingam through acquisitions to expand on their product & customer More than a staggering 75% of portfolio, to obtain a geographic mergers fail About the Author... footprint they do not have and also Only 15% M & A’s in USA achieve to acquire new technology. In a the anticipated financial objectives s l o w i n g e c o n o m y t o o , C. Mahalingam is consolidation happens extensively Executive Vice In Europe, deals valued at $500 through mergers and acquisitions President & Chief Million or more showed that one People Officer with (M&As). While companies like half of them destroyed value; 30% Symphony Services CISCO and CA Technologies have had minimal impact and only 17% Corporation. (He can grown through the acquisition be reached at created shareholder return route, companies like GE, IBM and mahalingam.c@symp many others have thrived on honysv.com). acquisitions globally to fuel their More than 50% lagged behind their growth. Interestingly enough, the industry peers within 18 months of more we read about mergers and completion of the deal acquisitions, the more we are convinced that people aspects hold Keith H Hammonds, deputy editor the key to success. But, let us also of Fast Company magazine, not forget the fact that “common provides some mind-boggling data sense is not necessarily the in terms of value created and common practice” and more so in destroyed by some of the best decisions that corporates make! known and written about In my 3 decades of experience, acquisition deals. Source -“The I have had the opportunity to be in numbers do not lie” Fast the midst of over two dozen Company, September 2002 with mergers & acquisitions, the biggest data as of 1st July 2002. of this being the India Integration Manager for the HP/Compaq merger that happened in early More than a staggering 75% of 2001-2002. This article focuses on people challenges that require mergers fail attention of HR leaders from both the organizations, in order to help Only 15% M & A’s in USA achieve the businesses realize their goals (long - term and short - term). the anticipated financial objectives
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AOL/Time Warner 2001 148 billion Vodafone/Mannesmann 2000 299 billion Pfizer/Warner-Lambert 2000 78 billion Glaxo/SmithKline 2000 40 billion Chase/J. P. Morgan 2000 26 billion Exxon/Mobil 1999 8 billion SBC/Ameritech 1999 68 billion WorldCom/MCI 1998 109 billion 94 billion Travelers/Citicorp 1998 Daimler/Chrysler 1991 36 billion
The value destroyed runs into Leaders in both the companies billions of dollars as can be seen believed that the culture of both the from the list. Interestingly, many organizations could simply be put of these failures can be attributed to into a blender and poured out, a variety of reasons as listed below: resulting in a new synergistic company. However, all cultural Unrealistic expectations issues were ignored. Chrysler thought they were marrying up, Hastily constructed strategy, poor but realized they were marrying down. Brand hierarchy revealed planning, unskilled execution that Mercedes was way up and every other brand, way down. Inability to unify behind a Daimler executives even refused to single macro message use Chrysler parts in Mercedes vehicles! Finally, they accepted that Talent lost or micromanaged it was one company by name, but two different companies in reality. Power & politics being the driving force, not productive objectives Why are people issues ignored in More often M & A? If time and again, merger Impossible degree of synergy than not, the after merger, it is becoming evident required that people issues are paramount, HR function then why do organizations Culture clashes continue to pay lip sympathy? and leader Why do they fall into the trap? Failure of transition management are informed Here are some plausible reasons for ignoring this all-too-important but not secret sauce of success: Focus distracted from core business involved in Belief that people issues are too the merger; soft and therefore difficult to It is a no-brainer that a majority of manage the reasons listed by the experts fall hence, their under people and people-related capability domain. Daimler- role becomes Lack of awareness or consensus Chrysler is a classic case in point. marginal that people issues are important
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No spokesperson to articulate dimension to all this. Ignoring this these issues (not even the HR head!) dimension, more often than not, has a disastrous effect. Let us More often than not, the HR explore how people issues can be function and leader are informed managed. but not involved in the merger; Premerger related challenges and hence, their role becomes marginal people focus areas: From my experience, I would consider pre- No model or framework that can merger as ‘critical’ from managing In any serve as a tool to manage these the people side of the acquisition issues perspective. In my current merger or company, during my last 7 years of “ acquisition, Excessive obsession with financial, heading HR, I have handled over 10 o p e r a t i o n a l , l e g a l a n d acquisitions. In order to ensure that investment manufacturing aspects to the no key people issue is left exclusion of people issues unaddressed, our team HR has put bankers and together a 30 page blue book equity CEO of GSK (GlaxoSmithKline), comprising 200 plus items-HR Jean-Pierre Garnier had this to say: checklists, templates and focus analysts “In any merger or acquisition, areas, to guide the entire due will provide investment bankers and equity diligence process. Areas where analysts will provide you with a things can potentially go wrong you with a plethora of figures quantifying the and impact people considerably are synergistic strategic benefits of plethora of below: the union. Yet, what determines whether a merger succeeds or fails figures is people.” Where do we go from Leadership styles incompatibility - quantifying here? Do we take it as the curse of culture clashes being here! mergers & acquisition process? Do the we leave it to chance? Or, do we do Lack of clear and frequent synergistic something about it? communication; keeping people in the dark till it is out in the media strategic Managing People during and after a Merger & Acquisition: Given the benefits of stakes at work, people aspects need Detailed comparison of people the union. e x c e p t i o n a l p l a n n i n g a n d policies attention. As those that have Yet, what managed small and big acquisitions Compensation & Benefits will vouch, it requires attention mapping determines during all three phases: pre-merger whether a involving due diligence, during the Job leveling & grade mapping integration and post-merger. It is merger the synergistic effect of paying succeeds attention to people issues in all Clarity on managed selection three phases that determines a process- process by which the new or fails is healthy integration. At the end of merged entity will determine who the day, whether it is product, stays and who goes. Making sure people. c u s t o m e r , g e o g r a p h y o r ability, nor prior affiliations, is technology that is the basis for critical. acquisition, there is a people ”
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Severance Policy for those who I n m a n a g e d s e p a r a t i o n , suffer managed separation communicating the decisions in including possible outplacement such a way that affected employees support for them feel they have been treated with dignity. The author managed, as Determining key talent to be Head of HR for HP, significant retained and a possible retention workforce optimization during the bonus program to cover them merger of Compaq with HP. He was trained in Hong Kong on ‘how Statutory compliance audits that to downsize with a heart’ by a have an impact on people policies leading outplacement consulting firm. The author recalls (a) an Preliminary decisions around ambulance kept outside office till which programs, policies or the downsizing exercise lasted in benefits to be ‘grand-fathered’ post order to address any health integration and for how long challenge experienced by any of the downsized employees; (b) Formation of “clean room” and downsizing decision was held back “neat room” and determining who for women employees scooped, but belong where from the integration who were on maternity leave; (c) team. Equally important is to elaborate outplacement support clarify the implications of was provided both through direct belonging to these teams. Those in efforts of the HR team and through clean room access so much a placement agency; and (d) a information during due diligence, that should the merger not go handsome severance pay was given through, they would be required to to tide over the difficulty. leave their respective organization in order not to compromise the In another deal involving two competitiveness! major global companies, one regimented that no promotions or During the Merger: During the hiring at senior levels should integration, the critical issues happen till the merger was involve ensuring that agreed completed; whereas the other one processes and programs are opportunistically promoted implemented under appropriate several senior managers to take supervision and in a time-bound advantage of the post-merger fashion. Usually, the support of an opportunities. This put the external consulting firm is enlisted managers of the ‘ethical’ company especially if the merger is between at a distinct disadvantage. Care two large companies or in cases involving cross border acquisitions needs to be exercised to avoid such and merger. Key areas of attention serious inconsistencies as frustrated to ensure coverage of people issues: talent will leave sooner than later.
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Continuous communication Very detailed 30, 60, 90-day plans assumes even more significance relating to people issues will be during the integration process. very critical, and is a clear task cut Rumor mills usually work out for the HR team. overtime and create a lot of nervousness amongst people. Post Integration issues relating to people: When the French major Alcatel acquired the US major Lucent Some kind of “quick-start” Technologies, the way the Alcatel orientation modules would be CEO handled the situation is a necessary to cover all employees to great lesson for merger pundits. He share the new go-to-market would gather the rumors from all s t r a t e g y , h o w t h e n e w over the globe and clarify them on a organization is designed, who are daily basis, thus putting employees key managers, what processes will at ease. Such great practices, be followed with respect to unfortunately, are more an procurement, employment, exception than a norm in mergers r e w a r d s & r e c o g n i t i o n , and acquisitions. promotion, salary review and the like, need to be clarified. Deploying a credible mechanism of communicating the grade and Manager training for a few days to designation mapping approach, cover the ‘new way of managing’ benefits that will stay and go etc., people and the new HRIS systems needs attention as well. that will be followed, besides new processes around employee life cycle management. One issue that often gets paltry attention in mergers involving A close watch, nay hawk’s eye, on share swap is on how employee key talent is hyper critical. In shareholders will be treated and merger situations, competition what happens to their stock will try to poach key talent away if options. Often, senior executives the incumbent company is not are so very insensitive that they do careful enough. n o t c a r e t o a d d r e s s t h i s satisfactorily. Communication on integration updates, clarifying rumors and Another issue that often demands tying loose ends on people matters attention but unfortunately does would be the key. not get it, is location strategy- which offices will remain M a n a g i n g t h e “ s u r v i v o r operational and which ones will be syndrome” will be a pivotal task for shut down in order to optimize the organization and HR has an space. active role to play in this.
New decision matrix, delegation of From all the above it can safely be authority, HRIS technology that concluded that the Role of HR is will be in force in the new entity, all too critical. Whichever way one needs to be determined and looks at a merger and acquisition communicated well in time. situation, the role of HR becomes.
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very critical and evident. Jeffrey The first option is fairly common Schmidt in his powerful article in place and that is a reactive one–wait HR Magazine (2001) offers the to be informed and hope to be following table that brings out the invited to participate; the second role of HR in successful mergers & and more proactive one is doing acquisitions loud and clear: decent homework based on
21% Pre-deal 12%
72%
ge Due Diligence 39%
85% Integration Planning Merger Sta 53%
87% Implementation 73%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% HR managers involved HR managers not involved
Percent of Successful Mergers
In almost all stages of an M & A, it available information and engaging can be seen that the HR managers’ with the CEO in a conversation on involvement stands out as a key why HR involvement right from factor for success. the due diligence stage is critical for success and earn a seat at the table to HR Managers, take charge! As is discuss how HR can play a t h e c a s e w i t h a n y k e y significant role in the M & A. organizational change initiative, Thankfully, there is so much HR leaders in an organization have knowledge available today in the two options when it comes to public domain on this (besides mergers & acquisitions. consulting support) that HR has no reason to stand on the sidelines!
Image Source : http://vator.tv/news/2011-09-12-selling-your-company-integrate-early-and-often
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Held 9 solo exhibitions. For Sand-dust-Art shows Been performing Sand-dust-Art for and Paintings Eminent Organizations like, Aditya [email protected] Birla, Mahindra Satyam, Indian School +91 9177908556 from kanth’risa’ of Business, TVRLS, Wipro, SEW To see performances Infrastructure Ltd, Maruti & Suzuki, log on to ‘Youtube’
NHRD, NCC, Bevon Wayers.... and type ‘kanthrisa’ s desk
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A TVRLS Publication 86 |July-September 2012
Gone In 60 Seconds- Communicating For Results
ach time I face an Our ability to communicate, to get audience or address a things done is critical for our large team, my biggest success. From the simple approval Elango R worry is-Will they for a project to a client proposal, to E understand what I am making an impression when you telling them? No, I am not run into your CEO-these About the Author... smirking at anyone’s intelligence conversations, emails and Elango R is the levels I am seriously concerned “communication” determine what author of ‘You Don’t a b o u t m y c o m m u n i c a t i o n we can get done and how quickly. Need a Godfather’, “Effectiveness”! It means that Columnist at people I talk to should understand I have addressed this critical skill in Economic Times, what I am saying, what I want them my book, “You Don’t Need a People Matters and at to do as a result and what I expect of Godfather”. Given below is an Wall Street Journal Online – India. them. excerpt on how to start paving the w a y t o m o r e i m p a c t f u l Many companies spend a lot of communication and results. money on communication skills Let’s start with the ‘60 second’ workshops, voice and accent mantra. training, English language classes Why just 60 seconds? In today’s and the entire gamut of soft skills corporate world, this is all the time training. There is an industry that someone has to make an impact! has mushroomed and bloomed We are expected to juggle meetings, around this. However, many fail to calls, emails and actual work all at address the core issue-are we able to the same time. All these mediums get our message across crisply, in an are fighting for the same one engaging manner and get the results minute. And what or who we pay we want? This is about results, not attention to will be the one that style and accent; it is about conveys a crisp objective and makes language and not just oration. It is it most relevant to us. about everyday conversation. Here is a 60 second trailer on how C o m m u n i c a t i o n i s a b o u t to use the ESCAPE route to successfully telling someone your effective communication: thoughts and requirements and that person UNDERSTANDING Establish attention: Thirty to sixty what you have said in the same seconds is all you have. A sure fire manner. Many of us think that we way to get attention is get on the are communicating when actually, path of relevance-what is we are just talking. important to the listener, not
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YOU. Let’s assume you are seeking Like anything, throw yourself at approval for business related travel. improving your ESCAPE at every Don’t say, “I need your approval to moment and opportunity. The best travel”; instead say-our project is practice is when you are behind schedule, I have initiated a negotiating with your child; watch recovery plan, part of this is to them play you effectively. Trust travel to Timbuktu. Please help! me on this one; they are the ones effectively negotiating you! S i m p l e : A v o i d j a r g o n , abbreviations and technical words. But, there a few traps that you have By way of example, use ‘difficult’ to watch out for. One that most of instead of ‘challenge’, instead of us end up falling into, even with the ‘failure mode evaluation analyses’; best of intentions … Being too try ’we could fail’! connected to our own objective.
Crisp: Not necessarily quick to the Don’t boil the ocean – Focus on point but straight to the point. The MUST, Good and IF YOU Qualifying a statement is good, but CAN there’s no need to recite the I learnt this while participating in encyclopedia. Having said that, if an acquisition we were preparing the person you are addressing asks for-an atmosphere fraught with you to qualify your statement, you anxiety, tension, competition and know you’ve got their attention! adrenaline. Most teams throw Mission accomplished right there. questions, request for tons of data fearing that they may forget to ask Action: Focus on what you want to something. Then, one of our board achieve, not on what you want to members coached us that we are say or how you are treated. better off prioritizing and focusing on what we absolutely need. That Presence: Watch, listen and adapt way, we make productive use of the your approach. There is a lot of target company, our time and literature on body language. For better still, gain the respect of the instance, I listen best with my hands target company management. So crossed but I am given to we classified all requests as MUST, u n d e r s t a n d t h a t s h o w s Good and IF YOU CAN. The defensiveness. Don’t go for effect was amazing and focused all simplistic signals like this; watch our efforts on the MUST. your receiver closely. Be on the lookout for stifled yawns, quick So What? glances at the watch, pulling their I learnt the “So what?” check from a blackberry out … people will tell colleague Raj Patil, a consummate you without telling you. sales person. Everything you say, present, sell or communicate, ask Exit: Close quickly with decisions. yourself “so what?” You will be Never leave it inconclusive, surprised at how crisp and relevant summarize for the benefit of all and you will get. For example, you are never forget to say ‘thank you’, saying that the sales figures show a whatever the outcome. pattern, ask yourself “So what?” —
A TVRLS Publication 88 |July-September 2012
you should state the same in a way that went into making the movie that makes sense to the audience. (that is all the producer cared Remember you are not providing about), or the tantrums the movie information you want action … stars threw (surely the woes of the director)? No! They all address Channel distortion why you, the movie goers, should Finally a well-crafted message come see their movie. They avoiding all the pitfalls can fall flat showcase the plot, the scenic if we don’t pick the right channel. locations, the action and adventure By channel I mean email, text (or comedy as I prefer). message, in person conversation … whatever. That is what we have to learn to do: Figure out what action we want to I had a colleague once who would happen (have people go see the never respond to email. At any movie) time, he had over 1000 unread mails Distill what our audience wants to in his inbox. But pick up the phone hear or cares about (great plot, and talk, he always came through awesome locations) and was willing to support. Here Communicate to them in a manner the means of communication made that is familiar to them (TV, radio, the difference. Just because email is email) quicker for me, is not what should matter. What is convenient for my Using this as a guideline, hopefully audience is what takes priority. all our meetings and conversations will be akin to blockbuster releases Communicating for results is a and not bedtime stories. science and when mastered will provide us with a huge boost in our Good luck and have fun trying this work place. out. Keep me posted on your tales – c o n n e c t w i t h m e o n Think back to the thousands of www.ElangoR.com or follow me movie trailers you have seen. Do on twitter @agastyasays they talk about the countless crores
Image Source: http://fbiedermann.blogspot.in/p/communication-tips.html
A TVRLS Publication 89 |July-September 2012
PERFECT PROFESSIONAL Enabling Managers to Make a Difference Yet Another Milestone......
Reaching yet another milestone in its journey of Knowledge Dissemination, TVRLS launched its quarterly Magazine titled "Perfect Professional" on 2nd April, 2012 at the Hotel Lalit Ashok, Bangalore. Aimed at Line Managers, the launch issue was dedicated to Leadership. Prof. T V Rao’s book ‘100 Managers in Action’ was also launched on the same day.
The event was graced by Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus, Infosys (as Chief Guest), Mr. K.Jairaj, Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Karnataka, (as guest of honour) and more than 200 well-wishers. Kanth’risa, a well know sand-artist, introduced the thinking behind Perfect Professional, through his sand art. He spoke of perfection using a Zen master’s story and then introduced TVRLS, the magazine Perfect Professional and Prof. T V Rao’s latest book 100 Managers in Action. This was followed by lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries.
Ms. Nandini Chawla, CEO- TVRLS, spoke briefly about the organisation T V Rao Learning Systems and its focus on developing and nurturing ‘talent’, a prerequisite for building ‘institutions of reckoning’. She said, “in order to continue the process of knowledge dissemination, TVRLS decided to launch its quarterly magazine ‘Perfect Professional. While there are many magazines on business, politics, HR, there are none catering to the individual needs and development of line managers. As self renewal of managers and organisational transformation go hand in hand, along with planned and structured learning experiences, it is imperative that managers stay well read at all times. ‘Perfect Professional’ aims to partner with line managers in creating a ‘learning culture’ in organisations.”
Mr. K Jairaj shared his first impressions of the magazine and the importance of professionalism in the public as well as the private sector. He shared aspects of professionalism as individuals having technical capacity through learning, education, etc. which is applied to fulfil objectives and goals. He emphasized that every professional should have a standard of conduct and performance. He shared the meaning and application of true professionalism, based on his rich experiences. With this, Perfect Professional and 100 Managers in Action was unveiled by the Chief Guest Mr. N R Narayana Murthy, followed by his enlightening thoughts on Leadership. He quoted John Kennedy-“Most people see things as they are and wonder why I dream of things that never were and say why not.” Leadership is all about imagining a possible scenario and making it happen. A manager is one who optimises the resources to achieve the desired objectives. At this point in time in the country, we have an urgent need of these competencies. It is very important for managers to be transparent & accountable, without which it is very difficult to achieve objectives.
TVRLS was humbled by the encouragement received from Mr. N.R. Narayana Murthy, and the inspiring words of Mr. K.Jairaj.
The launch event ended with Prof. T V Rao sharing his experiences on Leadership, through an interactive session. He shared the source of inspiration for writing the book. Through a small video of a lion and a gazelle, he emphasised the importance of actions in everybody’s life.
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A TVRLS Publication 91 |July-September 2012
A TVRLS Publication 92
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A TVRLS Publication 93
ABOUT T V RAO LEARNING SYSTEMS “We are all born talented”
This talent however, needs to be continuously recognised, nurtured and developed. Work places are platforms for identifying, utilising and developing talent. Through appropriate systems, processes and practices, leadership talent should be brought out and put to use. It is precisely with this intention, TVRLS was founded on April 26th, 1996 by Prof. T.V.Rao. Headquartered in Ahmedabad, TVRLS expanded its operations by setting up its office at Bangalore, in October 2001.
The main focus of all that we do at TVRLS, is to facilitate talent discovery and its development, at an individual level and at the organisation level.
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Constantly burning and radiating light through knowledge & experience sharing.
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