Execute to Thrive - 11 by Godrej

‘काल करे सो आज कर , आज करे सो अब। पल में परलय होएगी , बहुिर करेगा कब।’ - सं त कबीर

Our founder, Mr. S P Godrej, was a great admirer of Kabirji for his wisdom, deeply applicable to millions in their daily lives. He used to support the heritage of Kabirji. SPG believed that a great deal more could be achieved if we cultivated a sense of urgency, a much-forgotten message. Instead of looking at the notion of sense of urgency from western eyes, we thought it would be appropriate at this time in India’s march ahead to view this notion through the eyes of our own saint, Kabirji, and his timeless wisdom. Do engage with this doha and the poem, and write to us with your thoughts and discoveries.

अथर् कबीरदास जी का उपयुर्क्त दोहा समय िनयोजन हेतु उपयुक्त उदाहरण है।वास्तव में िबना िवलम्ब िजस समय जो कायर् करना अपेिक्षत है , उस समय वही कायर् करना समय का सदपु योग है। समय का सदपु योग सफलता की कुं जी है, प्रगित का लक्षण है, सुशीलता का िचह्न है,श्रेष्ठ स्वभाव का पिरचायक है और शुभ जीवन का सं के त है। इन्हीं भावों को िनम्निलिखत दोहों में बताया गया है। Sunita Rani Kulpati

किवता जो अपने कत्तर्व्य को िबना िवलम्ब कर लेय। कारज अपना पूणर् कर , जग में सम्मािनत होय।। समय का सदपु योग तो, बनाये िबगड़े काम। आलस करने से सदा , जीवन हो िनष्काम। समय िनयोजन से करें , जो अपने सब काम । पिरश्रमी बनकर सदा , जग में कमायें नाम।। समय - गित बड़ी तेज है , रोक सके न कोय। सं ग समय के जो चले , उसकी सद्गित होय।। समय चक्र अिवरल चले , तोड़ सकल जं जीर। समय प्रभाव से ही हुए , राजा - रंक - फकीर।। प्रकृ ित सदा देती हमें , जीवन का यह मं त्र। समय से ही होत हैं , पावस , शीत , वसं त। समय पर िनणर्य जो करें , बुिद्धमान कहलाय। भाग्य भरोसे जो रहे , समय चूिक पछताय।।। समय की मिहमा सृिष्ट में , बड़ी ही अपरंपार। घड़ी की िटक-िटक पर चलें , सकल जगत व्यवहार।। कल का काम आज करें आज का करें अभी। जीवन- दशर्न के तहत , कल न आये कभी । िववेकशील मानव सदा , रखें समय का ध्यान। उद्यम -पौरुष से बनें , उनकी िनत पहचान। ईश्वर से िवनती करें हम , इतना दो सदज्ञ् ान। पिरिस्थित सम हो या िवषय , समय का रखें मान।।

THE HOUSE MAGAZINE OF GODREJ & BOYCE VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Sharpening Our Execution Edge Being good at execution is about approaching it as a discipline and a system for getting things done. This is crucial for eliminating the widely prevalent, saying-doing gap. Indrapal Singh Editor

We have devoted two successive issues of CHANGE to the vast theme of ‘Execution’ because it is important for all of us to understand its various nuances in multiple contexts, in order to succeed in business. In this issue, we cover many topics on this theme that are not commonly written about. For example, we have examined the role of promises; delivery of a network of relevant promises determines the extent of excellence in execution. In repetitive manufacturing situations, reducing variation is a key challenge. Mrugesh from Godrej Appliances, Mohali, shares his experience with reducing variation during repetitive manufacturing. In our industrial businesses, sometimes we are compelled to take orders that are completely new to us. Mahimkar and his team at Godrej Precision Engineering have done some path-breaking work in managing complexity that arises from ‘there’s always a first time’. To keep the execution edge sharp, Mr. Srinivasan elaborates on how daily work must be done with a high degree of efficiency and

an unflinching focus on improvement. Using the right measures is essential for improving performance. Kartik Modi shares insights on using measures to align teams towards the same goal. At an individual level, there are many things that one can do to become a better keeper of promises. Some of these are about avoiding multitasking, being civil in interactions, making a beginning instead of overthinking, and celebrating more. Candid pieces on these topics written by Godrejites are both relatable and actionable. At the beginning of the new year, we make resolutions that are seldom kept. Creating a better version of oneself could be an unchanging resolution, year after year. Aneev Ansari shares his journey. To stay fit, Gillian uncovers ‘The String Theory’ that has nothing to do with Physics! Just try it! We believe that, taken together, both the issues of CHANGE – Execute to Thrive I & II - can be used as a guide for improving our capability to execute better. Dip in and out

TEAM

Nalini Kala

Elizabeth Bocarro

Nariman Bacha

Edit Board

Distribution

Bipin Shringarpure Production

of them at will. Tell us what worked for you and help enrich our knowledge bank on Execution. Feel free to take CHANGE home and share it with your family and friends. Have conversations about what comes in the way of getting things done in the right manner at the right time, and you will find that the opportunities to learn from each other are limitless. As always, we thank all the authors and especially Vrunda and Amruta for their contribution to the Marathi edition of CHANGE. Do write in to us and share your ideas about how we can make CHANGE better, at change@godrej.com.

Contents FOCUS

Apna Vote Yahan Dijiye

Integrating Security Systems, the TOC Way

1.28 million ballot boxes in 120 days!

Adopting the right methodologies is the key to winning

Reducing Variation

Executing a Retail Expansion Programme

To execute well in the environment of repetitive manufacturing, all need to be involved deeply

To solve complex problems, knowing and using the right tools is essential

INSIGHT

Keeping Promises

The Illusion of Multitasking

Think, But Don’t Overthink!

The Bedrock of Successful Execution

Can we call it multitasking?

An opportunity lost is sometimes forever

SUCCESS STORIES

100 Megawatts in 100 Days

Sailing the Unchartered Seas

Selling the Smarter Way

Lessons in great execution from Tesla

Together, we worked our way to find creative solutions

Not knowing the constraint that limits growth leads to wasted efforts

PERSPECTIVE

INSIDE G&B

LAUNCH PAD

Daily Work Management A foundation for success

Measures that Matter Senior leaders ought to be concerned about what is or is not being measured

Be Civil. Get More Done! Civility, a forgotten virtue, has a lot to offer in today’s challenging times

52 Business History, A Springboard Forward

34 India’s Heaviest Satellite powered by Godrej Aerospace An outstanding achievement by ISRO and their partners

BOOKMARK

You have Nothing to Lose except... Ignorance!

62 63 64

Why Should We Dance? In Pursuit of a Better Me Stringing our Way to Better Health!

INSIDE G&B

42 60

Celebrating Small Wins

Winning through Transformation

Transpose Ecosystem: Godrej Interio

70 72

Go Figure!

SKUtro, A Smarter Way to Pick Orders

58 68

Godrej Edge Duo Refrigerator

Strategy and Execution are Equally Important

Neo Series by Godrej Material Handling

FOCUS

Apna Vote Yahan Dijiye 1.28 million ballot boxes in 120 days! Shweta Jadhav, Godrej Archives

With the national elections just around the corner, we are reminded of the inspiring story from 1952, of Godrej’s contribution to sustaining democracy in a newly independent India. As the country was gearing for one of the world’s biggest democratic experiments, a newly established Plant One at Godrej’s Industrial Township at Vikhroli was busy fabricating 12.83 lakhs ballot boxes for India’s first general elections. In a span of mere four months, the sturdy and tamperproof steel ballot boxes manufactured by Godrej were ready to secure the verdict of Indians and to fulfill their ‘tryst with destiny’! Mathematician and Chief Election Commissioner, Sukumar Sen and his team at the Election Commission had their own challenges to grapple with. Going door to

door… tracking maximum voters above 21 years of age... creating massive electoral rolls… holding mock elections… educating the masses about how to vote, and more. It was a herculean task. That’s when Godrej was entrusted with the critical responsibility of manufacturing the most crucial element of these elections – the ballot box! The setting up of Godrej Industrial Township was just beginning to take shape. Only Plant 1 was erected and fully functional. Raw materials like steel were in short supply. Time given was not really enough. Logistical infrastructure in the country was not really world-class. The country was still struggling to find its feet. In such a scenario, it was an uphill task to execute, but we did it!

It took more than 50 specimens and prototypes to reach that one technically acceptable and economically viable version of a ballot box.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

The Times of India, 24th December 1951

FOCUS

It is an incredible story of determination and innovation, of excellent planning and brilliant execution. The foremost challenge was the designing of this ballot box. It took more than 50 specimens and prototypes to reach that one technically acceptable and economically viable version of a ballot box. External locks were proving too expensive and that’s when Nathalal Panchal, a shop-floor worker, saved the day. He came up with a design with an internal locking mechanism that could be opened only by inserting your finger through an aperture and pulling the locking lever, thus making it tamper-proof and cost-effective. Famed historian Dr. Ramachandra Guha, even lauded this humble ballot box by Godrej, as ‘the third hero of our first elections’, apart from Jawaharlal Nehru and Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen. This brilliant blueprint then transitioned the shop floor. A dedicated team of engineers, technicians and workmen geared up under the able leadership of Mr. K R Thanewala who was known for his penchant for ‘taking the bull by its horns’. In his oral history interview, Thanewala has narrated his

incredible experiences of this time. He recollected how he and his ‘boys’ literally worked day and night, in three shifts, churning 15000 ballot boxes a day! And they refused to let any obstacle hamper their march to success. Even if it meant walking down the railway tracks after finishing their night shift, holding simple mashals to light the way, they were up for it. ‘It was great fun’ - that’s how Thanewala puts it.

Pirojsha Godrej himself took a keen interest and would regularly visit the shop floor at 3 o’clock every afternoon for an overview of the production. Simultaneously, General Manager N D Sahukar was negotiating arduously with the bureaucratic offices for procurement of steel, adhering to delivery schedules, etc. We

even completed a few more orders for ballot boxes that some other companies defaulted on. Further lay the daunting task of transporting these 12,83,371 ballot boxes to the remotest corners of 23 states in India. They were dispatched from our Vikhroli railway siding via commercial and passenger train wagons, earning them the sobriquet ‘election specials’. A stupendous effort was made in the planning and execution of this crucial order by everyone at Godrej. For them, it was not any regular business order. It was their opportunity to take part in the phenomenal act of nation-building, and they were willing to go to any lengths to prove that the nation could rely on them. It is an incredible story of determination and innovation, of excellent planning and brilliant execution. The can-do-attitude of these stalwarts of yesteryears is truly remarkable. It is a story that inspires us today and will definitely continue to do so in the years to come.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

INSIGHT

Keeping Promises The Bedrock of Successful Execution Indrapal Singh

Reputations are built by consciously making and keeping promises.

Recently, Mr. Adi Godrej on accepting the Economic Times Award for Lifetime Achievement remarked, “Godrej is trusted by 1.5 billion people, globally. At Godrej, since its inception in 1897, ‘trust’ has been one of the core values that has endured.” A century and quarter later, ‘trust’ is consciously built and nurtured in all of Godrej’s business by making specific choices, and actions to match. Trust is built essentially, by delivering on the promises made to all stakeholders; employees, customers, supplier partners, government and others. To succeed today and in the future, it is essential to act in the ways that retain and strengthen the trust built over the decades. It is therefore essential that businesses put in place a well thought out system that fosters and governs the making and keeping of promises at all levels across the organisation. Despite being aware that keeping of promises is critical to the success in business, people often fail in practice. This could be for many reasons, such as absence of a clearly stated requirement from the senior management, or an inadequate understanding of the process of making and keeping promises. A promise is a pledge a provider makes to satisfy the concerns of a customer or a stake-

holder within or outside an organisation. Promises rarely occur in a vacuum or in isolation. To deliver on a promise, the maker must work with, obtain and oversee a supporting network of promises or commitments from colleagues, subordinates, partners, and so on. To bring this intricate web of promises together and deliver on the commitment made is quite complex and challenging. In a way, it is the essence of managing effectively. We can say that a business is nothing but a dynamic network of promises made and kept. Not taking a legalistic or contractual view of promises, it is important to focus on how the provider can go about satisfying the requirements of the customer. In practice, there could be competing priorities as well as resource bottle necks that could readily derail the fulfilment of promises. Recently in a study, managers were asked what percentage of the promises made by them could be relied upon? The answer was, about 50%. It is likely that similar situations exist at our businesses. If this is the reality, then it is essential for us to become proficient at making promises that can be relied upon i.e. Good Promises.

To succeed today and in the future, it is essential to act in the ways that retain and strengthen the trust built over the decades.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Good promises are explicit It should be clear to everyone, who will do what for whom and by when. Explicit conversations help convert the abstract notion of making things happen, to specific, time -bound actions. As the promises made get executed, the time of execution is tracked regularly to make progress clear to everyone. Explicit promises foster coordination and cooperation in a business. Clarity at the beginning of each milestone creates opportunity to agree on a revised set of promises to accommodate shifting business conditions.

Good promises are always in the open and not hidden

Good promises are made voluntarily and not coerced

They cannot be conveniently forgotten as they are visible to peers and bosses. Being in the open, they prevent backing out on uncomfortable commitments. Such promises put reputations for competence and trustworthiness on the line. The performance of the team can be tracked regularly to make progress visible, to cultivate a culture of transparency in execution. Accountability is also seen to clearly motivate people to act to produce desired outcomes.

The providers must have viable options for saying something other than yes. Psychologists have found that promises made voluntarily, are by and large, kept by the persons making them, as they feel deeply obliged to keep them. Senior executives must take special care to give their juniors the space to decline the requests made and receive counter offers. Such an empathetic outlook works well in bringing out the best at most of the time.

Good promises are active

Good promises have a view of the final outcome

In many organisations, customers throw requests at the providers, expecting them to be caught by them for action. Such requests pile up and seldom result in concrete actions. To elicit good promises, requests have to be discussed and negotiated by all concerned prior to making commitments. Persons involved should make clear requests to each other, provide background information, and allow one or two rounds of questioning for clarity to emerge. Only after everyone is comfortable about what action is to be taken, the commitment should be firmed. This is the best way to shift from endless wasteful debates, to meaningful actions that deliver on promises.

A team leader constantly brings into focus the final outcome and the consequences of attaining or not attaining it. He strives to direct his people with an explanation of why reaching a particular milestone is crucial. Providing a â&#x20AC;&#x153;whyâ&#x20AC;?, enables the team members with the overall rationale and hence, act in an engaging and vigorous manner. It is helpful to ask people to articulate in their own words, why the requirement matters.

Courtesy: Donald Sullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article - HBR, April 2007

INSIGHT

From the foregoing, it is clear that unless the provider is very careful in making promises, he is unlikely to succeed in satisfying the customer. To improve the chances of the desired outcome, it is a must that both the customer and provider are clear, upfront and during the execution process, about what is expected from each other. To have clarity, both the provider and the customer should constantly engage in conversations of three distinct types as stated below.

The first type is about achieving a shared understanding of what is involved. The customer makes his requests to the provider and the provider may have a different take on what should be done to fulfil the request. How quickly should it be done and which resources should he use? Because of divergent world views at play, the customer and the provider should sit down and answer questions like: What do you mean? What should I do? What will you do? Who else should I talk to? etc. A realistic understanding of the situation should be achieved. Its absence may lead to conflicts later, with the customer harbouring the feeling that the provider has failed to deliver on the promise.

The second type of conversation involves the provider making it clear to the customer about new developments that may have arisen, thus thwarting the execution of the promise made.

In the third type of conversation, the customer and provider create an opportunity for themselves to offer and take feedback from each other on how they could work more effectively in the future.

On account of the vagaries that come into play, it often becomes essential to reshuffle priorities, change schedules, and reallocate resources. Such shifts require both the parties to reinterpret the promise made. Reinterpreted promises may require the provider to renegotiate the terms of delivery, prices, and the like. This phase ends when in spite of the challenging circumstances, the provider declares the promise as completed and submits it to the customer for evaluation and payment. It is commonplace at this point in time for many disagreements to emerge, which may or may not get resolved until much later.

This step is meant to continually improve the quality of promises made. It is critical that this kind of ongoing conversation is built into the process of relating to the customer so that it takes place and more importantly, it helps lay a foundation for stronger relationships in the future. Many managers rush through or avoid this important phase and consequently land up on shaky ground.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Promises are the fundamental units of making things happen in any business. Promises coordinate activities and inspire people, while holding a business together. Encouraging open and iterative conversations gives everyone a chance to voice his/ her views and articulate the difficulties likely to be encountered in keeping promises. A clear understanding of the situation and the promises made enhance coordination and cooperation among team members and colleagues to build the agility to deliver. Strong team work enables businesses to seize new opportunities while tapping into the latent entrepreneurial energies of their people. Remember, promises are the fundamental units of making things happen in any business. Promises coordinate activities and inspire people while holding a business together. Promises are fragile and hence break easily. The culture of keeping promises enables the management to tap into the best their people have to offer. Keeping promises becomes a collective glue that holds the business together to overcome unexpected contingencies and yet deliver.

Start Small To make a beginning, as an individual you should start making small promises and strive to keep them. Gradually, you can up the effort and make larger promises. After a while, and a few failures en route, you will build for yourself an enviable reputation of someone who makes and keeps promises.

FOCUS

Integrating Security Systems, the TOC Way Adopting the right methodologies is the key to winning Vinay Salastekar, Godrej Security Solutions

Tell us about the System What are the challenges for Integration business of the SI business at GSS? Godrej Security Solutions Being a manufacturer of physical security (GSS) and why we ventured products, venturing into the systems inteinto it? gration business posed many challenges. It is widely known that GSS is a pioneer in the security space and is a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of physical security products like safes, lockers and others. Also, GSS is a prominent player both in B2C and Institutional markets. In the late 2000s, the protection of people, premises and information was gaining prominence with the increase in security threats such as terror incidents and others. Realising the need to safeguard its assets, the Government of India announced a series of measures to ensure that the country is well-equipped to detect and deter the occurrence of any such threats. With the evolution of technology, providing and monitoring electronic security has become less complex and more financially viable, thus accelerating adoption on a large scale. GSS, with its domain knowledge of security and its presence across the country, sensed a clear potential to expand its portfolio and hence the foray into the systems integration (SI) business. Today, GSS has become a player to reckon with in the SI space. As a System Integrator, GSS undertakes turnkey security & surveillance projects involving solution design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of systems. As managing projects well is the foundation of any SI business, it is of great importance to us at GSS. At GSS, we call our SI business the projects business.

The first challenge was that we had to absorb totally different technologies, which are evolving at a fast pace. The second was to build a team with the skillset required for the SI business, which is completely different from the existing skillset associated with the physical security business. The third challenge was to establish our credibility, as we are traditionally known as the manufacturer of physical security products. Even though we had the backing of the ‘Godrej’ brand, we still had to work hard to make a dent in the market. Often, the absence of any reference projects disqualified us from making an offer. Besides these, in my view, the single biggest hinderance was the prevailing mindset of our people that was only relevant to the physical security business. For the SI business, we required a completely different mindset which took us a while to cultivate. The conventional security business is simple in its construct. You secure an order, ship it in time, and the battle is won. In contrast, in the SI business, winning an order and shipping it in time is just the beginning of the struggle ahead. The real challenge lies in developing the right solution, installing it in time, testing it, and handing it over with minimal overrun in time and cost. Unless the systems supplied work flawlessly, the payment is delayed and often not received fully. As a result, outstandings mount adversely, impacting the working capital and profitability.

What kind of SI projects does GSS undertake and how long do they take to complete? The SI projects we undertake include solutions for CCTV & video surveillance, fire detection, access & entrance automation, and scanning & screening. All categories of projects other than CCTV & video surveillance can be completed in a shorter time – ranging from a few days to two or three months. CCTV & video surveillance projects take about 6-8 months to complete. These projects involve civil work like road cutting and trenching, electrical works like network laying over a large geography, product and software installation and commissioning. Many a time, on account of the site not being ready, or some issues at the customer’s end, these projects may take even longer.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

With the evolution of technology, providing and monitoring of electronic security has become less complex and more financially viable, thus accelerating adoption on a large scale.

FOCUS

How has the scale of GSS’ integration projects evolved, please clarify with an example? Until 2010, surveillance projects undertaken were valued around Rupees five crores, and the area covered was restricted to about six sq. km. These were single-location projects having only a few systems getting integrated into the solutions. As opposed to this, today, the project values exceed tens of crores, the areas covered exceed hundreds of square kilometres, locations are many, and the solutions offered have several distinct systems integrated into them. The complexity and the size of the projects have grown manifold. In 2011, we bagged our first large order for video surveillance at the Government of India’s Currency Note Presses at four different locations. The scope involved laying of network and power cables, erection of camera poles, installation of indoor and outdoor cameras, and setting up of control rooms for security personnel. On successful completion, this became our reference project for securing more orders.

Smooth Execution

Higher Sales and Profits

Capacity Released

Cycle of Virtue

Faster Execution

What are the shortcomings of the conventional ways of managing projects?

How does the TOC help improve execution of projects?

The focus here is on delivering materials according to the Bill of Quantity (BOQ) at the site in the shortest possible time. The work begins immediately thereafter but slows down soon because full materials are not available. There are two major reasons for full materials not being available. The first, inaccurate BOQs in the tender. The second, partial deliveries of ordered materials at site. These two factors put together slow down the work and lead to a huge wastage of the workforce’s time. As a result, to prevent idling costs, the contractors redeploy their people to other sites, bringing the work to a standstill. Once the work is stalled, it is quite difficult to remobilise the site. This stop-and-start cycle of work is repeated frequently until the project is completed resulting in the blocking of our working capital and erosion of profitability. As our business grew in scope and size, we found that the conventional way of managing projects was severely limiting. We had no choice but to find a new way to manage projects for making our business viable. After much search, we zeroed in on the TOC way of managing projects.

The TOC way helps greatly in managing projects that are far too numerous to mention here. Adopting the TOC way, we devised three distinct mechanisms to address major issues. First, we made it a rule to survey in depth the sites, once the order is received. Regardless of the size of the site, we found this mechanism of great help as several unknowns of the sites are discovered prior to the start of work. The site surveys help us to prioritise the areas that are to be taken up for work and hence, the size of the workforce to be deployed can be accurately determined. We ensure that the materials are dispatched only for the priority areas. This kind of alignment between the work and the resources minimises wastage at site and improves efficiency. The second mechanism involves the identification of the constraint. The availability of skilled manpower – a resource, is identified as the constraint for the SI business. By managing the resource actively, we ensure that it never remains idle and all other functions subordinate themselves to it for its maximum utilisation. To utilise the constraint

Improved Working Conditions

fully, we regulate the flow of materials and equipment. This measure reduces the chaos at site, eliminating delays and damages. The storage space is also conserved as only the required material is supplied. This is achieved by delivering materials only in full-kits. As the priorities are clearly defined and the materials are procured accordingly, the working capital deployed reduces substantially. The third mechanism involves the process of project review. We began by using Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) methodology. CCPM software empowers everyone to escalate issues, if required. Daily workflow meetings replaced the existing weekly meetings, enabling early resolution of issues. Also, the issues that required HO intervention get escalated quicker, resulting in faster decisions. The continuous flow of communication makes the progress of work well coordinated, and consequently, blame-assigning behaviours are reduced. Customers too get status reports readily. The TOC way of managing projects has enabled us execute SI projects faster and ahead of the promised dates.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

The TOC way of managing projects has enabled us execute SI projects faster and ahead of the promised dates.

Moving ahead, how do you see your TOC Journey? TOC is about identifying the constraint and optimising it to maximise outcomes. As we get better at execution, it is essential to introspect and identify any other bottlenecks for

the SI business. As the senior management now focuses on continual improvement of the financial indicators, like ROCE, revenue and profit, we now focus on actions that pos-

itively impact these measures. We also realise that we have no choice but to improve our entire business system to achieve better outcomes.

SUCCESS STORIES

100 Megawatts in 100 Days Lessons in great execution from Tesla Debasis Sahu, President’s Office

Making a head start and incorporating learnings from previous experiences can prove to be game changers for making audacious bets. After a series of regional blackouts that shook South Australia from September 2016 until early 2017, an intense debate emerged over how to manage the power grid to avoid such crippling blackouts in the future. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla Inc, joined the debate by making an audacious claim on Twitter that Tesla would deliver 100 megawatts of power storage in 100 days, and in case he could not deliver, it would be free to South Australia. Tesla’s battery is a grid-scale energy storage system. It is meant to store excess energy generated by wind farms and release the same when required. The battery acts as an on-demand power bank, delivering power within seconds or milliseconds depending on the requirement, intermittent or peak, thereby preventing blackouts. The battery also functions as a buffer when a large generation source is ramping up (or winding down) its output. This battery installation does not consume any water and is rather environmentally friendly. To put it into perspective, when fully charged, the Tesla Powerpack battery is capable of holding enough power for 8,000 homes for 24 hours, or more than 30,000 homes for an hour during a blackout. 100 days, 100 megawatts, was no mean claim, having a significant financial downside for Tesla. The cost of losing the bet would have been around $50 million – a tough blow

for a company that had posted its largest quarterly loss, only days earlier. The critics had written off Tesla, on account of the production delays that had plagued the company’s automotive unit producing the Model 3 electric sedan.

In this case, Tesla not only proved the critics wrong but also won the bet in style, with days to spare. Fed-up of the flak he had been receiving because of weak execution at the automotive business unit, Elon Musk was looking for an opportunity to do something big and globally noticeable to change the perception of Tesla amongst the public, the media, and Wall Street. So how did Tesla meet this challenge of building the world’s biggest lithium ion battery, with days to spare? The answer to the first question is ‘execution’. In this case, Elon Musk took a huge bet with a potential downside of $50Mn that helped channelise the best possible efforts of everyone involved for a successful execution of the project. He put his own skin in the game. When such a large bet is taken, the whole organisation gets energised to stepup its game.

High stakes not only stir the organisation to step up its game, but also communicates to customers that the organisation is serious about its commitment.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Lesson 1 High stakes help energise everyone in the organisation to strive for the same goal.

Lesson 2 To make an offer that cannot be matched, make a head start.

Lesson 3 To improve execution, it is essential to build on the learnings from the previous projects in a systematic way.

High stakes not only stir the organisation to step up its game, it also communicates to customers that the organisation is serious about its commitment, thereby giving them the confidence. On learning about the outages that crippled South Australia in end 2016, he started thinking about providing a solution that could prevent outages. The challenge was to win the order against many other formidable competitors. Elon Musk decided to begin foundational work as early as March 2017. When the tender was floated, he was ready to make an offer which couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be matched by any of the other players. He offered to bear the entire cost of $50Million in case he failed to deliver. As we know, Teslaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offer was accepted and they did execute as promised.

Once an organisation has a head start, it should capitalise on it, and create as much distance from its nearest competition as possible, as Tesla did. The head start, when effectively used, can significantly increase the speed of delivery. The head start that Tesla had enabled Elon Musk to make the promise of giving the battery free in case the deadline of 100 days was missed. It was an offer that no one could refuse, and impossible for Teslaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competitiors to match. In January 2017, Tesla had worked on a similar project in Southern California by bringing online more than 70 megawatts of energy storage in less than six months. Trying to beat its previous best was a strong enough motivation for the whole organisation, to respond to the clarion call sounded by its CEO. Also, Tesla had decided to incorporate the learnings from this project into the execution plan of its 100 MW offer to make it as robust as possible.

This sounds like common sense, however, in reality, organisations seldom learn from their experiences and tend to repeat the same errors. Unless organisations follow documented processes rigorously and refine these processes in the context of changing situations, execution is likely to fall short of expectation. To conclude, it can be said that in a large organisation having several business units, the quality of execution can differ significantly. It would all depend on the culture of each of the business units, the commitment of the top management of each of the business units to good execution, and various motivational and incentivising mechanisms put in place in each of the businesses to have everyone aligned to the goals. All this is not easy, but it is here that leadership steps in and becomes a necessary condition for outstanding execution.

U LA

D A P

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

T R A N S P OS E ECO S Y STE M : G O DRE J I N TE RI O A solution for compact urban homes Living spaces are shrinking in urban areas, with population and property prices on the rise. As a result, compact houses have become a new reality. Making the best use of compact spaces for multiple purposes, greater functionality and flexibility are essential. Common spaces such as the living room needs to be multi-functional serving the purposes of being the family dining area, a space for a spare bed for guests, or a space to lounge or entertain. The Transpose Ecosystem is the solution for efficient space management in compact spaces, which does not compromise on the aspirations of a better lifestyle. Transpose is designed to convert a space of 10x10 (ft.) into a TV lounge, a dining room, a study room, or a bedroom, as required. Transpose has a wall bed-sofa which transforms into a bed, a center table that transforms into a dining

table, an ergonomic pouf, and a single seater for lounging and dining, and a multipurpose storage unit. The sofa of the Transpose wall bed system has soft and comfy upholstery for lounging, providing lumbar support. The transition from a sofa to a bed or a bed to a sofa is smooth, safe and effortless, requiring only a light pull, making it both child and senior friendly. Transposeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s add-on storage unit is multipurpose with ample shelving for clothes, bags, toys and shoes. There is also built-in storage for quilts and pillows. All storage needs are accommodated, and the unit has a pleasing finish. Every element of Transpose is designed for optimum space utilisation and is a great â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;value for moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; solution to get more out of compact spaces.

FOCUS

Reducing Variation: The Journey of Godrej Appliances, Mohali To execute well in the environment of repetitive manufacturing, all need to be involved deeply Mrugesh Gandhi, Godrej Appliances

Appliances belong to the domain of repetitive manufacturing. At Mohali, we have dedicated production lines for each of the categories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and compressors. Also, we have dedicated production lines for sub-categories â&#x20AC;&#x201C; direct cool and frost-free refrigerators. All these categories of products pass through the same set of production processes, which are standardised and automated to a degree. Hence, ideally, there should be minimal variation in the outputs, but in practice, such is not the case. In 2010, we were plagued with significant variation in our outputs, causing us a great deal of distress, and this is when we decided to embark on our journey of deep transformation. The distress was twice as severe, as we had to carry excessive stocks of raw materials and finished goods to fulfill the market demand, as well as run our production lines for longer hours, and sometimes, even over the weekends/ holidays at a huge cost, to offset the effect of variation in the outputs. Also, as the production lines were rigid, we had to take longer production runs, leading to higher inventories; again, an additional cost. Over the years, to reduce variation, we had implemented several building blocks of lean manufacturing such as line balancing, cellular manufacturing, single minute exchange of dies/tools etc. We had, to an extent, succeeded, but to become competitive, we wanted

Ideally, there should be minimal variation in the outputs, but in practice, such is not the case. to institutionalise the process of continual improvement. The challenge was to sustain this effort, year after year. In 2010, our Shirwal plant became a member of the CII-led Manufacturing Competitiveness cluster mentored by Mr. C Narasimhan. This was followed by The Godrej Cluster where the Mohali plant became a member. During our cluster journey, we learnt that the use of lean tools alone does not assure consistent output devoid of variation. Thus, a transformation was called for, which would engage all the stakeholders, who in our case were the operators on the production lines, supervisors, managers and all our partners in the supply chain. For this transformation to happen, our collective mindset required to be re-shaped. Some of the key initiatives taken to make the transformation happen were as follows:

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

FOCUS

Employee involvement in improvements

Overall equipment efficiency

Using the broom

Setting the system in order

Cultivating ownership

To drive change, we began with the first step of 5S which is ‘Sort’ –1S. Normally in a 1S drive, all that is not needed was identified, e.g., material, machines, tools etc. But to change the mindset, we needed the 1S in our minds as well. We took a critical look at all the written and unwritten procedures, underlying assumptions, preconceived notions, existing norms, and the like. For example, a certain piece of equipment not used for over 5 years was being retained, just in case it could be of use sometime in the future! The same logic applied to various tools and fixtures, as well as methods and procedures. We listed these down, examined them carefully and discarded those that were not required. In short, a thorough cleaning of the shop floor was undertaken.

The next step was to ‘Set Things in Order’, 2S. This step meant, a place for everything and everything in its place. This step was carried out for all manufacturing resources. We also applied this to individuals, their responsibilities, which were clearly defined, and ambiguities if any, were eliminated. People were given the necessary authority for discharging their responsibilities. This step brought in clarity of roles, as well as a sense of direction and a measure of thoughtfulness in our working.

Having secured a degree of involvement from the management, we started working on involving all the employees. Traditionally, operators were expected to use their hands only and carry out the work assigned. As a result, their involvement in the work was low, and still lower for making improvements. We decided to change this by inviting them to give their suggestions to make the workplace “Stress-Free, Worry-Free and Fear-Free”. Weekly programmes were conducted by the managers to record their suggestions, and the operators were encouraged to implement the suggestions. For example, when we were changing the layout of our refrigerator plant to add one more assembly line, the operators were asked to suggest improvements to make their work pain-free. The operators designed and helped build their own workstations according to their requirements, which eased their work and improved their morale, creating a greater sense of ownership. Measures such as these helped us cultivate Total Employee Involvement (TEI).

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Improved Work Environment

2014

2018

Empowerment and skilling

Beyond plant boundaries

The next step was to improve the efficiency of machines by reducing stoppages and breakdowns. Our operators played an important role in identifying the root causes of these, as they were the first ones to view such events. To make them skilled at sensing such events in time some specific training was essential as was the un-learning of wrong practices followed. Our maintenance crew also had to be retrained for anticipating breakdowns and stoppages. In response to these needs, the concept of autonomous maintenance was introduced, where the operators were taught to clean and maintain their machines routinely. After this training, they were required to identify abnormalities, if any, that could lead to variation in the quantity or quality of the output. Training in the use of ‘7QC tools’ was also imparted. The operators soon began to work on solving quality as well as output-related problems. After a while, the operators were trained in lean tools such as Single Minute Exchange of Dies, mistake-proofing (POKOYOKE), etc. These tools enabled them to reduce time for inspection and changeovers.

Having attained an acceptable level of success in building ownership through TEI and improving the output through reduced downtime and rejections, we looked at the next cause of variation, namely the quality and timeliness of the components received from our supplier partners. As 80-85% of these components are supplied on a just-intime basis, to solve the issues pertaining to quality, quantity and timely delivery of these components, we decided to work closely with our supplier partners to reduce variation in their outputs. As our supplier partners are mainly SMEs and MSMEs, their operators are unskilled or at best, self-taught. We decided to extend our training as well as our experience of using 2S tools and the TEI, to help them. Their factories were now considered extensions of our facilities. Three of our experienced managers were assigned to the Supplier Improvement Team (SIT) who prepared a 12-month-long road map for a cluster of supplier partners at each of the locations. The SIT worked as counsellors for imparting training on lean and 7QC tools. This initiative worked wonders. Rejection of components began to drop sharply and were soon at the parts per million (ppm) levels. Variation in the quantities and delivery times were now significantly lower. As a result, the components could now be delivered to the production line directly, eliminating loss of production due to delays. The physical change in the factories of supplier partners as well as their performance on the deliverables helped our partners, grow their business. We extended this journey to all our supplier partners and as of now, more than 80% of them have progressed on the journey and are reaping ample benefits.

All the measures significantly improved the Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE), resulting in lower variation in the output. Increased uptime of the equipment created additional capacity for higher outputs, as well as reducing overtime and other costs.

Reduction of variation should be the highest priority for the plants engaged in repetitive manufacturing. The TPM journey The TPM journey: In 2013, to ensure sustained improvement across all functions, appliance plants at Shirwal and Mohali kicked off their TPM journey. As the foundation was already laid, they could quickly embark on this journey. The Shirwal plant cleared its first ‘health checkup’ in 2015 and won the TPM Award for Excellence in 2016. The Mohali plant followed by winning the Excellence award in 2017. The deployment of TPM has further reduced variation, pushing up our rated capacity by an impressive 10%, and our output is now at about 92% of the rated capacity. Unless the variation is reduced greatly, executing successfully on the annual plans would always remain a distant dream. Reduction of variation should be the highest priority for plants engaged in repetitive manufacturing.

PERSPECTIVE

Daily Work Management, A Foundation for Success Relentless pursuit of improvement is the key to achieving sustainable growth C V Subrahmanyam, Principal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Business Excellence, CII IQ, Bangalore

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

In a world where the expectation of higher returns on investments is ‘a given’, it is essential for a business to seek better ways to drive efficiency, improve quality, and reduce costs.

While much has been written about the role of strategy in driving higher returns on capital employed, the role of bringing alive one’s strategic choices to the level of work that needs to happen on a daily basis is not discussed in as much detail to make it operational. Deployment of daily work management (DWM) through enthusiastic and sincere efforts at all levels of the organisation is a prerequisite to the processes of strategy deployment and ongoing improvements.

The four pillars of Total Quality Management (TQM) include Policy Management, Daily Work Management, Cross Functional Management and Quality Control Activities. As my experience is in the domain of Quality Management Systems, I will discuss daily work management in its context. In TQM, Policy Management drives breakthrough (innovation) efforts. Policy Management activities include rotation of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle to achieve improvements in key focus areas. To senior managers, Policy Management should matter more as it involves more of strategic issues and less of operational. However, to be able devote adequate time to Policy Management, senior managers should strive to standardise routine activities and empower people to pursue activities that lie in the category of Daily Work Management (DWM). Unfortunately, senior managers get so engaged with routine work that they are unable to devote sufficient time to Policy Management. This imbalance has an adverse impact on the long-term prospects of an organisation. Daily Work Management comprises all routine activities that must be carried out efficiently and where the maintenance of the activities is the main concern. Sometimes, improvement activities are also a part of DWM. It includes management for hourly jobs, daily jobs, weekly jobs, monthly jobs, seasonal jobs and yearly jobs. These jobs could be of those in the front-line, of operations, supervisors, sectional and departmental managers. The ‘Management’ in TQM is all about deploying the PDCA cycle for carrying out

all activities efficiently and economically. PDCA can be understood by visualising a control chart which involves the setting-up of measures (control points) that represent the performance indicator of the activity/ job, determining a desired value, and tolerance limits (control limits) that should managed on the measure, collecting data at an appropriate frequency, plotting them on the graph and checking whether they are within the control limits. If the points plotted are within the control limits then variation is said to be under control. However, if some points are outside one or both the control limits, then the performance shows undesirable levels of variation. The whole impetus of TQM is to reduce the variation at a process-measure level. Immediate actions are taken at the earliest, to cope with the abnormal phenomenon. Thereafter, the causes are analysed and steps are taken to eliminate/ reduce the causes to ensure abnormalities do not recur.

The steps for implementing Daily Work Management » Identifying the mission, role and objective of the job group. » Entering into a formal agreement with internal customers » Developing process flow charts and identifying high risk processes » Doing Failure Mode and Effect Analysis on High Risk Processes » Deciding control points and control levels, including targets, and organising standards for the job » Organising a system to do, check, and act (DCA) » Enforcing standards daily on jobs » Monitoring jobs at an appropriate frequency using control points » Evaluating current status of the jobs » Finding the abnormalities » Taking immediate action (correction, rework, re-grade, scrap or concession) if non-conformity occurs » Taking corrective action to prevent recurrence, and preventive action to prevent occurrence of abnormalities. Such actions could include revising standards, changing control points, control levels, etc., as appropriate.

Once these actions are taken and performance improves to the desired level, then the activities involved are standardised to sustain the quality of performance. These activities then become a part of Daily Management activities as part of the Standardise-DoCheck-Act (SDCA) cycle. Similarly, there could be some chronic problems, identified during DWM, that need attention on a priority basis. The actions required to be taken to solve these chronic problems become a part of the next PDCA cycle. The cycles of Policy Management and Daily Work Management continually interact with each other until the organisation’s short-term and long-term objectives are achieved.

Challenges Organisations implementing DWM face challenges that are attitudinal, technical and organisational. Attitudinal challenges include identifying abnormalities, which provide opportunities for improvement. However, many misunderstand ‘abnormality’ as an ‘evidence of failure’ rather than an ‘opportunity for improvement’. This kind of thinking needs to be eliminated to rotate the PDCA cycle effectively. Technical challenges revolve round the lack of understanding the PDCA cycle and its variants. Organisational challenges are related to having all employees on-board in terms of understanding the PDCA cycle and implementing it to achieve the goals set. To rotate the PDCA cycle in the entire organisation, a well-structured system is required. Such a system of DWM would include the use of tools like Dr Kano’s standard questions, management system charts, SOPs, control points & control levels, differentiation of control levels & specifications, abnormality handling system, reviews, and re-setting of control points. In any organisation, implementation of DMW – both in letter and spirit, would go a long way in ensuring and improving the status quo, so that it becomes a solid foundation for implementing the next rotation of the PDCA cycle, and so on, in the relentless pursuit of improvement.

INSIGHT

The Illusion of Multitasking Can we call it multitasking, when we procrastinate on several tasks at the same time? Sherazad Boomla and Aishwarya Ganesan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Corporate Advisory

I, like many others, prided myself on my ability to multitask. Listening to music while I studied. Keeping the television playing while I tried to finish my work. Sometimes, I just tried to get more done in as little time as possible. Like reply to an email while my mind was trying to formulate my response to a different email that had just popped up in my inbox. When I walk into my workplace, I have a minimum of 3 screens that I constantly flip through. My computer, cell phone and iPod. Responding to emails through my computer, while I respond to work WhatsApps on my cell phone, as well as read a few funnies on some of the WhatsApp groups, and of course, the phone calls that come through in between. Often, I am sending emails while I speak over the phone.

With an appetite to achieve more in less time, the majority of us believe multitasking a desirable ability. However, most of us are unclear about the repercussions that we subject ourselves to. Contrary to popular belief, science brings clarity on how multitasking seriously compromises our ability to effectively execute tasks and do justice to the same. Instead of completing multiple tasks at the same time, what our brain is really doing is jumping from one task to another over and over again. Research suggests that only 2% of people can multitask effectively. And the remaining 98%? We are compromising our productivity without even realising it and are patting our backs while doing so. Why indulge ourselves in scrambled and scattered thinking when

instead, we can be effective by taking up one task at a time. Multitasking has also been found to increase the production of cortisol, the distress hormone. Having our brain constantly shift gears pumps out stress and tires us out, leaving us feeling mentally exhausted. Any interruption, something as small as an email, a phone ring, causes us to lose the link to the series of tasks we take upon ourselves to do. So, with a growing digital space, and our growing need to do more in less, is leaving us mentally exhausted and with a feeling of fake productivity and efficiency. Potential Project, a group based out of Denmark, a global leadership training, organisational development and research firm, recently in a workshop carried out a test on mindfulness.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Try the exercise below to understand how switching from one task to another affects our productivity. » Draw two horizontal lines on a piece of paper » Now, have someone time you as you carry out the two tasks that follow: » On the first line, write - I am a great multitasker. » On the second line, write - numbers 1-20 sequentially, like those below: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 How much time did it take to do the two tasks? Usually it’s about 20 seconds.

Now, let’s multitask. » Draw two more horizontal lines. This time, and again have someone time you, write a letter on one line, and then a number on the line below, then the next letter in the sentence on the upper line, and then the next number in the sequence, changing from line to line. In other words, you write the letter “I” and then the number “1” and then the letter “a” and then the number “2” and so on, until you complete both lines. Think about, the time it took you in the first round as opposed to the second round, the way a simple task was complicated just as you were trying to do two simple tasks simultaneously.

What is the answer to multitasking? Is it a requirement in today’s world? Is it unavoidable? Is it self-assumed? Next time we have more than one task at hand – Let’s stop, take a deep breath, then prioritise and pick up the most important task, tune out all other distractions and let’s not look up until that task is complete. Be a single-tasking person…

SUCCESS STORIES

Sailing the Uncharted Seas Together, we worked our way to find creative solutions P S Mahimkar, Godrej Precision Engineering

The ‘can-do’ attitude and deep confidence in the capabilities of the team are essential to execute large projects having complex developmental work On returning from the Horizon program after a gap of 6 months, facing me was the mammoth backlog of materials planning & procurement for an entirely new type of Naval equipment. This backlog had several large value orders that amounted to nearly half of the value of the annual business plan. All these orders involved complex manufacturing and procurement. This was not a new phenomenon at Godrej Precision Engineering (GPE), as for years we have been looking at many new avenues for business growth. But in terms of scale, the current backlog of orders was far larger than anything we had worked on in the past. The complexity was two-fold; voluminous orders and huge manufacturing complexities. As the project was about indigenous development, the option of imports was ruled out.

The successful execution of this project was dependent on how quickly we closed the uncertainties, mitigated the risks and produced the equipment acceptable to the client. There were challenges across the value chain – from engineering to manufacturing to quality assurance. I have focused only on the challenges pertaining to procurement and planning.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

In any developmental project, the challenges may be anticipated fully, partially, or not at all. Procurement challenges of materials new to GPE The castings required had to conform to the Russian standards (GOST). These nickel-aluminium-bronze & DH40 steel castings, were being developed for the first time in India. Getting these castings was extremely difficult. Another major challenge was that of procuring castings of SS431 grade of hardenable stainless steel. As this steel is prone to cracking, it is thus difficult for machine work. Further, these were required with impact values, almost double those specified in international standards. Not going into details here, we went through a great deal of struggle over an extended period of time and put in unflinching efforts for procuring the above items. Godrej Precision Engineering (GPE) had to procure a huge quantity of Free Issue Materials (FIMs) in the form of forgings & welding consumables conforming to GOST standards from MIDHANI, the defence public sector unit. MIDHANI is a monopolistic supplier having a huge backlog of orders and multiple priorities. To get any material from MIDHANI is a major challenge in itself. MIDHANI seldom adheres to the delivery dates promised. We could not have procured the materials from MIDHANI without our efforts, and finally, our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intensive intervention. In any developmental project, the challenges may be anticipated fully, partially, or not at all. Here, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not covering the challenges that were anticipated fully.

Developmental challenges that were partially anticipated: The order involved half a dozen different types of equipment in multiple quantities. For each type of equipment, we had to realise a prototype, demonstrate the functional trials at site, get approvals and undertake serial production.

Testing of production units at our works was not easy as the customer demanded that we simulate the conditions that were identical to those at their end. Thus, most of this equipment had to be tested at an external pressure of 30 to 40 bar. This requirement amounted to manufacturing several test vessels which was costly and time-consuming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a project in itself. Regardless of the extensive testing at our works, we had to integrate these units at site to ensure adequate interfaces with the adjoining equipment and boundary conditions. This activity was only partially visualised in the beginning, and had to be undertaken within the committed cost and time.

SUCCESS STORIES

Developmental challenges that were not anticipated: There were many customised bought-out parts that we were using for the first time. Some of these parts involved working in a high-pressure environment. We were used to pneumatics of 5-10 bar but developing pneumatic valve or cylinder of 200 bar was way beyond our capabilities. We opted for a collaborative approach and selected a few strategic partners, as well as networked with well-known experts for solving complex problems. Each bought-out item took about 10 to 12 months to develop, resulting in a huge amount of work over the duration. Controlling and monitoring this effort was exhausting. To complete the story of successful development of various equipment for this project, we must elaborate the challenges faced in the development of two special items.

1. High pressure pneumatic cylinder

2. 200 bar pressure pneumatic valves

We had no in-house competency for manufacturing a high-pressure cylinder. The suppliers who had the capability refused the job because the cylinder had an added complexity of an adjustable stroke mechanism of the most unusual design and specifications. After much trial and error, it was decided to produce the mechanism in-house, outsource the cylinder to the manufacturers, and realise the full cylinder. This was easier said than done as we were clueless, even after 6 months, for producing the intricate mechanism required. It is here that serendipity worked in our favour. On a trip to Bengaluru we made a courtesy call to a ball-screw supplier who had recently put up a new facility. Over a cup of tea, we saw a piece of paper lying across us that had the kind of manufacturing details we were looking for. We heaved a great sigh of relief. We immediately shared our requirements with them and requested they help us out. Persuading them was not easy as they had sensed many difficulties en route. Overcoming these difficulties required GPE to do some initial work and then the supplier doing the rest. The finally assembly we had to do at our works. It was an unusual working arrangement that ultimately enabled us to produce this one-of-its-kind mechanism, for the first time in India. All of this took more than 6 months of dedicated work by our team but thereafter, it was easy to produce serial units.helped release additional capacities for greater output resulting in lower costs.

As we were searching for the suppliers of high-pressure valves and we zeroed-in on a supplier who had done high-pressure testing up to 100 bar for naval applications. The supplier agreed to take up the challenge but was struggling to make a prototype for more than eight months. Many solutions were tried but nothing really worked. On top of this, the customer started applying severe pressure for the completion of the job. Hence, we had no option but to pull back the job in-house. Many alternatives were tried but success eluded us. We continued to struggle and ultimately chose the solution that was known earlier but was considered too basic for the purpose. We thus realised the folly of looking for exotic solutions! We also learnt that reverse engineering does not always work and sometimes it is necessary to begin at the very beginning.

Seredipity bailed us out in this particular case...

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

How did we achieve all this? When we were working in a sequential manner to realise various complex items, we were thinking that we were using newer tools and techniques each time. However, on reflection, it occurred to me that we did many things all along that were common across the challenges that we had overcome. In all the instances, we had brainstormed extensively within the functions, and cross-functionally. We had also challenged our suppliers and picked their brains all along. We had reviewed in depth the relevant literature. We had also conferred with experts known and not so well-known. We had also consulted academicians and spoken to our competitors as well. Our customer was also consulted frequently. Our search for solutions was widespread with an aim to bring to the table the know-how that we wanted to complete this project of national importance. In addition to the developmental work, we had to manage the entire complex project with a high level of project management skills. Learning to manage simultaneously the project as well as the developmental work involving unfamiliar technologies, was indeed most challenging. It is the successful handling of these two challenges that ultimately enabled us to sail through successfully. As an outcome of this achievement, newer avenues of business have opened up for GPE. We hope that after reading about our experience, many other businesses of G&B would feel emboldened to undertake such challenges. We would be happy to share our learnings.

U LA

D A P

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

IN D I A’ S H E AV I E ST S ATE LLI TE P OW E RE D BY G O D RE J A EROS PAC E An outstanding achievement by ISRO and their partners ISRO’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch vehicle (GSLV) MkIII-D2 placed in orbit the heaviest communication satellite the GSAT29 weighing 3.15 metric tonnes, from Indian soil. This is the first, heavy-duty launch vehicle, with all the three stages designed and manufactured in India. This is a major milestone in India’s space journey and has placed us in the league of countries who are capable of manufacturing and launching such vehicles. Mastering the cryogenic technology is extremely difficult, requiring a complex development process and extensive testing. Cryogenic engine - C25, develops a thrust of about 20T and has been fully designed and developed in India. The GSLV Mk III can reach a 36,000-kilometre orbit in a mere 17 minutes! Two massive boosters with solid propellants constitute the first stage, engines with liquid propellant make up the second stage, and the cryogenic engine is the third and final stage. The liquid propellant and cryogenic engines are manufactured by Godrej in consortium with MTAR.

GSAT-29 is a multi-band, multi-beam communication satellite meant to serve as a test bed for several new and critical technologies. The satellite is configured to cater to the communication requirements of users, including those from remote areas in J&K and the Northeast. After the launch, Dr K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO, congratulated the entire ISRO team for the achievement and remarked that it was a textbook launch, which has successfully placed the satellite in the planned orbit. He also said that this launch has paved the way for Chandrayaan-2 and the Gaganyaan mission. Mission Director, Mr Jayakumar B, expressed his gratitude towards all the mentors at ISRO for guiding the team to overcome challenges. He also lauded the key role played by industry partners. Attaining success of this magnitude after a single experimental and developmental flight, is praiseworthy. It is indeed a moment of pride for Godrej, MTAR and ISRO.

SUCCESS STORIES 36FOCUS

Selling the Smarter Way Not knowing the constraint that limits growth often leads to wasted efforts and resources Anil Mathur and Sushil Thariyani, Godrej Interio

The office furniture market is impacted by major changes in the last five years. One of the major changes is in the buying behavior of the organisations who have been traditionally buying Interio products. Our traditional customers are now opting for competitive buying, resulting in severe pressures on Interioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s margins. Small and medium buyers are increasingly shifting to regional players, as acceptable quality products, quicker deliveries and lower prices are available. MNCs as well as Indian firms who are striving for leadership positions are now buying increasingly from well-known international brands. These brands are now available in India and have quality, fit and finish that cannot be matched by Indian players. Being able to standardise across countries often swings the decision in the favour of international brands. Further, in

recent years, a new brand of competitors has emerged who are either specialists in a product category or a specific market segment. All these players have started nibbling away at Interioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of business. As a result, Interio is finding it extremely difficult to have a double-digit profitable growth. The Interio team thought about the issues and concluded that a new way of working required to be developed for increasing sales from existing customers, and cultivating sufficient numbers of new customers for achieving desired growth. To have a higher growth in sales, both these measures require to be executed simultaneously. It called for additional resources, for extra manpower, as well as for expanding our sales and service network. The proposal when examined in depth turned out to be so expensive that

it was ruled out. The taskforce was asked to find a way out of this logjam. It is here that the Theory of Constraints consultants came to our help. They suggested that if we could get more out of our existing sales staff then the objectives of increasing sales without increasing costs could be met. It was decided to conduct a study to examine the feasibility of such an approach. They found that the existing work structure required the salesforce to handle many back-office tasks, leaving precious little time for sales development. Often, the sales person would enter the buying-cycle rather late, minimising the chances of winning the order. Late entry into the buying cycle results in competing mostly on prices, as opposed to leveraging value.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

As can be seen, a typical salesperson spends only about 5-10% of his time to develop sales. Also, the servicing of existing customers is inadequate due to the paucity of time. Overall, it was found that only 1/3rd of the total time available is spent on selling activities. Thus it was clear that with the sales force working at one third of the capacity, it was impossible to achieve the planned sales growth. The key issue faced by Interio’s management team was – how to create the required additional sales capacity without increasing the cost. It is here that the TOC methodology came in and gave the taskforce direction: The taskforce hypothesised that if the sales force were to spend their time only

on selling activities, then the sales capacity could be enhanced without any increase in cost. Thus sales capacity was identified as the constraint, limiting the growth of sales. TOC thinking mandates that capacity of the constraint should be utilised fully. From this hypothesis it emerged that all the sales time available should be spent only to serve existing customers or develop new ones. Having identified the constraint, it took us many weeks of brainstorming, developing prototypes of process and taking risk-intensive decisions to give us a new TOC based sales process. To put this process in place, we took several major actions, some of which are described below.

The key issue faced by Interio’s management team was – how to create the required additional sales capacity without increasing the cost. Action 1: Eliminate all non-sales tasks

Tasks

We questioned the assumption that customers look for information and support from a single source. Hence, the salesperson concerned had to be the single point of contact. The new findings showed that the real need of the customer was timely response from the Interio team. Only in not getting such a response, did the customer look for a single point of contact to reduce his effort and pain. Accepting this logic, a central sales support team was created to take over all the non-sales tasks from the salespersons. Standardisation and automation of activities assured high-quality and productivity. Specialisation also helped. Service Level Agreements were put in place for each of the tasks taken over by the central support team. In a pilot, it was found that the compliance to service levels exceeded 90%.

Order Booking in Different Systems

Outcome:

Business Development

Sales capacity got released by about 40% and visits to customers nearly doubled!

Time Taken

50%

Coordination with internal stakeholders for deliveries, stocks, sanctions, collections

Admin Work Record filling, quotations, sales MIS review, audit compliance paperwork

Visits to Existing Customer with/ without Dealer

20-25%

Outstanding, understanding fresh enquiries/ leads, maintain relationships, issue resolution, tender preparation, review

Dealers & Showrooms

10-15%

Review about enquiries, stock audits, progress on targets, promotional activities, display of products and training of sales team

High value enquiries, tap new segments, cold calls and explore dealer contacts.

5-10%

SUCCESS STORIES

Action 2: Generating more sales leads

Action 3: Developing the enquiry funnel

The conventional method of enquiry generation is to make cold sales calls. This method is inefficient as a lot of time is wasted in travel and in waiting at the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place. Further, cold calling is not an effective method to sell office furniture, as buying office furniture belongs in the high involvement category. The buying process itself is complex, with multiple stages that cannot be addressed without adequate preparation on the part of the sales persons. Mostly, inexperienced sales persons make cold calls, which are not favorably considered by experienced buyers. In addition, we found that traditional customers had a perception that Interio sales people called only when there was a specific opportunity. We found this to be detrimental to our people building enduring relationships. We wanted to alter this perception. To address all of the above concerns we established a tele-sales cell where experienced sales persons called customers shortlisted from the database. Tele-sales persons carried out discussions to determine requirements and our offerings.

In the present way of working, the salespersons were required to perform multiple tasks across the sales process, which often resulted in non-performing of essential sales tasks or delays that were irksome. The delays in contacting customers in time resulted in missing out on vital information that could have helped in a better framing of offers. The solution developed required creating a position of a sales funnel manager who would interact with customers frequently and track the progress of enquiries telephonically. Up-to-date information on enquiries helped create a list of specific tasks to be performed by the sales persons during their next visit. This helped in shortening the time for closing sales.

Outcome: On an average, a tele-sales person is able to make 35-40 sales calls per day, generating 2-3 leads/ enquiries, which is much higher than those generated by the conventional method. Frequent calls help change the perception that Interio sales persons were opportunistic. Initiated sales calls conveyed a message that Interio indeed cared for their business and were keen to forge an enduring partnership.

Daily funnel management ensured that no enquiry had a task that was pending.

Outcome: Daily funnel management ensured that no enquiry had a task that was pending. Frequent telephonic interactions by the funnel manager with the customers resulted in minimising, expensive personal visits. This led to a 10-15% increase in sales capacity. The robust funnel management system ensured that the sales head was now free from day-to-day work of managing enquiries, and could focus on cultivating customers.

The new process has helped in sharper identification of training needs and facilitated frequent performance reviews to underscore more opportunities for improvement.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

INSIDE SALES

40% Capacity released sales support activities overtaken

No wastage of cold visits 40 connects and 2-3 enquiries per day

CURRENT PARADIGM

MANAGEMENT BY TACTICS FOCUS ON SPEED OF TASKS | DYNAMIC COURSE CORRECTION

Weekly and transparent feedback, Saturdays dedicated for training

Best resource to crack toughest accounts/ segments

SKILL IMPROVEMENT

DEDICATED AND EXPERIENCED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Timely response to all enquiries

DAILY FUNNEL MANAGEMENT

Management By Tactics (MBT)

Action 4: Redeployment of Senior Sales Persons Sales development requires higher levels of skills and experience. However, in practice, this task was getting entrusted to junior salespersons, resulting in poor outcomes. This practice is now reversed and today, senior salespersons, free from routine work, pursue the development of sales.

Outcome: The sales development team is now able to conduct 2-3 high impact meetings with new customers/ influencers giving positive results. As can be seen, the sales process now stands transformed in terms of its core logic and execution. Interio has shifted from Target Based Selling to Tactics-Based Selling. In addition to the positive outcomes listed above, the new process has helped

in sharper identification of training needs and facilitated frequent performance reviews to underscore more opportunities for improvement. This new process was piloted in Bengaluru and after critical review, it will be rolled out zonally and then nationally. Interio is fully committed to this smarter way of selling.

PERSPECTIVE

Measures That Matter Senior leaders ought to be concerned about what is or is not being measured Kartik Modi, Business Excellence

“Managing a business by looking at financial data only is akin to driving a car by looking in the rear-view mirror.” – Dr. W E Deming

Over the last few years, businesses at G&B have adopted the mandate of pursuing ‘predictable, profitable and sustainable’ growth. This mandate is taken as the foundational requirement for preparing the Annual and Strategic Business Plans (ABPs and SBPs) for the next year and three years ahead. The plans have many quantitative and qualitative facets; however, the vital ones are the goals to be achieved for revenue, profit and return on capital employed (ROCE). In ongoing businesses, the goals set for these parameters should show a positive movement by the end of a given period, say from X to Y. Once these goals are accepted by the senior management, they become commitments that the businesses strive to deliver. Businesses at G&B are managed by reviewing results periodically and regularly. As I have mentioned in my article “Reviews that Work” in the previous issue of CHANGE, results are the lag measures of the goals set. For example, the results achieved for revenue, profit and ROCE are the lag measures for the goals to be achieved in a given period. We call results lag measures because they already exist by the time we learn about their status from the information furnished by our MIS. At a point in time, when the results are reviewed, there is trifle little that can be done to influence them. We can only analyse these results and speculate about how they have been achieved or not achieved.

Lag Measures In practice, managing by looking at lag measures falls short in terms of its impact on businesses that are required to achieve the goals committed, regardless of any challenges. As the reviews of lag measures do not tell

us where the corrective actions are called for, the businesses are often unclear about the actions they should take and often land up indulging in activities that are a waste of resources at best, or at worst, severely harmful to them. Intuitively, the businesses know that to have the results desired, they must influence the activities that have the strongest linkages to the results. However, chronic obsession with lag measures prevent them from choosing a set of actions that may work best. Lag measures-dependent managing is similar to playing tennis with an eye on the scoreboard and not on the ball! How then do we identify the activities which, if influenced, can give us the desired movement in the results to be achieved?

Lead Measures The way to go about doing this is to select a set of actions which with all other factors remaining unchanged, would have maximum impact on the results. The actions chosen should drive the results and should be measurable so that we know that we have taken the right actions. The concept of lead measures comes to our help here as these are the measures of activities most connected to achieving the results desired. As we have seen earlier, lag measures tell us if we have achieved the goal, but lead measures tell us if we are likely to achieve the goal. Lead measures are predictive in nature and can tell us the impact they could have on the lag measures, i.e., the results. The second characteristic of lead measures is their influenceability. A team can select a set of actions that can influence these measures and in turn, influence the results. Lead measures, correctly identified, are independently

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

influenceable by the team. The key principle behind lead measures is the leverage they provide. If we want to achieve a significant goal, then a disproportionate amount of energy must be deployed against the leverage points to move the lead measures, say from point A to B. For e.g., if you have a big rock to be moved then, you are going to need a lever that is effective, predictive and controllable. The bigger the rock, the more the leverage needed. Lead measures are the levers that move the rocks i.e. results. Assuming the team wants to increase the revenue of a B2B business from say 300cr to 400cr in one year, in that case, what could be the lead measures the team should consider to influence the outcomes? A brainstorming session could yield three lead measures: Âť Increase revenue from a set of customers who are currently buying from the business. Âť Regenerate revenue from a set of customers that have stopped buying from the business. Âť Start generating revenue from a set of customers that are new to the business.

? ? ?

Many approaches can be adopted to activate these clearly influenceable streams of additional revenue generation. Also, the resultant courses of action become measurable and hence can be accepted as the lead measures for the results to be achieved. Likewise, lead measures can be worked out for the goals set for profit and ROCE. Focusing on lead measures gives businesses a clear understanding of what needs to be done, as well as the level of resources required. Once lead measures are accepted as the basis for conducting business reviews, the reviews will become meaningful, providing a clear understanding of the challenges faced and the actions called for to mitigate them. Also, enhanced clarity will facilitate well-aligned actions across the business for achieving results. The influenceability of measures chosen will encourage the team to think of out-ofthe-box solutions for creating leverage to achieve the desired results. The presenter of business performance will then be able to talk about the expected results with a degree of predictability and confidence, to the comfort of all concerned.

Focusing on lead measures give businesses a clear understanding of what needs to be done. Managing businesses would evolve into continuously identifying and taking sets of deliberately chosen actions, as opposed to a melange of actions taken randomly and justified retrospectively. Lead measures are great enablers. Go for them!

INSIDE G&B

Acknowledging the small milestones is as important as achieving the target.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Celebrating Small Wins! Celebrations are energy boosters for teams Preeti Sandhal, Corporate P&A and Gaurav Chopra, Godrej Appliances

If you google “celebrating small wins” there are a plethora of articles on this subject. Most of the articles in the corporate domain would suggest that it is good motivational tool. As in any corporate initiative, invariably it would be linked to milestone achievements. Task sheets assess the milestone, re-ensuring that it has not been miscalculated (the milestone). And sometimes, the entire essence is lost. In the endeavour to put a structure around celebrating small wins, we end up losing on the basics of energising people. We would correlate celebrating small wins with a very popular quote, “the journey is as important as destination”. Enjoying the journey is also as important as reaching the destination. Acknowledging the small milestones is as important as achieving the target. For example, take sports, for the player who achieved 50 runs or a century, scored a goal… the excitement around it, the applause given. The energy is infectious. Everyone around feels the positive energy, gets the extra strength to carry on. It is instant. As quickly as it happens, it ends as well. And the player moves on, the journey continues. Such should be the celebrations, short and simple. The most important, Instant! Not losing a moment to acknowledge the win, to acknowledge the completion of a milestone. Sports teaches us that it is ok to have personal wins, it helps us to display all the hard work that has gone into reaching that stage. It binds the team further together. Because all personal wins combine into the team achieving the goal. We all like a little special pat on the back, something about us that differentiates us within the team. Something that we can call our own. So how do you go about celebrating small

wins? We believe that it takes some experience and a lot of thought to reach that balance of understanding what to celebrate, when to celebrate, and of course how to celebration. We all want to become that person who knows how to do this, that leader with whom it’s ‘fun’ to work. With whom the long hours do not seem that long, hard work seems like smart work. One needs to understand the team members and the team dynamics as well. Along with the ‘official’ milestones, like a grape vine, one needs to also have the spontaneous, non-official events. The epicenter of all this is the leader, like a spoke in the wheel who brings all this together. Much against corporate conditioning, the suddenness and spontaneity of such celebration lends a flavour that people savour for a long time.

How do we build a culture of celebrating small wins? Well, start hunting for occasions to celebrate…It could be the first sales order bagged by a new team member, or a long niggling problem solved by someone in the manufacturing set-up, or a procedural bottleneck removed by someone in the Infor team. Look for things like this to begin celebrating. All it takes is a pat on the back, a cup of chai, samosas and unbridled joy. So, think about it, but do not overthink. Celebrate with your team; the team or individual goal does not matter. Encourage them, pat their back. Take them out for a cup of chai. Infuse that positive energy. Like for us, finishing this article before time! Score! Time to celebrate…

U LA

D A P

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

S KU T ROA SMA RTE R WAY TO PI C K O RDE R S Leveraging design to eliminate fatigue and boost productivity

SKUtro is a manual, self-propelled rider equipment used to transport loads from one point to another, in workplaces with smooth flooring. This can be used in warehouses, manufacturing plants, hospitals, malls, offices, and so on. SKUtro enables the users to ride instead of walk while picking up and moving loads. The concept of SKUtro emerged from the first Horizon program, during which indepth research was carried out by ‘Team Logistics’ to eliminate the “pain” experienced by order pickers in warehouses and similar environments. Conventionally, order pickers have to walk several kilometres daily while carrying out picking operations. The routine is strenuous which leads to chronic fatigue, resulting in high absenteeism and hence, lower output. The word SKUtro is a combination of “SKU” (abbreviation for Stock Keeping Unit, a

commonly used terminology in warehouses) and “tro”, a short form of trolley, implying that this product is an SKU carrying trolley. SKUtro is modular in design and compact in size, hence, suitable for using even in tight spaces. It is easy to assemble and is robust enough for years of use. SKUtro comes with accessories to enhance its utility in varying applications. Wear and tear parts are easily replaceable to ensure almost 24x7 availability. It is finished in an attractive bright orange for high visibility and safety. It is affordably priced so that every order picker can be given his own SKUtro to improve productivity. To know more about this wonderful product, do visit www.skutro.com. Please recommend SKUtro to your network even in the SME and MSME sectors for improving warehousing output. SKUtro is a user centric, low cost solution that makes the task of order collection quicker and easier.

FOCUS

Executing a Retail Expansion Programme To solve complex problems, knowing and using the right tools is essential Subodh Mehta, Godrej Interio

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Execution of a retail expansion programme is complex and capital intensive. Unless appropriate tools are used, the efforts are likely to flounder.

About 27 years young, the Indian economy, in its liberalised avatar, is thriving and growing at a remarkable rate, an envy of developed economies. As an outcome, a large consuming class has emerged having significantly larger disposable incomes with aspirations to match. Lifestyles of this con-

suming class have changed rapidly and so have the wants, creating a huge opportunity for businesses across categories for upping the retail play. Godrej Home Furniture (GHF), a line of business of Godrej Interio, decided to capitalise on these major shifts in the aspirations of new-age consumers. To cater to them, GHF decided to greatly expand its retail footprint across the country. A retail expansion programme was worked out to address this opportunity. In this article, I want to highlight the tools that we have been using to execute the expansion programme. I believe these tools are useful to any of our businesses who want to expand their retail network. For implementing the expansion pro-

gramme, it was clear that we could not have outlets in all the possible markets in a short span of time. We hence chose a calibrated approach and decided in favour of having franchise/ third party retail outlets. In view of these decisions, we were required to prepare a list of markets that were to be considered for expansion. Based on population alone, we prepared a list of the top 190 cities across India. This list was pruned down to 100 cities depending on their scores on six high-level parameters (with weightages) which were: population (15%), number of households (15%), average household income (20%), total expenditure (20%), expenditure on durable goods (20%) and the target age group of 20-60 years (10%).

FOCUS

In the next step, this list of 100 cities was rank ordered for deciding which cities were to be considered on priority. The cities were rank ordered based on three primary parameters (with weightages); social demography (40%), target customer profile (40%) and city attractiveness (20%). Each of these parameters also had several secondary parameters with, appropriate weightages, for having nuanced profiles of the cities. It took us a few months to carry out this exercise as all the required data was not readily available and had to be accessed painstakingly and verified.

Micro Markets To have adequate coverage of the market in the larger top 25 cities, it was essential for GHF to have more than one store. It was essential to carry out micro-market analysis for selecting suitable locations. The first cut analysis was based on the earlier mentioned primary and secondary data of the recent past. Also, as GHF was going to invest for the future, we were keen to fold in some projections that could tell us how a particular locality would develop over the next few years. To

make the analysis reliable, we took the help of real estate consultants. All these inputs taken together gave us a reliable picture of the upcoming residential and commercial markets, as well as the upcoming retail establishments, such as high-streets and malls. Based on this analysis, we carried out an assessment of the micro-markets in each of the top 25 cities. Our studies also revealed that the newage consumer does not buy their furniture in any one particular way. Some of them buy it online and others prefer to buy it having visited experience centre, and retail outlets. To cater to such buyers, GHF chose the multi-format mode for its retail expansion. As a result, our retail footprint has Company Owned, Company Operated (COCO) stores, franchise stores, and Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs). Some of the distributors established EBOs and Multi-Brand Outlets (MBO). Our online store, godrejinterio.com, is being revamped and relaunched with ecommerce enablement. To ensure good locality and format fit, a further analysis was carried out, and a typical output of the same is:

We now believe that good execution is more of a science and less of an art.

Channel Retail

Our studies also revealed that the new-age consumer does not buy furniture in any one particular way.

G2C1 | 21 New

G1C1 | 7 New

Hybrid

G2C2 | 15 New

Distribution

G2C3 | 9 New

G2C3 | 15 New

Multi-Channel

COCO or Franchise

EBO & Dealers

G3C1 | 12 New

Franchise & Dealer

Note: In case of overlap, preference will be given to deserving current channel partners to improve thier offering to market.

G1 (8 Metros), G2 (9th to 100th ranked cities) and G3 (Ranked below 100) are geographies C1(SEC A+B more than 50% share), C2 (30-50%) and C3(less than 30 %) are catchment areas.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

A small taskforce was formed to execute the retail expansion.

The retail expansion has two major steps. The first one being, selecting a partner, and the second one, designing and setting up the store according to our design guidelines. The procedure for selecting a partner has quite a few intermediate steps such as preparing a list of probable partners, shortlisting, assessing, value and culture fit, communicating business requirements, preparation of financials, and decision-making. All these steps have many sub-steps, which are carried out by the taskforce, the branch concerned, and the senior managers at the HO level. This exercise is time-consuming hence, the entire process undergoes short interval reviews and relentless pressure is applied to keep things moving smoothly. The second step is a project in itself, hence, it needs to be managed in the way projects are managed. The use of project management tools such as Gantt charts and others is essential, as also a detailed checklist of the tasks to be completed before a store is opened. This process is repeated for all the shortlisted locations across the country. Adopting a process-oriented way and following it diligently has enabled GHF to open 46 additional retail outlets (having 1.2 lakhs sq. ft.) in 2016-17 and 62 outlets (having 1.7 lakhs sq. ft.) in 2017-18.

All this expansion has been carried out at a minimal incremental investment. As we implement this expansion programme, we continue to learn and refine our processes. We now believe that good execution is more of a science and less of an art. Like in every science, the progress depends on the use of appropriate methodologies and tools. Our taskforce is always willing to share their experience to help our businesses implement their expansion programmes readily.

INSIGHT

Think, but don’t overthink! An opportunity lost is sometimes forever Gitanjali Bhatnagar, Corporate Legal Team

Salvador Dali once said, “Have no fear of perfection – you will never reach it”. A very profound statement, and yet in our daily lives, both at home and at work, some of us run after perfection Our thoughts are focused on making sure everything we do turns out perfect, as perceived by us. And in this process we devote excessive time to thinking or rather overthinking. We think of all possible outcomes and eventualities and tend to prepare for all of them. This ultimately ends up with us taking delayed actions, or in some cases, no action at all!

Human beings have been gifted with a brain that is capable of thinking and analysing so much, that sometimes it makes them clever, and at times stupid. We are the only species that can really think about things that haven’t yet happened or things that have happened long ago but can never be changed. Our brain power, a unique gift of nature is of great use, however, it is overthinking that is threatening to bring us down by making us incessant worriers. Much of our behaviour is determined not by how things really are, but how we think they are. Research shows overthinkers believe they’re coming up with better solutions and failsafe ideas. But studies show that analysis paralysis is a real phenomenon.

Overanalysing and overthinking everything interferes with problem-solving. It causes us to dwell on the problem rather than look for the solution or better still, take action. If you’re an overthinker, even simple decisions, like choosing what to wear to an interview or deciding where to go for a vacation, can result in a turmoil that is far too excessive and in fact not called for. Ironically, all that thinking does not help us make a better choice. Overthinking causes us to struggle needlessly, to be productive, and prevents us from being at our best. Nothing appears to be costlier than a missed opportunity. We spend so much time trying to think and assess if a particular opportunity is the best one. However, the mental turmoil and the delays results in our missing out on the opportunities. We allow the better ones to pass by while we wait for the best. I often take a look at the

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Over-analysing and overthinking everything interferes with problem-solving. moments of regrets and disappointments and find that my tendency to overthink has been the root cause. I have now realised that wisdom lies in not making better an enemy of the best. To prevent the negative effects of overthinking, I have been looking for approaches that may help me. One way out could be that I learn to weigh the pros and cons of the decision more thoroughly and make sure that the cons are not over-emphasized, forcing me to overthink. Looking at things in a balanced way could help me reduce my deep-rooted fear of failure. Another thing I have decided to do is to set shorter deadlines to take decisions. This will help prevent paralysis by analysis. Lastly, I will constantly affirm to myself that just doing things promptly is far better than merely thinking about them again and again. Henceforth, my mantra will be, “just do it”. Looking around for ways to overcome the tendency of overthinking, I came across the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi. This philosophy teaches us that we must revel in our imperfection to be happy, i.e., to stop pursuing perfection and not waste our time in thinking of ways to achieve it. Wabi-sabi embraces things that are imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete – the antithesis of the classical Western notion of things that are perfect, enduring and monumental. It teaches us that imperfect is the perfect way to be. Anyone who wants to learn more about this philosophy is advised to buy a book – Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence by Andrew Juniper. As we work in a business organisation, it is essential for us to get things done expeditiously. Execution is the key to achieving the goals set and to have flawless execution always as a routine, we must shun overthinking, and instead, just act.

INSIDE G&B

Business History, A Springboard Forward “Know the past to know the present, reflect on the future to change the present” Vrunda Pathare, Godrej Archives

“As a company we have to look into the future and not into the past.” This is the constant lament that Business Archivists hear from businesses. Few understand the value of the role history plays in shaping the future. This remains a challenge for archivists across the globe. In India, a country where corporate and business archiving is just about taking off, the challenge is even greater. Over the years, I have attended many conferences and seminars on the value of business and corporate archiving, and seen how well companies are leveraging their heritage to make business decisions. To help promote the idea of leveraging business heritage for business decisions, the Godrej Archives decided to bring the annual conference of Section of Business Archives (SBA) of International Council of Archives (ICA) to India. The conference that was held on two days, December 5th and 6th 2017, was indeed an exciting moment for the Godrej Archives. It comprised speakers from around the globe; many of whom were from organisations and brands that are well known and admired by us. Together, these archivists and historians presented their experiences and stories that showcase how corporate archiving is relevant in today’s time. And that too in a manner that resonated with the diverse audience in attendance.

Day One The first day began with an introductory address by Dr. Pheroza J Godrej. She welcomed the delegates wishing them a pleasant stay in Mumbai and encouraged them to share their unique experiences with the audience. Her address was followed by a presentation from Alexander Bieri, Curator at Roche Historical Archives, where he stressed on how History Marketing can play a crucial role in fostering values and creating a differentiator for customers to choose a specific brand over prices and other attributes. He added that as the internet has destroyed the idea of information being of value by itself, business archives as providers of evaluated and contextualised information can help secure an edge in the market place. Henning Morgan of A.P Moller Maersk advocated that the use of carefully preserved knowledge to help brands stay relevant and protected to support the business in a fast-changing world. IKEA, a value-based company, traced the origins of its culture to the philosophy of its founder, said Tony Nilsson, an archivist at IKEA. Tony illustrated how their archives helped in creating a sense of belonging in employees through storytelling. Melanie Aspey of Rothschild Archives opined that sharing of stories helped those at headquarters bond better with their colleagues in regional offices across the world. Talking about connecting with regions that the brand operates in, Tobias Ehrenbold, a historian, told the story of how BATA, a global footwear and accessory brand, immersed itself so deeply into the local cultures of several nations

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Left Bottom - Conference Delegates at the permanent exhibition of Godrej Archives Right Top - Nadir Godrej in discussion with Smita Godrej-Crishna & Dr. Pheroza J. Godrej Right Middle - L to R: Gustav Svensson (Centre for Business History, Sweden), Anders Sjรถman (Centre for Business History, Sweden), Tony Nilsson (IKEA, Sweden), Melanie Aspey (Rothschild Archive, UK), Andreas Blume (Centre for Business History, Sweden), Henning Morgen (Maersk, Denmark) Right Bottom Left - Yuko Matsuzaki (Shibusawa Eiichi Memorial Foundation, Japan) showing pop-up book of cup noodles of Nissin Foods Right Bottom Right - Panel on Corporate Oral History - Tracey Panek (Levi Strauss & Co., USA)

INSIDE G&B

that the founder went on record saying that BATA was indeed multi-domestic and not multinational. Andrea Hohmeyer of Evonik, the largest specialty chemicals company in the world, showed the audience how their travelling exhibition titled ‘Breaking Barriers’ not only enabled them to unfold their fascinating history of employing women, but also helped them to carefully listen to the otherwise-hidden voices of current employees. Closer to home, at CIPLA in Mumbai, information from their archives is taken as a key input for their external communication as well as for their employee engagement initiatives, said Dr. Usha Iyer, Senior Manager, External Communications at CIPLA. In a panel discussion on oral history, the panellists, Dr. Rob Perks, Dr. Indira Chowdhury and Tracy Panek highlighted how oral history can be a great source of knowledge for an organisation to have a sharper perspective on various facets of the past. Dr. Perks, Director of the National Life Stories at the British Library, elaborated on how oral history can help companies document not just the tangible aspects, like documents and artefacts, but the intangible ones too, such as practices that have disappeared over the years or are disappearing, relationships between various stakeholders, technological evolution, gender-related issues and the voices of the marginalised. Tracey, Director of Archives at Levi Strauss, showed how a quick, five-minute interview on a relevant topic can be effective in capturing important memories. Dr. Chowdhury drew upon her experience of oral history projects at Dr. Reddy’s, an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company, and at CIPLA, and stated that life stories captured, helped in showcasing the values upon which their founders built the company. These stories can create a deeper sense of belonging when interpreted and repurposed by the individuals in the current context.

The involvement of the top management is essential to the success of managing heritage.

Day Two The second day started enthusiastically with more ideas to think and act upon. Anders Sjoman, VP, Communications at Centre of Business History at Stockholm, presented examples of how leading Swedish companies like Erricsson, Swarovski, ICA and Alecta have actively worked on their histories to promote the thought that history should be a “spring board forward” to be leveraged by all, and not only a subject of interest to historians and archivists alone! Drawing upon his experience of developing a digital platform for Reebok, Niles Lichtenstein of Envowen explained to the audience how Reebok combines the power of storytelling and technology to create a living and thriving platform for their heritage, to make a continual impact on their audience. Likewise, Yuko Matsuzaki from Shibusawa Elichi Memorial Foundation, presented a case of Nissin Foods, where their corporate history has been effectively used for brand building and education. Their CUPNOODLES Museum at Osaka, a unique concept, tells

the story of the evolution of the brand, and continues to draw thousands of visitors year after year. Through the conference, a very pertinent question lingered - Can corporate archives help improve the bottom line of a business? The answer was given by Wim Van Lent, professor of Montepillar Business School, by sharing an insightful case study on Barclays Bank, UK. In 2008, they suffered a massive decline in business due to the global financial crisis. To recover from this crisis, in 2012, the management took a conscious decision to return to their historical values and practices. This strategic move gave the bank improved performance financially, by building stronger relationships with their customers and more importantly, created a sense of belonging amongst its employees, enabling them to compete better. Business history is not yet a popular elective opted for by students of management in India. In fact, there are not many business schools who teach business history as a part of their curriculum. The major challenge faced, is that of attracting the faculty to teach

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Top Left - Tracey Panek (Levi Strauss & Co., USA) & Andrea Hohmeyer (Evonik Industries AG, Germany) at the conference. Top Centre - L to R: Nicolas Coupain (Solvay, Belgium), Lionel Leow (Roche, Switzerland), Alexander Bieri (Roche, Switzerland) Top Right - Students of Business Management schools attending the conference. Bottom Left - Tobias Ehrenbold (Ehrenbold, Switzerland) & Melanie Aspey (Rothschild Archive, UK) watching videos on Godrej history. Bottom Centre - Sudha Sawant, Repository Manager of Godrej Archives, showing the Godrej Archives collection to the conference delegates. Bottom Right - Godrej Archives Team

business history. Chinmay Tumbe, Assistant Professor at IIM-A, addressed these concerns as he traced the journey of Business History in India. R P Narla of the TATA Group narrated how the Founder J N Tata and his successors, inspired by the concept of “trusteeship”, have contributed significantly for over 150 years towards the building of the nation. Lulu Wang, from Renming University of China, shared his experience of repurposing archives to combat the threat of getting marginalised at the turn of the 21st Century. By upgrading their capabilities, the archives equipped themselves to play a larger role in managing information, data analysis and knowledge management, for playing an important role in brand advocacy and marketing. John Dressel of the History Factory presented case studies showing how heritage management can help build stronger brands, and put forth a strong message that ‘your culture is your brand’. Kopal Kulkarni from our very own Godrej & Boyce presented how he and his team at the Innovation and Design Centre created System 21. This is a new contemporary prod-

uct from the inspiration they derived from Storwel, an iconic product of Godrej. The team retained the core values of Storewel in the new product meant for modern day sensibilities. An impressive case of using legacy to move forward. By the end of the second day, many participants were inspired to take an in-depth look at their own heritage and find ways to leverage it for a competitive edge. It was evident that heritage goes beyond just evoking nostalgia. Another crucial takeaway was that the involvement of the top management is essential to the success of business archives for managing heritage in a manner that is useful to the businesses. We have been fortunate to garner such support at Godrej, which was evident from the presence of Dr. Pheroza J Godrej, Nadir Godrej, Smita Crishna and Vijay Crishna on both days of the conference. The second day ended with the screening of the documentary, ‘The Merchant Princess of Mumbai’ by renowned filmmaker Zafar Hai. He and Sushil Premchand, the group Chairman of the Premchand Roychand Group, the producers of the film, graced the

occasion with their presence. Mr. Premchand shared his views and interesting anecdotes about the film. After two engaging and thought-provoking days, the delegates proceeded to a reception hosted at Godrej Interio showroom to enjoy fellowship. The delegates left spirited and invigorated to pursue their goals of making business archives more relevant to their businesses, and hopefully revisit India. In the days that followed, the Godrej Archives received a large number of congratulatory notes appreciating the efforts put in by the entire team for the hospitality extended. All in all, it was a hugely successful international event. We at the Godrej Archives look forward to hosting such events in the future.

BOOKMARK

You have nothing to lose except… Ignorance! Reading enriches us in ways nothing else can Raachyeta Sharma, Co-founder – The Open Library Project

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ― Dr. Seuss A study by Harvard University revealed that students, who deliberately and habitually read, retain more information for a longer duration, and are able to comprehend better. Annotating, summarising and finding patterns while reading makes us better at processing information. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Elders have always emphasised the importance of reading as they believe it improves concentration and helps sharpen our minds. Surely you would have received this advice as you grew up. Reading is believed to improve creativity and imagination as well. In this article, I will cover the benefits of reading- according to medical research, and its use for personal development. According to medical research, the more you read, the deeper your understanding of the language. This not only helps in building knowledge but also helps in our ability to articulate and therefore communicate better. To be an effective communicator, one must read avidly. Apart from improving our communication skills, reading regularly helps bust stress. This is because when we are deeply engaged in an activity like reading, our brain goes into a state of flow releasing a chemical called dopamine that enhances the feeling of wellbeing. Living in a digital world, despite constantly receiving many ‘likes’ on Facebook and Instagram, we develop a feeling of being isolated and lonely. This, in turn, leads us to increase our digital engagement, making us lonelier still. As an antidote to this, reading can be of great help. First, a book is always a

great companion and to some it is akin to a friend. Secondly, reading a book after spending the entire day on our computers helps us unwind and relax.

Medically too, reading a physical book as opposed to being on any screen helps us sleep better, as looking at a screen prevents our brain from releasing melatonin, a hormone that is essential for sound sleep. “Reading was my escape and my comfort, my consolation, my stimulant of choice: reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you when you hear an author’s words reverberating in your head.” –Paul Auster. For many of us, reading is therapeutic. For personal development, reading plays an important role. Apart from the fact that it helps build knowledge, it broadens our world view. It enables us to learn continuously and to become exceptionally knowledgeable about the subjects of our choice. Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity! It gives insight into the psychology of people, helping us understand ourselves better. Literature gives us different perspectives on life that helps us refine our own perspectives. Literature helps us shape our lives according

to the ideals or the role models that appeal to us. Reading about the journey of others can help us find solutions to our problems even from stories that are not directly related. Reading about the life and struggles of others inspires us to cope with our own struggles with greater equanimity. Often, when we are navigating through difficult times, our dreams and aspirations are stunted by our lack of imagination. J K Rowling had stressed on the importance of imagination in her speech at Harvard University a few years ago. Imagination is essential not just for the purpose of writing, but also to envision a better future for ourselves, and act accordingly. Reading also helps in fighting depression. In many countries including India, people are taking up Bibliotherapy as a profession. Bibliotherapy or therapeutic storytelling is an expressive therapy that involves storytelling or the reading of specific titles with the purpose of healing. It has shown to be effective in the treatment of depression.

On a lighter note, reading is better than movies because if we fall asleep while reading, we won’t miss the ending! Reading is a great habit to imbibe in our children because as it’s famously said, “Today’s reader, tomorrow’s leader.” Acquiring knowledge is costly, however, ignorance is costlier.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Satyajit Roy and Raachyeta Sharma, Co-Founders of The Open Library Project.

One of the major reasons we feel people are apprehensive about reading is because they are unsure of what to read.

Build Knowledge not Walls! - The Open Library Project From the era of papyrus to the modern-day Kindle, knowledge has transpired in more ways than one. A library, by definition, is a collection of information. In our case, we collect information, namely books, through the Open Library Project. We strive to use current-day mediums to extend knowledge to our members. At a grass-roots level, we go by the principle “Build Knowledge, Not Walls”, referring to the fact that Knowledge is not confined to four walls and thus the Library is not bound by similar constraints. To realise this vision, we have collaborated with Corporates, co-working Spaces and Incubators, providing them a platform for interaction, growth and learning by setting up rotational libraries at their spaces. Margaret Fuller quoted, “If you have knowledge, let others light

their candle in it”. At The Open Library Project, we are constantly working towards extending knowledge, accelerating growth and providing avenues to expand networks. A knowledge building community aiming to provide industry specific knowledge, to its members. One of the major reasons we feel people are apprehensive about reading is because they are unsure of what to read. With The Open Library Project, we attempt to break this barrier and help inculcate the habit of reading amongst our members, by providing them with books relevant to their industry or field of interest. On digital versus physical ways of reading, let’s accept the fact that books are here to stay, though the digital can and will play an important role. To us, it matters more that you read rather than how you read.

U LA

D A P

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

GO DRE J ED G E D U O R EFR I G E RATO R An innovative solution for energy efficiency Godrej Appliances launched the Edge Duo range of refrigerators with their latest innovation in the category â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a single door refrigerator with a separate vegetable drawer. A study conducted by Godrej Appliances, revealed that if a refrigerator is opened three times for 30 seconds in an hour, the temperature of the cooling chamber simply doubles. The study also revealed that Indian consumers access the vegetable drawer at least 40% of the time they use the refrigerator. Loss of cold air causes thermal shock to the food stored, decreasing its freshness. To regain the optimal temperature, the compressor has to work for two additional hours, increasing the energy consumption. Hence, an insight was that if frequent opening of the main door is restricted then the cooling loss could be substantially reduced.

The separate vegetable drawer lowers the frequency of opening of the main door. Godrej Edge Duo works on the unique Duo Flow technology. The specially designed louvers in the freezer direct stronger and cooler air-flow into the separate vegetable drawer. The reduction in the cooling loss coupled with the compressor having inverter technology makes the Edge Duo highly energy-efficient. An estimated annual saving of Rs. 3750, makes the Godrej Edge Duo a best-in-class 4-star refrigerator. The Edge Duo comes with a 10-year warranty for the compressor and is available in options of floral facia in blue and wine. Going by the success of the Godrej Edge Duo, Godrej Appliances is planning to launch more variants to cater to a larger population. The distributor network is being spruced up to enhance market penetration across India.

ART &G&B CULTURE SUCCESS STORIES 60 INSIDE

Winning Through Transformation Adhering to traditions help create stronger bonds Manvi Popli, Godrej Interio

It is a long-standing tradition at Godrej to pay homage to the founders and felicitate the Godrej family at the eagerly awaited annual Dussehra – Diwali event. Considerable planning and effort is undertaken by all employees to make the function memorable and enjoyable. Held on 22nd October, this year’s function was convened by Zurvan Marolia from Interio and supported by teams from the different manufacturing plants and Udyachal Schools. The organising committee after much deliberation zeroed in on the theme of “Winning through Transformation”. The committee thought this to be an appropriate theme in light of the rapid growth of our manufactur-

ing footprint across the country. It was highlighted that transformation through renewal has been a constant at Godrej, helping it thrive over the years. It has transformed from a locks-making company in 1897, to a leading player in Aerospace, consumer durables and industrial products over the decades. The vision of “Godrej in Every Home & Work Place” was brought alive through carefully designed visuals. The function began with a song performance by the students of Udayachal School. It was followed by a skit performance by our employees, highlighting the theme in a novel and interesting manner. All the speakers emphasised different

facets of the theme and urged the audience to work in unison for transforming our businesses and continue winning. The Godrej Archives team helped us showcase the Dussehra – Diwali function celebrated over decades from the Lalbaug days to today’s Pirojshanagar through a Photo Gallery. As always, our garden department outdid themselves with the fabulous floral display. A vote of thanks was given and the function ended with the singing of the National Anthem in unison. Everyone wished each other a Happy Diwali as they left the venue.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

We have been successful because of continual transformation for over 100 years. Transformation is evident in all fields… processes, technology, human resources, etc. I am glad that all of us are engaged in transforming ourselves in the face of the technology revolution happening in every sphere of work and life.

Zurvan Marolia

Harpreet Kaur

“Godrej has been living Transformation since 1897 starting at Lalbaug, moving from a locks making company to an enterprise with factories at many locations, and a product portfolio, which includes assemblies that helped India reach Mars in 2016.”

“Development of people is crucial in bringing in better and innovative products for winning in the marketplace.”

Satyavan Bhosle

Shyamsunder Gawde

“Godrej has been living Transformation by working on new company-wide initiatives such as Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Kaizens, and more, for improving quality and productivity.”

“The Values of the company – ‘The Godrej Way’ has enabled it to grow sustainably and given it a unique edge.”

Jamshyd N Godrej

BOOKMARK

Why should we Dance? We are born to move rhythmically Manisha Parikh, Grandmom, Social Worker and Lover of Life

Think of the word ‘dance’ for a minute. It will bring a smile to your face, because the memory of when you danced your heart out was the moment when you were happiest. When you dance you let go of your worries and lighten your mind. As Wayne Dyer said, “When you dance your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor, but it is to enjoy each step along the way.” Today, dance has become a form of exercise that millions of people are performing in different ways, and enjoying every minute of it. Dance helps enhance fitness and promotes a feeling of wellbeing as it releases endorphins, a chemical in the brain that creates the feeling of being happy and satisfied. Dancing uplifts our mood and helps us express ourselves differently and creatively, especially when we dance to a song or music that we relate to. My husband and I, at 60-plus, do not move like the youngsters but that is no reason for us not to ‘shake a leg’ when we get a chance. I feel, age is no bar. Do dance often and who knows, one of your dancing moves can become a trend like the recent ‘uncleji dance’ on YouTube! Let’s dance our hearts out, as if nothing else matters! For more on how dancing can change the way you think and even keep your mind sharp as you age, see ‘’Get your boogie on” by Stephanie Kramer, published in Mumbai Mirror, December 31st, 2018.

When you dance your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor, but it is to enjoy each step along the way.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

In pursuit of a better me Just get up and dance to improve your mood and creative thinking Aneev Ansari, Godrej Construction

As we meander through the journey of life, many unforeseen events occur that force us to reprioritise our goals. The ensuing chaos makes our passions and desires fall off the radar as we focus and refocus on new priorities – professional and personal.

I was pretty much in the same rut until about two years ago, when an unplanned outing made me take another look. On an extended weekend with my family for a “Karate Camp”, I was the odd man out, sitting on the side lines, looking at a group of approximately 150 kids with only two adults (my wife being one) participating in the event. The other person was a 65 year-old gentleman who was just a level away from the coveted black belt. All others, mostly unhealthily dimensioned adults, including me, were sitting as mere spectators, cheering the kids to “keep going”. We were chatting amongst ourselves about the importance of keeping our children healthy and how vital was the camp. Irony was laughing at us. If ever there was a right moment for reflection, this was it. Usually not a procrastinator, I joined the group of Karate kids on the second day of the camp. As it is said, one thing usually leads to another. If Karate can keep me fit, what should I do to improve my happiness quotient? Dancing had been on my mind for years. Being a Xavierite, song, dance and drama were very much part of my formative years. However, other than the occasional ‘shaking of the leg’ at parties, dancing seldom figured in the scheme of things. To say the least, the wifey – an ever-enthusiastic person – wholeheartedly supported the idea.

An early influence for me was a couple I had met about two decades ago, during my first travels across Europe. On the tour, Jack and Fran were the delight of the group. They laughed, danced, raced across open fields and monuments ahead of the group. They were also the very soul of the evening celebrations. Jack was 88 and Fran, 86. Their motto – “we don’t know when we will die; we are alive today, let’s make the most of it”. Having escaped WW2, the German death camps had made them realise the importance of being alive. Their “joie de vivre” was contagious. So here am I today. I have passed six (of ten to reach black) Karate belt exams with my wife and kids being my senpai (seniors); taken on Jive dance classes with my wife; and joined Guitar classes – a long standing wish – at Hubble. Today, I am a much happier person and I do bring in more energy and a positive outlook to my work day after day.

Management mantra says - slow down to speed up. I have tried it and it works. I hope that I can inspire a few Godrejites to undertake new hobbies, learn new ways to enrich their lives, to create an improved version of themselves.

BOOKMARK

Stringing our Way to Better Health! Getting healthy is easier than you think Gillian Dennett, Hubble

It is aptly said that the 21st century has transported us into a so-called “less world” - cordless, wireless, talk less, eat less and the like. Take for example, eat less: it should be our mantra to follow, and yet we blatantly disregard our diet, eat wrong, making obesity a growing concern. This hits us really hard not only below the belt, but in the place that counts the most – the heart!

We must eat right. BMI – Be Moderate in Intake and be rigorous in the way we exercise. Subcutaneous fat in the form of “love handles”, thigh paddings, or upper arms may be cosmetically challenging, but is otherwise harmless.

How do we track our health?

Visceral fat matters.

The answer to this question is by regularly checking our Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by the formula that divides weight in kgs by height in metre-square. This formula was derived by a Belgian named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet. It gives a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity where the normal range is 18.5 to 24.5 kgs/m2. While this is a ready way of checking the status of our health, something more enjoyable was introduced by a researcher called Werner Heisenberg, called the String Theory. Just a piece of string used as described below can encourage you to take steps that will eventually make you fitter. Take a length of string to measure your height, fold that length in half and see if it wraps around your waist. Wrap the halved length of the string midway between your hip bone and lowest rib. Don’t breathe in! - you’ll only be cheating yourself. If the string isn’t long enough to wrap around your waist, your waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) is more than 0.5 and you are at an increased risk of health problems.

It is the visceral fat that matters! This fat accumulates around the abdominal organs and is metabolically active. It is also linked to many diseases such as cancer, cardiac ailments and dementia. Because visceral fat is an endocrine organ that secretes hormones and a host of other enzymes linked to the diseases that commonly afflict older adults.

Health and happiness go hand in hand. The healthier we are, the happier we feel and it shows! However, we have to work at it, even if it means avoiding or drastically limiting the intake of certain foods, calories and engaging in exercises that burn enough calories. Getting enough sleep, of a minimum of 7 hours, boosts health. Finally, move more, be active! Remember those 10,000 steps! When one is healthy, the brain functions better and the work gets done faster.

When one is healthy, the brain functions better and the work gets done faster.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Here are a few asanas to get rid of that vicious visceral fat.

Bhujangasana » Lie on your stomach with your hands placed by your chest and your chin on the floor. » Raise your upper body and come up with your arms lsightly bent. » Straighten your arms completely and throw your shoulders back. » Hold the position for a few seconds. » Do 3-4 such reps. Inhale as you raise your body and exhale as you come down, breathing normally when you hold the position.

Poorna Pawan Muktasana

Naukasana

» Lie flat on your back with hands beside you. » Draw both knees up towards your chest. » Draw them up as close as possible to your chest and then bring your chin to meet yout knees. » Hold the position for a few seconds. » Breathe normally while you hold the position.

» Starting Position - Support yourself on your elbows and then raise your legs up to 45 degrees. » Stretch your arms out towards your knees. Exhale. » Further raise your upper body towards your legs and hold position for 15-20 seconds. Exhale while getting into position and breathe normally while holding the position.

PERSPECTIVE STORIES 66 SUCCESS

Be Civil. Get More Done! Civility, a forgotten virtue, has a lot to offer in today’s challenging times Team Change

Execution is all about getting things done by people. Therefore, it is of prime importance how people are treated by their seniors and the way they treat each other. We have to accept the fact that the days of control and command are over. We can’t afford to push people against their will, nor can we incentivise them enough to work together. Today, we live in an era of collaboration, the cornerstone of which is civility. Civility makes the entire machinery move forward without friction. Without civility, there is much heat and noise but sadly, no movement. Things do get done, but at a huge cost of wasted energies – physical and mental. What kind of civility are we talking about? Certainly not the kind that involves stuffiness, which is ritualistic and archaic. We are talking about civility which is authentic and that exudes deep respect towards those involved. It does not take people for granted nor does it signal the absence of trust. Managers having a sense of civility give patient listening to their people and remain fully present during interactions. They make it easy for the truth to emerge, and give feedback to make things better. They are eager that their people experience some success at every possible instance so that they are inspired to contribute more. They use persuasion to get across their points of view and priorities. Their civility is so endemic that seldom does anyone feel belittled in their presence. They never cease to appreciate and value their people. Likewise, the team members who are civil, bring it to their work through the way they perform the assigned work, as well as how they relate to other team members. Keeping schedules and promises is an important element of being civil. Taking responsibility and not passing the blame is yet another. Asking for help well in time to keep promises is also an important element of civil behaviour. Eagerness to improve quality continually and seeking to enhance the scope of one’s work is also an indicator of a sense of

civility. Such members are good at critiquing ideas constructively as opposed to criticising thoughtlessly. Going out of one’s way to help a colleague will surely promote cordial relationships. Not hogging the credit and giving it where it is due promotes harmony. The workspaces that are civil are friendly, warm, and respectful. In such spaces, shared resources are used in a manner that makes it easy for the next person to use them. For example, copying machines are never left cluttered with unwanted papers. If the stock of fresh papers is exhausted, the user places an immediate request for the refill. The restrooms are also left clean and dry for others to use. As all of us spend considerable time in meetings, it is worth highlighting some of the uncivil behaviours that we must avoid. Interrupting someone is a strict no-no. Likewise, talking loudly to make oneself heard is best avoided. Toxic and unhelpful remarks hurt those involved, damaging espirit de corp. The quality of dialogue deteriorates resulting in a massive waste of time. If participants are civil to each other and learn to disagree without being disagreeable, then much progress can be made without tempers rising and minds devising ways to get even. Emotional energies thus conserved should be used for finding superior solutions. Research has conclusively shown that teams that are civil in their behaviours are better at execution. Such teams get things done faster and better. Civility is all about bringing the best out in people, who in turn strive to bring the best out of their colleagues and customers.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Would you like to rate yourself on civil behaviours? Take the following test with 1 = low; 5 = high. What is your score? » I say please, I’m sorry, to both colleagues and customers » I promptly and sincerely thank people for good work or extra effort, often in writing » I’m appreciative and friendly to people who perform low-end tasks » I work at being present to understand other people’s point of view » I disagree without being disagreeable and try to reason things out » I put people at ease so that they can tell me the truth because of how I respond

» I avoid mean-spirited humour or comments (gender based, ethnic, etc.) » I arrive at meetings on or before the scheduled time » I respond to emails and messages and return calls as soon as possible Would you like to add any other criteria in the context of work or would you like to substitute any of the above? Having learnt your score on the above test, what changes would you bring about in your behaviour?

Research has conclusively shown that teams that are civil get more done.

U LA

D A P

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

N EO S E RI E S BY G O D RE J M ATE RI A L H A N D LI N G The all-weather electric forklift Godrej Material Handling are pioneers in bringing electric-powered forklifts to the Indian market. Global practices of MNCs have also helped in generating a steady demand for the product over the years. With the advancement in motor and battery technology, the demand for electricpowered forklifts has increased to a healthy 30% of the market in recent years. Also, many customers have matured from the thought of “Cost of forklift” to “Total Cost of Ownership” (TCO). The TCO of the electricpowered forklift is lower. Further, the electric forklifts have a much higher efficiency due to the use of advanced AC motor and controller technology. Like all Godrej Forklift trucks, the Neo has lower turning radius, good stability and a long-lasting battery that packs many hours of work before recharge. Godrej Neo is ergonomically designed for enhanced operator comfort and productivity. Easy and quick maintenance is assured by thoughtful design and fewer moving parts. Despite these advantages, the demand of electric forklifts has remained restricted as it

is considered suitable only for indoor use. To boost demand, Godrej has researched and developed an ‘all-weather’ electric forklift – the Neo Series. The NEO all-weather version comes with a host of mechanical and electrical modifications. The forklift has two levels of protection. The first involves redesigning the chassis to avoid seepage of water. The motor is protected to avoid water splashing in when on the go. The hood has also been extended to keep the battery well protected from water. The second level involves the use of water resistant electrical components, which ensures the functioning of the forklift even during the rains. Extensive testing has been carried out during monsoons for assuring its all-weather performance. Godrej Neo, besides meeting regular warehouse requirements, enables the user to carry out handling operations on well paved surfaces outside plants or warehouses. Godrej Neo is efficient, green, and has a lower TCO, making it attractive for a range of applications both in warehouses and manufacturing facilities.

INSIDE G&B

Go Figure! Be curious, keep your grey cells alive Debashish Sahu, President’s Office

Quizzing as a hobby has been on a rise in India, thanks to shows like Kaun Banega Crorepati and the like, who have generated interest for General Knowledge (GK) amongst the masses.

Schools have always included GK as a subject in their curriculum, and shows like Bournvita Quiz Contest, ESPN Sports Quiz, made it popular through competitions amongst schools. Quizzing as an activity largely remained confined to schools and colleges. Once students enter into professional life, quizzing as a hobby is pushed to the background as they get occupied in the daily humdrum of making a living, having a family, and so on. As a result, the curiosity that we all had in our childhood gets lost. To unearth this inherent curiosity of ours, we conducted a Quiz Competition called ‘Prashn’ (meaning ‘question’) in August/ September 2018, open to all employees of Godrej & Boyce. Prashn was positioned as a quiz covering a host of topics, ranging from general interest, business, and sports, to movies and entertainment, science and technology. A preliminary round was conducted

in August which saw over 60 teams from all over the country participating to answer 20 qualifying questions. The top 5 qualifying teams were selected for the finals, which was conducted in September. The finals happen to coincide with ‘Engineer’s Day’, 15th September. This day is designated accordingly to honour Dr. M Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary. He was India’s great son, a civil engineer, a builder of dams and a statesman. One among the last century’s foremost nation-builders. Through his lifetime spanning 100 years, he remained a seeker of knowledge. G&B being an engineering company, this day is of significance to us. Therefore, it was only fitting to commemorate this day through a quiz competition, which brought out the importance of engineering as a profession and field of study.

Cheered by a full-house comprising family members of the finalist teams, children from Udayachal School and employees of G&B. The 5 teams battled it out to become the champion and runners up of Prashn 2018. Ensuring that the audience had a gala time and not just remained spectators we included many questions that were addressed to them. On their answering correctly, prizes were handed out. What was absolutely thrilling was to see the enthusiasm of school children, most of them between class V to VIII. Everyone in the audience went back with their curiosity reignited and reshaped with a new and fun-filled way of looking at things in their daily lives. Quizzing, as they say, is not just a hobby or a competition, it’s a way of life.

VOL 17-18 JUN 2019

Let’s see if you can answer any of the quiz questions...

2 3 4 Answers

Research has shown that a certain set of people doing this particular job in a particular city have an unusually large hippocampus, the size of its area in proportion to their length of careers. An enlarged hippocampus is a rare feature. You don’t see it in doctors who gain vast amounts of knowledge over many years. You don’t see it in memory champions who have trained themselves to remember seemingly impossible lists. The reason for this significantly larger hippocampus is because these people have gained “the knowledge” by toiling very long hours every day for 3 to 4 years. Who are they?

The player below is Jerry West, an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers (1960-74). How do we still remember him?

He has his own IMDb page and has won the 2001 Critics Choice Award for Best Inanimate Object. He even appeared on Saturday Night Live three times (according to his IMDb page). He was sold at auction to ex-FedEx Office CEO Ken May for $18,500. Who or what are we talking about?

Which company’s 404 error page will introduce you to a dog? The dog below is one of the many you will be introduced to?

The person below has spent the past four decades working with the FBI spotting fraud, and says the advances in technology and the over-sharing trends propagated by social media sites have made it much easier to create false identities with a few personal details. When he did it, he had to assume an entirely new identity and life. Identify him or the movie based on him?

The English term is derived from the abbreviation of the German word, Fliegerabwehrkanone, literally ‘aviator-defence gun’. During World War, an aircraft had to navigate through shrapnel fired by the gun. Tracing this origin, name the word which also forms a part of a phrase commonly used to refer to facing criticism?

1. London Cab Drivers | 2. ‘Wilson Volleyball’ from the movie Castaway | 3. Amazon – if ever there is a thing you can’t find on Amazon | 4. FLAK from “Fliegerabwehrkanone”. Phrase - To get flak or receive flak. 5. Man in the NBA Logo | 6. Frank Abagnale – “Catch Me If You Can” Image credits: Jerry West - www.quora.com | Frank Abagnale - Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com | Amazon Dog - Reddit.com

INSIDE G&B

Strategy and Execution are equally important Business goals are achieved by fusing strongly the key elements of strategy and its execution Team Change

Strong

Execution

Wasted Resources and Efforts

Sustained Success

Poor

Good

Disaster

You can use this matrix to plot your own business or a line of business and see where you need to focus. As mentioned earlier, in real life, strategy and execution are intertwined and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be separated as above. This has been done, however, to clarify the impact each one of them has on the outcome. Team CHANGE welcomes any comments, views, suggestions on the above. Do write in to us at change@godrej.com. *This is intended for the sole purpose of education only. Any comparisons made herein are reproduced from publicly available information.

Lost Opportunities / Underperformance

Weak

Strategy

By now, you would have realised that for sustained success, strong execution is an absolute must. However, please note, execution is one strand of the rope, the second being strategy, the third being culture and so on. As execution is meant to implement the strategy, it is essential to understand the nature of outcomes by assuming each of these being in different states. As can be seen from the matrix, a business has to be good at both strategy and execution for its continual success. To clarify this framework further, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take an example of airlines in the air travel space. From what we read in the press and in our view*, Indigo seems to be doing well on both the dimensions of strategy and execution. Jet and Kingfisher are the examples of both strategy and execution having gone astray. Air India seems to have some kind of strategy in place, but its execution has remained weak over the years. As a result, today, the foreign routes are dominated by non-indigenous carriers. Spice Jet and Go Air seems to be good at execution but directionally, it is not clear where they are headed. Hence, they seem to be struggling to stay afloat.