MMA -KAS Business Mandate - December 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

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DECEMBER 2020

CONTENTS

Cover story

Ordinary women, extraordinary lives

Dealing with rejection

Unlocking human potential

Mind management

The Art of High Performance

EDITOR Gp Capt R Vijayakumar ﴾Retd﴿, VSM

Women Leader Series

Surviving the pandemic

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Management Center, New No.240 Pathari Road

Gp Capt Dr R Venkataraman ﴾Retd﴿

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Ph:044‐2829 1133 Email:mma@mmachennai.org | mandate@mmachennai.org www.facebook.com/mmachennai

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DECEMBER 2020

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EDITORIAL

Gp Capt R Vijayakumar (Retd), VSM

Of recovery, reforms, opportunities & future...

N

ovember was hectic for MMA with a flurry of

revive the MSMEs sector, there is a clear consensus among

activities and celebrations. Cyclone Nivar was

policy makers, industry leaders and other stakeholders that

kind to us and caused less destruction than

MSMEs must be given the appropriate long­term support and

anticipated. Kudos to the Metrological department for the job

enabling environment if the country has to progress

well done; they issued frequent, precise and detailed weather

sustainably and equitably. The focus of MMA has also been

bulletins. In Tamil Nadu, and in particular in Chennai, heavy

on empowering these sectors.

rains are always expected in November extending till December. Vehicles struggling through water logged roads are a common sight. Although advising people to stay indoors, declaring holidays and so on are necessary precautionary steps, the Government has a higher responsibility too in maintaining good roads and preventing infrastructure bottlenecks.

Economic recovery will hinge on the sustainability of demand after the festival season. Restrictions on mobility imposed by local authorities to curb a second wave of Covid– 19 cases could dampen the movement of people and crimp demand, at least till a vaccine is widely available. With India planned to scale up and surge ahead on the economic front,

Covid­19 has taken an unprecedented toll on most segments of the economy. It is encouraging that economists expect Indian economic contraction to be narrower in the last quarter. However, the present trend suggests that the economic recovery could be losing steam and that the stress in the job market would continue. While the Government has

Industry bodies are opposing it (labour law reforms) tooth and nail. The Bill is a reminder to quickly make changes on the HR front or face business disruption.

announced a number of stimulus measures to sustain and 3

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

great emphasis should be on infrastructure development. A

in the state to offer 75% of new employment to local

robust and effective urban mobility solution with

candidates with a pay ceiling of Rs. 50,000/­ per month.

sustainability and social innovation as its key ingredient will

Industry bodies are opposing the bill tooth and nail. The bill

pivot development.

is a reminder to quickly make changes on the HR front or face

It is essential that the Covid­19 vaccine be made

business disruption.

available at an affordable cost and equitably across the globe.

The 15­nation Regional Comprehensive Economic

It is also imperative that WHO and world leaders rein in

Partnership Agreement (RCEPA) was signed in

commercial interests in the medical industry and make them

November without India’s presence; we had opted to stay out

see reason rather than their balance sheet. Early development

after withdrawing from negotiations in July. It is true that the

of the vaccine could stave off these risks and help revive the

agreement did not satisfactorily address India’s concern about

economic faster.

the import of dairy and agriculture products. India is also

No goal has riveted eyeballs quite like the “Hand of God” worried about the impact of Chinese imports. The positive one scored—or stolen—by the Argentine football legend, outcome of RCEP should not be glossed. India should not put Diego Maradona. While Maradona has no doubt earned a

the clock back now by embracing protectionism. It is also

place as an all­time football great, there are lessons for us on

pertinent to note that Japan, South Korea, Australia and many

coping with fame. Most of us are ill equipped to handle this

ASEAN Nations have joined RCEP by setting aside their

and are often left to find our own ways in an unfamiliar world,

differences with Beijing to take advantage of the post­Covid

leading to emptiness and loneliness. Gabriel García Márquez

economic opportunities, and New Delhi too should consider

has rightly called it the “Solitude of Fame.” This is the irony

re­joining the trade bloc after some tough bargaining. At the

of stardom failing to balance fame with peace of mind and

same time, India should spruce up its industries with more

good health. In this context, please do watch the event

economic reforms and ensure strict quality control, to meet

organized by MMA on the theme “The Science of Mind

the competition once trade barriers are lifted.

Management” by Swami Mukundananda. Maradona will be

This year’s Management Students Convention is

remembered for his magic with the soccer ball. He lived his

scheduled on Thursday, 17th December 2020. It will be an

life on his own terms and will be sorely missed.

online event with the theme: “India Tomorrow–The Road

Labour law reforms are set to change industrial relations (IR) in the country. The details of the labour law

Ahead for Young Indians.” A galaxy of distinguished speakers has agreed to address the student delegates. The convention

reforms have been described and critically analysed in many

will provide insights into strategies and prepare students for

forums, including MMA. Watching the MMA event on

an inspiring career. I convey my sincere best wishes to the

“Labour Law Reforms and Industrial Relations,” it dawned

delegates and all the very best in their future endeavours. Our

on me that the codes are based on the fundamental unproven

country’s future lies in their vision.

premises that labour law and inspector systems are obstacle

Let me know what you think about everything that’s

in attracting investments and the Government must,

happening

therefore, promote a cheaper and flexible labour market. The

ed@mmachennai.org.

codes are set to rule the IR system for long unless the Government changes the rule. The state Governments have started looking inward—the Haryana Assembly has already passed a bill, which if implemented require private companies 4

DECEMBER 2020

at

MMA.

Send

me

an

email

at

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DECEMBER 2020

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M

any companies focus on

required, weeded out.

consumer gets the right experience?

their

Being consumer­centric is not

Most CEOs would say that they own the

clarify,

about always delivering to whatever the

consumer experience but not often do

consumers are those who buy/ use the

consumers want. It is about being clear

consumers get to meet CEOs!

brand. Customers are intermediaries

who your core consumers are and which

Lots of brands and businesses think

like distributors/ retailers. Consumer­

consumer segments you want to cater

and claim they are consumer­centric,

centric companies prioritise consumers

to. Once you do this well for a while, you

but come crunch time, they are mostly

over customers. For example, in Adidas,

get a chance to lead the consumers. That

brand­ and business­centric. They want

we had a motto of being ‘Consumer­

allows you to differentiate you from

‘Brand Loyalty’ from consumers, but

focussed and customer aware’. The

your competition even better.

they are not loyal to their consumers. To

customers business.

for To

hierarchy is clear. Before we did that in

Consumer centricity is not just on

me, consumer centricity is in place when

paper in a strategy document or in

your actions reflect consumer centricity.

brand communications. It needs to be

My hierarchy has been Consumer,

reflected in behaviour at all levels, most

Customers, Team and Company. How

importantly at the first point of contact

well we deliver to consumers and

Brands like Nike and Apple are

between consumer and brand, at retail

customers and manage our business,

ruthlessly focused on the consumers

or in Customer Service. In some cases,

leads to sales and profitability for the

and deliver so well to them that their

it could be in a multi­brand store which

company.

customers are very aware that

doesn’t value your brand or a call centre

consumers want these brands. Apple

staff who doesn’t feel any connect with

and Nike always get pride of place with

your brand.

the mid­90s, Adidas missed a lot of opportunities by catering to the customers and not sufficiently taking care of consumers’ needs and wants.

their customers. Other brands are traded off, negotiated with, and if

Let me move on to another aspect of consumer centricity—customer service.

How do you ensure that the

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Consumer Service

DECEMBER 2020

I prefer to call it consumer service.

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

Despite best efforts, mistakes do

redressal.

on the consumer without realizing it. I

happen. Some consumers give you a

Unfortunately, it is so often difficult to

immediately went to the consumer,

chance to do something about this.

reach Customer Service. How many

introduced myself and apologized for

times have you tried calling an IVR and

the problem and promised to fix it

give up after 5, 10 or even 15 minutes? I

quickly. Almost immediately, we

haven’t had to wait for more than a

changed our policies on how we

minute at Amazon, and I am amazed at

responded to our consumers. We made

how empowered their call centre staff

it easy for consumers to reach us, fixed

are. Fabulous!

the problem with replacements and gave

To have a successful brand, you don’t have to over deliver on everything that the consumers say they want from the product or the service.

You need to differentiate on some of the most important.

Many don’t. I strongly believe that companies need to make it easy for

consumers

to

seek

Let me share an experience with

them something extra for giving us a

Adidas in Singapore. Those days, I

chance to make good. Looking back, we

visited some sports retail store every

could have probably gone further.

day. This store was our own store. A

Building brands unfortunately is

consumer came into our store and

not very inclusive, especially when you

talked about a problem with a shoe and

are building brands for coolness or

the store manager responded, ‘Oh is that

brand love. It is not possible to be cool

so? We have never had that problem

to everybody. You have to pick and

before.’ The manager probably was

choose your consumers. I may be wrong,

being good to Adidas and casting doubts

but building brands is about defining

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

your consumer segments and making

apps and other services are provided.

the brand aspirational for. In some

You don’t see Apple being

cases, you even manage the supplies

discounted by retailers. This may seem

carefully. Over­supply is an easy way to

anti­consumer, but Apple consumers

kill brand aspiration. May be this is

love it because they don’t have to run to

difficult and not even realistic in many

10 stores to see which store is giving a

categories

consumer

higher discount; similarly, with Nike, at

involvement, but my learnings are based

least during my days. We tried to

on my experiences with sporting goods

manage Adidas in Singapore, Thailand

and smart phones.

and Indonesia in a similar way.

with

low

To have a successful brand, you

Towards the end, I will make a case

don’t have to over deliver on everything

for why ‘Consumer Centricity’ may not

that the consumers say they want from

be enough AND the need for ‘Society

the product or the service. You need to

Centricity’ is also important.

differentiate on some of the most important. I am sure a lot of the Android

Thriving in Polarity AND…

consumers say the million things that

Let me move from consumer centricity

their devices can do, yet the Apple

to a more complex situation, that of

consumers love their brand for what it

running a business. As a General

has and ignore what it doesn’t. They get

Manager or Managing Director, I

more from the beautiful aesthetics, the

realized that along with consumer

pride of ownership, the integrated way

centricity, I needed to do many other

in which their hardware, software and

things.

I knew that I had to focus on a few things. But, what should I focus on? I also realized that overdoing any one thing misses the opposite side, which was sometimes, equally important. If I focused on my work too much, I wouldn’t have my life. If I focused too much on the short­term, I missed preparing for the long­term. If I focused on the long­term, I may not have my job, as I would miss the short­term targets.

My team may not even have the confidence that we could get there in the long­term. That’s when I realized, I needed to manage a few polarities, those seemingly contradictory objectives. It is not just balancing the contradictions. It is an intense focus on both sides of the equation. If I could thrive in some of these polarities that are important, that could be my mantra for success and my differentiation.

Managing or thriving in polarity is

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not an easy business. It can be

economies of scale with size, there is a

confusing, and it can look like you are

possibility that efforts can come down

There is resistance to change as it

giving contradictory messages. Or you

and so can costs, and hence, increases

disrupts the way we do things. There is

are being wishy­washy and not taking a

profitability. In the short­term, you

a genuine fear that it may not work.

stance. It is clearer to be black or white.

don’t get the luxury of the resources that

While change is easier to accept when

I am looking at an intense focus on both

you would ideally want.

things are not well, your choices become

sides—Black AND White.

Growth AND Profitability The first polarity that was thrown at me as MD of Adidas Singapore, was a target to grow my business and also deliver a higher profitability. I had a long

One way to earn trust and

sub­optimal by that time. In some cases,

credibility is to generate part of the

even then, some prefer to continue to do

requirements from internal resources,

the same and expect different results.

by

out

Many a time, you don’t get a second

efficiency

chance to make changes after a horrible

initiatives. It could be unprofitable lines,

event. I will share a couple of

unprofitable

experiences: one with Adidas and one

reducing

unproductive

or or

weeding low

brands,

unprofitable

customers or geographies.

There is a tendency of some leaders to hire teams that are more like them. It is easier to get the group to move fast when there are some things in common.

well. Why fix if it ain’t broken?

So, at any point in time, I realized the need to manage businesses like a portfolio; there is a big chunk in the middle that should be well run with reasonable growths and profitability.

with Nokia.

Trefoil to Triangle In the mid­90s when I joined Adidas, the primary logo was the trefoil logo. Adidas had brand history and heritage, but it was not seen as a strong

Then you are constantly weeding

performance brand. Even though it had

out unprofitable parts of businesses to

strong product features, it was not seen

unlock your time and reduce low

as cutting­edge, especially in the US and

discussion with my boss and even

profitability and use this time and

Asian markets. Adidas decided to launch

cheekily asked him if the earlier MD

money to constantly invest in new lines,

the Performance range with a new logo.

managed the business very badly. How

businesses, experiments, innovations

There was a lot of fear and resistance

could I grow without investing? And if I

that have a potential for much bigger

with our customers and internally as

invested in growth, my profitability

growths. A leader needs to be a

well. I was shocked at the resistance in

would reduce and not increase, at least

visionary AND a farmer.

Germany, our home country, mainly

for a while. He gave me one look and said, ‘this discussion is over’ and that

Change AND Continuity

was it.

There is always confusion around

To grow the business, there is a need to invest in one or more areas. You also ideally need to invest in innovations. These require investments in time and money. Once you get

change. Everyone talks about how change is the only constant, but when it comes to crunch time, there is a lot of fear about change. A lot of people question change when things are going

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with the employees. Many of us who were new to the brand welcomed the change as we saw the need for change.

Our consumers accepted them very well, when we went ahead. The Original logo was used to launch a whole new casual/ streetwear range building on the heritage of the brand. Together, both the

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ranges

and

sub­brands

grew

dramatically to strengthen both the heritage and the Performance sides of the business. Imagine, if we had waited longer to make the change!

Not a Smart Move My other story with Nokia is not such a positive one. When I joined Nokia in 2011, there was already a momentum towards smartphones. However, many in the organization in India and globally didn’t think that this was a big deal. I had seen the market in Singapore change overnight from regular phones to smartphones thanks to the telecom operators supporting the move.

Despite having some amazing smartphones with Windows OS, there was no buy­in with the team. I am not talking about the Nokia Symbian phones, but the Nokia Lumia range. The teams continued to focus on basic mobile phones—the devices you could use to talk and SMS and not much else.

The focus was more on volume and less on value; more on sales and distribution and less on consumer experience.

Overall, a huge opportunity was lost because we were too slow to respond to consumer needs. Smartphones business is a very dynamic business. It is shocking that it happened to Nokia. For 150 years Nokia was selling carbon black, paper and other natural products and shut all that and moved into

struggling to focus on smart­phones. In

reorganizing the Product Development

the earlier case, Nokia was the outsider

and Sales teams?

and disruptor; and in the later situation, it was the insider resisting change.

Alignment AND Diversity

Could we have as an organisation

Alignment is definitely important to

intensely focused on both mobile

deliver outcomes in a fast, efficient and

phones

effective manner. There is a tendency of

and

smartphones

telecom in the 90s. 15 years later, it was

by

some leaders to hire teams that are more 10

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

like them. It is easier to get the group to

athlete, but you needed to be at least

and early work on Vaseline Heel Guard

move fast when there are some things in

interested

the

—Right out of IIMC! It was a dream

common. You see that especially when

accountant or the person in the

come true. I am very grateful to the

an organization hires a new leader from

warehouse.

Pond’s leadership team for making that

in

sports—even

outside. The new leader brings in a team

possible.

of trusted lieutenants from the previous

Learning AND Contribution

organization.

Quite a few organisations and some of

Consumer‐ AND Society‐Centric

my bosses too liked to have people fill a

I had left the consumer centricity piece

role when they are 100% ready for the

saying that it was not inclusive. What

role. I strongly believe that everyone

your consumer segment wants may

should get an opportunity to get into a

alienate another consumer segment.

role in which they can learn and

What if, what your consumers want is

contribute.

not morally right? What if their want is

It is important to have diversity of thought and experiences. You could have diversity of gender and race and still be subject to group think. As I mentioned in my earlier point, most disruptions come from outside the

It is important for brands and businesses to move with the times and be more in sync with the new generation of consumers.

industry. Most innovations come from

‘Only learning’ is too expensive for

marginalizing others? What if their want

the organization and ‘only contribution’

is reinforcing current regressive

is not as exciting for the individual. You

stereotypes? Also, you have the

don’t have to compromise on learning

millennials and Gen Z who are very

to be part of a reputed brand or

conscious of some of the social issues.

organization, if your job is not exciting

Whether it is against pollution or child

and doesn’t allow you to learn. I am not

labour, Women’s’ and LGBT rights or

talking about training and development

climate change, they are far more aware.

here, but about trying experiments and

It is important for brands and

learning from them, especially the

businesses to move with the times and

mistakes.

be more in sync with the new generation

ideas transplanted from one industry to

My early experience at Pond’s was

of consumers. If they are not already

another. A diverse set of people with

amazing. The opportunity to learn and

your consumers, they will be your

diverse experiences is willing to work

contribute at Pond’s was incredible. As

potential consumers soon and if the

with different ideas much better,

an Assistant Brand Manager, I was

brand and business is not in sync, they

although it can be challenging in the

rolling out Vaseline Intensive Care

will not be your consumers ever.

early days to achieve some semblance of

Lotion across the country after a

It was always the right thing to do,

a coherent way of working.

previous pilot launch, made a TVC for

but most brands got away as consumers

To bring alignment, instead of

Vaseline Prickly Heat Lotion for which

then were not as demanding. Some

hiring people aligned to the leader or

the mix was work­in­progress, and

brands are already beginning to move in

group think, it is worth considering

developed a mix for Vaseline Antiseptic

that direction. I can name a few

aligning on purpose. In Adidas, I found

Cream to compete with Boroline, the

international brands, but I was looking

it easy to align people by hiring for

poor person’s alternative to Pond’s Cold

for some examples in India when a

interest in sports. You need not be a top

Cream. Not to forget Vaseline Lip Guard

friend suggested the Tata Tea Jaago Re

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campaign. I liked it.

To sum up, there will be polarities

I haven’t done enough research to

thrown at you and it is important to

see if Tata Tea is using this just as an

learn to manage and even thrive in

advertising campaign or supporting this

polarities.

Learning AND Contribution, and most importantly, Consumer AND Society Centricity I am not suggesting that the AND

with a fundamental change at the

I talked about a few ANDs:

mindset will always be suitable. But do

organisation level and following

Growth AND Profitability

consider it as one of the options and

Change AND Continuity

explore the ‘Power of AND’, not a wishy­

through with activation on the ground.

I do hope that this is more than an advertising campaign.

Alignment AND Diversity

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washy AND, but an intensely focused AND. 

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W

e are living in challenging times. Young graduates are

having

their

placement offers revoked. Young executives are being laid off. Salary cut is par for the course. Except for a few industries, this is the norm in most sectors. How do we strengthen our internal spring to face these challenges, rejection and setback?

The 2020 season of Kaun Banega Crorepati has an apt tagline in tune with the mood of our times: “Setback ka jawaab Comeback se” [answer each setback with a strong comeback].

When faced with the pink slip, do we get into a denial mood or do we sit up and figure out what we need to do?

Anna Wintour the legendary editor­ in­chief of fashion magazine Vogue has this to say about getting fired: “Everyone should get sacked at least once. It forces you to look at yourself…

It is important to have setbacks, because that is the reality of life. Perfection does not exist”.

I am not wishing that you should get sacked or fired. But remember even if you get fired, it need not be the end of the road.

Handling Rejection: The Three Step Process The three­step process to handling rejection or any challenge starts with the first step. Get ready to face the

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Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

setback. Don’t let the setback push you

The next step is to process the

activate your network. This network

into a negative spiral. It is easy to blame

rejection. What happened? What

may include a trusted friend, may be a

the environment, the cruel ‘Hari Sadu’

could you have done to save your

former boss or even a professor from

boss, the Head Office dictator,

position? Often you have a tunnel

your university. Can you seek them out

vision. You are not able to see beyond

to give you honest feedback? In the

your narrow lens. You need to have a

book SPRING – Bouncing Back From

Rejection Processing System in place.

Rejection, I have spoken about a startup

This could consist of a set of questions

team that got rejected 100 times before

you ask yourself. The system may

they met a mentor who gave them vital

involve you seeking honest feedback

cues on how to reorient their pitch

from the person who rejected you, if

deck.

If you don’t capture the learning from each rejection, you are bound to repeat the same mistakes, leading to the same results.

that is possible.

You have reconciled yourself on the

In an interview situation that may

rejection. You have processed the issues

be difficult, but if you are friendly with

that led to the rejection. Now comes the

unyielding American Bosses and more.

the HR team, they will be more than

most important part. What have you

But banish all those thoughts. Just park

happy to share with you what they think

learnt from the rejection that you

them aside even if they may be true.

was the problem in your CV or with your

can use to spring forward?

Face the setback without getting into a

interview. If you are not able to self­

negative mind game.

process the rejection, then you need to 15

DECEMBER 2020

It is important that after each

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rejection you need to find out what are

manner will help you figure out

‘Redirection’ when rejected. Do you

the lessons. What can you learn from

the best way to reboot and

continue the same path or should you

the rejection? It is possible that your CV

rekindle your journey. It may be for

explore new direction? Or the power of

was badly written. Or you did not do

a job application. Or it may be for a

‘Reframing’. Will you be able to sell your

your homework before getting into the

promotion in your current job. Or it

idea or your proposal if you package it

interview room. Or you did not

may even be to get your book published.

differently; if you can present your

recognize the person interviewing you.

The same three­step formula should

proposal under a different ‘Frame of

If you don’t capture the learning

help. You can learn all about how I used

Reference’ you may well win the big

from each rejection, you are bound to

the three steps in my 40­year career, but

prize.

repeat the same mistakes, leading to the

you can also learn valuable lessons from

same results.

business

The three­step formula is simple if you get it: Face the rejection with courage. Process the rejection with confidence. And learn from each rejection.

Managing rejection in this

leaders,

In addition to these important

entrepreneurs,

tools, the book will also arm you with

academics,

ideas that can help you face any

scientists, Nobel laureates, Olympic

rejection and bounce back with

athletes, movie directors and more in

confidence. 

musicians,

authors,

my new book SPRING – Bouncing Back From Rejection.

The book will also teach you new tricks on how to use the power of

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DECEMBER 2020

Ambi Parameswaran is an award‐ winning best‐selling author of ten books.

His latest book ‘Spring – Bouncing Back From Rejection’ is also available as Kindle e‐book and Audible audio‐book.

17

DECEMBER 2020

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DECEMBER 2020

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T

hough many companies follow

story of two people who were cutting

of those in leadership positions but also,

the carrot­and­stick approach

stones. When someone asked them what

a once­in­a­life opportunity for the

for motivation, according to

they were doing, one of them said that

leaders. Thus it is of paramount

author Daniel Pink in the best­selling

he was cutting a stone and the other said

importance both from the economic and

book, ‘Drive: The Surprising Truth

he was building the best temple in the

social point of view.

About What Motivates Us,’ three things

world. We can easily say who was the

essentially drive performance:

better motivated out of the two.

1) Autonomy or freedom to do what people want to do.

2) Mastery in how one can stretch and expand one’s boundary and master new skills. It is about achieving

leadership. I like the one by John Seely Brown which reads:

Bringing Up the Lower Rungs How do we help people who are in the lower

rungs

of

Maslow’s

There are numerous quotes on

need

hierarchy? Unlocking their potential will

The job of leadership today is not just to make money, it’s to make meaning.

ensure the economic well­being of the

We need to make meaning for

nation, propel us towards $5Tn

ourselves, for the enterprises that we

economy and support the Make­in­India

lead, for the consumers and for the

campaign. We have to reach out to that

society at large. When we do that, it

3) Purpose to ensure that work

layer in the society and unlock their

creates a virtuous spiral of value and

does not become drudgery and that

potential. It will also bring meaning to

engagement, leading to economic and

there is a larger purpose to it. There is a

our lives. This is not just a responsibility

social value in the long run.

something which we have not done till now and which makes us feel that we have grown as a human being.

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There are FIVE LESSONS that I

Lesson 1: Purpose

That shook the entire country. We had

have learned in unlocking human

The leader must envision a purpose and

a safety meeting immediately after the

potential.

keep it alive. The purpose of the

incident. Many employees felt strongly

All lessons are based on some

organisation must be communicated to

about the accident. The workers were

assumptions. Recruiting the right

the teams irrespective of their levels and

mentally disturbed and they were also

person for the right job is very

they must be made to realise that they

important. There is a couplet in

are part of the mission. There is a

Thirukural, a collection of verses written

famous story of a janitor in NASA who

in Tamil 2000 years ago, that says,

said that he was helping a person land

‘Entrust a job to a person after

on the moon, when asked about his role

identifying and ascertaining if he is the

in NASA.

right person for the job.’ Nobody joins a

I was running one of the factories at

company to be unproductive or waste

Pond’s. ‘Safe operation’ was a purpose

their talent. After 5 to 10 years, they

in Pond’s. In operations, we do not

lose interest due to lack of motivation.

want anyone to get hurt.

Leadership lies in keeping people productive, making them to contribute and learn, and developing them further.

In 2004, there was a terrible fire accident in a Kumbakonam school and many children were charred to death.

21

DECEMBER 2020

When the sense of self‐ worth is enhanced by a leader, people warm up to the environment and unlock their full potential.

Psychological safety has now gained importance.

We may not be perfect but everyone wants to contribute.

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

worried about the safety of their

person. The worker no more requires

Rangoli and that made him feel a great

children in the schools in which they

any supervision.

sense of self­worth and motivated him.

were studying. They were given a day off

In Pond’s, when for the first time,

by the factory. The workers divided

Lesson 2: Power of Self‐Worth

themselves into small teams. They

Each of us wants to be worthy. “Even a

voluntarily did safety audits in many

brick wants to be something,” said Louis

schools around and especially in schools

Kohn. When the sense of self­worth is

where their children studied. They gave

enhanced by a leader, people warm up

their findings and recommendations to

to the environment and unlock their full

the schools. It was so well received. This

potential. Psychological safety has now

was not part of their KPI but the

gained importance. We may not be

workers lived their purpose. They

perfect

integrated safety in their workplace.

contribute. If a person, for instance, is

Instead of enforcing safety through

good only in gardening, we can assign

Lesson 3: The Best HR Policy

monitoring, giving warnings and

him a task in the garden and make him

We may have many volumes of

memos, this act made safety a part of

realise his self­worth. In our factory, a

documented HR policies but the best

their life. When such a shift happens,

worker did only one thing with passion

HR policy is “Human Conscience.” Let’s

the purpose of the organisation gets

and that was Rangoli. Every time there

me illustrate this with the Autonomy Vs

translated into the identity of the

was an opportunity, we made him do

Discipline framework.

but

22

everyone

wants

DECEMBER 2020

to

we decided to produce talcum powder in 20gm packs, it was a complex engineering challenge. We empowered a team of workmen who eventually solved the complex engineering problem and helped create a new business segment. They demonstrated their self­ worth and secured the future of the company.

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

We are all afraid of landing in a

Exception handling is also very

initiatives need imagination and a high

situation where there is High Autonomy

important. In 2002, I was working in

level of engagement. All these eventually

and Low Discipline. Because of this we

Pondicherry. One of our workers died in

create sustainable development in the

choose a High Discipline environment

a road accident while returning home.

society.

and use a lot of rules and regulations to

He was one of the best workmen in the

manage this. This leads to Low

factory. It was the first loss of an

Lesson 4: The 20‐60‐20 Rule

Autonomy and we eventually drift into

employee since the factory started its

In any organisation, 20% of the people

a Low Autonomy­Low Discipline

operation in 1985 and it impacted

are good performers (A­Listers) and

environment. However, the sweet spot

everyone in the factory. We at once

another 20% are poor performers. The

is the quadrant where we have both

created a trust to take care of his wife

rest 60% are average performers. When

Discipline and Autonomy. Successful

and two kids instead of giving a

we take over, we have to begin our

organisations stay in this sweet spot.

lumpsum payout. The trust was in place

journey with reinforcing the A­listers by

Even as early as the 90s, Pond’s had

for 18 years till the kids completed the

communicating with them and through

a rating system for the workers and it

college and the family was fully self­

various rituals. People will realise that

was shared with them transparently.

sufficient. Last year, it was dismantled

this is the behaviour that is good and is

This motivated people to do well and

and the corpus given to the family.

wanted of them. The people in the

produced a positive environment for

We also had an educational trust to

performance. It requires a lot of

help the needy children of workers. 12

judgement and transparent leadership

of them have become doctors including

to run this process in a fair manner but

many girls; 55 kids have become

when done, it produces magic.

engineers. More than money, these 23

DECEMBER 2020

middle will sway towards the top­20.

The bottom 20 has to be effectively contained and sometimes through tough decisions. Getting the middle 60% to move towards the top 20% instead of

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

the bottom 20% is a key task in running any team effectively.

and empowerment

conditions and staying away

continuous improvement and respect Lesson 5: Don’t Look for Big Things

for people. It is not just wishing them

Instead of looking for big things, just do

‘good morning.’ Communication with

small things with great love.

employees must happen like that

When one of the best supervisors

between a mother and child, where even

retired after putting in 40 years of

if the child has not learned to speak, the

sincere work, we asked him to address

mother understands the child’s needs.

the organisation on the lessons that he

The leader must empathize with

learnt in those 40 years. He proudly

employees and assign challenging roles.

shared those lessons and they are: a)

Engage

genuinely

with

need any help.

c)

Catch them doing the right

d)

and supervisors designed and developed

functions.

‘Low cost automation.’ We conduct

community. Organise a family day where employees and their family members can meet.

sales managers two to three days in a month and visit the regional office, maybe once in a quarter. Of course,

major challenges.

work, like by attending family a

they would meet the supervisor or the

learning) are vital aspects of the Toyota

computer­aided design; our operators

as

Offices or the Head Office. In those days,

But in those days, this was one of the

beyond

factory

far away from either the Regional

and JISI IUKCN (to facilitate self­

identify a worker who was so good in

the

Sales people are located in places

in touch with people more frequently.

the same.

Treat

every day

Cross­functional Quality Circles

Way. Through such forums, we could

employees

Facing multiple rejections

changed now and it is possible to keep

thing and recognise them for Engage

•

with technology, the scenario may have

employees and find out if they b)

from families for long periods

The Toyota Way 2001 is about

competitions for creating value out of waste, recognise and reward the ‘Scrap Buster Champions.’ These are ways in

These will result in a stronger

which we motivate our employees and

level of performance.

make them realise their self­worth.

They work in very difficult conditions. Whether it is hot summers, cold winters or rainy seasons, they have to be on the move and out in the field.

They have to travel by overnight trains, buses and vans in difficult conditions.

They have to be away from their families for 15 to 18 days in a month and transportation to and from their homes is not easy. They had to face rejection every day. If they call on 25 to 30 retail

Mr G Prakash shared his insights on

Mr Y V Lakshminarayan Pandit

shops in the day, in about 15 shops, they

improving the self­worth of employees

shared his insights on how we can

will be told, “Please go back. I have

from his Toyota experience:

unlock human potential in sales based

nothing to offer you.”

In Toyota, every frontline manager is

on his long experience in managing the

How do you unlock potential in a

called a HR Manager. The organisation

field force at Pond’s and later in the

group of people like this? In Pond’s, we

lays stress on:

mobile industry:

had one of the highly motivated,

There are THREE main challenges that

engaged and productive sales team. A

the sales people face:

large part of our success in the

•

Commitment

to

beliefs,

philosophies and common values •

Total employee involvement

•

Working in far­off locations

•

Working 24

in

DECEMBER 2020

difficult

marketplace was due to the efforts of our sales force. That is why, everyone

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

Companies must focus on vertical engagement.

Because of the scale, managers have to engage their teams on the challenges in the job, create a purpose for the role they do for the clients and have various team events...

well the sales managers looked after

sales force. There were two components

their sales team determined their

—one linked to achievement of targets

success.

and the second through sales contests

While compassion was important, the company nevertheless focused on

which generated a lot of buzz and enthusiasm in the team.

performance. There was regular monitoring of sales results against plan

Krish Shankar shared his insights on

and budgets. The whole sales team was

managing HR in large service

focused on delivering their goals, and

organisations:

this motivated them enormously. Those who did well were clearly on top. Thus, the feel­good factor was driven through performance.

We ensured discipline in the

How is HR different in the service industry? Essentially, there are three major differences.

•

The size of the industry

•

People and the different places

team. We had a daily route plan, travel

where they work

joining Ponds in marketing spent the

plan and monthly journey plan. The

initial several months or even years in

salespersons had to adhere to the daily

the field working with the sales team.

route plan and they were not allowed to

The scale is huge in a service

We motivated them in FIVE ways.

deviate from the plan. However, while

industry compared to a factory where

drawing up the plan every quarter, we

there may be 2,000 to 3,000 workers.

consulted them and took their inputs.

Infosys has about 2.5 lakh employees

•

Treating

them

with

compassion and care •

By focussing on performance

•

By ensuring discipline

•

By focussing on integrity and values

•

By

recognition

of

the

individuals, their self­worth and linking it to rewards Compassion and care was one

Another key aspect is focus on

•

The role of the continuously changing technology

and TCS, 4.5 lakh employees.

integrity and values. We took

About 30 to 40% of the people in a

stringent measures when a salesperson

service industry are not in the

was found not adhering to values of

company’s premises. They work on the

financial integrity and integrity with

client side or on projects somewhere

regard to dealings with retailers or

else. They may not even access emails

authorized dealers.

on their company’s portal, possibly because they are on a client network.

of our main pillars. We treated them like

We motivated and unlocked

human beings. Everyone in the

potential of the group through

In the IT industry, another major

organization—from the CMD to the last

recognition and rewards. We

challenge is the change in technology

person—understood their difficulties.

recognized that the salesperson made a

and the need for employees to learn and

We gave more importance to their

huge difference to our business and

do something new. The life of a job in IT

family problems than the products. We

contributed immensely. Recognition

is about three to four years. After that,

had no HR department. The sales

gave them a sense of self­worth.

they have to do something very

managers were the HR managers. How

Financial rewards meant a lot to the

different. These are broadly the three

25

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

taking an on­site posting; if not, he may

...the difference between a factory and a service industry is probably the mindset of people. While at the base they are the same, their career horizons are different.

choose a different career. So, the HR

In Infosys, we got something called

must take care of their career horizons

the ‘Navigator,’ where employees do

in their initial three to five­years.

design thinking, understand the

The young employee today needs

•

role to play.

•

THREE ways:

Have core values

•

Offer a value proposition

Culture: We must create a culture that will enable individual managers to

years, they want to see some

keep learning. In India, online learning

growth.

was not very popular. But in the last six

Learning: They want to work

months, learning through online

in

courses has steeply increased.

a

great

learning

have

good

Companies have to build the

Compensation: They study

culture, create a value proposition and

the market and the skill sets

ensure that they train the right

needed to perform a job. They

managers and send the right messages.

want compensation linked to

Leadership must keep the focus on these

their performance.

Create a culture

•

and give them a lot of rewards so they

teams and bosses.

We can address these challenges in

•

Career growth: Every 2 to 3

environment,

major challenges. Therefore, individual

and they need to do them at scale.

In Infosys, we gauged this and created the value proposition which essentially consists of THREE things: a)

Give them meaningful and

do things like they do in factories. As

purposeful jobs where they can

people sit in various places, culture will

make an impact.

ensure that there are leaders who take responsibility.

Core values: The values of the company should spell out some of the core things that are important to people.

Value proposition: We have to offer a value proposition to our employees. Today, a young engineer who comes from an engineering college does not think of working in a company for a long time. He works for three years and then thinks of doing an MBA or

b) c)

problems of the customer and solve it on their own. We create learning paths

THREE things:

•

managers in service industry have a vital

improvement (Kaizen).

Provide them with continuous

So the difference between a factory and a service industry is probably the mindset of people. While at the base they are the same, their career horizons are different.

learning and growth.

The Role of HR

Create a culture where an

The HR must build systems by which

employee’s

they have the right managers and train

experience

is

valued.

them. These managers in turn, must

Companies must focus on vertical engagement. Because of the scale, managers have to engage their teams on the challenges in the job, create a purpose for the role they do for the clients and have various team events through which they understand that purpose. They feel that they deliver it to their clients and that there is scope for innovation 26

and

continuous

DECEMBER 2020

provide the right ecosystem for their teams to perform.

As the mindset of people is continuously changing, we have to be agile and keep changing our systems too. The HR must play a key role in creating the right leaders and managers who can live up to these challenges and deliver. 

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

27

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

"When the speaker, the hearer, and the words said thoroughly agree with one another in course of a speech, then does the sense or meaning come out very clearly?

When, in the matter of what is to be said, the speaker shows disregard for the understanding of the hearer by uttering words whose meaning is understood by himself, then, however good those words may be, they become incapable of being seized by the hearer.

That speaker, again, who, abandoning all regard for his own meaning uses words that are of excellent sound and sense, awakens only erroneous, impressions in the mind of the hearer. Such words in such connection become certainly faulty.

That speaker, however, who employs words that are while expressing his own meaning, intelligible to the hearer as well, truly deserves to be called a speaker.

No other man deserves the name.” 1

I

s this from a management manual on communication skills? No – it is an extract from a speech by

Sulabha, in the court of Dharmadhyaja

Janaka, as narrated in the Santi Parva

Knowledge, light up the path in the

of the Mahabharata by Bhishma to

mundane world as well.

Yudhishtra.

Our epics and scriptures narrate, amongst others, the stories of a number of ‘ordinary’ women who have lived extraordinary lives. These women are not management gurus, yet their lives and deeds could reflect the many lessons taught by management luminaries after long illustrious careers.

‘The various kinds of education and knowledge are like different rivers, whereas spiritual education or knowledge is like the ocean. Just as all the rivers go and merge into the ocean, all kinds of education and knowledge too merge into the ocean of spiritual knowledge.’ 2

Sulabha: Diversity Sulabha, a mendicant woman yogi, visits King Dharmadhyaja Janaka’s court on hearing that he was devoted to the pursuit of Emancipation. Through yogic measures she enters the understanding of the king to test his self­ realisation, whereupon the startled king shoots off a barrage of questions at her, starting with “whose are you, from where do you come and where will you go when you finish your business here”, followed by a lengthy condescending exposition of his achievements on the path of

Below are just a few such lessons

Emancipation, and concluding with why

from some women in our history and

his achievements, even in domestic

scriptures. From varied stations and

royal life, were superior to those of her

walks of life, they each bequeathed

celibate mendicant life.

precious legacies of wisdom that, as

In striking contrast, Sulabha’s

sparks from the luminous fire of Self – response is calm, clear and measured 28

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

(the verses above are a sample). His questions immediately reveal to her the incompleteness of his emancipation, centering as it does on her apparent physical identity. She addresses his

the knowledge of duality that (erroneously) says—this is mine and this other is not mine—then what use is there with such questions as Who art thou, whose art thou and whence dost thou come?” 1

in spite of her best advice and retires to

The Self appropriates no race, class

kingdom, ruling it wisely and well for

queries and the underlying assumptions and prejudices even as she shatters his

or gender to Itself.

a secluded life of privation and penance in a distant isolated hermitage in pursuit of emancipation, she takes upon herself the responsibility of the forsaken eighteen long years.

delusive self­aggrandizement. She wins

When the one innate entity in all is

Sacrifice does not imply

the respect of the king and the court

recognized, respect is accorded to

renouncing of possessions or

through her self­confident tranquillity

capabilities and efficiencies regardless

responsibilities but of ignorance

and calm clarity in the face of this very

of differences in external identities.

and attachment: this is the lesson she

aggressive provocation.

realizes her husband would have to

When the one innate entity in all is recognized, respect is accorded to capabilities and efficiencies regardless of differences in external identities.

Her counter questions to his queries on her identity and mission are a clear reminder that the lofty goal of diversity (across race, class or gender)

presupposes

an

acknowledgement and respect of the Unity (the One Divinity) manifesting as the diversity: “If it is true that thou seest an identity with thyself and others, why then didst thou ask me who I am and whose? If it is true that hast, O king, been freed from

Choodala: The Simplest Solution is

learn after experiencing for himself the

Almost Always the Best

futility of a false renunciation.

Queen Choodala’s story is recounted in the

Yoga

Vasishta,

a

riveting

conversation between Brahmarishi Vasishta and Sri Rama.

She hastens to her husband’s hermitage when she realizes he is ready.

In the awareness that he might not value the message due to his perception of and

A beautiful and accomplished

emotions for her, the messenger, she

queen dearly beloved to her husband,

takes the form of a young Brahmin boy.

Queen Choodala embarks on her

Through a long and patient conversation

spiritual journey while executing her

she enlightens him that possessions,

wifely and royal duties, reaching very

relationships, roles or forms do not

advanced levels of realization and

constitute the identity that define

acquiring many yogic siddhis along the

egoism and that true renunciation

way.

involves the detachment from the false

She understands and accepts that

self, rather than from these.

her husband, though a ruler of

One of the parables she narrates is

acknowledged expertise, is significantly

of the philosopher’s stone. A man after

lagging behind in spiritual evolution.

a long quest finds it suddenly within

Her maturity shines through not just in

easy reach. Doubting its authenticity

her acceptance, but also in her

(since he thought the stone would not

willingness to let him adopt a circuitous

be this easily available), he does not

and perilous route to Self Realisation,

reach out for it till after it vanishes.

acknowledging that each learns best

Much later, after arduous practices, he

through his own experience. When the

finds a glossy bauble that he secures,

king renounces his kingdom and riches 29

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

mistaking it for the philosopher’s stone.

husband and Adi Sankaracharya. When

(the seer of the shukla yajurveda) had

“That searcher after the philosopher's stone, was undoubtedly acquainted with science, but had no knowledge of the truth (tatwajnana); he searched the gem but knew not what it was…

Ubhayabharathi declared her husband’s

two wives, Katyayani and Maitreyi.

defeat, he took to sanyas as per the

When he decided to renounce his

terms and she followed suit.

gruhastha (householder) status to leave

Know O holy man! that it is relinquishing of errors, which is said to be the philosopher's stone.

After you have let slip the precious gem of resignation from your hand, you have chosen the false glossy gewgaw of austerity for some fond wish in your view.”3

Once, while on a walk with her

for the forest (vanaprastha), he offers to

disciples, she chanced upon a mendicant

split his wealth equally between his two

resting with a dried bottlegourd under

wives. While Katyayani is content,

his head.

Maitreyi is not so. She puts forth a few

Ubhayabharathi renunciant’s

saw

attachment

this to

the

bottlegourd and said to her disciples,

When the prince’s intellect is

“Look! This man calls himself a

moulded into receptive humility

renunciant, but he’s attached to a

through honest introspection, she

bottlegourd, which he keeps under his

teaches him that laboriously casting

head as a pillow.”

away possessions or roles is similar to

The renunciant heard this comment

lopping off the branches of the tree (the

but said nothing. When Ubhayabharathi

glass bauble) instead of burning away

and her disciples were returning from

the root of ignorance with the fire of

the river, he threw away the bottlegourd

relentless self­inquiry (the philosopher’s

in front of them in order to demonstrate

stone):

that he was not attached to it. Observing

“Prince, the fire which is able to consume the seed of the noxious plant of the mind, is the expostulation of the question, "what am I that bear this corporeal form upon me."3

his action, Ubhayabharathi remarked:

Very often, the obvious and the simplest solution is the best.

“I thought there was only one defect in him, namely, attachment (abhimana).

Now I realise that he has another defect also, i.e. ego (ahamkara). How can one with attachment and ego become a wise person and renunciant?” 4 The abashed renunciant left the

Ubhayabharathi: A Lot Can be Accomplished if You Don’t Care For the Credit

place, having gained a priceless lesson.

Detachment

requires

the

renunciation of external validation.

Ubhayabharathi, the wife of Mandana Mishra, was so respected for her

Maithreyi: Prioritize and Focus

wisdom and impartiality that she was

This is yet another remarkable woman

appointed as the judge in the

who is credited with ten of the Rig

philosophical debate between her

Veda’s 1000 verses. Sage Yajnavalkya, 30

DECEMBER 2020

questions to him that makes him expound on the nature of the Self and worldly attachments.

Intelligent and wise questioning has the power to draw forth the sought after knowledge. The questioner requires honesty and humility to request for clarity at times of doubt...

Intelligent and wise questioning has the power to draw forth the sought after knowledge. The questioner requires honesty and humility to request for clarity at times of doubt and courage to approach the subject and the mentor with self­confidence and respect (qualities exemplified by Arjuna, the questioner who secured the priceless Bhagavad Githa from Bhagawan Shri Krishna as a reward).

The very first question that

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

Maithreyi asks reflects her keen intellect

wrathful gaze reduces the bird to ashes.

Spirituality teaches that the only

as well as her genuine sincerity:

Later in the day, he proceeds on his daily

way to do things right is to do the right

‘Sir, if indeed this whole earth full of wealth be mine, shall I be immortal through that?’

ritual of begging for alms. A housewife

thing. Sulabha, Maithreyi, Choodala,

who offers to serve him is diverted by

Ubhayabharathi,

the task of attending to her husband. As

housewife—a few stars in the galaxy of

The single­minded focus on her

a very irritated Kaushika calls out to her,

spiritual luminaries.

goal of liberation is strengthened when

she replies:

she learns that immortality would not

'I am no she‐crane, O regenerate Rishi!

O thou that art endued with the wealth of asceticism, cast off this anger of thine.

Engaged as thou are, what canst thou do to me with these angry glances of thine?’

accrue on account of wealth. Clearly and simply she asks the next question: ‘if this is so, what shall I do with that wealth which will not make me immortal? Tell me, sir, of that alone which you know to be the only means of immortality.’ 5 Yanjnavalkya, greatly pleased with her, imparts the supreme knowledge.

Single­mindedness requires the sacrifice of lower goals in pursuit of the higher.

the

anonymous

Ordinary Women.

6

The ascetic is astonished that she knows of the incident with the she­ crane. Seeking his forgiveness, she then advises him to understand the true subtleties of virtue and detached performance of duties from a butcher who lives in a nearby village. Truly abashed, the ascetic humbly approaches

What We do Matters Less Than How

the ‘lowly’ butcher and is rewarded with

We do It:

the ‘Vyadha Githa’, a treatise on

Answers may come from the least likely

performance of duties with detachment.

source and open mindedness opens

The ascetic is enriched hugely through

many doors.

the chance interaction with the humble

Extraordinary Lives. 

Ms. Meenakumari Venkateswaran is a rank holder in the CA Intermediate and CA Final Examinations and a Sivabhogam Award winner for Best Lady Candidate in the CA exam. She started her professional career with Pond’s India Limited. After her stint at Pond’s, she has had a varied exposure: teaching (ICAI and MP Birla Institute of Management Studies), NGO (Planet Finance, Dubai) and start‐up (Fragrance Delivery Technologies, Dubai). An accomplished Bharathanatyam dancer, (disciple of Smt Sudharani Raghupathy), Ms. Meenakumari has trained several students over the years. She is also deeply interested in spiritual studies and social work and currently spends her time largely in voluntary activities, writing and family.

housewife. ‘āno bhadrā kratavo yantu viśvato’: May Noble Thoughts Come To Us From Every Side (Rig Veda 1.89.1)

It is not ‘what’ one does but ‘how’ it is done that determines the status of the

1.

indeed—this lady does not merit even a name in the story. Extraordinary?

crucial directions from an unnamed

Without doubt—as are all lives defined

housewife in a story narrated in the

by simple living and high thinking.

Peter Drucker has famously said:

Kaushika was meditating when a

“Management is doing things right,

she­crane seated atop the tree he was

while Leadership is doing the right

seated under and befouled his body. His

thing.”

31

DECEMBER 2020

Mahabharata,

Santi

Parva,

Section CCCXXII

deed and the doer. Ordinary? Yes,

A young sage, Kaushika, gets some

Vana Parva of the Mahabharatha.

References:

2.

Spiritual

Education

Is

Education.

3.

Yoga Vasishta

4.

Discard Body Delusion And Develop Attachment To God.

5.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: Yajnavalkya and Maitreyi

6.

Mahabharatha, Vana Parva, Section CCV

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

32

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Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

W

e all wish to be happy, to

manager got sick of him and wanted to

If any servant in his household fell sick,

do meaningful work, to

kick him out. Hughes purchased the

he would have his whole wardrobe

find

and

entire hotel. He liked to see old movies

burnt. In this state, he imprisoned

success and lead a full and rich life. To

at night on the hotel TV. There was no

himself in the last years of his life and

achieve this goal, we keep working on

such TV station in Las Vegas at that

died extremely miserable.

enhancing our external resources and

time. So he just purchased a TV station

adjusting our external circumstances.

and arranged for those movies.

fulfilment

The Mother of Orphans

But in the process, we miss out that

On the other hand, we come across

happiness does not depend on the

people who are externally in difficult

externals at all. It is all dependent on the kind of emotions that we harbour within ourselves.

The Richest but Poorest We always come across people in this world who have money, fame, power and yet when we look at their personal lives, they are complete failures. I am reminded of Howard Hughes who was, in his time, one of the richest people in the world. He once went to Las Vegas and stayed in the penthouse suite of Desert Inn. After a few weeks, the

We always come across people in this world who have money, fame, power and yet when we look at their personal lives, they are complete failures.

However around his middle age, his mind went out of control; he had a neurotic fear that germs were attacking

circumstances, facing severe hardships, challenges

and

austerities.

Yet

internally, they find great fulfilment and purpose in their life. Some of you may be familiar with a lady called Sindhutai Sapkal. She was living in eastern, Maharashtra, in the district of Wardha, which is a part of the cotton belt with very arid lands.

him. He would lock himself up in his

When she was a six­year­old, she

room, which he considered to be germ­

used to take her family's buffaloes for

free. He was so scared of germs

grazing. When the buffaloes were

attacking him from the outside. He

immersed in the lake, she would run to

washed his hands thousand times a day.

school where her teacher would beat her

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

She delivered her fourth child and

to help and in a few years, she became

the

went back to her parent’s house who

known as the Mother of Orphans. She

neighbours would beat her because the

rejected her. To protect herself from

parented over a thousand orphans.

buffaloes had grazed their grass.

exploitation, she started living in the

Many of them became PhDs, doctors

cremation ground. Frustrated with her

and reputed engineers.

because she came late. When she returned

to

the

buffaloes,

As eleven year old, she got married to a much elder man. From him, she had three children. When the fourth child was in her womb, she became an activist. The cow dung mafia was exploiting the women of that area. She complained to the district collector and that annoyed the leader of the mafia gang who went and told her husband that she had an illicit affair with him and that their fourth child was actually his.

life, she thought of committing suicide.

However when she was about to do it,

The Naughtiest Child

she heard the cry of a little child close to

She says the crowning moment in her

the railway track in the railway station.

life came when her old husband who had

She started giving solace to that child

become a derelict by then came to her

and found great satisfaction in it. That gave her an idea. Could she find meaning and purpose in life by taking care of the orphaned children in that railway station?

The husband got so swayed by what he

Slowly, she started increasing the

heard. He took her to the cowshed and

children under her. She started begging

beat her so much that she fell under the

to take care of them. Others came to

cow and the cow started protecting her.

know and they started coming forward 34

DECEMBER 2020

Howard Hughes had everything and yet made a mess of his life.

Sindhutai Sapkal had practically nothing and yet she succeeded. for shelter. She did not harbour any

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

bitterness. She welcomed him as her child and she says that he is her naughtiest child now. She was a lady who underwent such extreme hardship.

Yet, she found the most important thing in life—a purpose to live for and fulfilment and happiness in what she does and what she is.

Howard Hughes had everything and yet made a mess of his life.

Sindhutai Sapkal had practically nothing and yet she succeeded. Today, she is given so many awards and felicitations. The answer lies within —managing our minds, thoughts and emotions. The mind is such a powerful instrument. In the worst of conditions, if your mind is calm and composed, you will experience celestial bliss. On the other hand, living in the midst of the most opulent luxury, if the mind is disturbed and agitated, you will experience the torment of hell.

Conquer Mind: the Double‐Edged Sword Two thousand years ago, Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya asked, “Who shall influence and conquer the world?”

He also gave the answer: “The person who has conquered his or her own mind.”

Thousands

of

years

before

Shankaracharya, in the Panchadasi, it was stated that mind is the cause of bondage, but the mind can be the cause

of liberation as well. That is why the

and the uncontrolled mind becomes the

Bhagavad Gita states that mind is like a

worst enemy sitting right within you.

two­edged sword. It can be your best friend and it can be your worst enemy.

Within and Without

The controlled mind which becomes

In our education system, we learn so

your servant helps you as your best asset

many sciences, but practically each and

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

every science is related to the world on the outside, which is very necessary. We

perspective of looking at humankind.

world.

On the other hand, our Indian

Sometimes the Indian civilization

civilization emphasizes this Inner world.

focuses too much on the inside to the

I often tell managers, and when I go to

neglect of the outside. Our Vedas say

business schools, I say to the students

that we need two branches of knowledge

there, “You learn how to manage

to make our life a success—one, material

machines,

market

knowledge to understand the external

on the values you have installed within

environments and human resources, but

world and utilise it for our purpose and

yourself. The values will depend upon

have you learned to manage yourself?” two, the spiritual knowledge that helps

the beliefs that you have got within like

So this management of us is

us understand our inner world and

your belief about the purpose of life and

fundamental to our effectiveness as a

develop good attitudes, beliefs and

the value of a human being. This inner

manager. The attitude, passion and

values which will help us become

world got neglected in the western

inspiration you bring to your work and

successful and effective. Harmony and

civilization and their model and

all of that requires managing your inner

synthesis of both is essential in life. 

need to understand the laws of the external world and to have the ability to harness it. However, we miss out on how to manage our inner world.

The choices you make will depend

36

finances,

DECEMBER 2020

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How did Covid­19 and lockdown change your business trajectory?

This was the question I posed through LinkedIn and WhatsApp to my friends who are CEOs in SMEs and start­ups. Twenty responded. 45 percent of them said they were very adversely or somewhat adversely affected, but what is interesting is this: 45% said that they discovered new opportunities and new ways of working; 10% were somewhere in between.

I had the privilege of being involved in a medical device project as part of a task force to help a start­up branch into a completely new category of medical devices with a new product to be developed from scratch.

From Robots to Ventilators

they could build it in the next six days

On day two of Lockdown 1.0, I got a

and that it will be a portable device

phone call from Prof. Amitaba

which can run on battery. They also sent

Bandyopadhyay, the professor in charge

me a 3D drawing. I could see pumps,

of the Startup Incubation Centre at IIT

sensors and solenoid valves. I realised

Kanpur. He said that the government

there was merit in supporting them.

and Prime Minister had asked all IITs to come back with products and services that may be relevant to Covid and that he had sent a message to all startups in his contact list including two young graduates of the institute—Nikhil Kurule and Harshit Rathore, who were otherwise making robots for cleaning solar plants. He also said that they offered to design a high­end ICU ventilator to fight Covid.

“Can you talk to them and help me

I set up a WhatsApp group called,

decide whether or not they're making

“India Overcomes COVID” and reached

sense?” he asked me.

out to a set of people who could help

I got onto a WhatsApp discussion

Nikhil and Harshit. On 29 March, we

with these two boys. They sent me a

had in place a task force of 20 people. It

short video of the prototype and said

was a diverse group of experts: CEOs of

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

medical technology companies, one

showcase but for deployment, at an

Next factor was the method in which

Padma Shri, one Padma Bhushan, a

affordable price, by July in under 90

these 20 people worked together. The

supply

days. That was our goal and it was our

youngest in the group was a 23 year old

first success formula.

engineer. The oldest was a 74 year old

chain

expert

and

a

manufacturing expert.

For the next 82 days, this group of 20 would meet at noon over a Zoom call, and it became an unbreakable ritual. The call would be followed in the afternoon by email and phone conversations. Within the 82 day period, the product was not just designed but it also got certified as meeting international standards. It got clinically validated by well­known ICU experts at hospitals across the country.

Padma Shri. We also had a 69 year old Mission Mode Experts

Padma Bhushan It had diverse age

We realised that as a country, we are

groups, skill sets and mindsets. Half of

very bad at managing day­to­day things

this group had never met each other

like

providing

before but they worked constructively,

education for all and maintaining our

in a non hierarchical manner. Like Gary

roads; however, as a country, we work

Kirsten, who gently and successfully

very well in mission mode. We launch

coached India during the 2011 World

rockets in space and can manage Kumbh

Cup, we mentored the younger members

Mela with millions of devotees and a

of our team through the seniors.

traffic,

pollution,

clockwork precision. The noon zoom call became our mission mode.

The Power of Osmosis and Collaboration

Lessons from Chakde India

We had everyone learning from each

We learnt from the 2007 successful

other

movie ‘Chakde India’ where Shah Rukh

collaboration. When David Warner first

Khan becomes the coach of Indian

came into international cricket, he was

women hockey team that had complete

a T20 and ODI player and not a test

underdogs going into the Women's

player. Between 2009 and 2011, when

World Cup. Shah Rukh uses what I call

he played IPL for Delhi Daredevils, his

The normal development cycle for

agile iterations, to make the Indian team

team mate Sehwag told him that he

medical devices globally is 18 to 24

win. In the first few matches, his secret

could become very a good test player.

months. We could crunch it to 82 days

weapon was young, tiny girl from rural

Warner did not believe him. In 2011, he

without cutting corners. How did that

Haryana whose pass was so good.

made his test debut and since then, he

happen? What made this project a

Against the Korean team which resorts

has been considered to be a very good

success? Let me walk you through our

to man­to­man marking strategy, Shah

test player. It happened because of

SIX success principles:

Rukh iterates and pulls in a senior

osmosis

player who could break that man­to­

environment.

during

in

the

the

process

intense

of

IPL

Audacious Goal

man marking. India eventually wins the

We set ourselves a bold and audacious

World Cup. In our case also, every day,

The X‐Factor: The Government

vision. When we met for the first time

we took stock of our roadblocks. We

What the government did was

on March 29, we said that to fight Covid,

would iterate and make progress.

remarkable. On 9 April, India was in the

India needs a world­class ventilator that must be available not just in the

lockdown and 60% our components to Constructive, not Destructive 39

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

make the ventilator had to come from

Francisco. There are great universities

credits in the market, which came to bite

Southeast Asia or Far East. There were

generating great ideas, there is great

us in 2019. We also had a reasonably

no flights and courier services. The

talent available and there are investors

decent exposure with the large builders

Indian government stepped in, spoke to

with capital and experts who mentor

in the country.

the Indian High commission in

young people. All of them sit in close

In 2017­18, we started moving away

Singapore and figured out there was an

proximity, work together in cafes and

from these builders towards retail space

empty Singapore Airlines flight coming

bars and create great companies like

and 85% of our revenue is now coming

to Bombay to fly back stranded

Facebook, Google Etc. That is the magic

from Tier 2 and under­Tier 2 towns.

Singaporeans in India. The High

of Silicon Valley. Because of the

Thus, we have reduced our dependence

Commission helped in the airlines

pandemic, such places no longer have

on the greater metros. But there was a

carrying

from

this advantage, at least temporarily.

cash flow mismatch in the entire

Singapore. Thus the government

Right now, it does not matter if one lives

system.

stepped in at the crucial moments.

in Silicon Valley or Dehra Dun or

our

consignment

To summarise, our six success

Nigeria. This is a good opportunity for

The Big Cluster

factors or the operating principles that

India to catch up and leapfrog, if

Indian ceramic industry is the second

can be applied to businesses are:

possible. 

largest in the world after China; we have a cluster in Morbi, Gujarat. It's a small

1)

Having a bold vision

2)

Working in mission mode

area near Rajkot, which is the nearest

3)

Working in Agile iterations

airport to Morbi. There are about 900

4)

Being

non­hierarchical

and

plants and so we have 900 brands in the

constructive 5)

country. They thrive on evasion of taxes

Gaining from Osmosis and We are in the ceramic tiles business. It's

collaboration 6)

Engaging

the

government

effectively Silicon Valley Loses its Sheen The biggest learning was that time, space and expertise are no longer a

a third­generation business. I look after the tiles part of the multiple brands at Somany Ceramics. We are 90% into tiles and the rest into sanitaryware and bath fittings.

and duties. They run their plants efficiently from cost point of view but inefficiently from an environmental aspect. They were cheaper and used to give extended credits—180 to 270 days.

The dealers obviously were extremely attracted towards them and the larger

constraint. We no longer have to only

Realty in Tatters

brands stagnated. In the last four years,

dream about achieving bold, accelerated

We had been in a situation where we

we haven't really grown. Our CAGR

growth. There are huge implications for

were very reliant on the real estate

came down from 16% to a mere 4%.

India. If we look at the startup

sector. But it has probably been at a low

community, we can imagine that the

for the longest time ever, since 2014.

Silicon Valley can be reinvented in

With RERA and some reforms coming

India.

in, filtering has happened and a few big

The Silicon Valley is after all a tiny

boys have emerged. In order to get

little area, 121 sq­km, south of San

market share, we gave some extra 40

DECEMBER 2020

Covid Gives a Glaze to Tile Business Covid has had a huge positive impact on our business. We have year ending in March. So March is generally one­and­ a­half month of sale and April is a duller

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

month. By 15 March, we got hit with

cuts, part of which was to be paid six

they wanted to hedge themselves. If they

things slowing down. Our inventory

months later after a review. People came

were buying 100 units from China, they

started building up.

together and stood united.

now want to buy 70 or 80 units from China and the balance from India and

As the lockdown continued beyond

When the production resumed, I

14 April, it dawned on us that this is far

spoke to about 700 dealers. Everybody

more serious than what we envisaged it

said they would rather deal with us

to be. We thanked God that it happened

because the Morbi cluster was no longer

in the middle of March, because

giving credit. The dealers were not sure

To give you a perspective, last year,

otherwise we would have had about a

of their production and deliveries and

on a 35,000 crore rupee industry

250 crore arrear on the receivables in

preferred to deal with brands like ours.

annualized, we exported about 10000

the market. Now, we had our stock and

The dealers requested us for price

crores. This year, just between June July

money in tact in our warehouse rather

reduction. We modified our production

and September, we have already done

than being out in the open.

programs to give the dealers and

exports for 7,500 crores.

other competitive tile producing nations like Turkey. This demand too came to us.

customers what they wanted. We did Survive, Respond and Recover

These are huge positives for India.

take a hit on down trading and

Our team came together and our first

It will bring in a lot more ancillaries and

realisation but gained in market share.

manufacturing firms to benefit India.

On the other hand, in the global

We still buy a lot of our machinery and

scenario, from January onwards, there

our top glazes from the likes of China,

has been an anti­dumping duty enforced

Spain and Italy. A lot of Italian players,

against China in Indonesia, Australia,

who would move to China for making

Brazil, Mexico and US. These are all net

machinery and getting raw materials

importing countries. They were already

probably will move to India.

reaction was how to survive. We started looking at every little line item. We took salary cuts and negotiated with our unions. We have 10 factories and each factory has about 500 to 800 people. As our plants were shut, it was a month in our history where there were no receivables, sales and production.

importing top­end products from Spain

Top branded players in the building

and Italy, but the bottom­end was 100%

The team did a brilliant job of

material

sourced from China. This sudden

responding. We did a zero budget. We

fittings, pipes, paints, etc have the same

upsurge has given an opportunity to

were preparing ourselves for 50%

story to say. The top three to four

India as we are the next most

demand reduction. Then came the

players in the industry have gained

competitive tile producer in the world.

recover moment where the entire

significantly in receivables and in

In fact, we are as competitive as China.

economy was opening up. May 4 was the

market share for exactly the same

It is just that they dump in the market.

reasons that I mentioned for our tile

first opening up. Our plant started on June 1. Labour started trickling in.

In June and July, the American,

space—plywood,

electric

industry.

Spanish and Mexican economies opened

We gave incentives and packaged it

The mid 30 to 50 players have

up for us. Other than that, there were a

well to bring money back into the

suffered because they were not large

whole load of traders across the world

system. We did not want to take a

enough to take massive cost cuts.

—Canada, Europe, Middle East, etc who

moratorium. We effected 25% salary

Neither did they have an efficient and

were buying 100% from China. Now,

scale of manufacturing to immediately

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

relate and respond to the market.

products

other words, we went from the

low

prices,

plants installed with fanfare

through the user friendly

We moved from the ‘now’ stage and the ‘next’ stage to the ‘beyond’ stage. In

at

Taikee app.

•

are not operational.

•

During lockdown, our projects

Consumers will like to have

stopped and lot of our money

wider choice, they will like to

got stuck. In June, when we

‘response’ to ‘recover’ to ‘recognize’

buy at the least possible price

resumed work, many skilled

stage. We recognize this is a huge

and have the order delivered

people who had left for their

potential for India. We are readying

promptly. Post Covid, Peel­

hometowns did not return.

ourselves for a potential expansion next

Works continued to offer all

year, as an industry and also as a

these three.

we completed 99% work on 29

We accepted cheque payment

July did not pay us. On the day

instead of DD and drove

of completion, they sent us a

convenience for the retailer.

termination notice saying that

We focussed on category level

our people didn’t turn up and

guarantee or an LC. The entire industry

fulfilment as consumers were

that we didn’t complete on

is working more efficiently and more

more concerned on categories

time. Our cash flow was

than about brands.

seriously impaired.

company.

•

Today, we can go even to a large builder and ask him for a bank

carefully. Cash is the king.

•

•

We are already the 13th largest

We followed up closely with authorities

where

workers. Vendors threatened

the

us for delay in our payments

goes on and if the government helps us

necessary,

a little bit, we should be amongst the top

officials to ensure smooth flow

10 in the world both in terms of volume

of logistics.

•

For our senior staff, we reduced salary, but not for

administration

and value. 

•

One large customer for whom

and

player in the world. If this trajectory

and

•

educated

to them.

•

In our quest for growth, we

Not a single employee was laid

took a lot of larger projects

off during the pandemic. 

which demanded a lot of working capital. In the next 6 to 12 months, we decided that we will not enter into any projects that will require huge working capital and long time lines. We focussed on multiple

•

Peel­Works is a tech enabled multi­brand distributor of

small projects with shorter •

staples, oil and consumer

app of Peel­Works catering to

•

kirana stores. We make it

recycling waste water since

potential.

owners to source a wide •

•

We negotiated with vendors

than 25% to real estate.

for better payment schedule

Recycling of water sounds

and

good in presentations but

money.

until the cost of recycled water

convenient for grocery store assortment from over 600

time lines and better cash flow

2011 as a MSME. We cater less

goods and trade through app.

Taikee is the B2B e­commerce

We are into the business of

•

ensured

rotation

of

Many of the existing plants

comes below that of fresh

installed by us were closed

water, it will not work out.

down during lockdown. We

Many waste water recycling

offered to restart them at a

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

•

very reasonable cost. This was

Capex, we now offer on Build­

well received. If we hold our

Own and Operate (BOO) basis

during this crisis. On Ayudha Puja day,

customer’s hands when they

that is on Opex basis. There is

they all took a pledge to mark a new

face tough times, they will

a lot of scope for this model,

reciprocate.

especially in the hospitality

Instead of setting up plants on

sector.

43

DECEMBER 2020

•

Our employees stood as a team

beginning. It was truly a moving gesture. 

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

T

he book, “Get High: How to coach

yourself

for

high

performance in your work,”

authored by Ms Sangeetha Shankaran Sumesh was launched at Madras Management Association on 28 October 2020. Mr Anil Srinivasan, musician and educator, Mr V S Parthasarathy, President and Board Member at Mahindra & Mahindra, Ms Pavitra Singh, CHRO, PepsiCo India, and Mr Prakash Iyer, a leadership trainer, were the panellists. Moderating the panel discussion, the author of the book Ms Sangeetha

Sumesh

posed

many

interesting questions to the panellists and they answered all of them. They also took a lot of questions posed by the online audience. Excerpts from the panel discussion: What are the characteristics of a high performance business?

Mr V S Parthasarathy: If someone has vision, passion, tension, attention and immersion, he / she can be a great leader and a high performer. The leader must have a clear vision and passion for success. He needs tension, as he has to aim for stretch­goals. He should have attention for details. He must have maturity and be humble.

A high performing organisation must be marked by five words and they are: Yield, Climb, Unmix, Fable and Prime.

Yield is about the results—the ROI, 44

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

ROCE, etc. Climb refers to going up or

What makes a high performance

growth; Unmix is making things simple;

team, in spite of the differences

Fable is about telling stories about what

within the team?

happened and inspiring people; Prime

Ms Pavitra Singh: For every high

refers to having compliance as a rule

performance, you need both the mind

How can people maximise their

book and governance as a gospel.

and the heart. The balance of both is

performance?

important. It is about balancing

Mr Anil Srinivasan: They need to be

contradicting variables.

on a HIGH. It means that they must be

What makes a person a high performing leader?

Mr Prakash Iyer: Though many things can be said about a leader, the ability to deliver consistent results is an important quality. Leadership is a relentless focus on results. Leaders must take ownership and put in place a process and a ‘no excuse’ culture. They must be able to stretch and maximise the resources available. They must make the people and business better and

success.

•

They are realistic but not cynical. They follow collective resilience.

High performance teams have

excited about their vision. They must

overarching goal, mission or vision

build success structure, keeping people

around which the team rallies. The goal

who will help them to realise their full

brings down the silos and keeps the

potential and succeed around them in

team together. It leads to a win­win

that structure. They need to set their

relationship amongst the members.

metrics right and measure their

•

They work on 60% agreement but 100% commitment.

• •

They feed on their own

performance.

Without

metrics,

performance is meaningless.

energy.

People always say they don’t have

They celebrate each other’s

time. If they have special talents, how

deliver great outcomes.

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

can they prioritise their time and

They must have the perspective of

make use of those talents?

organisation first, team next and

Mr Anil Srinivasan: With the

individual last. Such persons stand up

pandemic and the lockdowns, there has

and they easily get spotted and

been a surge in people going back to

recognised. We should also remember

their passion. Invert the problem of the

that performance is based on context.

pandemic on its head. Now is the time.

Please seize it and use it as an

How can you balance organisational

opportunity.

function and empathy?

Mr Parthasarathy: We should not

Knowing why you are doing what you are doing and making your teams aware of it, is crucial as a leader. Being purposeful in each activity that you undertake can lead you to high performance.

How can leaders curtail their biases?

mix­up sympathy and empathy. A

Mr Prakash Iyer: Leaders must

doctor has to cut a gangrene to save the

develop self­awareness. They must stop

patient’s life. It does not mean he lacks

focussing only on themselves and try to

empathy. Even a layoff or downsizing

teams,

figure out how they can help others and

has to be viewed in this context. If an

everyone would like to be a high

make them happy. Leaders must

organisation can be better off by such

performer in their domain. By mastering

espouse positivity and expect good

measures, it is a welcome development.

the art of high performance, the team

After these measures, let us assume

and organisation are driven, focussed

that the organisation has bounced back

and excel in their work, thereby

to growth. Now if the leader pauses and

achieving the desired results.

things to happen. Vulnerability is another quality they must possess. They need the courage to admit things that they do not know. It is not a weakness.

How can high performers get noticed and recognised in corporates?

Ms Pavithra Singh: It is important for everyone of us to get recognised, in whichever field we are. My mother, as a professor, would prepare extensively for her classes, learn, unlearn and relate to students in different ways.

Applying the same to corporate, high performers must work with the same

kind

of

diligence

and

commitment. They must collaborate with others, help others to succeed, use company resources in the most optimal way and bring positivity around them.

leaders

or

organisations,

says, “By the way, when we restructured,

An organisation is only as

we retrenched some people. Before we

successful as its leaders and the leaders

recruit new people, can we see if we can

are only as successful as their teams.

take back the retrenched persons?” Thus by driving high performance in That, according to me, is real empathy.

The Art of High Performance

teams, a leader can be successful and also contribute to the organisations’ success. So how can a leader drive high performance? If high performance is an

Now let us see what the author Ms

art, what are some of the key

Sangeetha Sumesh has to say on high

ingredients?

performance.

Here are some pointers which can

Leaders, do you want high performance in the work that you do?

enable leaders to be high performers in their work space.

What does it take to be a high performing leader?

1. The Art of Purpose

How can a leader create and

Purpose is everything. Knowing why you

manage high performing teams?Be it

are doing what you are doing and

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DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

making your teams aware of it, is crucial

be adept at the art of influencing teams.

leveraging on the strengths of each

as a leader. Being purposeful in each

Leaders can sometimes have an

resource. A good leader should not be

activity that you undertake can lead you

associated ego that prevents their best

biased and needs to lead by example. By

to high performance. Deep dive and

to be brought out. Hence, leaders must

walking the talk, a leader must inspire

question yourself to get to the real

be mindful of it in order to have good

the teams for high performance.

purpose. Know what each action means

influence with the teams and guide the

to you and your team.

teams for the best results.

6. The Art of Growing In order to grow further, a leader must

2. The Art of Communication

4. The Art of Getting Things Done

step out of the comfort zone. Negative

Effective communication plays a vital

A successful leader is one who can get

beliefs need to be done away with.

role in nurturing high performance in

things done and deliver accurately and

Encouragement and positive thinking

the teams. Assumptions, lack of proper

on time. In order to drive excellence

along with bonding and nurturing the

understanding and unclear way of

within the time frame, a leader must be

team with high performance culture will

expressing can come in the way of

capable of getting things done to the

pave way for growth.

delivering excellence. Communication

best of the teams’ abilities and drive

should be specific, concise and easily

efficiencies within the team.

comprehendible by the team.

5. The Art of Leading Teams 3. The Art of Influencing

A leader must know the art of leading

As high performing leaders, one must

teams towards high performance by

47

DECEMBER 2020

High performance is not a destination but a journey by itself. By being better than yesterday and by being the best version of yourself in whatever work you do, you are on the path of high performance. 

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

RAMYAA RAMESH

T

he story of Anusha Shetty, Chairman and Group CEO of Grey Group India, is one of

belief in self and commitment to one’s dreams. Though she had a flourishing career and was doing very well, she risked throwing it all up to follow her heart to become an Enterpreneur.

Anusha Shetty started as any young woman, fresh out of B­school but her drive to achieve, to look for different opportunities and to take hard decisions at the right time has made her the success that she is today.

Here

we

have

a

woman

entrepreneur who brought digital and analytics into the agency space because she believed in it. Known for her expertise in Digital Marketing, the road that bought Anusha to this position today was definitely not a straight one but one that was full of twists and turns, some planned and some unplanned.

So what is the secret to her success?

Anusha claims it was not necessarily academics in the beginning. Though an ‘above average student’, in her own words, it was sports that was her passion and she excelled at it! But this was to change very soon.

“I still remember my statistics classes at college. Our group made a lot of noise in the class and our teacher was not happy with that. I thought I would not learn much in the class! One month before the final examination, my cousin, Ravi, took me through the entire course 48

DECEMBER 2020

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

of Statistics. And I fell in love with the

I joined TAPMI, Manipal MBA

staying with me. I went along with her

subject. When the results came, trust

program and specialized in Finance and

for her interview as her moral support,

me, not just me but the teacher was also

Marketing. I was now living in a hostel

where I met a head hunter, Mr. Puneet

very surprised with the results. I ended

and people around me were very earnest

Sabharwal. During our conversation he

up topping not just my class but also the

and assignments and projects had their

mentioned that, Ammirati Puris Lintas,

University! That was when I realized

own fervour! This was when I started

was hiring and if I was interested in

that the power of effort and hardwork

taking education seriously. Being very

doing something completely different to

will lead you to positive results.”

good with numbers, I soon realized that

what I was doing. I immediately said

I wanted to set my feet into the world of

yes!

Academics also started playing a big role in her life which is best illustrated by her introduction to management studies.

Foray into Management Studies “One of the unplanned twists in life was my foray into management studies.

I went to do a course in NIIT and also work in Taj Manjuran, Mangalore as my father was posted in Mangalore at that time. I was very unsure of what I wanted to do with my life. Out of the blue, my father handed me a CAT examination form and asked me to write the exam! I gave the exam in TAPMI, Manipal and was short listed for the group discussion.

Finance. As part of my management degree, I did my internship with Lintas in Bangalore. Although I did not look the part of the ‘cool looking girls’ who were all around me, I did well in the projects given to me and ensured that the work got completed the best I could!”

I ended up submitting my resume and since Lintas was the same company I had interned with during my MBA days, I would like to believe that the work that I had produced there and the relationships I had built, helped me land that job offer! I started as an Account Executive and my first assignment was

Landing my dream job!

“After completing my MBA, I got placed in the accounts department of an Engineering company. As I was always interested in finance, I thought this is what I wanted to do. I soon realized that Accounts was not my cup of tea.

Timex, which was then a Tata company.

I then went on to launch Tanishq. I had a great boss in Vasant Kumar who taught me the fundamentals of advertising and I owe my entire knowledge to him. He was demanding and put me through the grind and the role also saw me doing long hours at

I knew that talking came naturally to me

It was around this time that a

but it still surprised me when I was short

possibility of switching to Advertising

listed from the group discussion! I went with the flow and life did navigate me

came about. A friend of mine, Vidya, production partners, media partners from TAPMI had come down to made the job more and more

into a new avenue.

Bangalore for her job interview in a

interesting. I had fallen in love with my

company called Trikaya Grey and was

job and I had found my niche. Ammirati

49

DECEMBER 2020

work. The constant collaboration and working

with

creative

partners,

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

Puris Lintas became my home and I am

unfortunately, the market in India was

still in touch with the friends I made

not ready for this product and the

there. As days went by, I was given more

company decided to shut down its sales

responsibilities and started working

my

and marketing arm in India and instead

with more brands. I would also be

Worldwide.”

focus on the US market. Three people

grateful to my business head, Renu

from the India team were given the

Prasad and Branch Head, Fali Vakeel for

opportunity to migrate to the US – the

placing their trust in me and giving me

CEO, the CTO and me!”

those opportunities.

The next few years saw me working

Move to the ‘Promised Land’

with varied companies. From Lintas I

“I accepted the role of moving to the

moved to EuroRSCG, a smaller

United States of America to handle

advertising firm. I was asked to manage

Marketing and my husband, a ‘tech’

Intel as a group head along with a team. professional, moved along with me. In I was introduced to technology and that fact, I was given an L1 transfer which was my first exposure to the world of

meant moving directly to the Phase II of

‘Digital’ marketing. The truth is, many

the Green Card process! The company

marketers even today grapple to

was later acquired by e4e. I enjoyed my

understand the tech and digital world

work, but unfortunately recession had

but I loved it! I had broken barriers in

begun in the US. We were looking at

the tech world but I soon realized that

ways to cut down costs at Euclid Inc and

the company did not suit my style of

this was when I thought of the

working. So, in the late 1990’s I moved

possibility of creative outsourcing, a

to the next role on the client side.

concept unheard of in the advertisement

I joined a Silicon Valley based start­ up in Bangalore called Euclid Inc. which

field and I also put forth my views to the board.

Performance

Management Software. I was literally

2000 in the USA and I loved the energy

the 7th or 8th employee who joined as

that went with it. I made a decision, I

part

wanted to become an Entrepreneur and

of

in

the

IT

India

team.

But

I left Honeywell in 2005 and began own

company

–

Autumn

The Birth of Autumn in 2005 “I knew my decision would affect me financially, but that never was a concern for me. The idea that I had was very clear – create a value proposition for the marketing world, something not done before. And I also wanted scale.

The concept of Outsourcing was big in India, but not so in an industry such as Marketing. I believed that creative outsourcing existed, so I created a team in India and I was going to bring business from USA, as I had the necessary network and contacts in the US. I pitched my business along with my credentials and invited Abhay Rajankar to be my partner.”

The Trials and Success that was Autum “I set up the main office in

Start­ups were all the rage in early

specialized

decided to come back home.

that I wanted to start a company. So I 50

DECEMBER 2020

Bangalore and business offices along with Consultants in the USA. Though the company generated profits, it was not the scale that I wanted. The industry

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

did not react to my business proposition

to be BIG soon. In fact, I pitched the

to Digital content to Online Reputation

favourably and things were moving very

same value proposition to Infosys too

Management to Command Center

slowly. After a year of travelling between

and we had signed up our second client!

Management to eCommerce to MarTech

Bangalore and USA, I came to the conclusion that outsourcing would not work in the field of advertising. It broke my heart. But I did not give up on my company. I started to offer Brand Consultancy as the industry was willing to accept this proposition. I started acquiring more and more clients like Karbonn

Mobiles,

Enamor

and

Honeywell itself! This was not my final dream but I did it for the growth of my company and continued to hunt for other possibilities.

In 2009, I hit on an opportunity.

Orkut and Facebook were beginning to be very prominent platforms and Digital Marketing was being discussed as a bubble. My ex­boss from Honeywell offered me a business proposition – to look at Data and Insights. I knew without a doubt that this is what I wanted to explore. I immediately hired an intern and I jumped into it myself.

This was the beginning of a new learning

By 2011, we had started to offer

and much more.

more services in Digital, not just offering

Finally, I saw my dreams come true.

but hyper specializing in Digital

We had created a new value proposition

Marketing. The next hurdle we faced

in the marketing world. Between 2011

was viz a viz talent – there was no

and 2018, we became bigger – bigger

readymade talent in the market as this

team, bigger offices. We scaled up!

was a new industry and the truth is that,

In 2018, there were a number of

change was not easy for the existing

mergers and acquisitions taking place in

agency teams. People within the

the advertising industry. Large networks

company were struggling to shift to

wanted to find a right set of strategic

Digital, as they found it easy to do what

skills to grow and digital marketing

they knew than move to the other side.

became an area of interest. I wanted to

This is when I took a major decision

integrate with a company who we could

– to let go some businesses in order to

connect with and I wanted to be an

ensure change takes place, let go of old

integral part of the newly merged

mainline business and focus exclusively

company with a partner who believed

on Digital Marketing.

we were important and would give us

We forged ahead, we needed to

equal opportunity. Everything came

work hard, we had to start learning from

together in October 2018 when Grey

scratch and we were also willing to teach

Group acquired majority stake in

each other. Though we lost people

Autumn Worldwide. It was Sunil Lulla

during the change, we also gained

who initially contacted me and Nirvik

people as we started to hire freshers.

Singh took the acquisition forward for

and I enjoyed what we explored. I

From here on we saw ourselves in

completely believed that this was going

many more areas – from data & insights 51

DECEMBER 2020

the Group, both of whom I shall always be grateful to. We had now created AutumnGrey!

Business Mandate fountainhead of excellence

I continued to run AutumnGrey and

‘Clients who work with us because we

her first introduction to the world of

in January 2020, Grey Group decided to

are their integrated agency ­ mainline to

Advertising was when she accompanied

create a future agency model by truly

digital’. I am grateful to have a fabulous

her friend for an interview at

integrating both Grey and AutumnGrey. partner in Sandipan Bhattacharya , our

TrikayaGrey, today, unbelievably that is

The

the Group that she heads.

consumer

had

converged, Managing Director and Chief Creative

marketing teams were converging and it

Officer. My dream has always been to

was only right to create an agency model

create a new value proposition in our

that was truly converged. We noticed

marketing industry. Today, I have the

brands needed new skills like data and

opportunity to do so again with this

technology, end consumers needed

integrated vision – data to creative to

simplicity and a single tone of

tech. We are a vision of the future

communication across media touch

agency model and I see it coming to life

points and finally our client partners

with every passing day. Just this month,

needed less confusion created by

WPP merged AKQA and Grey Group

multiple agencies. There was a need for

and it is an exhilarating time to be at the

clarity in diversity. In this future agency

helm!”

Down the Line…

and Group CEO in this integrated vision

“I see myself being a social

for Grey and AutumnGrey. The entire

entrepreneur – working and helping

leadership was also integrated to take

others. I believe that there are so many

this vision forward. Today, as Grey

ideas that are waiting to come to life. I

Group (with capabilities of both Grey

am very sure that whatever changes

and AutumnGrey), we play the

might come over the years, I will always

landscape of data & insights, creative &

be in touch with Marketing, as it is the

content, eCommere, technology and

spine of my life!”

building

experiences

with

man’s world but she has achieved what she has with élan. Every one of her mentors helped her grow, to this add in a supportive husband and family, we have a perfect recipe for success!

What in Anusha Shetty draws the support of her mentors? The answer was readily given by Group Captain Vijaykumar, ED MMA who said, “Her sincerity of purpose, her commitment

model, that is the philosophy we stood for. I was offered the role of Chairperson

It is not easy being a woman in a

end

It is unbelievable how life

consumers. Our clients range from

sometimes comes around in circles.

‘Mainline clients’ to ‘Digital clients’ to

From what Anusha said, we realise that 52

DECEMBER 2020

and her willingness to help people without expecting anything in return is what attracts people to her.”

Here’s hoping the world will see more from Anusha! 

Ramyaa Ramesh had interviewed Anusha Shetty for this series.

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53

DECEMBER 2020