Role of Acceptance and Analysis in Business Situations

In the webinar on the above subject organized by Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series on 1st December 2021,  the speaker was Ms Renu Bohra, CHRO, DBShenker India Pvt Ltd. The webinar covered  aspects such as the relationship between acceptance and analysis, ways to enhance one's analytical skills, developing critical thinking skills and the significance of culture when it comes to rational and critical thinking. 

In this connection, she discussed  the air crash of the Korean air cargo flight 8509 in December 1999 which was the last such incident involving the airline resulting in a fatal accident. The aircraft crashed into the Hatfield forest shortly after take off from London Stansted airport, killing all the four crew members on board. The accident was on account of a technical snag when the plane was in the control of the senior pilot. The first officer (junior) whose Attitude Direction Indicator( ADI) was working correctly, knew that there was a mistake but was unwilling to challenge his captain's actions or make any attempt to take over the flight with his own controls.The following video in a nutshell gives the summary of the discussions.

Other things also touched upon during the discussion include the assertion of the speaker that while analytical thinking is important, we should not give a go by to holistic thinking wherein she mentioned Edward De Bono's "Six Thinking Hats" which gives sufficient place to  all forms of thinking including intuitive thinking.  It is often seen that analysis tends to be done when there is a failure. We would do well to analyse the reasons for success as well so that they can be replicated. To a question as to whether there are situations wherein analytical thinking is not valid or need not be done, the speaker pointed out that in occasions of an emergency like that of a fire, action rather than analyzing is the key requirement. It was pointed out from the audience that in matters of compliance also where the law has already been passed, you would simply have to comply and not much room would be available for analysis.  

The speaker concluded by stating that acceptance of everyone in the company, a culture of  analysis (both  it's need and embracing its results)  can be gained by involving people in the process of analysis and decision making.Making employees stakeholders and giving them sound reasons for decisions made will go a long way in building such a  culture. Overall, it was a very rewarding webinar which I am happy to share with my readers. 

Comprehensive Look at the Life, Times and Future of MSMEs in India

The Micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role contributing almost 29% to the GDP  of the Indian economy . As per the 2018-2019 Annual Report of the Department of MSMEs there are 63.4 million MSMEs in India employing 110 million people. Around 51% of the MSMEs are in rural locations. Thus they not only provide opportunities for entrepreneurs but create jobs for a wider spectrum of the population in terms of age, sex, geographies and perhaps more job satisfaction than in depersonalized large organizations. They help in the development of local communities and enable people to find their livelihood closer home. Further, 40% of the total export from India are produced by this sector . Thus, the health of MSMEs are vital for the health of a developing economy like India. 

The classification for identifying small units which was based on the investment was recently amended in May 2020 by the Government of India to enhance the upper limit of the investment and also bring in the factor of turnover. Accordingly the units are classified as follows:  

Micro Enterprise:  Investment up to Rs 1 crore, turnover up to Rs 5 crores 

Small Enterprise:  Investment up to Rs 10 crore, turnover up to Rs 50 crores 

Medium Enterprise: Investment up to Rs 50 crore, turnover up to Rs 200 crores   

Some of the challenges that MSMEs have been facing over the years include are finance related, marketing and managerial related, technology related, competition related and labour related challenges. In a way they are inter connected and become a vicious cycle when the organization is operating within tight financial constraints. 

The sector which was already facing difficulties associated with demonetization (operating largely in the informal domain, the overall credit availability for the sector diminished considerably), the arrival of Covid 19 and the national lock down on March 24th 2020 struck further blows. Many countries to which the MSMEs exported were affected by the pandemic and they in turn reduced or cancelled orders. Similarly raw materials supply from abroad was also adversely affected. The sector is  grappling with  poor cash flow, slowing demand and rising unemployment.   

The Government of India has released financial package to tide over the Covid 19 financial crisis in the form of relief measures by RBI and announcements by the finance minister (20 Lakh crore package). This includes a special refinance facility to Small industries development bank of India to the tune of 15,000 crore for passing on to small businesses through non bank/micro finance institutions, moratorium on term loan EMIs for a period of six months, 20,000 crore subordinate debt scheme, Rs 3 Lakh crore credit guarantee( will be repaid to financial company by Government if remaining unpaid), Fund of Fund corpus (Rs 50,000 crore) with contribution from Government , LIC and SBI.   

It may be too early to come to a conclusion as to whether the relief measures have helped MSMEs to bounce back. It is however a fact that 35% of MSMEs and 37% of self employed persons have gone out of business. The relief measures have either not reached them or were not adequate enough as revealed by a survey conducted by the All India Manufacturers' organization(Results published in June 2020). The unemployment rate also rose from 4% in April 2020 to 6% in May 2020. The sentiment amongst MSMEs is that the Government should have extended upfront liquidity and that providing loans has only increased the burden on businesses. Being an important pillar, MSME revival at the earliest is most essential.

It is suggested that like the single window concept for processing applications for new units, Government consider arranging services under one roof connecting MSMEs and the service providers in the areas of marketing, accounting, technology and HR. This would be mutually beneficial to both the MSMEs and the service providers. Regular training similar to those envisaged under the ZED program (Zero defect maturity levels) as also entrepreneurial development program will go a long way in strengthening MSMEs to meet the challenges as they shrug away the impact of the pandemic and move towards a bright future.  

Growth Matters Forum is a community for business owners to explore ideas, streamline growth and create an impact. Join the community here  

Promoting Diversity in the Work Place

In the webinar organized by Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series on 17th November 2021, Ms Saumya Badgayan, VP (Corporate Strategy- HR&IR), Gold Star Jewelry Pvt Ltd spoke on the subject of diversity in the work place. When discussing promotion of diversity, what immediately comes to mind for most people is raising the number of women in the workplace to offset imbalance in the gender diversity. However, right at the beginning the speaker made it clear that doing away with all forms of  discrimination  be it age, regionalism, caste, sex or  differently enabled should be the aim of a diversity drive in an organization. The focus of the speaker during the webinar was to share her own experience in promoting diversity at Gold star Jewelry wherein efforts have been made to provide jobs to women and transgenders as also to achieve acceptance and a congenial environment for diversity. 

A question raised during the webinar was as to whether we have sufficient talent pool to accommodate diverse groups such as say  differently enabled or transgenders and what needs to be done in this connection. Ms Saumya said that instead of aspiring and hoping talent would be available, employers should take the initiative- perspire/ make efforts to ensure that they develop people from diverse groups for fitting in to the requirements of the company. She cited the example of the TATAs who developed the skills and provided opportunities to the LGBTQ communities. 

The speaker said that persons belonging to the transgender group face a lot of hardships in getting access to facilities available to other employees in the normal course. As for example transgenders are denied maternity leave if they had a male name given to them at birth. Other problems according to Soumya are obtaining an address proof for Adhar card or other amenities. They are unable to produce address proof as they stay in shelter homes since accommodation in  regular residential areas are denied to them . Government authorities need to intervene and address these problems with empathy.

Soumya  shared the experience in her company while  employing more women and transgenders. They were imparted special training as employees are required to handle tiny sized diamonds. The training  ensures that the precious stones are not lost or over polished. Here, more skill based schools are to be developed with support from the Government. Ideally, the industry, Government and educational institutions have to work as a team in this regard. Gold Star Jewelry Pvt Ltd also took the  initiative to provide jobs to prostitutes to  rehabilitate them. This involved educating them and changing their mindsets towards working in a factory since their previous life was totally different. 

She then  related another  typical problem that they had faced while promoting diversity. As their company was dealing with diamonds, thorough personal search is an important and integral part of the security  procedure. However, there was a problem when it came to conducting search of the transgender employees. Neither the men nor the women in security were willing to carry out the security search procedures. They had to be sensitized to see themselves as they would a nurse or a doctor who examine and assist patients irrespective of their gender.  Another instance shared by the speaker was with regard to to the employment of differently abled employees. Those fitted with prosthesis limbs had to remove the attachments at the security gate which took more time resulting in long queues during entry and exit, irritating the other employees. The matter was addressed by forming a separate cell for the differently enabled employees. 

It was very clear from the discussion that promoting diversity and inclusion is not just about employing people of diversity and leaving it at that. It is about having a strong belief in the need for it and putting in place a system and a smooth environment where employees of diversity could work happily and flourish. Soumya said that her company was fully committed to D&I. It was because of this approach of the company that proactive action could be take to address needs. As for example, the executive toilet was converted to a toilet for transgender employees. In order to create a buy in and a favourable climate  amongst the employees for D&I, it is important that the movers and shakers represented by the top management  frequently  articulate their belief and support for D&I so that the rank and file of the organization embrace it as well. 

The extent to which the company is convinced that the policy is most essential and beneficial is the key. Here, a feeling of pride in being the pioneers and cheer leaders of D&I will go a along way in getting it established as a natural part of company culture. The speaker said that all this cannot be expected to happen overnight.  It involves unlearning and relearning by the employees. The company had a three year journey sensitizing its employees through various means that included skits, dramas, plays etc. Saumya  concluded saying that "The purpose of the organization is not just profits". It should have a vision and think beyond and aim for becoming better than 'what we were yesterday'. This would mean implementing the UN's sustainability goals and aspiring to move from being a 'good' to a 'great' organization. 

One cannot dispute the position taken by the speaker of the evening. In fact, one cannot but be impressed by what her company has done to support and promote D&I in the organization. Yet, as I pondered over the subject , a tinge of sadness enveloped me. One swallow does not make a summer. Humans are known to be very adept in giving lip service with not much happening on the ground. This is true whether it is action in terms of protecting the environment or protecting the long term interests of an organization. No matter how forcefully we may declare that 'profits are nor everything', experience shows us that  it is the bottom line and top line that matter the most to most corporates. Would they show as much patience and application as the speaker and her company to ensure people of diversity worked happily in the company? If the past is any predictor, not much can be expected. But then, hope- isn't it everything? 

NB:  Readers may like to read my earlier blog on the subject which discusses why it makes good business sense to have diversity at the work place.

https://hrdian.blogspot.com/2018/08/diversity-and-business.html  

Leadership through Empowerment

I have been sharing  the gist of webinars I have attended including those organized by Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series, for the benefit of readers. On 10th November the webinar organized by them was on the topic of "Leadership through Empowerment" and the speaker was Ms Neethi Sharma President and Co founder, Team Lease Edutech Ltd. This time however, I was assigned the role of giving an oral summary of the proceedings of the session at the end. Therefore, I am sharing with you the video of the summing up I made and filling up the gaps of points I may have missed by including them in this write up. Please do not miss watching the video for the comprehensive coverage.

The major  questions that were addressed by Neethi were the following: 

1)  Is empowerment just delegation?   

Not at all. It means a lot more that include hand holding, training, being part of their successes and failures. Leaders have a problem in that as they reach higher levels of management, they find it difficult to let go and accept that juniors are also competent enough to take responsibly and deal with situations.

2)  What do you do when people do not match up to expectations? How can we then practice empowerment? 

Small baby steps have to be taken to empower people according to their abilities (more responsibility  as they enhance them). It is okay if everyone cannot be empowered. What is important is  to enable our people to think on their own. Do not stunt their growth; when we do that we are stunting our growth as well. Sometimes, it is the lack of trust that prompts us to conclude that they do not or cannot 'match expectations'. Hence there is the need to build trust.   

3)  Is there any step by step  process that you can share for empowerment? 

There is no standard process of one size that fits all. It would vary depending on the styles and beliefs of the individual leader and the readiness level of the one to be empowered. The thumb rule is give them a feeling that you are with them to back their decisions. Further, encourage and facilitate decision making- " If a problem has only one solution, don't come to me for approval. Do what needs to be done".   

4)   What do you do when you do not have a formal place of work with the ones reporting to you is not physically available for interactions? (This happens when working for global agencies or many gig workers are involved)   

As it is, getting work done from people reporting to you can be a challenge. When they are spread far and wide, building relationships becomes of paramount importance. People tend to develop bonds with those who can be useful to them, help them in solving problems etc. Therefore it is important to demonstrate that you can be of  substantial help and eventually it is all about  give and take. The more you give the more you get. 

5)  Would you recommend various levels of empowerment depending on their hierarchical level in the organization?    

The differences in the level of empowerment is always bound to be there. As already discussed, you have to try out small and see what the person is capable of handling and pass on more responsibilities accordingly. The highest level of empowerment would be financial empowerment done  last if and when it is felt necessary. In this regard, the team members also have to rise to the occasion and demonstrate through their behaviour that they deserve to be handed over the 'privilege' of higher responsibility; it cannot be claimed as a 'right'.    

6) Should children be empowered and if so at which age?  

As in the case of adults who have unique traits, abilities and attributes, children also exhibit such characteristics right from childhood. The empowerment can and will  happen depending on the readiness level of the child and the willingness and confidence level of parents. Empowerment in Indian families which are known to be traditional and conservative has increased over the years. Today, as for example, children have a big say in deciding vacation destinations of the family.  

Tackling issues of Instant Gratification and Procrastination

I attended a webinar on 22nd September 2021 organized by the Rotary Alumni Association under their 30 day basic education literacy  program "Vidhyarthi". The session had two speakers one of whom spoke on  the subject "Beyond Religion".  This being an HR blog, in this post, we discuss the gist of what was shared by the second speaker whose talk touched upon the subject of instant gratification and dealing with procrastination. Readers who are interested to read the entire proceedings of the evening  can read it at this link 

The speaker, fifteen year old Aadi Sai Vijai Karan is a winner of the Young Achiever's award 2021 for contributions made by 4US byUS, a non profit organization , founded by him . The organization connects accomplished mentors with children from underprivileged families so that they receive sound guidance for securing a good education. Aadi is also a published author having written the book "The World as I see it"  which gives  a teenager's perspective of the world. 

Speaking on the  topic of "Surviving in the 21st century as a teenager".  Aadi said that there are umpteen number of activities in a teenager's life. So much so, it is a challenge to use time effectively. As for example the teenager may be discussing with friends about partying, frequently opening and closing fridge doors to spending one hour on Netflix and then panicking about the essay/math work that needs to be done to watching you tube, watching stand up comedy shows of Kenny Sebastian and so on. The speaker said that deadlines push you and are important for getting any work done.  It would be a struggle to complete things in the absence of deadlines. He said that this aspect is discussed in detail in his book "The World as I see it". 

The villain that comes in the way of rational thinking and being productive is the mysterious voice in the head that may tell you " Let's watch one more video before we start the assignment". Thirty minutes later you find that there are as many as six assignments pending and time is not enough. The voice in the head now says " There's always a tomorrow and the day after and the day after that".  The youngster today wants to do something for which he can see immediate results (quick, easy and immediate), what is called as instant gratification. Therefore a you tube video is likely to be more attractive than other activities to satisfy your immediate need for entertainment. But then two hours later, you find yourself feeling incredibly guilty for having put off important work.  

This brings us to the question as to whether mobile phones need to be policed by parents. The speaker answered the question in the negative. He said the trick is first acknowledge that instant gratification is real and then embrace it  to convert it  as an ally instead of seeing it as an enemy. In order to satisfy the needs for instant gratification one can split a goal into smaller milestones and as you reach each milestone you are happy and have a sense of accomplishment. This will also propel you to pursue the  goal with more vigour. Aadi gave the example of his own book writing project. He had at first set small goals of writing one para, then two paras, one page, three pages and so on so that the initial achievement satisfied the needs of instant gratification and then he was able to set higher targets. Before, you know it, you have completed the book! 

In the above strategy, the matter that is most important is to be crystal clear as what your goals are while setting them.   As for example " I am going to take notes everyday", " I will learn Python/Java/Korean language in the next three months". The goal setting should answer the question with clarity " What are we doing? and Why are we doing it?". Once this has been done, take action and consistently do it until the goal is achieved. The onus is on you; you need to keep motivating yourself.

The  experience sharing by the teenager, to my mind is not just relevant to teenagers.On the contrary, these days all of us irrespective of age are bitten by the instant gratification bug and we would all do well to try out the tips suggested and see how the phenomena can be used to our advantage to get more work done, instead of fighting it. The modern challenges require modern tools for tackling them!

Network is your Networth

In this post I would like to share the gist of the online webinar organized by Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series on 8th September 2021. The speaker was Mr Anand Bhadkamkar, Former CEO of Denzu India. The speaker started out by saying that networking is all about expanding your network. However, even as you do it, you should be clear of the purpose, your interest area and the quality of the people you would like to have in your network. 

Your network includes key people within the organization, outsiders working/ connected with your industry, clients,vendors and reporters. It is important that your values and the values of those in your network match in order to be mutually beneficial.  It would be great if  the people whom you had looked up to as role models as a youngster can be won over/ gained as part of your network. It is necessary to commit time for the people in your network. One also needs to be adaptive to the existing realities and ways of keeping in touch and interacting. While previously a meeting over coffee/ lunch/Breakfast may have been the norm, today you may look at virtual meetings and other innovative means of engaging with your network. What ever the method, sufficient time has to devoted to plan the interaction and execute it real time.    

Having decided on the key members of the network such as mentors you would like to interact with in a week,  the onus of working out opportunities to connect with them is on you. There should be a push and initiative from your side.  Set aside two hours of dedicated time per week for this activity. The big goal should be to grow as a professional and with this aim in mind, listen a lot more than you speak. To a question from listeners as to the role of LinkedIn as a networking tool, the speaker said that it is a useful platform that can be used in the context of developing one's brand. One can post in specific areas of interest. The profile also is to be specific and sharp. Get an understanding of how the platform works and curate it to your needs. Having said this, it is not to be taken that LinkedIn is the be and end all of networking. One should look at other means of connecting and engaging with one's network. 

The value of a connect will be known when it becomes available to you when you need it most. One should remember to treat the relationship similar to that of a  bank account. You will be able to draw from the account when you need it only if you deposit sums at frequent intervals and keep the account live. Be aware of your own sphere of influence. Let the relationship be mutually beneficial. Share information on a regular basis; reach out with a phone call. 

As discussed earlier, you should have clarity on your ultimate goal and purpose. The length, width, depth  and hues of the network would depend on this. Therefore, your network can extend to people in other industries and in your social circles. As for example it could be a contact from among your Gym friends who connects you to his friend and who in turn is able to connect you to a very good customer in your line of business or interest area. 

Short and sweet, this session made available to participants cream ideas for  initiating, developing  and sustaining your network, which as the title of the webinar suggests is your net worth!    

NB: readers may also like to check out my poem "Networking Insights" at this link

NHRDN Mind Matters- Fireside Chat with Shaheen Bhatt, Author

Mind matters is a movement initiated by the National Human Resources Development Network (NHRDN) to spread awareness of mental well being at a time of increasing concern over mental health. The year 2021 was particularly challenging in view of Covid 19  continuing to affect the business and lives of employees. Mind matters organized eight sessions of online webinars between May 7th and June 25th  with the finale featuring Ms Shaheen Bhatt , author of the book "I've NEVER BEEN UNHAPPIER". She shared her challenges and experiences of dealing with depression. Writing the book, she says was like "deep acceptance of myself".  

Shaheen Bhat said that a feeling of sadness enveloped her around the age of twelve. There was a feeling of emptiness, insecurity,and pain that could not be explained. Other kids seemed to be happy. "what is wrong with me?" she asked herself. At age eighteen, when things got to a stage of being 'unbearable', she went to see a psychiatrist. At this time, the  depression  was characterized by sadness, anxiety and   perpetual fear of "what might happen?". There were feelings of lethargy and emptiness as if you are slowly dying away. Panic attacks took the form of feeling that you are having a heart attack.  

The speaker explained that in such a situation you tend to behave extremely either eating too much or too little. similarly either speaking too much or too little. There is a loss of appetite and  interest in anything. You suffer in a big way from the problem of insomnia. Shaheen said that the modern times / period that we are living in,  adds to the problem with constant messages coming from television and social media that "You are not good enough". There is a massive pressure to fit into the societal pressures such as requirement to be an extrovert (When basically by nature you may be a quiet person) or have zero size clothing. At this time to cope and come out of the situation, having a friend or family member  you can trust and rely on is very important. 

Shaheen was on medication for a period of four years. This was essential particularly because of the insomnia. Self care, talking to someone, doing exercises etc is good in this phase but is difficult to do. She spoke to her psychologist/ therapist for answers to questions like  " How to be comfortable with my weight?" and "How to handle everyday issues?". The speaker advised the audience to be open to seeing a therapist in such situations as it is good for everyone. The other methods recommended were journaling(expels the unwanted from your body), music, yoga and meditation as part of the self care. However, initially, meditation can be a big challenge when your mind is in a whirl. 

In spite of the realities staring at you, we live in a society which prefers to whitewash and pretend that nobody is ever anxious, nervous or fearful. Believe someone when he/she comes to you and says "I am depressed". They are not engaging in indulgence. Don't assume and harbour thoughts like " How can she who is comfortable economically and socially have depression?". All that they are asking of you is to listen to them without judgement. Perhaps, you can be physically present for them, accompany them during a visit to the clinic. 

Creating mental health awareness amongst the public is very important. Going to a therapist should be accepted as normal in the same way you see a doctor when physically sick. Strong support system is crucial for recovery. Here, empathetic listening (feel how they feel as you listen) without judgement is the key. Fed up with bottling up her real feelings one day, Shaheen decided to tell how she felt when having a  'bad day' and made a post on Instagram. 

According to her " I wanted to be done with pretending; instead wanted to express what I really felt inside".  Surprisingly, rather than condemnation, she got a lot of support from readers many of them unknown. A publisher then approached the speaker with a proposal for writing a book. It was then she realized that telling her story was important for the sake of others. It would be being 'selfish' if one did not come out of hiding and tell one's story. Thus it was that ""I've NEVER BEEN UNHAPPIER" happened.  Shaheen signed off with the observation " If it resonates with at least one person and  he/she is able to take charge of his/her  life, my job is done."  

It is precisely for this reason dear readers that I have chosen to cover the webinar and write this blog. If the basic message can go across that having mental health issues is normal in the 21st century and it is okay to see a therapist when needed, my purpose of writing this post would be served.

Video led Discussion on Leadership

 I have been covering in my blog the webinars organized by Bija training under their Mask leadership series that provide insights to the viewers for becoming  better leaders. Dr Anuj Kacker, President and ED Aptech Ltd,  the speaker on 23rd June 2021 chose to include many videos during the discussion to drive home his points . At the outset, the speaker was keen to dispel any myths that we may have about leadership. As for example we tend to believe that all leaders should have the ability to speak (Showed videos of Hitler and Lalu Prasad Yadav speaking in effective yet totally different styles) or have a dynamic/charismatic personality (showed a video of M.K.Gandhi).  Dr Anuj  stated that he neither had the speaking prowess of great speakers or a magnetic personality like that of Gandhi and yet he was a leader. It is necessary to keep aside these attributes and see in what ways may a leader contribute. 

Generally, a leader is expected to inspire and motivate, show an intention to influence people while giving them some direction and exercising some control. He/She is endowed with some authority and also has  the responsibility for the end result. Looked at this way, we are all leaders in different situations and times. We tend to assume the responsibilities and requirements when in the role. According to the speaker, practical experience gained from situations is what enables one to develop leadership skills rather than mere theoretical inputs. The onus is on the person in a leadership position to constantly improve, during the journey. Dr Anuj said that leadership qualities "cannot be emulated.Each person has to develop his/her own style."  

To underscore the importance of people working in harmony in a company, the speaker showed a video of the maestro Mozart guiding his symphony orchestra with motion of hands and body. It is a wonderful metaphor for an organization. If people play well their own tunes in disharmony, it will not serve the interests of the organization. Dr Anuj then went on to show videos of conductors performing using varying styles to draw attention to the point that leaders may use different - own unique style, suitable for themselves and team, so long as they are successful and get the desired results.  

The videos shared during the evening included that of Grammy award winner, Riccardo Muti,  whose style and body movements suggested that he expected strict compliance to instructions. There is no scope for any change under his leadership. We then saw the video of a conductor who employed a slow, calm, composed body language. He let his team perform organically. Here, the leader seems to say "The music is already written; the job is known, they just have to be left alone to to do what they know best without interference". Another video featuring an Austrian conductor showed him with eyes closed, giving space to his musicians to perform without clear instructions. 

We then had a video featuring conductor Johann Strauss who used a smooth dancing style, creating a happy place with everyone feeling a partner in the process. In the final video of the evening, the conductor Goldstein (could not get his first name), appeared to have  reached a stage where he trusted  his team's ability to deliver  without  interference. There was minimal facial expression or hand movement. 

Dr Anuj summed up the talk reiterating what he said all through the evening namely development of a leadership style unique to yourself and the situation you are operating in and also catering to the changing needs and demands of the customer. While conducting his orchestra, the conductor Leonard Bernstein used to  encourage audience involvement and inputs. He is known as the "Benchmark for outreach and engagement".  Similarly in corporates, engagement with your team and the employees of the organization has become a basic requirement. A start up would need to come up with new rules and styles of working ,for engaging bright new employees and adapting to a changing environment. 

During question time, I asked as to how we could address the problem of most companies in India having the "wrong people in leadership positions" resembling the conductor Riccardo Muti who does not allow any autonomy and demands strict compliance to his instructions? In line with the stand he had been taking all the while, Dr Anuj said that he did not believe that a 'particular style of leadership' was either  'good' or 'bad' and that what matters was the end results achieved. However,  the speaker himself stated while discussing Muti, that as many as 700 musicians had at one time, resigned en masse from his team, unhappy with his working style.

To my mind, working with the millennials who will shortly comprise of the majority of the work force , is a different ball game altogether. What worked with earlier generation of employees are not likely to work with them. Harmony like in an orchestra, may be better established with millennials when we give them more freedom, autonomy and repose trust in their abilities. Further, it is high time that companies became transparent enough to declare their 'real' expectations instead of couching it in 'nice to hear language' such as " We believe in work life balance" when they expect people to put in 12 hours a day or " Teamwork is the most cherished value in our company" when they actually look up to individual contributions and reward people on that criteria. The least they can do is to be transparent like Amazon whose employees know they have a tough grind and still take it up because they love that kind of challenge.  

I would like to conclude this post showcasing  the main point that the speaker of the day Dr Anuj  drew attention to in a unique, engaging and entertaining manner whole through the evening-  There is not one leadership style. Do not look to copy or emulate some one else's style; nurture and develop your own  style  through observation, self analysis and practice!     

Unwavering Focus on Goals

In this blog  we will discuss the gist of a webinar on the important subject of 'Focus' organized in January 2021 by  Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series featuring Mr Diwakar Subramamanian, Director Cognizant Technology Solutions. The speaker started off by saying that human beings  are amazing 'goal setters' but poor 'goal geters'. We are not sufficiently paying attention to, or rather are not focused on  achieving the goals set. In the times that we presently live, there is a lot of information overload unlike in the time of our ancestors. A good amount of time is spent on What's app and other social media channels. So much so, we have no time to read books or to chat with a neighbour. we are not aware of the nature and quantity of information consumed by us everyday. 

The speaker said that according to roberts.edu( Roberts Wesleyan College),  a person has 75,000 thoughts and makes 35,000 decisions every day, right from what clothes to wear for the day. The first step is to become aware of the decisions you are taking and what has been its efficacy- To what extent the intended result happened. It means you are being distracted if you are not aware of what you are thinking. The first 10 minutes of the day and how well you utilized it, will determine how your whole day is going to go. Therefore be sure to use the beginning of the day positively and productively. 

Mr Diwakar said NLP provides information on the working of the subconscious mind. It helps to be aware of the number of times you are checking your what's app. 'Journaling' ( recording daily experiences, thoughts and activities) is a good way of keeping track; it provides clues as to whether you have achieved anything during the day. The speaker said that if something was not happening as per plan, he had a developed a tool of setting "Worrying time" from 2 to 3 PM on Sundays. With this done, he could tell the mind "No more distracting thoughts or wasting time now. Your concerns will be addressed at the worrying time on Sunday. Now get on with the work!" 

 We all have mood swings. In the book "The Mood Elevator: Take charge of your feelings, Become a better you", the author Larry. E. Senn , a culture consultant, discusses a tool he has created to monitor mood shifts. By using the Mood Elevator, you become aware of your state of mind and use your feelings as guide to the quality of your thinking. Don't let unhealthy thoughts become so normal that you don't notice them. Gratefulness, which Senn calls "the overriding emotion" is at the top of the mood elevator as "it is almost impossible to be grateful and at the same time be angry, depressed, irritated or self righteous".  Once we accept the fact that moods aren't something that happens to us but are results of our thinking, we can do something to control them or at least manage them better. Diwakar said that it took him two years to get insights in this regard. 

The speaker gave a tip to have clarity and focus on your top 3 goals. If there are too many goals, focus tends to be diffused and tests our will power. Focus on the top 3 goals- Top 3 goals for the day, the week, month and year. He said that having a daily score card to monitor what you have achieved as against the goals is a good method advocated by Marshall Goldsmith. Measuring what you are doing in all areas be it zero mails to be attended in the inbox, visit to Gym,  the daily meditation. Your spouse can be an ally helping you to monitor progress. 

To a question from the audience, as to whether meditation helps in focusing on the goals, speaker replied in the affirmative and quipped"Just as Gym attends to the body, meditation attends to the mind". It helps to clear the clutter and improves concentration. Various types of meditation are available . Focus on one thing at a time for 10 minutes. Block your calendar and shut off all distractions. Start small, even with 5 minutes daily it works out to 150 minutes in a month. 

For the measurement of goals, have a short term (Lead measure)  to a longer term (Lag measure) measurement plan. Going to Gym would be your lead measure and your monthly achievement is your lag measure.  Split you annual goals into monthly goals and then arrive at the daily goals. Now focus on the present, on your daily goals. 

To another question from the audience as to "How to say 'No' to oneself and to others" in order to be able to focus on the essentials, the speaker recommended reading the book " The Art of Saying No" by Damon Zahariades. Being able to say 'No' to frequently checking the mobile, not giving in to spouse's request or boss's demand every time, can all save valuable time that can be used to accomplish unwavering focus on the goals! 

What these HR Professionals said - After Recovering from an attack of Covid 19

NHRD, under their mind matters initiative organized a webinar in which HR professionals who were inflicted by  the Corona virus and recovered from it, shared their experiences and insights. The participants of the conversation were Ms Shraddanjali Rao, VP and Head (HR) SAP India, Ms Rashmi Nagori, CHRO Edelweiss Wealth Management and Mr Darpan Singh,HR Evangelist,NHRD. It was moderated by Dr Geeta Kumar, OD consultant. Of the three, it was Rashmi who faced the biggest challenge being hospitalized for many days, followed by Darpan and Shraddanjali whose experience was largely asymptomatic. 

I am giving below some of the insights gained from the experience and methods adopted to come out of a difficult situation.  

• It was quite a realization that this pandemic was a leveler- It could strike anyone, anytime irrespective of their age, economic or social backgrounds
•  Rashmi said that during the hospitalization, trusting and fully cooperating with the medical team helped (Helping them to help you instead of adding to their woes by becoming a difficult/demanding patient . As it is, the team is over stressed and overworked).  
• Frequent Zoom calls from family helped to be cheerful and motivated to overcome the illness 
• Not knowing 'How bad the situation was'  in a way a blessing in disguise as it kept at bay worrying too much and dipping of the spirits .
• For Darpan it was spirituality and 'positive mental engineering' that helped to overcome fear and maintain equilibrium. 
• Shraddanjali felt that HR people tend to feel guilty about taking care of themselves, particularly when their role is crucial in a pandemic situation. However, consciously you have to give due attention to your needs also as advised in case of emergency in a flight- First wear the oxygen mask yourself before attempting to help others. 
• When confronted by a deadly pandemic like Covid 19, one tends to over imagine things and react to situations rather than respond.
• For not going overboard or being overwhelmed, it helps to appreciate the small things and being grateful for the many things God has already given us thus far.   
• Good Samaritans from unexpected places tend to turn up to help in crisis situations. It is okay to reach out for help to neighbours  for support in terms of meals etc, when you are physically helpless and completely drained. 
• On the path of recovery, it helps to have a structured routine for getting back to regular activities.
• It is important to keep in mind that Post Covid, your body is not the same. Your energy levels are still low to the extent that it takes effort to even answer a question.
• It is a challenge to get body back to what it was prior to the attack . Here, one has to conserve energy, use it sparingly to limp back to normalcy.
• Although recovery is faster in teenagers, don't be in a hurry to get back to your old exercise routine. Do not stress yourself as different people are affected differently. 
• Do lot of breathing exercises- Lie flat on your stomach for a couple of hours.
• when coming back to work, take breaks when you feel the need.
• Practice flexibility based on whether you are a "Morning", "Afternoon"  or "Evening" person.  
• Avoid news feeds that can get your spirits down.
• As a parting shot the advice given by participants in the conversation were " Focus on what you can fix, instead of trying to do too much", "Have faith in yourself and those around" and "keep the smile going!" 

I am very happy to share the insights gained in this webinar from those who have been there, faced things and are working in a responsible role of HR. My purpose would be served even if a few readers are able to face in an effective manner, the tough situations thrown by the pandemic without panicking or being overwhelmed.  

Follow up : The Why, When and How much of it

In this blog I would like to share the gist of an interesting webinar on "Follow up" organized by  Bija Training under their Mask Leadership series. The speaker was Mr Sahil Nayar Sr Associate Director (HR), KPMG, India. There is a feeling in the corporate scenario, that nothing will get done in the absence of follow up. On the one hand, we give speeches from public platforms that we trust our employees completely and are confident that they will do their best each time. Yet, ironically we also have this thought about follow up being  inevitable for success. Therefore, it was with a lot of interest that I looked forward to this webinar held on 3rd May 2021. I was  curious to know what the speaker who is heading HR in a consultancy company had to say on the subject.   

At the outset, the speaker pointed out that although the words 'Follow up' was initially associated with sales, today it is integral to all disciplines. However, it is not as if follow up has to be done all the time. Sometimes, it can irritate and upset an employee. Just imagine your spouse asking you every other day "Do you love me ?". This kind of a validation is not necessary when the couple is in sync, in harmony. Similarly, follow up is necessary in the work place when a validation has become necessary or when you feel the person is exhibiting bad vibes in respect of his/her job.  

It is all about understanding 'How much', 'With whom' and 'When' follow up is necessary. In a restaurant, towards the end of the meal if the waiter or manager comes up and asks "How was the food sir ? or Did you like the food?", it would be fine. But what if he asked you a number of times even as you are engaged in a private or intimate conversation?  While 'No follow up' can be equated to food without salt, too much of it as we discussed earlier, can be a cause for heart burns. If your team knows clearly the good intention behind your action they would respond positively.  

Follow up serves the  role and purpose of chasing which is necessary and good if properly done. The sincerity of your intention as a leader would be reflected in the manner of follow up- whether done to help the person achieve targets or show him/her in poor light (humiliate before others). It is all about character!  It is advisable for the leader to fine tune the process of follow up depending on the nature of his junior and what works best with that person- Whether a one to one follow up will work better or an Email with copies marked to 15 other people. Appropriate method of follow up  can be planned such as choosing between a telephone call, what's app message, Email or one to one personal meeting. 

Follow up happens not only with subordinates but with your colleagues in other departments or functions. Here, good interpersonal skills would stand you in good stead. The job you want done could be number 1 on your list but number 15 in his list. By effective communication and interaction, you may be able to achieve a shifting of priorities from 15 in his list to number 5 in the list. 

Follow up and its importance in an organization would also depend on the organizational culture. While in one organization, follow up may be  the driving force, in another organization, the very first Email may be  sufficient to get action from people. When you assign work the aim should be to get it done effectively and not just dump the work on someone. Therefore, it is necessary to empathize and find out if there are problems if any that they face and give support. Is there a lack of resources or a skill issue that needs attention? Sometimes people do not attend to a work because they want guidance from the boss. By the time the busy boss is able to find the time, he would have received the second reminder. 

Often times, there is no need to send number of Emails . A call over telephone could solve an issue. Documentation is required only on the rare occasion when the person on the other side is tricky and capable of denying an interaction ever happened. Ultimately it boils down to trust when it comes to interpersonal  communication. Beyond a point, follow up can hurt emotions and people may get into the 'Justification mode' defeating the very basic purpose of getting things done. Leaders  would do well to practice 'Servant leadership' while organizing and monitoring work. It will help if you are able separate the individual from a problem or shortfall when monitoring the work of  your team members.

Following up with people who are senior in rank in the organization is an art. The higher a person goes, higher his /her ego tends to be. Therefore, it is important to do the follow up without ruffling feathers; it helps to find out when they are in a good mood or in a receptive mode.  Understanding biological clocks of people like whether they are "a morning or evening' person could be useful to push your proposals. If you attempt finding fault with the boss for the things not happening, the conversation could go somewhat like this:  

"Sir, I have sent four Emails to which you have not responded" 

" You mean to say you are the only one I have to attend to? I get 100 Emails everyday. If it was so urgent, you should have come down personally or taken a decision yourself." 

Here, ownership and sense of responsibility of the junior colleague is very important. He could take the initiative and say " Please let me know if this is not a priority as of today." The answer would enable him  to come to a common ground as to the level of priority. Consequently, he is  able to stop focusing on something that he thought was very urgent as he now knows that it is sufficient to attend to it in a week's time. If you are liaisoning with Government officials, it is important to give frequent status updates to the boss and close the communication loop. Proactive behaviour in this regard is most essential to ensure that "there are no surprises." and the boss is not put in an embarrassing position. 

My own understanding and the big take away for me from this webinar was " keep empowering your people to the extent that they work happily and responsibly on their own without the need for follow up. However, when follow up is necessary, do it with a positive intention as unobtrusively as possible. If you have to err, err on the side of not following up." 

In the words of the speaker " Every human being has a need to be understood; make your person feel special and let them be ( Don't make them be who you want them to be)". To a question from the audience as to what distinguishes a leader from a manager with reference to this topic he said, a leader will prefer to nudge rather than follow up, the tool utilized by a manager. Follow up makes a person feel "I am not good enough". 

Self Sustaining Strategies for Personal Well Being

In this blog I would like to share the gist of the conversation between Ms Rupande Padaki, Trustee India Cares Foundation & Director P&P Group and Ms Pratima Murthy, Professor of Psychiatry & HOD NIMHANS on 27th May 2021. The online session was organized by NHRD Bangalore under its thought Leadership Meet.  

• Well being includes physical, psychological, social, spiritual and societal aspects of the individual. It can also be seen as  a state when you have the ability to adapt to whatever situation life throws up. The ability to have a balance is the key. 
• Money is an  important  aspect of well being but this is only up to a point till you are able to access minimum comforts in life. Beyond that , money alone will not provide well being.
•  "It affects me if people around me are not feeling well."- We are all connected. 
• Wellness or otherwise is contagious. What happens around us affects us and gets spread to others as well.
• Pace of life has increased tremendously but our  ability and self control has not been good enough to keep up with that pace. 
• Many challenges such as adapting to adaptive technology are required to be met these days. 
• When changes occur, it affects life of people. What may appear as 'minor' to some may affect others in a big way. We are all set to a 'personalized thermostat' beyond which we find difficult it to cope. It takes time to readjust to the external challenges. 
• 7-8 years ago a 'well being' study was conducted in Bangalore. It was noticed that there was reasonable wellness among the respondents. It appeared to increase with age meaning older people scored higher in happiness and well being. A certain amount of acceptance of situations happen as one grows older. 
• It was found from the study that minority communities encounter a lot more stress in day to day life. 
• The temperament of the person also impacted well being. Those who were less hedonistic (pursuing pleasure and self gratification) had a higher level of well being. 
• Ability to cope with stress and difficult situations is a part of well being.    

Strategies used by People   

• Sleep out a problem and then look at it afresh.
• Paying adequate attention to sleep and physical health in adverse times.
• Some of the ways of relieving tension are ventilating (expressing one's opinion/emotion), talking to people. 
• Just as catharsis is important, humour is another way to cope with stress. Being able to laugh at ourselves/situation is a big relief. spirituality is another way.
•  Then they are the cognitive strategies - Learn to identify the problems before you, prioritize and put aside those which you cannot deal with immediately. Example: You have identified the problems as worried about retaining job, whether my son's college education will be adversely affected and the need for bringing home required provisions during the pandemic. Achieving  this clarity, will help you decide on which to be attended to first.
• It is most essential to put off important decisions such as quitting a job when you are psychologically and emotionally under pressure.  
• when you think with a calm mind you will realize that not all windows and doors are closed. Step outside of the problem and see what can be done. Chunking the problem into manageable portions helps. This is the principle followed by the Alcoholic Anonymous group. 
• A sense of helplessness can be very distressing. Do not get in to that mindset- Pessimism stretched to a point of feeling that "there are no answers to my problem" can be catastrophic. 
• When people are not able to verbalize their emotional state, the problem gets converted to physical symptoms. Therefore, look at and listen to your body for signs. 
• If anxiety persists over a period of time it needs to be addressed. 

Problems of mental health associated with Covid situation     

• You can see a similarity in the situation faced by both a doctor and a HR person in that they have to meet the expectation and ensure well being of their patients/ employees on the one hand while on the other hand, they have to take care of their own health as well. They also have to handle the associated stress.  
•  The honey moon period of working from home is over, not many are enjoying it anymore. The office working atmosphere of interaction and communication is being missed. Further, with the lines having blurred, work-life balance has gone for a toss.
• The amount of anxiety and fear faced on a day to day basis has gone up considerably, particularly during the second wave. Covid is no longer something happening somewhere far away to someone. It has come too close for comfort.
• As most families are affected in one way or the other, lot of grief and bereavement has to be encountered as also financial burden for treatment.
• Nurses working in hospitals worry about their young children left alone at home to fend for themselves. They are also concerned about passing on the virus as and when they visit home. Similar is the situation of other professionals working in the medical and  health domain.
•  In an activity organized for children, they were asked to do painting of what they thought about the Covid 19 situation. It was interesting to find that younger children painted positive pictures as well. 
• Children miss the opportunity to play outdoor with their friends and the class room atmosphere at school. 
• There is a need for a lot more supervision by adults when it comes to the online classes.
• Verbalizing one's emotions is even more difficult for children. They need to be reassured and their anxieties/fears allayed.
• More programs need to be developed to support children to navigate through the pandemic period. 
• There is additional pressures on families who have senior citizens at home. Senior citizens experience a lot more loneliness as they are not able to meet their friends for a chat at the park. Further, losing some of their friends to Covid is adding to the tension, worry and depression. 
• This is a time when a lot of priority is to be given to self care. Effective coping and having a set routine for each day is very important. One should also not listen to or watch too much of fake or depressing news. 
• One should be prepared in advance as to what needs to be done in case a hospital visit becomes necessary to avert a panic response.
• Shower a lot of kindness on yourself and recognize when you need to seek help.
• At the work place, reach out to whatever services are made available by the employer such as counselling services to keep yourself strong. 
• Just as you take help for physical requirements, make it a point to seek help for mental health issues. We have to remove the stigma so that people come out and speak about their mental health problems.
• While too much stress is detrimental, some amount of stress (Eustress) is good  to ensure that you take the pandemic seriously and observe protocol to beat it. You will then have control over what you are doing and manage the pace of response effectively.
• There are apps available to monitor your sleep, stress levels/depression etc which can be used if you feel it helps you. 
• In the realm of spirituality, reading  the Bhagavat Gita and other such books can be of great help. Buddhist meditation and practices also can be beneficial. 
• Employers while drafting wellness policies should keep in mind the fact that it is the fear of their confidentiality being compromised and fear of the consequences of admitting you have a mental issue, that prevents many employees  to come forward to seek help. The reassurance factor should be built in to the company policies.
• In the  risk assessment of mental health  (where a traffic light colour system has been  introduced) the focus and priority  should be to ensure that  those in the green zones continue to remain green, provide help to those in amber zone ( midway between yellow and orange) to enable them to  recognize their problem and  address the problems aggressively in respect of of those in the red zone. 

To my mind this conversation between two experts in the field was a very rewarding and enlightening exercise. There is a lot we can take and implement from the discussion to enhance our self sustaining and coping strategies for ensuring personal well being. 

Resilience in the Workplace

National Human Resources Development Network (NHRDN)  organized a series of online webinars from 5th to 10th October 2020  under their Mind Matters Program in connection with the World mental health day. I had attended the session on the 8th and the valedictory session on 10th October. I shared the gist of the proceedings on the 8th in my blog post featuring the experience sharing by Ms Mellener Anne Coelho, VP and India Head for Diversity, equity and inclusion North Trust India. ( https://hrdian.blogspot.com/2021/02/personal-story-of-resilience-and.html ) 

In the last post we discussed as to why it is all the more important to  give focus and thrust to mental health issues in India - Our awareness levels about mental health is low and there is a stigma attached to matters related to mental health. In this blog, we will discuss the gist of a panel discussion organized on 10th October 2020. Prof Sujata Sriram of Tata Institute of Social Sciences  was the moderator  and panel members  were  Dr Soumya Krishna, Consultant psychiatrist, Green oak initiative, Dr Chetana Duggal Asst Prof TISS and Ms Hvovi Bhagwagar, Psychologist & psychotherapist.

The following matters were discussed during the interaction by the panel members. 

What constitutes resilience?   

*  Resilience is the ability to spring back from an adversity. Nobody is born with it; it is developed over a period of time.

*  Resilience is not an absolute ability. One can be resilient in one situation but not in another. Sometimes, the same situation occuring on a later date may not be met by a person with resilience. 

* Reframing can help to handle an adverse situation. It involves reprocessing but does not necessarily mean a person has forgotten the adverse experience. It is about looking at it differently so that it does not impact you negatively. 

* Resilience involves the requirement to be adaptive and varies from person to person. When natural disasters like an earth quake happens, the ability of the people to spring back to normalcy is not the same. While  most people come back to their old selves and also learn, grow from that experience, there are some who have difficulty in coping with life in the future and need help. 

Role of culture in resilience     

* Some cultures teach you to be resilient by giving the message very early in life that "You have to be strong" 

* This strength also comes from the support and access to resources, sense of identity etc. As for example a supportive comment "What happened at school today?" will give the signal  to a child that he matters and helps him to feel strong and protected. 

* Issues such as gender can impact the resilient process negatively if it is felt that the resources are not fairly distributed. 

* India, basically as nation has enjoyed community support which has helped her to be a resilient nation. However, there has been some erosion in this regard particularly in urban areas. This needs to be revived from the level of the roots for building workplace resilience. Steps are to be taken to build community support.  

Way Forward     

* Mental issues of our team members which are below the surface may come out during the times of stress or adverse conditions like the Corona crisis. Here, what is important is the way we react. We should be supportive and encourage people to speak up whether at  work or at home. A negative reaction can add to the problem.

* It is important to listen with an open mind.The mental health champions should not behave as if they know everything and have all the answers. The mere act of listening helps.

* If people are upset, give them the opportunity to vent, let their steam out for some time. 

* The necessary environment has to be created for people to feel safe. It is only when they feel safe that they will open up and reach out to you. This has to be done by all concerned namely the parents, spouses. manager and organization  working as a team to co regulate and soothe the problem encountered by the employee.

What can Managers Do?   

*  Organizations have begun to understand the importance of taking care of the mental well being of their employees. This itself is a step in the right direction

* Managers can be trained with definite and clear inputs on how to talk to a person having a mental issue.

* Certification programs of a mandatory 1 or 2 days can be implemented.

* Accessibility to mental health care within the organization- A mental health department can be started headed by a psychologist. 

* Every person in the organization needs to be sensitized. People should be trained and prepared to use less threatening language in conversations. Have refresher courses for managers once in a year and make it mandatory by integrating it to the performance appraisals. 

* The details of the organization's mental health policy should be available in its website spelling out the various facilities / steps available for sustaining mental health. 

* A thorough system be developed for the company that encompasses the policy & its relevance to the outcomes of the organization, day to day practices, response machinery in the form of wellness conversations, platform for dialoguing and the specialized services provided ( mental health department).

* The language that is used in respect of a person in distress is very important, all the more the language of  leaders.  

* The way you look at and approach an employee would be different if you believed in the statement    "A difficult employee is one with distress."  The focus would then be "how can I get you back? You have been a good performer before". 

* Be patient. People may take time to trust you. As it is they may be in a mental state where things appear dark and negative.

* Be as inclusive as possible. Do not exclude them from departmental or other social meetings connected with the department. 

*Do not penalize an employee who has revealed his/her mental issue.Their appraisals or promotion should not be adversely affected because of it. Do not look at them as "People who cannot handle things." Organizations have to take responsibility for safeguarding their rights on par with other employees. 

* It is on account of stigma attached to mental illness that some employees do not accept or utilize assistance or benefit extended to them. As for example, a psychologist was arranged by a company to talk with employees with suicidal tendencies on a one on one basis. However, none of the employees availed of that service.   Employee assistance programs (EAP) should examine ways to energize the programs. (EAP is an employee benefit program that assists employees with personal problems and/or work related problems that may impact their job performance, health, mental, and emotional well being). 

* Encourage and let the subject of mental health come into routine conversation in a natural and matter of fact manner. 

Developing resilience in children post Covid 

  * Children are confused with the nature of life post Covid with each child having to figure out for himself/herself as to how to handle the changes. Open up conversations with them and provide them supportive space and motivation.

* When they go back to work after being on lock down, employees are not expected to be supermen. They are given the time and space to pick up and show graded improvement. The same goes for children. Don't put undue pressure on them simply because they are now operating from home. 

* Physical distancing etc is difficult to implement among children. Therefore, the resumption of schools should start initially only for students of higher classes. It is another matter that in terms of restlessness, the adolescents are the most difficult to handle at this time 

* Finally, the panel advised to be kind to everyone including yourself in these pandemic times which can be very challenging.  

This discussion was a fitting finale to the week long webinar focusing on mental health  as a part of  observing the World Mental Health day. The moderator and the panel of experts gave some very insightful tips that can be implemented profitably by employers for ensuring the mental health and well being of their employees.

Indian Political Economy in the 21st Century- Book Review

The book "Indian Political Economy in the 21st Century'- Facets and Challenges written by Dr G.R. Krishnamurthy (GR Krishna Cogineni) is predominantly an assemblage of the talks given by the professor over the years in national and international conferences. It traces the economic development in the country starting from the first five year plan made after independence (which focused on agriculture)  to the present economic scenario. The book has been divided into four parts :  Part I discusses the core sector challenges, Part II Economy and society in transition , Part III India's foreign trade and relations and part IV Professional and ethical management & Governance strategy. 

When I studied B.A. Economics for my graduation in the late seventies, our discussions centered around aspects such as Indian agriculture being "a gamble of the rains" and the problems of  fragmentation of agricultural land  resulting from division of land  among heirs on the death of a patriarch. Heavy dependence on the rain God has continued to be a problem in spite of  a few early dam projects like Bhakra  Nangal in the state of Punjab/ Himachal  Pradesh.  The  noted economist V.K.R.V. Rao had suggested the linking and channelizing of rivers in the country appropriately to avoid flooding in the eastern part  and making it available to the rain deficit states. His proposal was not immediately accepted by politicians who were concerned more about which state would get more from the project. Finally it had to be abandoned since the original cost estimates had gone up by many times as we dilly dallied on the decision making.

Dr Krishna gives us  a ring side view of the problems faced in the villages, particularly by  women who are the backbone of society. Women's economic empowerment through  micro finance is a positive development that has opened up  the possibilities of women's entrepreneurship and development. It not only provides her with access to incomes and assets but also decision making power at home and community activities. It was a model successfully adopted in Bangladesh by Prof  Muhammad Yunus, banker and social entrepreneur through his Grameen banks  that won him a Nobel Peace prize in 2006. I am sharing here a video of an address given by Prof Yunus at the Ashoka University at Sonipat Haryana, about the practical problems at the village level and how he went about solving them. It is very relevant to part I of our book under review. 

In India, the micro finance model is sought to be implemented with the help of Self Help Groups(SHGs) consisting of 15 to 20 poor rural women . The book discusses the extent of success of the schemes and the problems and criticisms that need to be addressed. Adequate support network is most essential  for its success. The dynamics of caste in the village has been explained  with a case study of an Andhra village panchayat .It  gives readers an authentic feel of the reality of life in the villages and the challenges involved. 

The economic liberalization and the socio- cultural transformation in India is another important subject that is discussed in the book. According to the author, after the launch of the economic liberalization program in 1991, India showed an impressive growth rate of 6 to 7% per annum for 25 years till 2016. For 45 years prior, it only had a growth rate of 3% per annum. The information technology boom contributed to 50% of GDP of the whole country. He says "The middle class and the rich are the largest beneficiaries of the fruits of economic growth". some of the impact of this development include increase in the registered motor vehicles from around 2 crores to 16 crores during the initial two decades of liberalization (1991-2011), India became a prominent player in the global IT scenario. Every third Indian began to be seen in someway as coming under the bracket "Middle class" kindling the interest of the world for India as a destination for foreign direct investment(FDI). 

Dr Krishna says that economic prosperity has brought with it some changes in social and cultural aspects in the country - with materialistic consumerism becoming  a way of life,  there is "no personal relationships and no family bonds and many Indians including teenagers, children, senior citizens began to feel loneliness and alienation in their lives"  leading to psychological frustration and psychiatric problems. The divorce and crime rate also rose. On the one side, there was economic upward  mobility while on the other, there has been an increase in unemployment due to our education system failing to produce people who are employable  as they lack the required skills. A sense of 'aimlessness' has gripped the youth.  In the author's words "India a land of Buddha, Ambedkar and Mahatma needs a different kind of social transformation than an American or European  model. Our economic growth has not resulted in a type of social transformation which is India soul centered". 

The book also discusses at length the challenges of  human resource development in Indian organizations underscoring the need for imparting better skills, competencies and attitudes with a  focus on improving the very 'quality of life' of human resources.  The managerial focus and strategies are discussed in the chapter titled " Productivity in Indian Public sector undertakings (PSUs). Human resources need to seen as "creators of development" rather than as one of its residuals and a deliberate process should be in place for their empowerment. Curriculum restructuring has been suggested as a must  for excellence in management education. Other economic subjects deliberated on, in the book include the trends in FDI investment in India and China, ASEAN and India and  the significance of the BRIC countries in the global economy.

The book  highlights the role and importance of small industries which are an important source of employment.  Dr Krishna notes that "Roughly 90 small scale units fall sick everyday in India". some of the solutions suggested to meet the challenges faced by small units are a comprehensive package for revival, withdrawal of all arbitrary recover proceedings, creation of a separate bank to cater to the working capital needs of SSIs (Small scale industries), exemption of taxes in rural and backward areas. Purchases on preferential basis, all Government requirements from SSIs, creation of separate marketing yards for selling the products of SSIs and small producers, Free legal aid to small entrepreneurs etc.   

In the last chapter, a third approach to development attributed to Ganhiji has been discussed as the need of the times. Gandhiji had advocated industrialization and adoption of technology "commensurate with the needs, ethos and tradition of the Indian population, economy and society, particularly the peasantry." The efficacy of  latest developments in the economic front brought in by the NDA 2.0 Government on its assumption of power in 2014, has not been analysed in detail in the book since it is only  after some time has lapsed that the real impact of a policy or action will be known and can be measured. The author has therefore discussed  it in the beginning of the book under " Prologue". 

The NDA 2.0 Government has   announced an ambitious goal of making India a $5 trillion economy.According to the author "PM Modi has taken some drastic but highly controversial measures like demonetization, introduction of GST etc. Though taken with  noble objectives, did these measures achieve the goals?" is a question that needs to be answered. He has cited some parameters to show a decline in many areas with a slide "in overall GDP growth from 8% a year ago to 5 % in 2019. Covid 19 has now added to our woes and things are bound to get more difficult in the near future before we are able to bounce back.

" Indian Political Economy in the 21st Century" is a very comprehensive book touching  upon various aspects that has  impacted the Indian economy over the years with some prescriptions on the way forward. At many points while reading the book I found myself thinking "If only I had such an exhaustive book thoroughly covering so many aspects, when we were  students!". I am sure that the libraries of management schools and colleges offering B.A./B.com. courses would find this book a valuable addition to their bookshelves. It is laced with case studies and plenty of statistics on the subjects discussed. If there is anything I would have liked more, it is an elaboration of the "Third path approach" of Gandhiji with  inputs from present day economists on how useful and feasible it would be for India to implement today and the extent of its acceptability given the present mood of the nation.

 Personally, I am inclined to agree with the author that a balanced approach is the need of the hour, particularly now that  we have seen how greed has done great harm to the economy of capitalist countries like USA. Many of our citizens in rural areas would not leave their homes to come to urban areas if they had good opportunities for a decent living in terms of economic and other facilities in their native place. To that extent the pressure on the resources in the towns and cities would have been less. In this context we would do well to keep in mind the dream of the  people's president APJ Abdul Kalam for  PURA ( Provision of Urban amenities in Rural areas) so that all Indians will enjoy a high quality of life. This would also be in line with the aspirations of more and more young Indians who are articulating a desire to be and have the best they can! 

NB: The highly informative and insightful book " Indian Political Economy in the 21st Century" can be bought through this link.

 https://www.amazon.in/Indian-Political-Economy-21st-Century/dp/B085FWKXRD 

Curiosity creates Creativity

In this blog I am sharing the gist of the webinar organized by Mr Prakash Sharma of Bija Training under the Mask leadership series on 6th January 2021. The speaker was Mr sanjay Chandel, SrVP(HR), Sterling

Curiosity and creativity are mutually reinforcing qualities.  Being curious is the foundation stone of creativity. The creativity process is initiated from a place of being curious. When you give an idea a shape it becomes innovation. You take inputs from various sources and create something new and original. As for example, you could brainstorm and come out with fifty ideas. Innovating is all about translating into action the workable ideas generated. Tesla came out with a car with basically battery and software and very few mechanical parts.  Presently, with many employees working from home innovative ways of working are being explored and encouraged.  

To a question as to how creativity can be kindled, the speaker said that while humans are at their creative peek up to the ages of  5- 6 years, by age 40  creativity tends to decline to only around 2%. Getting into a routine or predetermined ways, stifle creativity. Organizations are generally designed to administer and work in a regimented manner. Today, there is a sea change in the way people work for a company.  They don’t work for the same company for 35 years. The shelf life of skills also is now only 5 to 6 years. Many organizations become redundant as the changes happening  within the organization is less than the changes happening outside.   

Creativity today is not a choice but a necessity. It is no longer about competition coming from within the industry. It can come from totally unexpected places surprising you  with new business models such as  Uber/ Ola in the  taxi  and  Airbnb/ Oyo in hospitality industries.  One has to have an ear to the ground and be humble to be able to learn. There is a need for creativity to be intentional with a framework. One should be willing and able to use tools like design thinking and Gemba walk  (walk around the place where value is being created meaning see actual process, understand work, ask questions and learn).

There is the need for businesses to be tuned to reality. We have seen a well established brand like Nokia disappear for want of agility within a span of two years of products like I phone appearing. Similarly Tesla gave a run for its money to cars like BMW in the luxury car segment. Creativity  and agility go hand in hand . One cannot be complacent in the dynamic times that we live in. In the US, the established car companies  manufacturing huge cars did not take seriously the entry of smaller sized cars in the belief that Americans (to whom  cheap gas was available) would always prefer large cars.  

 In fact the plea by an employee of Chevrolet company for manufacturing small cars was dismissed by the company. He was however, proved right when Hyundai and Japanese companies made a dent in the market offering smaller cars. The best of organizations are always open to listening to their employees. When an employee had suggested introduction of cappuccino coffee, Starbucks initially discouraged him. Later, when it was introduced as a trial, it turned out to be its highest selling product.

 To another question as to whether having a deadline would be a deterrent to creativity, the speaker said  his answer would be ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ and that it would depend on circumstances. Although deadlines can sometimes be stifling, it may be necessary when quick solutions are demanded. As for example some companies brainstormed and came up with quick responses when they were given only a week’s time to switch over to "work from home" on the Covid 19 pandemic striking the world.  Similarly vaccines normally take 5 to 10 years to be developed. In view of the present emergency the period had to be crunched and the scientists rose to the occasion. Thus it all depends on the context. The speaker signed off with the remark “ This is the best time to try out ideas.” The discussion of the evening was very insightful and enlightening.