People and Systems

Conducted the programme on Managerial effectiveness for the executives of Aban Constructions. There were 29 participants including about eight Graduate Engineer Trainees. It was quite a challenge to pitch the programme as I was essentially addressing two groups. The senior engineers who had knowledge and experience and the GETs who thought they had the first and knew thay lacked the second!

A view of the participants at the one-day programme on Managerial Effectiveness for Aban Constructions
I always look forward to the keynote address delivered by the President of the company Mr. S M Roy. He is a powerful yet subdued speaker who makes his point quite forcibly without going into theatricals! He speaks direct from the heart and his talks reflect the ocean of experience from which he draws his ideas and views.

Here are a couple of interesting things I've heard and enjoyed from his speeches to the participants of the two programmes I've done with Aban:
This is excerpted from a conversation between two senior level executives of the TATA group overheard by the speaker. The executives were K C Mahra and Ramesh Bahsin, both JMDs and aluminus of the prestigious TATA Administrative services training programme.
They were saying, there are two important things that make companies great: Good people and Good systems (i.e. processes). But, if the people are good and the systems are bad, the company cannot succeed. Conversely well designed systems will have no impact on performance if the people are not enthusiastic about them!

Mr. Roy takes this concept to its logical conclusion and suggests that good systems, to be effective should be people friendly while good people should be systems friendly! This would produce a great combination, which is the sure recipe for corporate success and growth.

(Standing)Mr. S M Roy, President Aban , Srikanth, Mr. Ajith Pannikkar, GM HR, Aban

Mr. Roy gave a brilliant and thought provoking explaination of the significance of the Buddhist prayer "Sangam Saranam Gachami, Dhammam Saranam Gachami, Buddham Saranam Gachami" to corporate management.

Sangam means commununty or people or team! The Team should have right thinking people with the correct attitude and aspirations. This makes a great team. We should be part of that team!

Dhammam means god practices or processes that have to be adopted consistently and with conviction.

Bhuddham (this is mind blowing!) refers to Buddha or the GOAL! We should be Goal focused. Our goals, as well as our organisational goals should be alligned thus leading to better performance.

Another great thing I liked about Aban was that they had had a detailed review session facilitated by Mr. Roy himself where the participants of my earlier programme have contemplated on the key learnings from it. They have identified nineteen related clusters. Out of this they have selected for implementation the following: Be Proactive, Time Management and Team Work. These are respectively the First, Third and Sixth habits from the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. In fact, Mr. Ajith Pannikkar did inform me that many participants have bought the book after attending the programme!