The Innovative Manager

03.09.2011

I am now at the plant of a leading Tamilnadu-based Automobile Major, delivering a session on Cost Reduction Techniques to a group of bright young engineers. I am trying to make them understand the need for constantly and continuously reducing costs. This demands a Creative outlook. The old algorithimic approaches fail as the challenges from the environment intensify. What is needed today is an attitude of continuous ideation and inventive problem solving.

Being a Manager now does not only involve faultless execution, it also demands continuous innovation in the execution both at the process as well as the product level. This is the Challenge of the new millnium. This is the challenge of change.

Karl Kubel Institute, Anaikatti, Coimbatore

21.12.2010

I am here with my good friend and trainer Roopkumar to conduct a two-day Outbound Training Programme for the senior executives of Texmo Industries.

I have heard a lot about Karl Kubel from Coimbatore Trainers and corporate executives. But I could never visit. Nestled at the foot of the Anaikatti range of hills, the Institute is picturesque with green lawns and spreading conifers. It is run by an NGO founded by Karl Kubel a German philanthrophist. It has locational advantages for conducting Outbound training. More than 100 people can be accommodated in the various training blocks scatteres over the sprawling grounds. Each block has its own rooms for lodging and Training halls. The Dining area is common and centrally located. The food was healthy and hot and had a Kerala flavor. In winter when the air is vchilly, it is almost like a hill resort.

Behind the Institute from south to north the western ghats rear up majestically. The road passing by the Institute goes further up to Anaikatti and thereafter to Mukkali, Mannarkad, and Silent Valley in Kerala.

There is absolutely no external disturbance due to the remote location. The fact that the cell phone connection is fragile means we don’t have to bother about participants going out for taking calls.

My ears, so used to the continuous buzz and background muzak of city life were pleasantly relieved by the total silence prevailing in the institute. This absolute “Nisabdha” or “absence of noise” served to accentuate sounds and make them louder than usual. The chirping of birds in the morning and the sound of a twig cracking as someone steps on it were clearly audible.

There is a very tenuous moble connection outside the main gate of the Institute. I went thither after the morning tea break to call up my office. I squatted on a conveniently placed concrete seat (possibly made for this purpose?) and spoke to Chennai. As I sat there after the call, I could see spread out before me the magnificent view of the range of mountains, shrouded in greenery with a bald peak here and there rearing up above the emerald slopes. In the near distance the yellow and white moths flew from flower to flower and fluttered through the low-hanging branches of the trees lining the opposite side of the curving ghat road. I simply sat there “enjoying-the-moment.” Even the regret that I did not have my camera handy was silenced in the realization that enjoying-the-moment now was more important than attempting to capture 2D images.

Team Building Workshop-Premier Mills Group Coimbatore

I reached Coimbatore late in the evening. The next day, I conducted a workshop on Team Building for the employees of units belonging to Premier Mills Group in Coimbatore. Here is the feedback received from Mr. B Shanmugam Senior Manager – Personnel & Administration of the units:

Staff members from our 3 units have participated and the total strength was 30.Program started at 9.30 sharply and faculty Mr.Srikanth from Management Study Centre has conducted the program in a very lively manner.All members participated actively and the session was interesting and informative.Importance of team work was highlighted by using tools of team play, group discussion etc., Requirement of leadership quality at all levels, interpersonal relationship was also stressed.The participants were divided into groups and given exercise to complete the task as a team.Feedback received from all the participants is very good and all have come forward to apply the concept learnt in their day to day industrial life.The program gave overwhelming response from all the participants and we thank you very much for giving such a valuable training program to our staff members.

Inspirational Leadership Training

I was conducting a half-day session on Leadership at the Institute of Company Secretaries of India today. The session was highly interactive as the participants played enthusiastically in the activities

While sharing my Five Rules of Leadership, I spoke about the need for Leaders to have a Bias for Action. One of the participants made the point that Bias is a negative word and I could have preferred the word "Preference". I agree that Bias seems to have acquired a negative connotation through usage and leans nearer to prejudice. But the word is essentially an indication that someone likes one option over another. A Bias for Action means we prefer to do things rather than simply keep analyzing. To lean towards something because you don't like something else, or you like something more than something else.

Businessdictionary.com defines Bias as the Propensity to act or decide without customary analysis or sufficient information 'just do it' and contemplate later. Popularized by Tom Peters, author of 'Search For Excellence,' as a distinguishing feature of agile firms.

Ashok Leyland Bhandara

I am here at Bhandara to conduct a Financial awareness program for the executives of the Bhandara unit of Ashok Leyland Limited. It is a two day program.

If you proceed further for another twenty kilometers, beyond Bhandara town the Bhandara unit of Ashok Leyland lies on a sprawling green 230 acre rolling grassland on the southern side of the National Highway. The plant is at the edge of the forest and I am informed that sightings of Deer and wild Boar can be had frequently and sometimes even a stray leopard. Just adjacent are two major reserve forests.

Habits of Highly effective Managers

I delivered a lecture on Habits of Highly effective Managers art St. Jodsephs College of Engineering on OMR, Chennai. The campus, adjacent to the Sathyabama Deemed University is masssive. It looks more like a theme park with beautifully maintained lawns colorful statuary and aeshtetic buildsings everywhere.

My lecture was well received by the students.

Finance for Non Finance--VA Tech Wabagh

This was a batch of young engineers from the EPCL space. I did my best to relate the session to the Turn-key Project Execution business. They had certain initial disconnect with the conceptual base. But slowly through examples and working out simple numerics on the white Board we made new discoveries in Financial awareness.

Hyundai Program on Effective Supervisory Skills

TEXMO Program on High Performance Supervisory Skills Coimbatore

06.08.2010

I am here at Coimbatore once again to conduct advanced supervisory skills development program for the same batch of managers I trained last time. This time I took them higher up the mountain and tried to make them see the connect between their efforts and the Vision and Mission of the company. Before I began the program, I asked them to tell me the contents of their company’s mission statement. While they had a vague idea about it, most of them did not really knowit. This was not because therewas no buy in but because they hadn’t bothered to connect this higher level goal to their day to day work. Once I made them discuss and come out with their understanding of Texmo’s mission, vision and strategy and their own contribution towards this, they connected.

I also helped them go through powerful teamwork based activities like Box Making, Forming a perfect square when blind folded and the Trust Walk.

The questionnaire on JOHARI windows went well and they plotted their own window. For some of them it came as a surprise.

Coimbatore is balmy and cool again with a chilly breeze blowing in through my window.

Smart Teacher Training

I am here to deliver talks on “How to become a Smart Teacher” to college professors at the inaugural function of the CPT classes of Prime Academy at Mysore. The local partner at Mysore conducting the classes is the Pentagon Group, a team of five, enterprising gentlemen from varied backgrounds offering a diversified bouquet of services ranging from lean management to outsourcing solutions.

A HR Professional should be an Invertor

19.07.2010

I was invited by the Madras School of Social Work to conduct sessions on Team Building at the Skill Lab for the MA in Social Work group. I did a couple of activities on Team Skills.

I made the point that a HR professional should be like an Invertor. When a person comes fully charged up we should reduce the charge by absorbing the surplus energy so that he cools down. Then he would be ready for rational debate on the issue.

When someone is emotionally drained or negative we should in turn pass on a bit of our energy so that he will be charged up again and ready for dedicating himself to his personal growth and the organizational good.

It was a satisfying day and the interaction of the students was very high as also the quality of their participation and eagerness for content absorption.

While going through the Machine Game, one set of participants demonstrated a Direction Finder. The coordination was superb although they had made the directions go around while the needle remained firm. Normally it’s the needle that moves to point to the True North.

There were two girls from Nagaland. They were a bit poor on the communication side but quite friendly. One of them comes from Woka, which is on the way to Mokukchung.

Edutainment at SAIPEM

On 26th May I conducted a programme on "High Performance Managerial Skills for Saipem India Private Limited a Project Construction Company. The programme was well received, especially the Edutainment in the form of use of Movie Clippings to communicate Management Messages.

Financial Well Being

On 17th and 21st May I conducted sessions on Financial Well Being for the Retirees of Ashok Leuyland Limited. This is regular feature where I brief them on the need for Financial Planning for Retirement and after. I also give them inputs on Portfolio structuring and wealth maximization with safety. I generally suggest a mix of Mutual Funds and Government Bonds/Post Office Savings.

One thing that constantly surprises me is the way those about to retire would willingly "invest" their funds with brokers who suggest intra-day trading while totally resist investment in Systematic Investment Plans in Diversified Mutual Funds as risky!

Another suggestion I give to them is to buy 24 carat Gold coins or invst in a Gold ETF rather than buy ornamental gold. This usually finds resistance among women. But during the session on 17th, my suggeation was supported and vindicated by one of the participants, Mr. V who stated that he had consistyently bought 24 carat Gold coins instead of ornamental gold. He sold the coins at the timew of his I daughter's marriage and made huge gains which he used not only to buy ornaments but also meet the marriage expenses. He has started doing the samre thing for his II daughter's marriage too. His only regret is that he had not bought more 24 Carat gold coins!

Training Activities-I

On 21st May I conducted an Executive DEvelopment Programme for the Institute of Company Secrataries of India. The participants were young and energetic Company Secretaries who were quite interactve and participated actively. You can see a participant presenting the viewsof her group on a case study here.

Moonstruck!

16.05.2010

Mr. T V Shiva Kumar my good friend and trainer conducted a workshop today evening at the P S Venkatesan Memorial Hall on “Parenting”. We had about fifteen participants, five of whom were trainers. Mr. Shivakumar kept the audience spell bound in his usual inimmicable style. In fact the program which was scheduled to end at 7:00 PM went on till 7:30 PM. I gave the welcome address and introduced T V shivakumar. I quoted Thirukkural on Parenting and set the tone for the evening’s deliberations.

I saw the crescent moon with a star just below the curve of the crescent. I am sure the star was somewhere far beyond the moon in outer space. But from the point of view of an earth-bound person with purely geo-spatial perspective it seemed as if the star was suspended down from the moon! I made a crude attempt at capturing this image which can be seen here!

Be your own Motivator

One of the key concepts I stressed yesterday at the EDAC Supervisory Skills Development programme was the need for self motivation in a supervisor. I exhorted them to be their own motivators and not wait for others to motivatre them. I suggested they use self hypnosis and speking positive words within themselves to motivate themselves.

I also spoke about the three roles that have to be played by them: initiator of an idea or plan; Executor of the idea and finally evaluator of the effectiveness of the execution. It would be ideal if a supervisor could perform all the three roles.

We also discussed the need for feedback to change and grow. Sometimes feedback, especially from superiors may be harsh or hurtful. But one must remember that it is “stones that bear the chisels blow that become statues up on high…” and bear the harshness of the words by allowing it to mould us. It would be great if everyone had a mentor or guide to mould us and make us perfect. But, even if there is no mentor to mould us, we should not hesitate to wield the chisel on ourselves and become the sculptors of our own lives and fates. The heroine of K Balachander’s “Kalki” is depicted as a sculptor who works on herself. It is painful process; but the ultimate result and sense of fulfillment can be extraordinarily fulfilling. s

EDAC Supervisory Skills Program

15.10.2010

Today, I conducted Supervisory skills Development programme for the executives of EDAC Engineering Limited. The programme was well received. I heartened to see these comments:

I have attended a lot of training programs…but this one we learn lot of things and enjoy more.

T Ashok –Supervisor

I have attended so many programs like skill development programs…but your approach is best compared to other programmes.

K Hariharan – Purchase Officer

Tempered Steel

13.10.2010

Tenneco RC Hosur manufactures Ride controls. Ride Controls are our good old shock absorbers and struts when they are at home.. They also make emission controls (that’s silencers, exhaust pipes and mufflers.) But that’s not at Hosur.

Around the end of the second day, at the request of the participants, I spoke for a short while about “the Seven Habits.” I was describing the fifth habit and how it softens you and makes you more understanding, when a participant expressed a view that if you are too soft then people take advantage of you. I replied with my usual comparison with silk: soft outside, tough within.

Then, I compared seven habits practitioners with tempered steel, strong and flexible like the struts that Tenneco makes! Strong enough to absorb the shocks of driving over ruts and pot holes but flexible so that it doesn’t break!

Strength with flexibility seems to be the essential attitude that the constant practice of the seven habits induces. In this sense practicing seven habits is like constantly tempering ourselves.

Process Driven Approaches

17. 04. 2010

I conducted a programme on Supervisory Skills Development for the Management Study Centre. I stressed the need for Process Driven approaches in management as against Task Driven Approaches.

Process Driven Approaches are one-off or quick-fix. They rely purely on people and their abilities vis-à-vis the job or task. Process Driven approaches rely on planning and selection. They assume that people will be rotated from job to job and therefore ensure every member of the process Team can take up[ all roles at acceptable levels of performance.

Process Based Approaches facilitate learning, documentation and continuous improvement by feedback and corrective/preventive action.

The day was spent in activities and discussions that helped the participants to pick up the three crucial managerial skills like Listening, Delegation and Motivation.

Targeting, Budgeting and Goals

09.04.2010

It was a busy action packed day. In the morning between 9:30 Hrs to 13:00 Hrs I was at the Sea Farers Club addressing the HODs and top management of the PSTS Group on “Targeting and Budgeting.” I introduced them to the concept of a Profit Machine and how setting of Targets and adhering to Budgets is essential for ensuring that the Profit Machine works efficiently.

In the afternoon, I was at the Institue of Company Secretaries of India conducting a work shop for budding Company Secretaries on “Personality Development.” Instead of giving them direct inputs, we had activities and games. I took them through a few questions that promoted interaction and also enabled them to arrive at their own conclusions. The questions were:

Ø Do you have Goals?

Ø Are you Goal-focused?

Ø How do you relate with others?

Ø How do others relate with you?

Ø Are you a great Team Player?

Ø Are you ready for Leadership?