You are the CHOSEN ONE

About two decades ago, when I was managing projects in IT, I inducted a young boy as a trainee into one of the projects under me. Let us call him Akshay. IT had just started booming in India and it was a common practice to induct such qualified youngsters initially as trainees and then absorb them as employees. Akshay hailed from a very affluent family and came to office by car which in itself was a novelty those days! The project Manager was a tough character and was short tempered besides expecting nothing short of a miracle from his software engineers. After a while it became quite evident that Akshay did not measure up to his expectations, an observation I deduced during my casual conversations with the Project Manager.

As luck would have it, Akshay approached me one day and told me that another IT company was recruiting freshers and that he wanted to appear for the test and interview. I wished him good luck and gave him an experience letter for the 6 months he had worked in a LIVE project under me in a particular technology. Fortunately, he was selected in that company. As was common in those days, it was not against a particular requirement but recruitment in general (like the mass campus recruitment these days!). He was, as is euphemistically called, on the bench. A few months passed and the company then asked him to go to a different location and get trained for a few months in a different technology – completely different from the one in which he worked under me. He agreed and as the training date approached, his wedding was finalised, Akshay being from a community that got their children married very early. Perhaps no questions were asked about his job!

He sought leave of absence for a 2-week period from the training schedule. The company refused and made him go back to the bench again. He got married and was back to the good old bench. Obviously, Akshay was also frustrated with nothing much to do. Then one fine morning the HR asked him if he knew a particular technology – the one in which he was trained in my project. He answered in the affirmative. On being asked how he was proficient in that particular language, he produced my letter! And in the next few weeks, his papers were processed and before he knew what hit him, he was packed to USA! Yes, it sounds crazy now but those were the days!

If you review the entire sequence, can I stake a claim for his success since I had trained him, albeit for a short while and gave him a valuable experience certificate? Certainly not. Many things could have gone awry and the result could have been different. He was destined to go and I was only an instrument in the whole process. This profound truth hit me. I understood the meaning of “Thy WILL be done!”. The Good Lord had chosen me as his instrument to execute his plans – nothing more nothing less. I cannot take an ounce of credit for this act of Grace. This is a fact once you experience it. This is what all the scriptures are talking about! This is nothing but Nishkama Karma – selfless service. This is what the great artist Picasso meant when he said “The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to gift it away!”. Nature or the Good Lord expresses herself through each of us and it is only because of HER grace that we are the CHOSEN ONE to express herself! We need to be grateful instead of arrogating the gift or talent that we possess to our efforts!

In this context I recall the farewell speech of Sachin Tendulkar who put these thoughts eloquently. He said he always felt that while he enjoyed playing cricket, he was the CHOSEN ONE to represent India – to serve India. What a magnificent thought! Since he had this PURPOSE, all the laurels and accolades, he received all through his life sat very lightly on his shoulders! After all, all the glory belongs to the Good Lord. 

Let us all imbibe the true purpose of our existence and be grateful to the Good Lord for whatever he chooses to accomplish through us! 

 

 

 

 

Are you valued as an Employee?

The annual appraisal of the team is a daunting task for many a manager. Every employee working under you expects an “Excellent” rating while the company wants you to fit everyone into a bell curve with certain percentage of forced ratings including assessing a certain percentage of employees to be ‘Below Expectations.’ While everyone acknowledges that not all employees can be rated ‘Excellent’, the fact that appraisal ratings are linked to pay rise and promotions cloud such objective assessments. Anyway, that is a different topic altogether.

My simple question to my colleagues during such appraisals was always, “Have you added any value during the course of last year?”. And to be honest, I used to ask myself the very same question during my appraisal as well. Wherever the Key Performance Parameters are quantified, there may not be much of a debate. But when it is not quantified or nebulous, it becomes subjective! While the employee and I knew instinctively what “value” meant in the context of our discussions, I am afraid, I had not detailed it in a clear manner to make an objective assessment realistically. It was fuzzy at best.

Just imagine my pleasant surprise when I got hold of my dear colleague Stuart Drew’s book “The Liberated Manager”. He has devoted the entire first chapter of the Book to the subject of what I called value. He has defined a pragmatic framework that made me write this blog! He calls it “Personal Share Price” – PSP in short.

Stuart makes the following interesting observations as a prelude to defining PSP.

1.    Annual appraisals are a lagging indicator of past performance only and provides little or no guide to the future.

2.    Past performance alone is not the determinant of a corporate share price in financial markets. It is influenced by, among other things, future expectations of business, dividend policy, RoI, market sentiment and host of other factors and not just performance.

He believes that managers should apply similar concepts in assessing employees’ contribution and value in the workplace.

Stuart proposes three components that constitute PSP – Behaviour, Presence and Performance,

Consistent performance according to expectations or better than expectations contribute to a healthy PSP as most of us understand. But behaviour and presence are no less important and should not be subordinated to performance in doing a complete job, is his conviction. This applies particularly to managers, as their performance is generally an aggregation of their teams’ performance. Therefore, it can even be argued that a Managers’ behaviour and presence drives the performance of his team.

While we generally understand the terms behaviour and performance, we tend to misconstrue the term ‘presence’. It is not to be confused with personality. He quotes psychologist Walter Mischel of Stanford University who states that personality explains less than 10% of a person’s behaviour. Personality is a poor predictor of performance because people are highly flexible and far more adaptive than personality tests give them credit for.

If so, how do we recognise someone with presence. Easy says Stuart. They are confident, exude energy, are easily noticed, listened to, trusted, respected and followed. It is not about who is the loudest or who has the biggest ego. It is a state of being that allows one to develop more choices, reduce fears and influence the people around. People with presence also behave in a way that puts others at ease; they listen attentively and invite contributions without fear of reprimand or ridicule. They are measured in what they do. It is a combination of integrity, confidence, self-belief, strong body language, social interaction and a sense of humour. This presence or Gravitas, as he prefers to call it, is clearly evident among strong managers and leaders. And the good news Stuart conveys is personal presence CAN be developed!  

He also talks of the volatility of PSP and gives examples of famous people who have had a very high PSP – like Tiger Woods – but lost it along the way. Hence it must be our constant endeavour to evaluate ourselves and be aware of our PSP. He also goes on to give personal examples from his work life and talks of tools like 360-degree feedback that helped him to get a view about other’s perception about his behaviour and presence. He clearly demonstrates through examples how performance alone is not sufficient for a satisfactory PSP but behaviour and presence are also absolutely necessary and important.  

How do we know that our PSP is in good shape? Stuart gives an illustrative list to demonstrate this. Some of them are:

§  People will seek your advice

§  People will want to join your team

§  People will want to work on your projects

§  People will want you to work on their projects

§  Seniors and peers will seek and value your opinion

§  Your performance will be superior to your peers

§  You will have assumed responsibility disproportionate to your grade

§  People will go the extra mile for you without being asked 

Sounds quite familiar right? We have all come across such colleagues in our careers. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, you get the drift, right? These are some broad indicators of success in a wider sense. He concludes that the concept of PSP is as good as any formal metric based on revenue, profit, growth and the like. While these are acknowledged performance metrics, they need not necessarily be pre-eminent. He also gives a few practical tips to improve PSP like having a sense of humour, thanking people formally, taking an interest in their personal lives etc., and reiterates that it works in all corporate environments!

With PSP as the basic foundation, he goes on to elaborate on other constraints that normally shackle a manager from achieving his potential. Several chapters follow literally liberating you from one constraint after the other including a valuable one on liberating one from constraints imposed by one’s cultural heritage. Unlike a book by an academician, this book is the result of decades of vast experience across continents and therefore the distilled wisdom of a successful practitioner. The nuggets of wisdom are easy to read and follow. Anecdotes shared from his vast experience are fabulous and enriching. I am able to relate to many of the cases being discussed as I was also part of the journey with him in HCL, I am able to relive those wonderful moments. The writing style is simple and lucid. Despite being a native speaker of the language, he has not used a single word for which I had to refer to the dictionary – a trait that I greatly admire in a writer. 

I enjoyed reading the book and would highly recommend the book for all managers – budding ones as well as experienced ones. After all who doesn’t want to be a liberated manager?

I had the privilege of working with Stuart as he was heading our European operations in HCL. I have made presentations to clients along with him and on his request participated in his team’s offsite conferences in London. His disarming smile, calm demenaour, client / employee handling skills were amazing and I am glad that he has shared his experiences in this valuable book. It is sure to enrich the knowledge of current generation of managers and provide tools that can be applied right away. Thanks Stuart!

(Excerpts with the kind permission of Mr. Stuart Drew)

6 Questions that can change your life

Many of us get to a point in our lives where we have played by the rules and done everything we were supposed to do, but still don’t feel happy or satisfied – so what now? How do we claim for ourselves lives of invigorating passion and purpose when we feel trapped or dragged down by the vestiges of lives we have already committed to?

The following 6 six questions will help you to uncover your own personal vision of the life you were meant to live.

Sl #	The Right Question	The Wrong Question
	Who am I?	Who should I be?
	Why am I here?	What do I want?
	Where do I belong?	What is my position?
	Whom do I love?	What do I own?
	Who loves me?	What am I worth?
	How can I be true to myself?	How can I gain approval?

If some of these questions seem difficult to answer, give yourself a few days to reflect on it. Remember – these questions may seem simple, but they strike very close to our souls and may take some time and courage, to answer. There is no need to hurry or pressure yourself. Your vision will be there when you are ready to uncover it.

Who am I?

The answer to this question lies in discovering (perhaps rediscovering) the talents, temperaments and traits that make up our core personalities. Some of us may have lost touch with the people we are at our core as a consequence of powerful external influences, such as others expectations for us. It is only after we have some sense of who we are that we can begin to assess whether the lifestyle we are living is really a good fit for us. Without of this sense of who we are, we remain vulnerable to outside influences – to trying to be who others believe we should be. For example is the real, inner you an introvert or an extrovert, spontaneous or playful, aggressive or compromising?

Why am I here?

It is possible for our journey through life to be guided by two very different kinds of motivation. On the one hand, we can be guided by continually asking ourselves what do I want? This outlook on life drives us outward, making us vulnerable to the influence of sophisticated marketing and advertising technologies. It also usually leaves us feeling only temporary satisfaction, for this question continually invites us to want what is new. A life devoted to the pursuit of what we want can easily turn us into careening pinballs, constantly changing direction under the influence of external forces. In contrast, when we seek an answer to why am I here?  We are moved to look within ourselves for the answer. We are more likely to discover there an answer - and a path – that can sustain us over time. What, do you sense, is your purpose of being here?

Where do I belong?

One way to define our place in the world is through the position we hold in some social, professional or economic hierarchy. From this perspective, our sense of who we are becomes a matter of comparison, like first-class, second-class, third-class passengers sailing on the ship of life. Viewed through this psychological lens, life is essentially a competitive process, one that renders us vulnerable to jealously and envy. On the other hand, seeking to find an answer to where do I belong? moves us away from defining ourselves and our place in the world exclusively through comparisons with others. Whereas knowing our position may give us some sense of importance (particularly if that position is high in some hierarchy), it is no substitute for the comfort and security that comes from knowing what feels like home to us. Look around you. And answer the question: is this where you belong? Where might  “home” be for you?

Whom do I love?

It is part of our human nature to become attached to things. But if we allow this perspective to dominate our lives, we end up defining ourselves exclusively in terms of our possessions. When that happens, who we are becomes blurred with the question what do I own? This kind of imbalance happens all too early in our materialistic culture. To offset or balance this, and to create more balance in our lives, we need to look into our hearts for an answer to the question whom do I love? When we know that, we put ourselves in a better position to make choices that serve our best selves instead of being influenced by an urge to preserve what we own. The great stories of this world are full of examples of men and women who chose love over property and possessions, and in doing so found happiness.

Who loves me?

In our society, it can be tempting to base our self-esteem entirely on our resumes. Most of us learn to ask ourselves what am I worth? to measure our value to others. But if we allow this view to be dominant, it leads to an identity built purely on foundations of achievement and performance. Emotionally and spiritually, this approach can leave us feeling hollow and unfulfilled. To balance our self-esteem, we need to devote ourselves equally to being open to the love of others and to measuring our worth not only by our accomplishments, but in terms of who loves us and why?

How can I be true to myself?

The answers we have written to the questions above will dictate our success with the sixth question. Once we know the answers to the first five questions, we have the basis, the raw data we need to begin forming our visions. The sixth question draws upon our character, giving us the strength we need to stay true to ourselves, either in the face of disapproval from those we love or from our own self doubts.

After working with the first five questions, many people find that the images of their “real” selves are starting to come together, but may be a bit shaky at first. This is precisely when character is most needed – to protect the seed of that vision until it is strong enough to reveal itself. If we turn away from all that we have learned, we are only betraying ourselves. While it is natural to want reassurance and approval, the sixth question keeps us accountable to our own visions. Think about the traits and tendencies you have learned about – how can you recognize and avoid your own traps? How can you keep derailing from you own vision?

 

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

 

Hamlet – William Shakespeare

 

Extracted from the book “The six questions that can CHANGE your life” by Joseph Nowinski PhD

Are YOU Future Proof?

The year that went by was cataclysmic. The pandemic has devoured over 2 million lives and infected over 83 million people around the world. This is by far the biggest crisis we have seen, perhaps, since World War II or the Great Depression. 24 million students are out of school and 400 million jobs are lost so far. All continents are hit by recession and around 100,000 businesses are closed permanently in the US alone! Some of the well-known brands like J C Penny have gone bankrupt. Unemployment is at its highest since world war II. The economic cost of all this is estimated to be around 16 trillion dollars! (India’s GDP is 2.6 trillion). Did anyone see all this coming?  

In such a dynamic and kaleidoscopic world, is it possible to future proof? My answer would be a YES and NO. NO, because I am not an Alvin Toffler to predict a Future Shock! YES, because some of the core skills like positive attitude, inter-personal skills etc., keep you in good stead even in the worst of times. So, it would be good idea that today’s youth who are in College or the youngsters who have embarked on their careers prepare themselves to face the unfolding challenges and uncertainties by future proofing themselves to the extent possible.   

In a way, those who are in college are all privileged because they are one of the rare few in India who will have a college degree. As per data in 2016, only 27% of the top 10% earners in India have even a college degree, forget Engineering. And it is worse, when you consider the world population. If you take 100 as the world population, only 7 have university education! So, when the current crop of graduates starts their life after completing their degree, they would have a head start over thousands of others.

How do we future proof? The most important thing to do during the next 2-3 years, of course, besides graduating from chosen disciplines, is to prepare yourself to face the challenges of the world. College and home are relatively safe and stable environments whereas once you embark on your career a lot more responsibilities and expectations are placed on you. So, the aim during the next 2-3 years should be to utilize this time and prepare well for these unknown challenges. These are some thoughts based on current situation and past experience.

In order to prepare, we need to know 2 things. They are:

1.    The context in which we will operate – the work environment

2.    What capabilities we need to build in order to sustain, grow and be a productive member of the organisation and therefore the society where we live

Discussing a few key areas will be in order.

The world, as we know, is changing dramatically. Who would have thought a few months ago that everyone would be working from home or all learning will happen online due to this pandemic? So, we need to be aware of the known drivers of change and be prepared for these unfolding and at times unexpected changes:

1.    Rise of Smart Machines and Systems – Technology is augmenting and extending our own capabilities. Workplace automation is killing repetitive jobs. Driverless cars are not a fantasy anymore. Recently I saw a video where an Indian American is controlling a drone by his hand gestures – it is as if he was performing some magic!

2.    It is a computational world now. The increase in sensors and processing makes the world a programmable system. IOT, AI, Deep learning etc., combined with the data will give us the ability to see things on a scale that was never possible before. Technology is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up with the changes! Every individual has to be a computer literate to survive in this world!

3.    New Media Ecology has arrived. Every organisation is going digital. New communication tools need media literacies beyond text. Visual communication media has become the new tool for communication, even among the illiterate masses and is a very powerful medium. Who would have thought about a year ago that there would be online classes or that we would be attending a local wedding on the ubiquitous “zoom?”

4.    The era of super structured organisations is there to stay. You may still come to work in Chennai or Bengaluru, but you will be collaborating with a team member in New Zealand for a Client in Brazil! It is a globally connected world. It is a global supply chain too. Diversity and adaptability are mandatory to not only survive but grow beyond our backyard. So, your thinking has to move from being local to Global. Relationship building and inter-personal skills assumes great significance.

 It must be understood that once we step into an organisation and a changing world as indicated above, we will not be individuals but part of a team and therefore, an organisation. Some of these skills are absolutely essential to grow and succeed, irrespective of the times we live in.   

1.    We are living in a world which pays a premium for knowledge. Do not confine yourself to your syllabus alone. Read books, magazines, journals and enhance your knowledge in contemporary topics. For example, in Software, your syllabus may not cover data analytics or Deep Learning. Ensure that you spend time to know these areas. This is a continuous process lasting a lifetime. Wherever feasible, engage in real projects with hands-on experience in your spare time. This enhances your skills and marketability.

2.    Communication is the key to success in any field. So, improve your communication skills. English is the most widely spoken and used language. So, hone your skills. Read newspapers, talk to each other in English in your college, attend coaching classes, if required. This skill empowers you and differentiates you from the next person. A good communicator wins always! Do not have inhibition about accent or fluency. You can develop it over a period of time. Develop basic writing skills, especially Email etiquettes.  

3.    Practice open, honest and effective exchange of information. Good communication does not mean a flowery language but one that helps you communicate ideas effectively. Simple language is always understood and appreciated. 

4.    The world is ever changing and in a dynamic fashion that none of us anticipated. A person, in today’s context, is deemed intelligent, if he adapts to change. Be an intelligent person and adapt to change and evolve. Go along with the flow without resisting it. Be flexible and assimilate change. Else you will fall by the wayside.

5.    As stated earlier, you will be working in a multicultural / global environment. Hence it is important to appreciate this and understand different cultures and embrace nuances of different cultures. This is one of the most challenging tasks that you need to work on. There are a number of books on the way different cultures work, manage time, communicate etc., For example, our concept of time is very laid back. If a wedding reception is announced at 7 pm, invariably it starts around 8 pm! This is not acceptable in many cultures. You need to be aware and adapt. There is no superior or inferior culture. Know that each culture is different. Adapt effectively without any inhibition.

6.    As you will be working in teams, building relationships is a skill that you need to develop. You need to bring cohesiveness by being committed to the team and its goals. This can be practiced in your college being committed to your projects and courses. Collaboration is the key. It needs to be demonstrated as well. Inter-personal skill is one of the most prized possessions that will take you very far wherever you work. Not many can boast of this skill though many claim it on paper.

7.    Whatever you choose to do, be passionate about it. Passion is all about following your heart and doing what comes to you naturally. Introspect and identify and develop your passion. Learn to be innovative and creative. Those are the people for whom the industry pays a premium!

8.    Time is the scarcest resource anyone can have. Do the important and not only the urgent things. Develop planning and time management skills. These will keep you in good stead in the ever-demanding corporate world.

9.    Continuous learning is the norm today. Be mentally prepared to learn continuously over your career span and beyond. There is no substitute for this trait to help you be ahead of the rest. I know of people who retired 10 years ago, still attending webinars and seminars!  

10.  Zig Ziglar says, “Attitude determines your Altitude!” A Harvard study found that 85% of the reason why a person gets a job, keeps a job and moves ahead is because of his ATTITUDE. Only 15% is due to his specific skills. So, develop a healthy attitude to learning, job, workplace and life in general. A positive attitude coupled with hard work is a definite recipe for success.

 Do you know why women wear Diamond jewelry? It is because diamonds are rare. If they were common, no one will wear them. Just imagine – there has been NO ONE like each one of you over 5 billion years of Earth’s existence and there will be NO ONE in future also. That is why they take your finger prints for everything. You are not only rare but UNIQUE in creation. You are talented and YOU are the only person on earth who can use your ability! The onus is on you to identify, prepare and use this unique gift of GOD for your benefit and for the benefit of humanity. Enjoy your life and be a source of happiness to others too.

All the best!  A very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Vineet Nayar - A Transformational Leader

Leadership is a nebulous subject. The very word evokes an image of a superman who is omnipotent capable of solving every challenge that comes his way. While a whole lot of such expectations from a business leader may seem unreasonable, the anticipation that such a leader has a Vision for the company and results to show for the effectiveness of the strategy seems to be a reasonable presumption. Vineet Nayar, former CEO and Vice Chairman of HCL Technologies is one such leader who, with his Vision and passionate approach, transformed the company over a period of 7 years. Vineet is a charismatic and decisive leader with an excellent track record. He is a great communicator and an acclaimed global thinker.

This is the inspirational story of his dynamic transformational leadership.

Prologue

The year 2005 was a watershed moment in the history of HCL Technologies (HCL). A pioneer in hardware manufacturing and sales in India, it had forayed into Software Services, Infrastructure Services and BPO in the wake of Y2K boom. While it was in the top 5 IT services companies of India, and growing at a very steady rate, all was not well within the organisation. The competitors were pulling ahead. HCL was losing market share, mind share and talent share. The employees did not see a great future and the then CEO, though a technically brilliant man, was neither customer facing nor an inspirational leader. It was at this juncture that Vineet Nayar, who was the President of COMNET, the Infrastructure arm of HCL, became the President of HCL IT services and Infrastructure (BPO was not under his purview to start with). He became the CEO of HCL Technologies in 2007 and later elevated as Vice Chairman in 2011.

Vineet joined HCL as a Management Trainee after completing his MBA from XLRI in 1985. He worked across various units of the organisation and ultimately initiated a start-up called COMENT (within HCL) to cater exclusively to Infrastructure Services. COMNET, under his leadership revolutionized Infrastructure Management including the much-acclaimed Remote Infrastructure Management. While there were several other senior executives within the company with background in Software Services, Vineet was chosen to lead the Software Services in addition to the Infrastructure Services. Thus, he became the President of HCL Technologies and Head – Software Services and Infrastructure Services which was about 86% of the overall revenues of HCL. The total revenues of HCL at that time was USD 763 Million.

It was the best thing to have happened to HCL. Being an outsider to a business has its distinct advantages. Vineet was quick to see the struggle within the company to improve market share, low morale of employees, general lack of direction, outdated systems and processes etc., Within a short span of time, he started to shake up the organisation and posed some fundamental questions that would dramatically change the course and direction of HCL for years to come.

Introspection

The famous humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers said, “When I accept myself as I am, then I change.” This is true of organisations as well. Vineet used a tool, what he called “Mirror Mirror on the wall – confronting the Truth” to introspect. Senior Managers were invited to workshops called “The Blue Print” and all issues, impediments that hindered growth, employee empowerment and satisfaction, sales, delivery were all discussed threadbare. A detailed plan was devised to set right the house in order. Obviously, a 3 decade company will have may areas that needed an upgrade – some to be overhauled, some to be totally discarded etc., Sales and marketing strategies were discussed – like the Blue Ocean strategy, the need for an outside in approach to selling rather than an inside out approach, revamping the marketing collaterals etc., It was an eye opener for many of the employees! Over a period of time, this invariably led to building the organizational capabilities, which would not have happened at that pace otherwise.

Building Trust and Transparency

Distrust and defensiveness set in an organisation due to several reasons and more so where lot of young millennials work. Lack of opportunities, lack of vision and a poor work environment contribute not only to dissatisfaction but also to attrition and employee burnout. Vineet addressed this by invigorating the work environment by clearly articulating the vision, values and what he intends doing to make HCL a sought-after place to work. The work environment, he promised, would change dramatically and soon enough employees started seeing the change.

And it started with him! A 360-degree feedback was instituted to all employees who a manager might influence – and allowed anyone who gave a feedback to a manager access to the manager’s 360. This practice increased participation, empowered employees, and made 360 a developmental tool and not an evaluation tool. While 360 feedback was common, opening out the results in a transparent way was unusual. Even clients who had heard of it were quite amazed. And not all feedback was flattering!  

A U&I portal was launched. It was a two-way dialogue between CEO and the employees. Vineet himself answered almost 90% of the questions spending over 7 hours a week. It also started a reverse blogging where Vineet posted questions and employees responded. His Vision for the company was slowly unfolding.

CEO’s musings became a regular feature where Vineet shared his vision and thoughts for the way forward.

One of the key determinants of Trust in an organisation is the compensation system. Vineet revamped the decades old paper-based appraisal system with an online system called i4excel which handled end-to-end appraisal of over 24000 employees in less than 30 days and compensation letters released electronically. What used to take months thus was reduced to days. That apart, in earlier times, while discussions were held with managers, the reviewer’s comments were never known. i4excel made that transparent. It revolutionized the appraisal and compensation process.

It is great for a CEO to articulate a vision and bring in transparency, but each employee is interested in “What is in it for me?”  Vineet introduced ESOP plan for all cadres of employees which was a morale booster besides giving a stake in the growth of the company for each employee. This was a great success and employees were thrilled.

To reward high performers, he instituted ‘O2 league of the Extraordinary’. The league constituted those employees who have been outstanding employees for the preceding two years. What was unusual in this award was, the family of the employee was also invited to the award function and a grand dinner followed the ceremony. This was an outstanding success as it not only got the buy-in from the family but enhanced the standing of employees amidst their kith and kin. The family also felt part of the organisation and its growth. This was truly an out of the box idea!

Similarly, when employees retired, they were invited to the above function, with their spouse and felicitated with a citation appreciating their services besides gifts.

“The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at time of challenge and controversy”, said Martin Luther King. The 2008 financial crisis was one such challenging time. Vineet boldly proclaimed the philosophy “No HCLite will be left behind”, reassuring the employees that none would be retrenched even in those difficult times. What else can you ask of a leader?

A comprehensive Employee Portal was launched which covered different areas including Employee empowerment, Employee Recognition, knowledge base, Transformation and support. Over a period of time several innovative systems were put in place through the portal.

These initiatives did not happen overnight but unfolded in a systematic way over a period of time. In hindsight, the employees understood that these were all pieces of a larger unfolding puzzle.  

Strategy

Max De Pree, CEO of Herman Miller, said in ‘Leadership is an Art’, “In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” So true. Having cleaned up the organisation and built trust to a large extent, it was time to reinforce the vision and strategy for the Company consistently even though it was unfolding and had taken shape. In Vineet’s own words, he asked three fundamental questions in the context of HCL’s business and the answers are revealing.

The first question that begs an answer was “What is the core business of the organisation?” The answer to that was – to create a differentiated value for its customers. The second follow-up question was, “If it is so, where does that differentiated value get created?” And the answer to that was, “in the interface between the employees and customers.” And the final question was, “If that was so, what should be the business of managers and management be?”. The obvious answer to that question was, “to enthuse, empower and encourage employees to deliver that differentiated value!”

Thus, was born the radically different management philosophy of “Employee First Customer Second.” (EFCS). Vineet went on to articulate that the customer also wins in this paradigm as “Customers first” philosophy found it difficult to deliver that fuzzy promise or value. The initiatives embarked thus far in HCL were part of this strategy and had started paying dividends.

Vineet organised “Directions”, an annual company wide event, that takes strategic discussions out of closed-door meetings to all employees. Vineet and the local leadership team was present at these meetings and shared the vision and strategy of the company in interactive sessions. It was not all business but fun and connecting with employees as well. Vineet made a dramatic entry in one such meeting dancing along the aisle to the stage – needless to say that it was an unconventional entry. The employees loved it. Vineet prepared at least 2 weeks for the event and spent another 2 weeks travelling across the globe to attend events in various countries.

It was essential to bring on board the other important stake holder – customers. Hence Vineet organised a theme based Global customer meet where all the customers were invited to participate. Apart from showcasing HCL’s capabilities, the event also brought thought leaders from across the globe to present latest trends in technology, industry etc. The customer meet was a rousing success. In one such meet conducted in the US, the noted author Malcom Gladwell was the keynote speaker. That apart President Clinton addressed the meet in his usual charming way and enthralled the audience with his phenomenal knowledge and command over wide-ranging issues. He seamlessly connected them into a coherent message. It was truly an inspirational address.

The following remark by a customer bears testimony to the resounding success of the Global Customer Meet. He said “I look forward to coming to HCL meet, as it is the only IT meet in IT and Tech, where I learn and enjoy without inhibition and where the content helps me broaden my thinking. It is not only about technology but also about the passionate culture of HCL that has made me a big fan of HCL for the past 6 years and I wouldn’t miss it for anything!”

Vineet published this philosophy as his best-selling book “Employee First Customer Second – turning conventional management upside down”. This was a best seller with over 100,000 copies sold and translated into 7 languages. Vineet, fondly referred as a “Maverick” by media, was acclaimed for his transformation of HCL over a period of 5-6 years. Encomiums followed and some of the key ones include:

§  Fortune magazine recognised HCL as “the world’s most modern    management”

§       Business Week named HCL as “one of world’s most influential companies”

§  These innovative business practices were taught as a case study in Harvard Business School and London Business School

§ Vineet was chosen by Fortune magazine in their first ever global  Executive Dream Team

§      Vineet found a place in the elite Thinkers 50 list

§  Vineet’s philosophy received wholesome praise from global leaders like late C K Prahalad, Tom Peters, Gary Hamel and Ram Charan

Results

Defining a sound and distinctive strategy is a necessary condition for success of any business. But winning the games takes a lot more. Translating vision into action with alacrity and consistency is an unenvious and onerous task. HCL, under the dynamic leadership of Vineet, not only performed well but outdid all expectations. His tenure from 2005-2013 saw phenomenal growth of business. HCL was a force to reckon with. The results were there for all to see.

§  The employee revenue per annum grew by over 36% with an increased utilization rate

§  Employee attrition rate dropped significantly over 9 consecutive quarters. Employees were proud to be part of the company

§  Employee strength grew from about 24,000 to 85,000

§ Revenues grew from 0.7 Billion in 2005 to 4.7 Billion in 2013 with operations in 32 countries

§  Customers tripled

§  Customer satisfaction doubled 

At the end of his term, the key question that many had was “How would HCL’s performance be after Vineet?” The true hallmark of a leader is that the systems and processes should have been institutionalised and the individual should become insignificant. Vineet, even before end of his term announced, “Dismantling the office of the CEO”, which confused many. All he did was to recast the office of the CEO and transfer the responsibility from senior management to the company as a whole. New initiatives like Value Portal, Smart Service Desk to resolve the outstanding issues between frontline employees and functions were launched making the management accountable to employees. Like all other initiatives Value Portal was a great success as HCL employees demonstrated, in dollar terms, the value they brought to the client.  

The fact that HCL is doing extremely well and has outperformed Vineet is a tribute to his strategy and the high-performance culture that he built in HCL. And as we write this, HCL is in the top 10 most valued companies in India by market capitalization!  

Prologue  

After an illustrious career in HCL, Vineet co-founded Sampark Foundation with his wife Anupama Nayar, to catalyse ‘large-scale transformation in primary education through frugal innovation.’ Today Sampark Foundation is improving learning outcomes among 7 Million children studying in 76000 rural schools across 6 states in India – Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh at less than $1 per child per annum. This large-scale transformation is now a case study at Harvard Business School.  

Vineet has been cited by Forbes in its “Heroes of Philanthropy List 2016’ and also as a ‘Global Thinker 2016’, along with his wife, by Foreign Policy magazine for ‘Unplugging technology so kids can learn.’  

Vineet currently serves as a Senior Advisor to ChrysCapital, McKinsey Leadership Institute and many Fortune 1000 companies. He is on the Advisory board of ‘Millions Learning’ project led by the Ex-Prime Minister of Australia, Ms. Julia Gillard, and has served as Governor of ICT, member of the Global Advisory board of Women Leaders and Gender parity program at the World Economic Forum. And as a mentor to multiple technology start-ups, he continues to follow his passion of turning conventional management wisdom upside down. 

Gulf Beckons!

One of the perks (or perils?) of working in the IT sector is the frequent visits to overseas locations to meet clients or your teams or be part of sales presentations etc., It is quite exhilarating in the initial days but gets weary as years roll by. My second avatar in IT industry was full of such travels and needless to add, I have had interesting experiences to narrate. When I look back on all those travels over the 15 odd years, the one that shook me literally and causes nightmares even now was on one of my frequent trips to Malaysia.

I don’t particularly enjoy these short overseas trips. You lose the entire night’s sleep and land up early in the morning at the destination. You have to wait at the Hotel for rooms to be cleaned up red eyed for your name to be called. For obvious reasons we are not allowed to book rooms from the previous night. And you hardly get any time to shower, get ready and be in office for the meeting or the presentation. So, I try to get as much sleep as possible in the flight and generally don’t engage in conversations with those sitting next to me.

On this occasion, though, the chap sitting next to me did not look like a business traveler but some sort of “labourer”, I guessed. As we were nearing Kuala Lumpur, he sought my help to fill in the immigration form. He said his name was “Ramar” and that he was going for “Work”. When I checked his visa status it was a business visa for one week. He had a return ticket as well. I was stunned and asked him how he managed to clear immigration! Those authorities are supposed to restrain such “labourers” from travelling abroad without proper work visa. I was genuinely concerned and asked him who will come to meet him at the airport. He took out a cigarette packet cover (yes, I am not exaggerating!) and showed me a number scribbled on it and said that he would call this number on arrival. I was dumbfounded.

On alighting, I went ahead to the immigration queue and saw my friend Ramar being escorted to another room. I was definite that he would be sent back. As I was collecting my luggage, I saw Ramar coming, with a beaming smile! The immigration at KL were also no better! It was too much for me to handle for a night. He sought my help to call the number on the cigarette cover. And, yes you guessed it right, no one responded. Now I was stuck with Ramar. He would not let me go pleading with me to take him along!

I reached KL in a taxi with Ramar in tow. On reaching the hotel, I got his agent’s number in Chennai and blasted him for sending an innocent man like this to a foreign land. The agent promised me that someone would pick him up before the evening and gave him a restaurant’s details. I had a presentation. So, I walked across to an Indian restaurant, where I normally have food, and requested the owner to allow Ramar to be there till that evening. One of the advantages of frequent travel, is you also build relationship and the owner was an extremely friendly person. I left Ramar there and went about my business. I completely forgot about Ramar.

I returned that evening and went back to the restaurant. And there was Ramar, still clutching his bag, his only possession, and looking at me anxiously. The owner said no one had contacted till then. I began to panic as I did not know what to do. I again requested the owner to give Ramar some food and accommodation till next morning. He readily obliged; God bless him. The next morning, I told Ramar that he should consider getting back to India by the next flight as he had a return ticket and he should forget his “Phoren” dreams. I went to work and came back that evening. The restaurant owner, gave me the dreadful news. He told me that Ramar had paid an agent Rs. 80,000/= after selling his measly possession of lands in his native village and come here and cannot go back. He had no option but to commit suicide. The restaurant owner was also panicking now and asked me to do something.

A salesman is always a salesman. The salesman in me, took over, and I pleaded with the restaurant owner to give him a job in the restaurant, although it was illegal. He was also of Indian origin and I played the Indian card to the hilt. After much persuasion, he agreed and so my friend Ramar became a server in the restaurant! My colleagues in KL made fun of me saying that I had influence even in Malaysia! On return to India, I called the agent and blasted him and threatened him to report to Police. Of course, it was only to let out my frustration. I also called Ramar’s wife in Trichy and told her that her husband was safely “employed” in Malaysia! On looking back, I am not sure whether I was stupid to get involved in such situations, which could have got ugly, but then being who I am, I could not walk away!  

Why this story now?

I see hundreds of workers returning from the Gulf countries. It is sad because most of their entire life’s savings were spent to go there dreaming of a better life for their family. All that is shattered. How will they find employment here? What can the Government do? Having seen their plight in many such countries, my heart bleeds for them and their families.

And when I went to KL after about 2 months, the restaurant owner told me that Ramar, now wiser and more experienced, had left the job and had gone into the hinterland! I do not know what happened to him. But there are still such Ramars among us who have dreams of an overseas job and a future that could be worthwhile! How sad that this is not the reality. It is also unfortunate that more countries are turning out to be a mirage even for our educated class!  

When will we create an egalitarian Bharath where every citizen can live with dignity and be true to himself and achieve his potential? Only time alone can answer!