HUMANIZING PROFESSIONALISM – 03

This series shall be predominantly in English Language. For those readers who prefer to read in English language, let me first offer the essence of last two Hindi Language pieces in the following paragraphs. Also, I request interested readers to share their views on this delicate proposition I have named Humanizing Professionalism!

The first piece is about different persons, in the same organization and same human resource department, holding different views when asked to visualize being Human and Professionalism together. No! It isn’t about the product line offered by Salman Khan in the name ‘BEING HUMAN’ – it is actually being human like while seriously implementing policies at work place. Readers were requested to look for Professionals who are being Human too at their workplace.

The second piece is about a recent episode of retrenchment at Tech Mahindra gone kaput. It seems the employee recorded the conversation in which HR person was asking for employee’s resignation on the spot under pretext of instructions from higher ups. And when this recording became viral, Anand Mahindra publically apologized on social media. He stated about being serious in practicing a core value – to uphold dignity of employees – an example of being human. Understandably Anand Mahindra’s action was prompted by damage control to preserve the value of Brand Mahindra. Thus there appears to be a direct link between ‘being human’ and brand value of the firm.

 I think, just like Happiness, men and women are born with traits which identify with ‘being human.’ As we grow up, the aberrations or difficulties arise out of our learned behavior. We observe inhuman or unfair behavior and begin to value the short term or spontaneous gains associated with such a practice. There are many of unfair practices common in society; the cabbie, three-wheeler driver, or fruit & vegetable vendor, even the politician you voted last time and more; all seem to get away & get ahead smilingly leaving you behind wondering about the value system you have subscribed to. Possibly, our temptations for ‘being-inhuman’ stem from that point or such thinking. And great service can be rendered to society by listening to the inner voice that is telling us to be human-like instead.

I am not suggesting that Humanizing Professionalism is another emerging profession; yet it is a cause that each Professional needs to serve as his or her calling.

प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म का मानवीयकरण - 2

इस बार समाचारों द्वारा ट्रिगर मिला और ये विचार आपकी समीक्षा के लिये प्रस्तुत हैं-

भारत के मशहूर कारोबारी आनन्द महिन्द्रा ने सोशल मीडिया में व्यक्तिगत तौर पर माफी मांग कर अपने ग्रुप की कम्पनी टेक महिन्द्रा से निकाले जा रहे लोगों के घावों पर मरहम लगाने का प्रयास किया है। जहाँ एक ओर इसे कार्यस्थल पर हो रही मनमानियों पर सोशल मीडिया के एक्टिविज़्म की विजय के रूप में दर्शाया जा रहा है, वहीं दूसरी ओर स्वयं आनन्द महिन्द्रा ने अपने ग्रुप कम्पनियों की कोर वैल्यू, कर्मचारियों के व्यक्तिगत सम्मान की रक्षा पर बल देते हुए आगे से ऐसा न करने का आश्वासन दिया है। 

सर्वविदित है कि किसी भी कम्पनी को प्रचलित प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म के तहत अपने कर्मचारियों की संख्या आवश्यकता अनुसार घटाने-बढ़ाने का अधिकार है। फिर एक प्रोफेश्नली मैनेज्ड कम्पनी को प्रमुख आनन्द महिन्द्रा को सार्वजनिक तौर पर क्षमा याचना क्यों करनी पड़ी? क्योंकि कुछ सीनियर मैनेजर्स को कम्पनी की कोर वैल्यू- कर्मचारियों के व्यक्तिगत सम्मान की रक्षा के अनुरूप काम करने की ज़रूरत नहीं महसूस हुई। इस कोर वैल्यू की उपेक्षा के प्रकरण में कम्पनी की ब्रैंडवैल्यू पर विपरीत असर पड़ने के डर से सार्वजनिक स्तर पर आनन्द महिन्द्रा ने उपरोक्त कदम उठाया।  

जरा सोचिये, यह प्रकरण किस ओर इशारा कर रहा है। कम्पनी द्वारा मान्य व विज्ञापित कोर वैल्यू में आपको मानवता की झलक देखने को मिलती है या नहीं? फिर स्वीकृत पाॅलिसी के अनुसार काम न कर वहाँ के अफसरों ने कम्पनी की ब्रैंडवैल्यू के लिये खतरा पैदा कर दिया। हो सकता है कि कुछ अफसर वैसा न करना चाहते हों और उन पर कैसे भी इस काम को निपटाने के दबाव हो या यह सिर्फ एक भूल हो - असलियत हम कभी भी न जान पायेंगे।

किन्तु यह प्रकरण प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म के प्रचलित स्वरूप के मानवीयकरण की आवश्यकता की ओर हमारा ध्यान आकर्षित करने के लिये पर्याप्त है। इससे हम यह निष्कर्ष तो अवश्य ही निकाल सकते हैं कि जहाँ पर प्रचलित प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म में मानवता स्पष्ट रूप से दिखायी देती है उस कम्पनी की ब्रैंडवैल्यू हमेशा बढ़ती रहेगी।  फिर वह ब्रैंडवैल्यू का प्रयोग योग्य कर्मचारियों को आर्कषित करने में हो या ग्राहकों को रिझाने में; क्या किसी भी प्रतिष्ठान को अपनी कार्यसंस्कृति में मानवता को नज़र में रखते हुए कदम बढ़ाने के लिये इतने कारण पर्याप्त नहीं हैं?

प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म का मानवीयकरण – 01

क्या आपको लगता है, प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म के मानवीयकरण की ज़रूरत है, यह प्रश्न मैंने पिछले दिनों के एक सी-लेवल एक्ज़ीक्यूटिव्स के लिये आयोजित सेमीनार के दौरान मेरे साथ टेबल साझा कर रहे एक कम्पनी के एचआर हेड से पूछा था। उनका संक्षिप्त उत्तर था, यही तो आज का ज्वलन्त प्रश्न है! मज़े की बात तो यह है कि पिछले वर्ष इसी प्रकार के एक अन्य सेमीनार में उसी कम्पनी के उसी विभाग के एक असिस्टेंट मैनेजर से मेरी भेंट हुई थी और यही प्रश्न मैंने उनके सामने भी रखा था। उनका कहना था, प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म मानवीय होने के अलावा कुछ और भी हो सकता है क्या! इन दोनों अधिकारियों की प्रतिक्रियाओं में अपने-अपने विश्वासों की महक है - उनके द्वारा अपनायी कार्य संस्कृति की झलक है देखने में आती है।

यदि आप किसी औद्योगिक या व्यापारिक प्रतिष्ठान में कार्यरत हैं तो अपने आसपास चल रही प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म की वार्ताओं में मानवीयता की झलक खोजने का प्रयास करें। यदि आप किसी पारखी के रूप में इस विषय से जुड़ना चाहें तो प्रोफेश्नल के इस विवरण को ध्यान में रखें- सच्चा प्रोफेश्नल वह है जो अपने काम की योजना बना सके एवं उस प्लान को समयबध्द रूप से संचालित कर सके।

अब आप अपने सहकर्मियों को व अन्य व्यक्तियों में इस प्रकार की कार्यशैली की तलाश करें। जो लोग इस प्रकार की कार्यशैली का प्रयोग कर रहे हैं उनके कामकाजी व्यवहार में मानवीयता की कितनी झलक आप को नज़र आती है। इसके विपरीत उन व्यक्तियों का कामकाजी व्यवहार देखें जो अपने काम को योजनाबध्द ढ़ंग से करने में कतराते हैं। दोनों प्रकार के लोगों के बीच तुलना करने पर आपको कैसा महसूस हो रहा है? क्या आप स्वयं के काम का प्लान बना कर उस प्लान के अनुसार काम करते हैं या नहीं; और अब आगे से कैसे करना चाहेंगे।

इसके साथ ही अपने मित्रों की वार्ताओं में इस बात की जाँच करें कि आज प्रोफेश्नलिज़्म के नाम पर किस प्रकार की कार्य संस्कृति या मैनेजमेंट प्रैक्टिसेज़ व्यवहार में हैं।

आपकी टिप्पणियों की प्रतीक्षा में,

नवेन्दु महोदय

How my boss made me an independent thinking person!

Way back in August 1974 I joined IBM's manufacturing facility in Andheri, a suburb of Mumbai. On the first day I was introduced to the senior colleagues in the department and important people in the other departments with whom I would be required to interact. I was a young electronic engineer excited to be found in that location, a dream come true. 

 

Initially, my boss gave me detailed briefing- what the department of test equipment engineering is supposed to do; how important it was and how thank less our position was. We were expected to serve as planned and when called in and that was our role, to solve the issue presented. He added, of course I will guide you in everything and you can ask me anything at any point of time. With such an assurance I was 'cool' as we say now. 

 

I started the work, later that afternoon I was sent to store to fetch something. As I entered there, one senior person came around and said, you seem to be a new fellow, let me show you around. He spent some good 15 minutes almost teaching me the different aspects of the store. Then he took me to the adjoining hall which was IBM's punched cards manufacturing plant.  He said, though it isn't part of the store, but since you are new I wish to show you this punched card manufacturing for which our company is respected worldwide. 

 

The third day I attended 'Quality Circle' meeting for our floor. Frankly, I didn't follow a thing of whatever was going on there. There was no mention of 'Quality' and this was some 'Quality Circle' meet. I could fathom the proceedings many years later when I attended a one day workshop on Quality Circles at IMA, at the start of my consulting years. 

 

Fourth day there was a small celebration as the 'printer' designed by the engineering had passed the tests to be qualified for manufacturing. One American who had come to oversee that work gave a speech where he stressed upon company's golden rule-  'Do Right First Time'. 

 

By now, I felt settled in the job and was happy for taking a risky decision as the company did not promise a permanent job. Soon the first week got over and I became busy in the work assigned to me. 

 

In the second week, I got stuck. I wasn't able to follow something and did not know whom to ask and suddenly I saw my boss walking into room. I told him about my problem, but he appeared to be not listening and busy at what he was doing. I repeated my request to help me and reminded him that he had assured me of all possible help.

 

He gave me a blank look and said, "Oh! But that was only for your first week; this week onward, you got to use your own head." And he walked out of the room. 

 

I remained standing there, looking at him, with no hope of assistance, sat down to work; decided to use my own head thereafter. 

And suddenly then, I was another man. 

Magic and Misery of Brands 01

Brands have a way of delighting or destroying the advertisers besides their original purpose of providing a cue to customers. It has become more important because in an era of Media found wanting in their original role, the advertisers need to be more careful if they wish to enjoy the Magic of their Brands instead of suffering the Misery.

We often see Greed being 'Fitted' to a ‘Faked Purpose’ through a dress designer called Advertising. When it happens, you can kiss your business idea good bye, and may as well look for avenues of retirement because the fate to follow is necessarily destructive in the long run. For example, take Real Estate Advertising that has produced more misery for Advertisers on last few years than previous three decades. Flats could not be sold, therefore those are bartered to all and sundry and Media Companies have entered their board rooms from the proverbial ‘back door’. Someone had aptly stated long time ago- “One man’s food is another man’s poison!”

Now what about 50% OFF? I have seen the ascent of this expression into a full-fledged Brand over the years. I cannot pinpoint the exact origin of this curious phenomenon. Yet my guess is that some clever thinking Ad man must have noticed the buzz of activity at Retail Chains when they announce stock clearance sale with such notices. And he would have sold the idea to someone desperate for business, and informed more and more. The idea spread like a wild fire and now that fire itself is destroying advertisers. I have seen its victims in every sector.

You must be asking, “What’s my point?”

There is nothing available like nicely wrapped toilet soap on a grocery shelf. By the way, the story of toilet soap is waiting in wings. All I can suggest is to ‘reflect’ and reconsider your advertising plans in the coming busy season. Media Selling is a practiced drill for Media Houses and their ‘Trojan horses’ called Admen.  Whereas you aren’t sufficiently ‘reflective’ about your plans; you could have got into a routine and may have given the ‘Lagaam’ to others. It is time you took control of the 'Handle' and brought some market research of your own into the ring and discover your next logical move, all by yourselves.

Jai Ho!

Media Trivia - 01

Dear Brand Manager,

A busy Brand Manager like you needs to be made aware of implication of VIVO investing Rs. 2199 Crore in IPL title sponsorship rights. A huge investment there, almost 5 times the base price is an eye opener; here's a short analysis for your comments.  

First thing that comes to mind is why a Chinese company(with only one known category, or may be just a few categories)  is betting such a huge amount in IPL Title Sponsorship Rights? Because, IPL matches have huge viewership; and that's not all. IPL commands an 'interested viewership'. People who watch IPL matches have keen interest in Cricket. They watch it on multiple screens. They even watch repeat telecasts of past Cricket matches.  A miniscule minority watches IPL matches for purpose of betting. At present betting isn't legal in India; but what if two years down the line betting becomes legal. One can not discount that possibility and unknown to us, multiple interest groups may be at work to persuade government to make sports betting legal and open. I know from previous experience, Television Sponsor gains ONLY in long term. And if & ONLY IF there is an 'interested audience'. I can send a micro case study of 'What Yeh Jo Hai Zindgi did to brand VICCO's Products in 1980s!' to interested readers of this email.

As a Brand Manager you will recall your advertising basics; CPM for instance. CPM or Mille Value, the cost of reaching 1000 advertising impressions, right! When Print Media developed this concept in very very distant past; print media, particularly Newspapers commanded an 'enticed readership' which was even better than today's Television having 'interested audience'. Today when someone calculates CPM, what we get are impressive numbers; yet in absence of 'interested readership or viewers' our messages do not have the impact we seek. 

And finally, what impact a series of advertising impressions or media space repetition has on an interested reader or viewer is a subject of my next email about Media Trivia. Until then, I remain,

Truly yours!

Navendu Mahodaya