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Friday, September 28, 2007

Management Lessons From "Chak De India"

This has reference to my earlier post titled "Bonding RBI Style". The management lessons learnt from the movie (my version) submitted to the Bank are as follows :
Introduction

‘Chak De India’ is a movie loosely based on the real life story of former hockey goalkeeper and coach Mir Ranjan Negi who had to face allegations of match fixing after India’s humiliating 1 – 7 defeat to Pakistan in the 1982 Asian Games hockey final. Sixteen years later Negi’s honour was restored when he guided India to the Asian Games gold in 1998 at Bangkok. Later he won accolades for guiding the national women’s hockey team to win the 2002 Commonwealth Games gold at Manchester. Some important management lessons can be learnt from this film which are described in the succeeding paragraphs.

Team Spirit

Team spirit is essential for the achievement of organizational goals in the present day fiercely competitive world where geographical boundaries have no meaning. Even negative instances can be utilized as building blocks for fostering team spirit as shown in the film when the girls beat up the boys who were indulging in eve teasing. The ‘will’ to excel is more important than strength for any team to be successful in their endeavours.

Goal Setting

The organizational goal is more important than personal goals. As depicted in the film the national interest comes first, the team next and the individual last. This has to be the credo each and every time. The importance of goal setting cannot be overemphasized. If the cause is big enough, support is bound to follow.

People Management

The following important lessons in people management can be learnt from the film :

(a) Conflicts can be resolved by understanding their cause.
(b) Act quickly when personal problems turn into performance problems.
(c) Make sure people know you and your expectations when you are new to an organization.
(d) Maintain personal ethics.
(e) Identifying and mentoring future leaders.
(f) Do not ignore morale problems. Try to turn them around.

Change Management

Change is inevitable but hard to achieve. Every organization needs to change with time but there is always resistance to change. Peoples reaction to change is unpredictable and often irrational. As a manager one needs to create a compelling vision in order to encourage people to change. The vision should be inspiring and dynamic. The essentials of change management are building a team, picking people with relevant skills, strong sense of motivation and purpose and good communication.

Leadership

This is an important facet of management. It is one of the many assets a successful manager must possess. The leader does not have to be a ‘nice guy’ to ensure that his team delivers the goods. If the leader is committed to the cause he can even make underdogs rise to the occasion. The leader has to be disciplined and strict with his team besides being compassionate when the occasion demands.

Strategy

Recognise individual strengths and weaknesses and assign tasks accordingly for the fulfillment of organizational goals. Formulate a plan for achieving the goal and then exhort the team to deliver the goods.

Overcoming Prejudices and Biases

Religious, regional and gender biases have to be overcome and set aside if we are to succeed as team, organization or country. These prejudices are deep rooted in our society and they have to be shunned for the success of common goals. Constant awareness and education is required to eradicate this social evil.

Overcoming Personal odds

One’s biggest failure may turn out to be the ladder to success if personal odds are overcome and energy channelised in the correct direction rather than wallowing in self pity and low self esteem.

Conclusion

The film is offbeat and is realistically made. Every viewer will relate to it despite the absence of song and dance sequences, villains, fights and car chases. Everybody will find some meaning in this film which has humour, nationalism, defeat and victory finely woven into the fast paced narrative. In the end the following lines from ‘Jamaican Fragment’ by A.L.Hendricks come to mind :

“ You may have come across incidents where a person is not judged objectively, but by virtue of his or her gender, colour, caste, race or even his or her food habits. Does it not amount to prejudicial or stereotyped thinking ?”

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Greener Pastures !!

Guys,
I got the following mail in my inbox as I am registered with 'Monster'. The same was forwarded to me by a friend too. ICICI Prudential are offering a CTC of Rs 8 - 12 lacs to ex-service officers after due training (at their cost). The project has also been endorsed by the Directorate General Resettlement (DGR) presently headed by Maj Gen Harwant Krishan, a Gorkha officer, whose younger brother Jaiwant was in my paltan. Worth a peek ... so here it is :
Dear Capt Nandan,
Greetings from TMI first!!!! ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited is now offering Middle Management Positions across India in multiple functions for Officers from the Indian Armed Forces (under the age of 50 years). For more details, please refer to http://www.tmifirst.com/armedforces/index.htm. Interested officers may register their candidature for the same. Short listed officers would be invited to an Orientation Programme. Warm regards,
Swaminath Adabala
Senior Manager
TMI first
All the best !!!

Friday, September 07, 2007

Lungar Gupp XXVII

1. The other day one of the general side officers who is known to me accosted me and enquired in a 'hush-hush' tone whether I had heard about a Security Officer leaving his car behind at the old duty station and claiming conveyance allowance at the new duty station ? I told him that he was more than two years out-of-date !! This is just an example of how we are constantly under the scanner in the Bank. It is unthinkable (even for bankers !!) that an ex-service officer could be involved in such a misdemeanour. Though the matter is 'stale news' for us now - it is still going around. Such stories doing the rounds cause immense erosion to our image and credibility. So guys let us resolve not to get carried away and to 'do the right thing- always and everytime'.
2. It seems that all the 'lobbying and backstage parleying' for occupying the DGM's chair that was recently vacated at Mumbai has come to 'naught' !! My friend Toms is ably running the show at Mumbai office at present.
3. It is understood that DAPM has written to RBSB to conduct promotion interviews for two posts of AGM and nine posts in Grade 'B' in our cadre. This has happened in the 'normal' course and consequential vacancies have been taken into account. The matter regarding upgradation of five posts in Grade 'C' is still pending. It will be a lucky stroke for aspirants in Grade 'A' if the interviews are held before the upgradation takes place. Watch out this space for further developments in this respect. In the meantime - start brushing up your 'knowledge' guys !!
4. The case regarding scrapping of 'Safari Suits' for us is engaging the attention of the top management and we may hear the 'good news' any day now. I just cant wait to trash my seven sets of 'bullshit' attire.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Wall of Fame at RBI, Bangalore !!

Hi Folks,

A 'Wall of Fame' has been established in our office to showcase singular achievements of the employees and their families. An illustrious team of youngsters from our office were the first to be featured on this 'wall' (it is a notice board at present but a suitably impressive 'wall' is on the way courtesy our Estate Dept) for their efforts to bring about financial literacy at grassroots level in the state by scripting and designing stories in 'comic book' style.
Well, at present, yours truly is adorning this 'wall of fame' !! The achievement being Board Certified in Security Management (CPP). Check out the following write up and photograph (double click to enlarge) :

The wall of fame has certainly made me 'famous' in the office. At least folks got an excuse to talk me despite my stern visage which is generally a put-off to many who meet me for the first time. I am on the lookout for a suitable opportunity to thank the management for this excellent idea.