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05 Jan 2022, 09:01
| FROM ISB PGP Admissions Director Blog: Life after ISB -Dilip Singh Rathore |
|
Dlilip Singh Rathore is a seasoned professional working in the pharmaceutical sector. In his over two decades of experience, Mr. Rathore has worked with pharmaceutical giants such Pfizer, Cipla and JBCPL. At Cipla, he handled P&L of close to Rs 3000 crores with a team of about 4500 employees and strategized for the launch of Cipla in International Markets like Sri Lanka Nepal and Myanmar. He joined PGPMAX in 2015 and upon completion has served a key leadership position his career. Five years after graduating from ISB, we connected with Mr. Rathore to talk about his ISB days, experience and life ever since. Here is the summary from the interview. Tell us about yourself, your current organisation and role, and your professional journey so far. I started my career in the pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer where I served as Business Development Manager from 2000. After 2 years of my short stint, I transitioned to Cipla where I worked for almost two decades, travelling the journey from an Area Manager to the head of business as Senior Vice-President. I was handling the entire respiratory portfolio, the flagship division of the company and finds its relevance more than ever due to current circumstances. I am currently working as the President – Sales & Marketing (India & Asia-Pacific Business) at JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Overall, my career journey has been fulfilling in terms of learning, growth & goals and I look forward to keep following my path. What inspired you to join the PGPMAX programme at ISB? I initially came to ISB with my colleagues from Cipla for the Accelerated Sales Force Performance Programme sponsored by the company. In a short span of our time during the course, I was highly impressed by the faculty, learning facilities and alumni I came to know about. It became my dream to return as a student for a longer programme. The dream came true in the form PGPMAX and I along with five of my colleagues applied for the programme & fortunately became ISB students. In my opinion, The Indian School of Business is the country’s leading business management school in terms of faculty, infrastructure, curriculum, and the learning experience. Hence, there wasn’t any other choice to consider apart from PGPMAX at ISB. Where did you think you were headed in your career before you took the course? How has the overall ISB experience affected your career direction? My entire career journey changed after PGPMAX. From what I have observed, the Indian pharmaceutical sector is majorly about ordinary people doing extraordinary work. Most of us come from humble backgrounds and have grown in the industry by the virtue of our experience. With the ever-changing business model and the industry ecosystem, mere work experience falls short to manage and adapt to the changing circumstances, limiting the opportunities to grow as industry leaders. PGPMAX brings different thinking & overall disruption required to drive big thinking, helping you to see the bigger picture. It lets you grow out of your circle & industry silos by bringing people from different industries together into the same classroom. The programme strengthens your network & helps you build a well-rounded perspective. The peer learning environment helps you learn about the best industry practices, co-relate with problems and find better solutions. My network grew tremendously and became highly diversified. Even today, they are my sure shot solution to any issues and challenges. After completing PGPMAX, the weightage ISB provides to your experience & resume is phenomenal. The outlook of people (colleagues, seniors & leaders) around you changes and they start seeing you in a different light. I got the opportunity to work in the international market which gave me a lot of exposure to the Asia-Pacific market, eventually landing me in an elevated in my current organisation. Personally, my overall thinking process changed and I was able to focus more on strategy rather than execution. Tell us about your ISB days, specifically about the course and the faculty. What ISB memories do you connect with most profoundly? ISB is a very well-built ecosystem for learning, growth and transformation. Despite the hectic schedule & performance pressure, the overall atmosphere is quite enjoyable. The professors I met & learned from during the programme were highly knowledgeable yet very humble in nature. From strategy, human resources, marketing to distribution and supply chain, every topic taught was quite insightful. The journey through Kellogg and Wharton during the international immersion was a lifetime experience, helping me learn about different cultures, industry practices & global business. PGPMAX takes you back to your college days, making you enjoy doing different things outside corporate life. I was able to make 70 new friends and learn from their experiences. To summarise, the faculty and peers were the highlights of the programme. What lessons have you learnt during the programme and what relevance does it bring to your work/function/role? If I have to pin-point, two sessions during programme really helped me a lot in terms of new learning. The first being mergers & acquisitions and the second being strategy sessions. These sessions really changed my mindset helped me grow in my career. The skillsets I developed from these sessions in ISB and Wharton hold great importance in my current role. What is your philosophy of a good leader? What nuances of leadership did you pick up during the programme worth applying in your professional life? Leadership is about how you can be a thought-provoking leader rather than a designation leader. For me, leadership in my industry really boils down to three things. The first is about how you create a difference for your customer segment through disruption. The second is about customer delight. The lessons I learned during the programme helped me understand a lot about customer behaviour & needs. The third is about how to create an environment in the organisation where people can learn & grow in terms of career advancement & knowledge. PGPMAX has helped me develop skills to tackle all three fronts. What does it mean to you to be part of the ISB Alumni community? The value you have derived and how has it benefited you? The ISB alumni network is not about the value you derive but also about the value you create for the community. For example, in current circumstances, I was able to help the group in making medicines available for those in need as I was working in the pharmaceutical sector. Vice-versa, few peers stepped up to help me create a digital ecosystem for my organisation. That is the real essence of the ISB Alumni network which is diverse and helps you in more ways than you can possibly imagine. The network not only helps you professionally but also has a strong impact on our personal lives. It is for sure one of the key takeaways from PGPMAX. What are the new challenges business leaders face in the wake of the current global pandemic? How has business leadership evolved in these unprecedented times? If you look at the business leaders all around the globe right now, one word is common among all – Reimagination. The current pandemic has changed the dynamics of business and work, catalysing the digital revolution to an even higher rate. The role of leaders, organisations and the work environment need to evolve rapidly to cater to the rapid change. Hence, reimagining every facet of business is of top priority. For leaders, balancing the aspects of business, work environment & personal life in these new realities is an additional challenge. Going forward, new leadership traits will emerge and leaders who can manage the adaptability of new business models will be of relevance. Hence, it is of utmost importance for leaders to learn and develop new skill sets. This is where PGPMAX becomes a more relevant programme to pursue. If you ask me, there is not better than now to pursue PGPMAX. What advice would you give to aspirants and students of PGPMAX? In this ever-evolving world, change is the only constant one can bank upon. I would advise students to learn to adopt the change and evolve with it. If you are a business leader, develop new skills sets. Focus on digital marketing and strategy as they are the key to the future. Don’t be afraid of failure and take the risk. If you fail, fail first and fail fast – that is the only way to learn and grow. If you must encapsulate ISB experience in just one word, what would that be? ISB really provides the wholesome experience of customer delight where one can experiment, learn and grow outside of their day-to-day work and organisation. If I must encapsulate ISB experience in just one word, it would be – Customer Delight. – Dilip Singh Rathore, PGPMAX Class of 2016, Senior Vice President, Cipla. |
05 Jan 2022, 13:00
| FROM ISB Admissions Blog: Life after ISB -Dilip Singh Rathore |
|
Dlilip Singh Rathore is a seasoned professional working in the pharmaceutical sector. In his over two decades of experience, Mr. Rathore has worked with pharmaceutical giants such Pfizer, Cipla and JBCPL. At Cipla, he handled P&L of close to Rs 3000 crores with a team of about 4500 employees and strategized for the launch of Cipla in International Markets like Sri Lanka Nepal and Myanmar. He joined PGPMAX in 2015 and upon completion has served a key leadership position his career. Five years after graduating from ISB, we connected with Mr. Rathore to talk about his ISB days, experience and life ever since. Here is the summary from the interview. Tell us about yourself, your current organisation and role, and your professional journey so far. I started my career in the pharmaceutical industry with Pfizer where I served as Business Development Manager from 2000. After 2 years of my short stint, I transitioned to Cipla where I worked for almost two decades, travelling the journey from an Area Manager to the head of business as Senior Vice-President. I was handling the entire respiratory portfolio, the flagship division of the company and finds its relevance more than ever due to current circumstances. I am currently working as the President – Sales & Marketing (India & Asia-Pacific Business) at JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Overall, my career journey has been fulfilling in terms of learning, growth & goals and I look forward to keep following my path. What inspired you to join the PGPMAX programme at ISB? I initially came to ISB with my colleagues from Cipla for the Accelerated Sales Force Performance Programme sponsored by the company. In a short span of our time during the course, I was highly impressed by the faculty, learning facilities and alumni I came to know about. It became my dream to return as a student for a longer programme. The dream came true in the form PGPMAX and I along with five of my colleagues applied for the programme & fortunately became ISB students. In my opinion, The Indian School of Business is the country’s leading business management school in terms of faculty, infrastructure, curriculum, and the learning experience. Hence, there wasn’t any other choice to consider apart from PGPMAX at ISB. Where did you think you were headed in your career before you took the course? How has the overall ISB experience affected your career direction? My entire career journey changed after PGPMAX. From what I have observed, the Indian pharmaceutical sector is majorly about ordinary people doing extraordinary work. Most of us come from humble backgrounds and have grown in the industry by the virtue of our experience. With the ever-changing business model and the industry ecosystem, mere work experience falls short to manage and adapt to the changing circumstances, limiting the opportunities to grow as industry leaders. PGPMAX brings different thinking & overall disruption required to drive big thinking, helping you to see the bigger picture. It lets you grow out of your circle & industry silos by bringing people from different industries together into the same classroom. The programme strengthens your network & helps you build a well-rounded perspective. The peer learning environment helps you learn about the best industry practices, co-relate with problems and find better solutions. My network grew tremendously and became highly diversified. Even today, they are my sure shot solution to any issues and challenges. After completing PGPMAX, the weightage ISB provides to your experience & resume is phenomenal. The outlook of people (colleagues, seniors & leaders) around you changes and they start seeing you in a different light. I got the opportunity to work in the international market which gave me a lot of exposure to the Asia-Pacific market, eventually landing me in an elevated in my current organisation. Personally, my overall thinking process changed and I was able to focus more on strategy rather than execution. Tell us about your ISB days, specifically about the course and the faculty. What ISB memories do you connect with most profoundly? ISB is a very well-built ecosystem for learning, growth and transformation. Despite the hectic schedule & performance pressure, the overall atmosphere is quite enjoyable. The professors I met & learned from during the programme were highly knowledgeable yet very humble in nature. From strategy, human resources, marketing to distribution and supply chain, every topic taught was quite insightful. The journey through Kellogg and Wharton during the international immersion was a lifetime experience, helping me learn about different cultures, industry practices & global business. PGPMAX takes you back to your college days, making you enjoy doing different things outside corporate life. I was able to make 70 new friends and learn from their experiences. To summarise, the faculty and peers were the highlights of the programme. What lessons have you learnt during the programme and what relevance does it bring to your work/function/role? If I have to pin-point, two sessions during programme really helped me a lot in terms of new learning. The first being mergers & acquisitions and the second being strategy sessions. These sessions really changed my mindset helped me grow in my career. The skillsets I developed from these sessions in ISB and Wharton hold great importance in my current role. What is your philosophy of a good leader? What nuances of leadership did you pick up during the programme worth applying in your professional life? Leadership is about how you can be a thought-provoking leader rather than a designation leader. For me, leadership in my industry really boils down to three things. The first is about how you create a difference for your customer segment through disruption. The second is about customer delight. The lessons I learned during the programme helped me understand a lot about customer behaviour & needs. The third is about how to create an environment in the organisation where people can learn & grow in terms of career advancement & knowledge. PGPMAX has helped me develop skills to tackle all three fronts. What does it mean to you to be part of the ISB Alumni community? The value you have derived and how has it benefited you? The ISB alumni network is not about the value you derive but also about the value you create for the community. For example, in current circumstances, I was able to help the group in making medicines available for those in need as I was working in the pharmaceutical sector. Vice-versa, few peers stepped up to help me create a digital ecosystem for my organisation. That is the real essence of the ISB Alumni network which is diverse and helps you in more ways than you can possibly imagine. The network not only helps you professionally but also has a strong impact on our personal lives. It is for sure one of the key takeaways from PGPMAX. What are the new challenges business leaders face in the wake of the current global pandemic? How has business leadership evolved in these unprecedented times? If you look at the business leaders all around the globe right now, one word is common among all – Reimagination. The current pandemic has changed the dynamics of business and work, catalysing the digital revolution to an even higher rate. The role of leaders, organisations and the work environment need to evolve rapidly to cater to the rapid change. Hence, reimagining every facet of business is of top priority. For leaders, balancing the aspects of business, work environment & personal life in these new realities is an additional challenge. Going forward, new leadership traits will emerge and leaders who can manage the adaptability of new business models will be of relevance. Hence, it is of utmost importance for leaders to learn and develop new skill sets. This is where PGPMAX becomes a more relevant programme to pursue. If you ask me, there is not better than now to pursue PGPMAX. What advice would you give to aspirants and students of PGPMAX? In this ever-evolving world, change is the only constant one can bank upon. I would advise students to learn to adopt the change and evolve with it. If you are a business leader, develop new skills sets. Focus on digital marketing and strategy as they are the key to the future. Don’t be afraid of failure and take the risk. If you fail, fail first and fail fast – that is the only way to learn and grow. If you must encapsulate ISB experience in just one word, what would that be? ISB really provides the wholesome experience of customer delight where one can experiment, learn and grow outside of their day-to-day work and organisation. If I must encapsulate ISB experience in just one word, it would be – Customer Delight. – Dilip Singh Rathore, PGPMAX Class of 2016, Senior Vice President, Cipla. |
07 Jan 2022, 05:00
07 Jan 2022, 06:00
12 Jan 2022, 22:01
13 Jan 2022, 02:00
13 Jan 2022, 09:01
| FROM ISB PGP Admissions Director Blog: Personal Resilience – Learnings from the Stories of Family Businesses by Prof S Ramnarayan |
|
The world today is reeling under the global pandemic which has affected a lot of aspects of our everyday lives. At many times when we face difficulties, our response tends to be non-constructive due to several aspects. Under present circumstances, when we are faced with several setbacks and uncertainties, these negative occurrences are becoming more commonplace. In order to deal with these challenges, personal resilience has become a highly required innate quality in business leaders. What is Personal Resilience? In simple terms, it can be defined as our ability to recover quickly and respond constructively to difficulties, challenges, or hardships. It is critical for leaders to develop resilience and start from self-management for bringing effective change while dealing with uncertainty. In the field of management & leadership, the value is not in the concepts per se but rather in the application of those concepts in everyday life. It is not the understanding of concepts that gives you results; it is the practice of real ideas that matter. Hence, we begin with two stories of family organisations that I have been closely involved with, describing the basic cases and analyse what we learn about personal resilience from them. The Story of Lavanya Nalli Lavanya Nalli comes from the family which owns and runs Nalli Silks – a multi-generational family business based out of Chennai known for its silk sarees. Lavanya became the fifth generation member to join the family business after graduating in computer science. Being the first woman from the family to join the family business, she faced passive resistance and a lack of support in the organisation. Being from a computer science background, she was assigned data processing work which was a very peripheral part of the business. She humbly refused the desk job and looked to study the business from every aspect. With the absence of an induction module in the organisation, she designed her own system of training and began learning about the business on the sales floor of the store. She went to different Nalli stores, observed their supply chain and understood the business from the grassroots level. In order to understand their business in other cities, Lavanya decided to work at the Mumbai store to gain insights into the store operations. At the Mumbai store, she was again assigned the desk job at the cashier’s table. To learn beyond mere transactions, Lavanya began observing the daily activities and started conversing with different people to get multiple perspectives. Through her observations, she noticed a lot of young girls who came to the store with their elders did not buy anything from the store. Upon enquiring, it was realised that the young women looked for contemporary designs in their sarees and assumed Nalli was all about Kanjeevarams. They were surprised when Lavanya asked the store staff to bring out a rich variety of sarees of their preference. When this observation was brought to the notice of the Store head and senior employees, they did not consider it to be a demand leakage as they thought younger women rarely visited the store and were not Nall’s target customers. This is where resilience comes to play. Instead of getting frustrated, Lavanya put herself in the shoes of the store head and senior people. She realised they were well-meaning but their opinions were shaped by their experiences. She had to bring in evidence to back up her opinion. She tracked the number of younger women and older women walking into the store and generated systematic data on footfalls and conversions. The data confirmed the significant difference between the conversion rates for older & younger women. The store head and seniors were surprised but argued how the existing store format could be changed. Again, resilience is required at such a challenge. After reflection, introspection & conversations, Lavanya concluded that a solution had to be found beyond the existing setup. That is how the concept of “Nalli Next” stores came up which offer premium products catering to all the needs of women in the category of designer & cocktail wear saris, heavy saris for weddings & special occasions, lehengas, apparel & other ready-made garments. The Story of Malaka Spice: Resilience to deal with crisis Praful Chandawarkar along with his wife Cheeru Chandawarkar established Malaka Spice, a restaurant serving Southeast Asian cuisine in 1997. At the early stage, his style of running the business was authoritarian and non-participative. With the rapid growth in business, the senior management came under stress as all problems came directly to them due to the absence of delegation. This made him realize the need for a change in work style and management. With the help of an external coach, Praful reflected on his own style and work methods. Over a couple of years, he reviewed the work practices at Malaka Spice. Accountability was strengthened and people were empowered by giving them the responsibility of managing things on their own. Systems were set up for lateral and vertical communication on a daily basis. This ensured alignment of priorities and coordination in the effort. The nature of discussion and consultations with staff underwent a change. This helped Malaka Spice when dealing with crisis management. When the pandemic hit, Praful anticipated its possible impact on the hospitality industry. With his senior team, he quickly worked out innovative business ideas and executed these effectively. These ideas provided new revenue streams. These included running home delivery operations, family meals, DIY curry pastes, Malaka Market and much more. Employees were encouraged to exploit new business opportunities. Two of them started supplying materials for the new revenue streams. A person pitched for the franchise of Malak Spice home delivery outlet for an area that the organisation couldn’t reach out to. Different people picked up different roles and skills which helped them enhance their earnings. Despite the hospitality industry being badly hit due to lockdown and other restrictions, people were energised to create and sustain a whole new set of outcomes. As a result, Malaka maintained profitable operations during the pandemic without corpus or charity and protected the jobs of its employees. Case Analysis through the Lens of Resilience: Let us examine Lavanya’s behaviour when she faced setbacks. She did not resort to vilifying other parties (popularly known as the Fight Syndrome) and neither did she withdraw or retreat from the problem and from the people (as called Flight Syndrome). Both Fight and Flight Syndromes are counter-productive to problem-solving and take us nowhere near to the solution. Instead, Lavanya took a pause to exercise self-control and discard wrong impulses. This requires the awareness of the emotional grip on the mind and soundtrack of thoughts. With the help of these mental capabilities, Lavanya was able to come to the right conclusion. In the case of Praful, he moved his organisation from crisis-induced learning to anticipatory & participatory learning. Instead of learning from mistakes, the organisation anticipated future problems and found solutions beforehand. He also used the principles of prediction, understanding and control to dampen organisational stress. When employees have a reasonable understanding of what is likely to happen and when it will happen, they feel they are aware of the situation and feel secure. Providing people with an understanding of why certain decisions were taken is critical to curbing the anxiety. Giving people more control over their work and situation helps to keep them motivated. Therefore, one must “Pause” to gain heightened awareness. Pay attention to the internal monologue that goes in your head all the time. Are those thoughts helping you or are they getting in your way? Talk it out. Learn to challenge your thoughts, feelings and actions that you plan to take. What you resist persists; what you embrace dissolves. The practise of mindfulness helps you enhance your self-awareness. One must move from a counterproductive flow of thoughts to a constructive flow of thoughts. Rather than dispensing answers, one must ask questions with curiosity. Instead of advocacy, one must focus on inquiry and dialogue. Lastly one must introspect belief and behaviour. Hence the set of beliefs together set of behaviours is truly at the heart of practising personal resilience. The above article summarises the online masterclass “Personal Resilience – Learnings from the Stories of Family Businesses.” conducted by Prof. S Ramnarayan at the Indian School of Business. |
13 Jan 2022, 09:01
| FROM ISB PGP Admissions Director Blog: Women in Leadership |
|
The world we live in today has come a long way from a gender-based division of work and is moving towards a more progressive age. Though the change is slow, women are taking up key leadership roles in businesses across the world. More women are realising their potential and creating a direct route to success. When they find themselves in a leadership role, their capability and abilities are undeniable. The Indian School of Business (ISB) understands the importance of diversity in every shade and works earnestly towards it. The male to female ratio in an average PGP class is among the highest in Top B-Schools around the globe. To learn how the school has played a pivotal role, we brought three eminent women leaders and ISB alums on a panel discussion to further understand the importance of diversity in a learning environment. Here is how the whole discussion progressed. Learnings from Diversity at ISB: Women makeup almost 38% of PGP classroom strength at ISB and contribute immensely to the overall diversity. The perspectives students gain during the programme from the diverse set of peers adds a lot of value to their career upon culmination of the programme. Speaking on the lessons learnt, Mollshree shares one of many lessons from her ISB days. “I came to ISB with a very traditional view of business and had never explored entrepreneurship. The batchmates that sat with me at various forums during ISB were already working and developing startup ideas. I learnt how simple ideas have the potential to create successful businesses in the long run. Though I never pursued my career in the startup ecosystem, I carried the insights gained during the programme. These insights continue to add value to the diverse and well-rounded perspective I bring for my clients even in my current role.” Speaking about diversity, Niharika adds, “Diversity is something you experience at every level and shade in ISB. The set of batchmates you meet during the course is highly diverse in terms of educational background, experience, industry vertical, gender, etc. For example, the study group I was assigned had me (a Chartered Accountant), two engineers, one analyst and one from sustainable development space. All of us didn’t know each other priorly, had a different approach to working along with non-aligned work habits. But despite all the differences, we had to work together as a team. That is strikingly similar to everyday office life. That experience helped me learn how to work, manage and lead a team more effectively in my career.” Putting a gender lens on the topic, Sonakshi shares her perspective. “I come from a very gender-balanced ecosystem (mass media} & most of the colleagues at my workplace were women. At ISB, although the number was a little less, the whole environment regardless was quite progressive. What was astonishing for me was the diversity in the range of experience my cohorts brought. The diversity spectrum I witnessed during the programme gave me great anecdotal examples that helps me motivate people and colleagues in my career after ISB. I don’t think any other top-tier B-School in India provides such diversity.” The Journey of Re-Discovery Many times students are unsure about what they want to do after ISB or how they want their career to take shape over the period of 52 weeks. What should be the ideal way of discovering your true calling while pursuing PGP? The panellists added their perspectives to the discussion. Speaking on the subject, Niharika adds two cents from her experience, “When joined ISB, I had eight years of experience under my belt. I started as a Chartered Accountant, working as an auditor then moving into investment research. After shifting into corporate strategy, I knew I wanted to expand my career in that role. So, I had a fair idea of what I wanted from ISB. This helped me prioritise and pick up a lot of learning during the span of one year. Be it the clubs, study groups, or events – everything came to fruition since the objective was clear in my mind. I specialised in strategy and explored new-age industries as well. Though I got very good offers during the placements, I went out of campus to crack a role in strategy consulting. That is the learning and confidence ISB bestows.” Reflecting on her experience, Mollshree shares, “I came into ISB with express desire to move into strategy consulting and wanted to gain a better understanding of finance. I was very clear about my expectations from day one and specialised in finance and strategy. The whole ISB experience was very insightful, courtesy of world-class faculty and peer learning. Though I did not get the desired role at the start, I got an HR consulting role in Delloite through placements and was eventually transitioned into strategy consulting within a year. I feel ISB is the one that facilitated this move. One should grab every opportunity that comes their way at ISB. Having a clear idea helps but one can even discover themselves while pursuing the course.” Coming from mass media, Sonakshi shares her experience from the other end of the spectrum. “I came to ISB with a mere objective of having a degree from Tier-I MBA college. However shallow my motivation was, the wealth of knowledge and rich learning I gained at ISB was way beyond my expectations. I never had a role in mind because I was a journalist in an MBA college! Luckily there was a job opening at Network18 for a product manager which is generally reserved for engineers. Had I not been from ISB, I would not have bagged that opportunity. Six years down the line, I am a Senior Product Manager at Times Internet where all my colleagues from premier engineering colleges with me as an exception to the rule! The 11 months at ISB compensates for every expectation.” Leadership Development at ISB: In today’s world, women are taking up leadership and decision-making roles more than ever. The highly diverse learning environment at ISB creates a space conducive to inculcating leadership and team management skills. Speaking on the subject, Sonakshi reflects, “Speaking from personal experience, I was a highly motivated individual with a finesse to lead. I never felt a change in terms of managing a team however I learnt how to deal with the complexities that arise when the team you lead is way more qualified than you. The cohorts you gain at ISB are some of the best minds of their industry and are highly skilled in their area of expertise. I learnt how to navigate and influence without authority. This learning continues to play a great role in my everyday work life.” On account of developing leadership skills, Niharika adds, “ISB greatly contributed towards my leadership skills. Not that I wasn’t leading teams before or managing projects, but I wanted to develop more skills and push my boundaries & limits. When I look at leadership, two qualities stand out – first is the adaptability to lead despite your vulnerabilities in uncomfortable situations, and second being the ability to garner trust and respect around you. I found ISB as a training ground for honing my leadership skills. No matter where you are in your career, ISB pushes your limits in every possible way, helping you to evolve into a better leader.” For Mollshree, leadership comes in many forms. “For me, one thing that made me a better leader is the confidence I gained from having a wonderful alumni network. I am supported by a network of greatly diverse professionals across the globe, whom I can reach anytime. I can bring vast connections, better insights, and all-around perspectives to my clients more efficiently. This ability helps you boost your confidence and surely makes you a better leader with time.” ISB Alumni Network – the highly valuable resource: The alumni network is a highly resourceful system that is accessible to all students. The network not only helps in terms of career opportunities but also supports in every way possible. Sharing her thoughts about the network, Niharika adds, “When I joined ISB, I did not value networking that much. I was in B-School and had certain objectives in mind. I did not understand the true might of the ISB Alumni Network until I stepped out of the school. At the first client meeting, I step into my new job after graduating, one of representatives from the client-side turns out to be an ISB alum! It has been six years, and this keeps happening even today. No matter where you are, you always find ISB alums all around the globe and in every business sphere. This ISB connect brings a certain amount of credibility and trust on both sides because we know what the institute stands for.” Like Niharika, Mollshree too found the importance of the network a bit later. “Network is among the top three things you go to ISB for. Though I networked with my batchmates, I did not realise the value ISB alumni bring to my career trajectory. Even on the personal front, the network comes a long way in helping you. In the last wave of Covid-19, I contracted the virus and required a hospital bed. It was through the network that I was able to secure one. That is the extent to which the network helps.” Sharing another example of how ISB Alumni Network comes through for each other, Sonakshi adds, “A classmate of ours was seriously affected by Covid-19 and required a lung transplant. The money for the treatment cost (over 1 crore) was raised by the Alumni Network within 24 hours. Thankfully, the treatment was successful, and he is doing quite well. Where does this happen? I can’t think of any other place.” Out of Classroom Experience: There is a lot that happens outside the classrooms at ISB. Be it the clubs. marquee events, study groups, or ISL – this out-of-classroom experience adds a lot of value for the students. Speaking from her experience, Sonakshi reflects, “I highly recommend students to spend a considerable amount of time (at least 30%) in experiencing the campus life and engaging in an active role. If you like to dance, join a dance club. If talking is your forte, join Alumni Association (just kidding). These activities help you grow out of your cocoon and realise your potential outside the classroom sphere.” From Neharika’s perspective, it would be sad for students who do not experience ISB outside the classroom. “If you are only limited by your classmates and peers in your study group, you would really lose on meeting awesome people from your batch! You do not have to do everything but choose at least the activities that stimulate your area of interest. Party with your peers. All this adds to the social element of knowing people and different walks of life.” Taking the conversation to a lighter note, Mollshree reflects, “Any activity you participate in outside the classroom at ISB is very important. The deepest connections happen in informal settings. These activities stimulate uninhibited meaningful conversations that help you make friends for life. As for the no. of parties to attend in a night, you can set the limit according to the amount of alcohol you can consume (just kidding)! The above blog summarises and presents excerpts from an online panel discussion organised by The Indian School of Business on the topic “Women In Leadership.” Niharika Thakur(PGP Co’2015) is Strategy & Insights Manager at Google. Sonakshi Sinha(PGP Co’2015) works as a Senior Product Manager at Times Internet. Mollshree Garg(PGP Co’2010) Associate Partner at KPMG. The session was hosted by Akshita Mahajan, a current PGP student at ISB. |
13 Jan 2022, 10:00
| FROM ISB Admissions Blog: Personal Resilience – Learnings from the Stories of Family Businesses by Prof S Ramnarayan |
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The world today is reeling under the global pandemic which has affected a lot of aspects of our everyday lives. At many times when we face difficulties, our response tends to be non-constructive due to several aspects. Under present circumstances, when we are faced with several setbacks and uncertainties, these negative occurrences are becoming more commonplace. In order to deal with these challenges, personal resilience has become a highly required innate quality in business leaders. What is Personal Resilience? In simple terms, it can be defined as our ability to recover quickly and respond constructively to difficulties, challenges, or hardships. It is critical for leaders to develop resilience and start from self-management for bringing effective change while dealing with uncertainty. In the field of management & leadership, the value is not in the concepts per se but rather in the application of those concepts in everyday life. It is not the understanding of concepts that gives you results; it is the practice of real ideas that matter. Hence, we begin with two stories of family organisations that I have been closely involved with, describing the basic cases and analyse what we learn about personal resilience from them. The Story of Lavanya Nalli Lavanya Nalli comes from the family which owns and runs Nalli Silks – a multi-generational family business based out of Chennai known for its silk sarees. Lavanya became the fifth generation member to join the family business after graduating in computer science. Being the first woman from the family to join the family business, she faced passive resistance and a lack of support in the organisation. Being from a computer science background, she was assigned data processing work which was a very peripheral part of the business. She humbly refused the desk job and looked to study the business from every aspect. With the absence of an induction module in the organisation, she designed her own system of training and began learning about the business on the sales floor of the store. She went to different Nalli stores, observed their supply chain and understood the business from the grassroots level. In order to understand their business in other cities, Lavanya decided to work at the Mumbai store to gain insights into the store operations. At the Mumbai store, she was again assigned the desk job at the cashier’s table. To learn beyond mere transactions, Lavanya began observing the daily activities and started conversing with different people to get multiple perspectives. Through her observations, she noticed a lot of young girls who came to the store with their elders did not buy anything from the store. Upon enquiring, it was realised that the young women looked for contemporary designs in their sarees and assumed Nalli was all about Kanjeevarams. They were surprised when Lavanya asked the store staff to bring out a rich variety of sarees of their preference. When this observation was brought to the notice of the Store head and senior employees, they did not consider it to be a demand leakage as they thought younger women rarely visited the store and were not Nall’s target customers. This is where resilience comes to play. Instead of getting frustrated, Lavanya put herself in the shoes of the store head and senior people. She realised they were well-meaning but their opinions were shaped by their experiences. She had to bring in evidence to back up her opinion. She tracked the number of younger women and older women walking into the store and generated systematic data on footfalls and conversions. The data confirmed the significant difference between the conversion rates for older & younger women. The store head and seniors were surprised but argued how the existing store format could be changed. Again, resilience is required at such a challenge. After reflection, introspection & conversations, Lavanya concluded that a solution had to be found beyond the existing setup. That is how the concept of “Nalli Next” stores came up which offer premium products catering to all the needs of women in the category of designer & cocktail wear saris, heavy saris for weddings & special occasions, lehengas, apparel & other ready-made garments. The Story of Malaka Spice: Resilience to deal with crisis Praful Chandawarkar along with his wife Cheeru Chandawarkar established Malaka Spice, a restaurant serving Southeast Asian cuisine in 1997. At the early stage, his style of running the business was authoritarian and non-participative. With the rapid growth in business, the senior management came under stress as all problems came directly to them due to the absence of delegation. This made him realize the need for a change in work style and management. With the help of an external coach, Praful reflected on his own style and work methods. Over a couple of years, he reviewed the work practices at Malaka Spice. Accountability was strengthened and people were empowered by giving them the responsibility of managing things on their own. Systems were set up for lateral and vertical communication on a daily basis. This ensured alignment of priorities and coordination in the effort. The nature of discussion and consultations with staff underwent a change. This helped Malaka Spice when dealing with crisis management. When the pandemic hit, Praful anticipated its possible impact on the hospitality industry. With his senior team, he quickly worked out innovative business ideas and executed these effectively. These ideas provided new revenue streams. These included running home delivery operations, family meals, DIY curry pastes, Malaka Market and much more. Employees were encouraged to exploit new business opportunities. Two of them started supplying materials for the new revenue streams. A person pitched for the franchise of Malak Spice home delivery outlet for an area that the organisation couldn’t reach out to. Different people picked up different roles and skills which helped them enhance their earnings. Despite the hospitality industry being badly hit due to lockdown and other restrictions, people were energised to create and sustain a whole new set of outcomes. As a result, Malaka maintained profitable operations during the pandemic without corpus or charity and protected the jobs of its employees. Case Analysis through the Lens of Resilience: Let us examine Lavanya’s behaviour when she faced setbacks. She did not resort to vilifying other parties (popularly known as the Fight Syndrome) and neither did she withdraw or retreat from the problem and from the people (as called Flight Syndrome). Both Fight and Flight Syndromes are counter-productive to problem-solving and take us nowhere near to the solution. Instead, Lavanya took a pause to exercise self-control and discard wrong impulses. This requires the awareness of the emotional grip on the mind and soundtrack of thoughts. With the help of these mental capabilities, Lavanya was able to come to the right conclusion. In the case of Praful, he moved his organisation from crisis-induced learning to anticipatory & participatory learning. Instead of learning from mistakes, the organisation anticipated future problems and found solutions beforehand. He also used the principles of prediction, understanding and control to dampen organisational stress. When employees have a reasonable understanding of what is likely to happen and when it will happen, they feel they are aware of the situation and feel secure. Providing people with an understanding of why certain decisions were taken is critical to curbing the anxiety. Giving people more control over their work and situation helps to keep them motivated. Therefore, one must “Pause” to gain heightened awareness. Pay attention to the internal monologue that goes in your head all the time. Are those thoughts helping you or are they getting in your way? Talk it out. Learn to challenge your thoughts, feelings and actions that you plan to take. What you resist persists; what you embrace dissolves. The practise of mindfulness helps you enhance your self-awareness. One must move from a counterproductive flow of thoughts to a constructive flow of thoughts. Rather than dispensing answers, one must ask questions with curiosity. Instead of advocacy, one must focus on inquiry and dialogue. Lastly one must introspect belief and behaviour. Hence the set of beliefs together set of behaviours is truly at the heart of practising personal resilience. The above article summarises the online masterclass “Personal Resilience – Learnings from the Stories of Family Businesses.” conducted by Prof. S Ramnarayan at the Indian School of Business. |
13 Jan 2022, 10:00
| FROM ISB Admissions Blog: Women in Leadership |
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The world we live in today has come a long way from a gender-based division of work and is moving towards a more progressive age. Though the change is slow, women are taking up key leadership roles in businesses across the world. More women are realising their potential and creating a direct route to success. When they find themselves in a leadership role, their capability and abilities are undeniable. The Indian School of Business (ISB) understands the importance of diversity in every shade and works earnestly towards it. The male to female ratio in an average PGP class is among the highest in Top B-Schools around the globe. To learn how the school has played a pivotal role, we brought three eminent women leaders and ISB alums on a panel discussion to further understand the importance of diversity in a learning environment. Here is how the whole discussion progressed. Learnings from Diversity at ISB: Women makeup almost 38% of PGP classroom strength at ISB and contribute immensely to the overall diversity. The perspectives students gain during the programme from the diverse set of peers adds a lot of value to their career upon culmination of the programme. Speaking on the lessons learnt, Mollshree shares one of many lessons from her ISB days. “I came to ISB with a very traditional view of business and had never explored entrepreneurship. The batchmates that sat with me at various forums during ISB were already working and developing startup ideas. I learnt how simple ideas have the potential to create successful businesses in the long run. Though I never pursued my career in the startup ecosystem, I carried the insights gained during the programme. These insights continue to add value to the diverse and well-rounded perspective I bring for my clients even in my current role.” Speaking about diversity, Niharika adds, “Diversity is something you experience at every level and shade in ISB. The set of batchmates you meet during the course is highly diverse in terms of educational background, experience, industry vertical, gender, etc. For example, the study group I was assigned had me (a Chartered Accountant), two engineers, one analyst and one from sustainable development space. All of us didn’t know each other priorly, had a different approach to working along with non-aligned work habits. But despite all the differences, we had to work together as a team. That is strikingly similar to everyday office life. That experience helped me learn how to work, manage and lead a team more effectively in my career.” Putting a gender lens on the topic, Sonakshi shares her perspective. “I come from a very gender-balanced ecosystem (mass media} & most of the colleagues at my workplace were women. At ISB, although the number was a little less, the whole environment regardless was quite progressive. What was astonishing for me was the diversity in the range of experience my cohorts brought. The diversity spectrum I witnessed during the programme gave me great anecdotal examples that helps me motivate people and colleagues in my career after ISB. I don’t think any other top-tier B-School in India provides such diversity.” The Journey of Re-Discovery Many times students are unsure about what they want to do after ISB or how they want their career to take shape over the period of 52 weeks. What should be the ideal way of discovering your true calling while pursuing PGP? The panellists added their perspectives to the discussion. Speaking on the subject, Niharika adds two cents from her experience, “When joined ISB, I had eight years of experience under my belt. I started as a Chartered Accountant, working as an auditor then moving into investment research. After shifting into corporate strategy, I knew I wanted to expand my career in that role. So, I had a fair idea of what I wanted from ISB. This helped me prioritise and pick up a lot of learning during the span of one year. Be it the clubs, study groups, or events – everything came to fruition since the objective was clear in my mind. I specialised in strategy and explored new-age industries as well. Though I got very good offers during the placements, I went out of campus to crack a role in strategy consulting. That is the learning and confidence ISB bestows.” Reflecting on her experience, Mollshree shares, “I came into ISB with express desire to move into strategy consulting and wanted to gain a better understanding of finance. I was very clear about my expectations from day one and specialised in finance and strategy. The whole ISB experience was very insightful, courtesy of world-class faculty and peer learning. Though I did not get the desired role at the start, I got an HR consulting role in Delloite through placements and was eventually transitioned into strategy consulting within a year. I feel ISB is the one that facilitated this move. One should grab every opportunity that comes their way at ISB. Having a clear idea helps but one can even discover themselves while pursuing the course.” Coming from mass media, Sonakshi shares her experience from the other end of the spectrum. “I came to ISB with a mere objective of having a degree from Tier-I MBA college. However shallow my motivation was, the wealth of knowledge and rich learning I gained at ISB was way beyond my expectations. I never had a role in mind because I was a journalist in an MBA college! Luckily there was a job opening at Network18 for a product manager which is generally reserved for engineers. Had I not been from ISB, I would not have bagged that opportunity. Six years down the line, I am a Senior Product Manager at Times Internet where all my colleagues from premier engineering colleges with me as an exception to the rule! The 11 months at ISB compensates for every expectation.” Leadership Development at ISB: In today’s world, women are taking up leadership and decision-making roles more than ever. The highly diverse learning environment at ISB creates a space conducive to inculcating leadership and team management skills. Speaking on the subject, Sonakshi reflects, “Speaking from personal experience, I was a highly motivated individual with a finesse to lead. I never felt a change in terms of managing a team however I learnt how to deal with the complexities that arise when the team you lead is way more qualified than you. The cohorts you gain at ISB are some of the best minds of their industry and are highly skilled in their area of expertise. I learnt how to navigate and influence without authority. This learning continues to play a great role in my everyday work life.” On account of developing leadership skills, Niharika adds, “ISB greatly contributed towards my leadership skills. Not that I wasn’t leading teams before or managing projects, but I wanted to develop more skills and push my boundaries & limits. When I look at leadership, two qualities stand out – first is the adaptability to lead despite your vulnerabilities in uncomfortable situations, and second being the ability to garner trust and respect around you. I found ISB as a training ground for honing my leadership skills. No matter where you are in your career, ISB pushes your limits in every possible way, helping you to evolve into a better leader.” For Mollshree, leadership comes in many forms. “For me, one thing that made me a better leader is the confidence I gained from having a wonderful alumni network. I am supported by a network of greatly diverse professionals across the globe, whom I can reach anytime. I can bring vast connections, better insights, and all-around perspectives to my clients more efficiently. This ability helps you boost your confidence and surely makes you a better leader with time.” ISB Alumni Network – the highly valuable resource: The alumni network is a highly resourceful system that is accessible to all students. The network not only helps in terms of career opportunities but also supports in every way possible. Sharing her thoughts about the network, Niharika adds, “When I joined ISB, I did not value networking that much. I was in B-School and had certain objectives in mind. I did not understand the true might of the ISB Alumni Network until I stepped out of the school. At the first client meeting, I step into my new job after graduating, one of representatives from the client-side turns out to be an ISB alum! It has been six years, and this keeps happening even today. No matter where you are, you always find ISB alums all around the globe and in every business sphere. This ISB connect brings a certain amount of credibility and trust on both sides because we know what the institute stands for.” Like Niharika, Mollshree too found the importance of the network a bit later. “Network is among the top three things you go to ISB for. Though I networked with my batchmates, I did not realise the value ISB alumni bring to my career trajectory. Even on the personal front, the network comes a long way in helping you. In the last wave of Covid-19, I contracted the virus and required a hospital bed. It was through the network that I was able to secure one. That is the extent to which the network helps.” Sharing another example of how ISB Alumni Network comes through for each other, Sonakshi adds, “A classmate of ours was seriously affected by Covid-19 and required a lung transplant. The money for the treatment cost (over 1 crore) was raised by the Alumni Network within 24 hours. Thankfully, the treatment was successful, and he is doing quite well. Where does this happen? I can’t think of any other place.” Out of Classroom Experience: There is a lot that happens outside the classrooms at ISB. Be it the clubs. marquee events, study groups, or ISL – this out-of-classroom experience adds a lot of value for the students. Speaking from her experience, Sonakshi reflects, “I highly recommend students to spend a considerable amount of time (at least 30%) in experiencing the campus life and engaging in an active role. If you like to dance, join a dance club. If talking is your forte, join Alumni Association (just kidding). These activities help you grow out of your cocoon and realise your potential outside the classroom sphere.” From Neharika’s perspective, it would be sad for students who do not experience ISB outside the classroom. “If you are only limited by your classmates and peers in your study group, you would really lose on meeting awesome people from your batch! You do not have to do everything but choose at least the activities that stimulate your area of interest. Party with your peers. All this adds to the social element of knowing people and different walks of life.” Taking the conversation to a lighter note, Mollshree reflects, “Any activity you participate in outside the classroom at ISB is very important. The deepest connections happen in informal settings. These activities stimulate uninhibited meaningful conversations that help you make friends for life. As for the no. of parties to attend in a night, you can set the limit according to the amount of alcohol you can consume (just kidding)! The above blog summarises and presents excerpts from an online panel discussion organised by The Indian School of Business on the topic “Women In Leadership.” Niharika Thakur(PGP Co’2015) is Strategy & Insights Manager at Google. Sonakshi Sinha(PGP Co’2015) works as a Senior Product Manager at Times Internet. Mollshree Garg(PGP Co’2010) Associate Partner at KPMG. The session was hosted by Akshita Mahajan, a current PGP student at ISB. |
18 Jan 2022, 23:01
| FROM ISB PGP Admissions Director Blog: How is telehealth going to transform healthcare delivery in India? |
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[img]https://blogs.isb.edu/healthcare/files/2022/01/shutterstock_1417142954-1-1.jpg[/img] [b]Key insights from the AMPH Discussion Circle 1 moderated by AMPH Co 2022 students J P Pattanaik and Smitha Chowdary Kankanala[/b] [*]Telehealth makes healthcare Accessible, Affordable and Available with better quality.[/*] [*]The ultimate brand ambassador for telehealth is the individual beneficiary who experiences a “wow” effect in interacting with a remote healthcare provider (HCP). To achieve ‘customer delight’, the HCP should get into the mind of the patient and cater to his/her specific needs albeit using technology.[/*] [*]The use of healthcare standards for the exchange of health information is still not getting its due recognition. Adoption of standards in telehealth is a must as a confidence-boosting measure.[/*] [*]The pandemic has helped in realising the potential of telehealth. However, sustaining its success for the long run will be more challenging than ever.[/*] [*]Virtual Reality and immersive technologies are going to play an important role in care delivery and improving the provider-patient experience.[/*] [*]IoT and remote devices can help in gathering accurate clinical information at lesser costs.[/*] [*]With better infrastructure (broadband, power supply, etc.), telehealth is bound to flourish further and will reach every nook and corner of the country.[/*] [/list] Moderated by the students of AMPH Co 2022, the Max Institute of Healthcare Management hosts the AMPH Discussion Circle on the third Sunday of every month on its LinkedIn page. [b][url=https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6878189648250753024/]Click here[/url][/b] to go to this discussion thread. |
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