Transformational role of Young Managers in a new-age economy: Towards

building Sustainable Organisation

WHY IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

IMPORTANT TO A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION?
In 1998, Calgary-based Talisman Energy Inc. invested in Sudan, an oil-rich,
economically poor country engaged in civil war that broke out over the
inequitable distribution of wealth. While others had been drilling for oil for
a few years prior to Talismans entry, the company found itself at the
centre of considerable public criticism. Critics argued that Talisman should
withdraw from the country, as the oil revenues provided the government
with royalties to escalate the conflict. By early October 2000, the negative
publicity resulted in a $700-million reduction in Talismans market
capitalization. Soon after this rash of bad publicity, the Ontario Teachers
Pension Fund sold its holdings.

To identify initiatives that would satisfy all parties, Talisman initiated a dialogue with various
stakeholders in Sudan, the companys employees, and proponents of sustainable
development. The company now argues that it has a responsibility to push forward with
ethical practices and human rights. It has also expanded its view of stakeholders to include
not only traditional ones such as employees, customers and shareholders, but also the media,
competitors, governments and non-government agencies. Talisman now attempts to give a
fair share of profits to all affected stakeholders and to refrain from committing human rights
abuses. These efforts have had tangible results, including the development of five medical
clinics, three schools, new roads, electrical power, vaccines and serums, water and medical
treatments. Talismans market capitalization is up, employees take greater pride in their work
and the Sudanese government is more hospitable to the company.
Any way that you look at it, it makes good business sense to be pro sustainable development.
Organizations can build competitive advantage and stakeholder loyalty, and lower risk. I
discuss how they can do that in detail below.
Building a competitive advantage

Organizations have the potential to lower cost and maintain a commitment to sustainable
development. Producing the same output with fewer inputs, all things remaining equal, will
have a positive environmental and economic impact. Fewer resources will be used and fewer
wastes will be generated, which will have a direct positive impact on a firms cost structure.
Likely the most cited success story has been 3Ms Pollution Prevention Pays program. Since
1975, 3M has initiated 4,700 projects that reduce pollution. From 1990 to 1999, the company
reduced air emissions by 95 percent, volatile organic compounds by 85 percent; releases to
water by 80 percent; the production of solid waste by 33 percent; and energy consumption by
25 percent. 3M no longer touts how much it has saved. Pollution prevention and cost

minimization have become so central to its business strategy that the company can no longer
calculate the financial impact had these reductions not been made.
Looking at a firms operations through the lens of sustainable development not only reduces
costs but also increases revenues. Firms may develop products that offer new solutions to old
problems, and in so doing secure a larger market share or be able to charge a higher price.
Winnipegs Isobord Enterprises Inc., for example, developed a particleboard product made of
straw, not wood. The straw is a byproduct of the grain that is harvested annually in the region.
Wood, on the other hand, cannot be harvested for 50 years. Furthermore, the straw board is
stronger and lighter than wood-based particleboard, qualities that allow it to be used for many
different purposes and so make it more desirable. Isobord now exports a product with a
unique niche worldwide.
Lowering risk

Firms can also reduce risk by subscribing to sustainable development. Subscribing means
that firms are proactive with respect to social and environmental issues, which are inevitably
codified in laws and regulations. Given the increasing number of relevant statutes at all levels
of government, there is a risk in not complying with statutes, and the commensurate risk of
facing government fines and penalties, the costs of remediation and cleanup. Being proactive
can significantly lessen these risks. Furthermore, in the event of an environmental accident, a
firm that is perceived as moving in the direction of sustainable development is likely to be
shown more leniency by govern- and Rosie Lombardi). Firms that report their triple bottom
line include their environmental infractions, environmental performance, R&D efforts, and
contributions to the social well-being of employees and the local community through funding
for schools, and food and water treatment programs. While reporting the triple bottom line
increases administrative requirements, the potential impact on the organization is significant.

Question is not whether social and environmental resources should be

protected but at what cost

Process improvements

There are three types of process improvements:

Improvements to manufacturing processes and service delivery

Management systems

Stakeholder management.

1. In terms of manufacturing and service delivery, process improvements can involve simple
adjustments for greater ecological efficiency, such as reduced use of raw materials and energy
and greater recycling. A more significant investment that is likely to reap long-term returns is
closed-loop energy and waste-management systems where waste products and energy are
used as inputs in other production processes. The use of more sustainable raw materials may
or may not require significant changes to equipment and production processes. Starbucks, for
example, now sources its coffee according to fair trade practices, something that required no
changes in its machinery or equipment. Fair trade involves an equitable partnership between

coffee producers and the sourcing company. Farmers get a fair price for their harvest, and a
long-term relationship is developed so that the economic livelihood of the community is
secured. The money that goes to the farmer co-operatives is spent on food, housing, health
care and education. Starbucks commitment to fair trade has received considerable support
and created a ripple effect in the coffee community, so that competitors are being pressured
into adopting similar practices.
2. An increasing number of firms are adopting environmental management systems. These
systems ensure that sustainable development is addressed systematically rather than on an ad
hoc basis. If the environmental man management system meets a certain set of standards, it
can be certified for ISO 14001 or EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, a standard
used by companies in the European Union). Social Accountability International, previously
known as the Council of Economic Priorities, has also introduced a standard for social
accountability, SA8000. Not only does certification help to build the firms credibility among
outsiders, it also ensures that the principles of sustainable development are institutionalized
among insiders. The CERES principles, the Natural Step, and Total Quality Environmental
Management (TQEM) are additional systems or frameworks that can help direct the firm
towards sustainable development. Common elements in these systems include measurement,
control and continuous improvement.
3. Stakeholder management is another important element of sound sustainable development
processes. Stakeholders include not only the most powerful groups, but also people who are
disenfranchised, who do not necessarily have a voice, but whose livelihood is influenced by
the firm. These stakeholders may include indigenous people that live on or near the land on
which the firm operates, employees who are being paid a wage that keeps them below the
poverty line, or suppliers who are not being paid a fair price because of the relative power of
the firm. Once these stakeholders are identified, the firm must engage in an active dialogue
with them, identifying key spokespersons who not only assist in identifying the issues, but
who can also assist in developing viable solutions. Engaging in constructive dialogue can
help find innovative solutions for old problems. More often than not, this dialogue results in
win-win solutions for the company and those who felt exploited.
Product stewardship

Organizations can also manage the environmental and social impacts of their products
through product stewardship, which requires mitigating the cradle-to-grave impact of the
firms products. Ultimately, this means that products have a longer life and are sold on their
soundness, not on marketing hype, and that their environmental impact will be minimal.
Stewardship also means that the products may be disassembled quickly and their parts reused
or recycled. Some firms are starting to conduct life-cycle analyses of their products. In this
case, the firm must determine the environmental, social and economic impacts of each stage
in the production, distribution and consumption of its products. While the analysis can be
arduous, it can be instrumental in identifying design features and process improvements that
are more sustainable.
Xerox has been committed to designing products so that they can be completely reused,
remanufactured and recycled. This effort entailed a complete redesign of the companys
product-delivery system, including the initial designs, materials acquisition, manufacturing,
marketing and after-sales service. Xerox aimed to extend product life, utilize materials that
could be recycled at the end of the products life, and design products for easy disassembly

and multiple uses. In the programs first year, Xerox saved $50 million in logistics, inventory
and the cost of raw materials. These savings are expected to increase even further over time.

THE THREAT AND OPPORTUNITY OF

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Failing to respond to sustainable development issues exposes the firm to significant risks and
forfeits an opportunity to build stakeholder commitment and competitive advantage. While
managers may resist the short-term financial and time-related costs of adopting some of these
measures, there are potential significant long-term benefits. Society is increasingly concerned
about sustainable development, and as the quality of social education and scientific
information improves, pressures will inevitably mount. By responding now, firms can make
choices that are the most financially viable, rather than being forced into responding to
stakeholder pressure or merely following standards set by others.

What Youngster can do?

YOUNG LEADERS

There are three overlapping areas of research that provide insights into the needs of
young leaders in the workplace. The first focuses on
how leadership is developed, the second on the experiences of young managers, and the
third on the generational characteristics of young
workers and their working preferences.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Leadership development has recently emerged as an important area of study, with
scholars arguing that it is an ongoing process that
involves developing the skills of individual leaders as well as implementing effective
leadership practices within organisations (Avolio &
Gardiner, 2005; Day et al., 2013). Longitudinal studies have examined how leadership is
developed through childhood and adolescence,
including leadership tasks, skills, and processes that develop future leaders (Murphy &
Johnson, 2011). Research on traits has found that
personality predicts leader emergence, especially extraversion, but intelligence is not
correlated with leadership potential in later life
(Guerin et al., 2011; Reichard et al., 2011). Context and environment are also important
in predicting leadership emergence, with positive
parenting and self-esteem associated with leadership potential (Li et al., 2011; Oliver et
al., 2011).
Academic and co-curricular leadership development programs in secondary schools and
universities have been identified as key sites for
developing the skills of future leaders (Eva & Sendjaya, 2013). These programs have
been shown to positively affect students decisionmaking
skills, increase their respect for other cultures, strengthen their ethical values, and
broaden their understanding of leadership styles
(Cress et al., 2001). However, there have been concerns that many programs which claim
to develop future leaders are not grounded in
leadership theories and research, making it difficult to measure their goals and
effectiveness (Hollander, 2011; McNae, 2010).
Studies have been conducted on the skills learnt in academic programs on leadership
development in business schools. McCall (2004)
posits that leadership skills are developed most effectively through experience, but
educational simulations have been shown to effectively

improve leadership skills by role-playing management challenges and requiring students

to reflect on how they would act in difficult
situations (Seaton & Boyd, 2008). Traditional business school academic courses have
been criticised for being too conceptual, not
focused enough on the practical day-to-day experiences of managers, and for
emphasising the skills required of senior managers, rather
than equipping graduates with the skills they need when first starting their careers (Kerr,
2004; Tushman & OReilly, 2007). Elmuti et al.
(2005) argue that academic programs should take a holistic, multi-disciplinary, practical
approach to leadership education using a global
perspective and placing an emphasis on ethics.
Australian research has examined the preparedness of business graduates, showing that
many employers believe they lack non-technical
skills such as critical thinking, decision making, conflict resolution, and self-reflection,
necessitating reform to university curricula
(Jackson & Chapman 2012). In addition, research has been conducted on youth
leadership development programs in Australian
secondary schools. Eva and Sendjaya (2013) analysed programs through the servant
leadership theoretical model and found that students
exhibit some aspects of servant leadership after completing these programs, such as
collaboration and respect for others, but more
emphasis needs to be placed on the ethical and altruistic aspects of leadership in these
programs, including providing students with
volunteering opportunities in the community.
While this research provides a good starting point, more research is needed in Australia.
It is necessary to further examine what is being
taught in universities and secondary schools regarding leadership, the prevalence of
youth leadership development programs, the different
types of programs, the leadership theories that underpin them, andcruciallytheir
effectiveness in preparing future leaders. Further
research is also needed to examine the debate about whether students learn more about
leadership in co-curricular activities, such as
participation in sporting teams and volunteering, or through classroom-based learning
(Casile et al., 2011; Ricketts & Rudd, 2002).

YOUNG MANAGERS
There are few studies on the experiences of young managers, however the existing
research is useful in highlighting some of the
challenges new graduates face and their needs in the workplace (Uen et al., 2009). Young
managers, measured by age (Uen et al., 2009)
and the length of time since their graduation from MBA programs (Benjamin & OReilly,
2011), have been shown to experience particular
workplace challenges in managing others and themselves. Benjamin and OReilly (2011)
found that new managers face difficulties
motivating subordinates, managing relationships with peers and bosses, developing a
leadership mindset, and coping with setbacks. To
address these challenges and develop as a successful leader, young managers have to
make three types of psychological transitions: (i)
role transitions to understand the requirements of being a manager, (ii) business
transitions to be able to make changes to existing
business operations, and (iii) personal transitions to resolve instances of personal conflict
with their values and organisational practice or
with other people in the organisation. To aid young managers in making these transitions,
it is suggested that training and educational
programs should highlight the types of challenges that young managers may face and
organisations should provide ongoing feedback to
young managers (Benjamin & OReilly, 2011).
Organisational practices can help address the problems experienced by young managers.
Indeed, some have suggested that organisational

changes in human resources practices, particularly the shift to merit-based promotion,

increases the diversity of age groups in
management roles (McDermott, 2001). Uen et al. (2009) found that young managers
experience workplace stress relating to their lack of
interpersonal communication skills, difficulties interacting with senior subordinates, and
differences with middle-aged fellow managers.
Formal assessment mechanisms, including holistic 360-degree feedback, reduce the
stress associated with dealing with fellow middleaged
managers (Uen et al., 2009). Indeed, organisational feedback and self-reflection is an
important part of leadership development, as a
managers ability to learn from their early career problems equips them with the
knowledge and capability to deal with more complex
problems at a senior level (McCall, 2010).
Australian research has focused on the preparedness of graduates from the perspective
of employers rather than examining the
experiences of young managers (Jackson & Chapman, 2012; Raybould & Wilkins, 2005).
This suggests that further research is necessary
to analyse the perspectives of new managers across different sectors in Australia to
examine their early career experiences, challenges they
face, and their leadership development needs.
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CENTRE FOR WORKPLACE LEADERSHIP REVIEW OF RESEARCH

GENERATION Y
Research on the characteristics of Generation Y has highlighted social factors that have
influenced this generation, their working
preferences and new trends in working arrangements. Popular generalisations have
emerged about the cohort of people born between
19792000, including depictions of them as idealistic (Leydon & Teixeira, 2007),
optimistic (Cole et al., 2002), and self-confident (Balda
& Mora 2011) with overly high expectations (Martin & Schmidt 2010). Many of these
labels have been criticised for overstating the
differences between generations (Oliver, 2006) and underestimating the diversity
amongst this cohort (Terjesen et al., 2007). However,
scholars have highlighted changes to society that have influenced the experiences of this
generation, including the internet and new
technology (Feiertag & Berge, 2008), an increase in working mothers (Cole et al., 2002),
globalisation and more multicultural societies
(McCrindle, 2006), increasing access to higher education (Eisner, 2005), higher levels of
student employment (Oliver, 2006), and the
effects of the global financial crisis (Allison, 2013). In terms of the workplace, studies
have identified this generations preference for
balanced work and leisure time (Cogin, 2012) and working flexibly from home (Macleod,
2008), increased willingness to change
organisations and jobs (Solnet et al., 2012), and a desire for feedback and collaborative
and creative stimulating work (Shaw & Fairhurst,
2008). Young workers have been shown to prefer organisations that invest in training,
cater to the individual needs of employees, provide
opportunities for career advancement, and offer variety in daily work (Terjesen et al.,
2007).
Research on Generation Y and leadership has found that they have high expectations
that they will assume leadership positions within a
short amount of time (Morgan & Ribbens, 2006) and that they respond best to egalitarian
leadership because many dislike hierarchy (Van
Meter et al., 2013). In studying the ethical orientation of Generation Y, Van Meter et al.
(2013) found that those with a higher idealism
rating were more likely to exhibit servant leadership compared to those with low idealism
ratings. Members of Generation Y with higher
idealism ratings were also linked to better teamwork, and less likely to commit violations.
Those with stronger servant leadership traits

were better at team work (Van Meter et al., 2013).

Australian research has found some differences in the work attitudes of Generation Y
compared to other generations. In the hospitality
sector, Generation Y has been shown to place a higher value on working at an
organisation that aligns with their values, and where they
have good relationships with their colleagues, opportunities for training and development
and flexible work, and where they are taught
how and why the business operates as well as what to do (Solnet et al., 2012:45).
Generation Y working in the healthcare industry have
been found to be motivated to change jobs to broaden their experience, increase their
salary, have greater flexibility, have more supportive
supervisors, and a better organisational culture (Dodd et al., 2009). These studies
provide useful insights but are focused on particular
sectors, suggesting that further research is needed into the attitudes, preferences, and
working patterns of Generation Y across a wider
variety of industries, jobs, employment status, length of tenure, and locations (Solnet et
al., 2012), and into the implications these have for
their development into future leaders.

SUMMARY
There has been some research into the development, experiences, and preferences of
young leaders in the workplace, however this has
largely been conducted in the context of the USA or the UK. More research is needed to
appreciate the particular experiences and needs of
young Australian workers to better equip them with the skills they need to be future
leaders and to develop management practices that
effectively harness their potential.

The face of the modern workplace is changing. Young professionals are climbing
up the ranks faster than ever, becoming managers and supervisors at a younger
age than previous generations. Several industries are seeing this shift, and
although most companies top-level management hasnt changed as much, the
mid-level management scene has certainly changed.

As Baby Boomers retire and the global economy reawakens, companies will increasingly
face the challenge of finding enough experienced replacements and recruits for departing
managers and new executive positions.
Its a challenge that also presents an opportunity for young managers looking for a big step up
in their careers.
At the Renault-Nissan Alliance, we systematically select our highest performing team
members to participate in comprehensive leadership development programs. Participants are
considered the best of the best ambitious professionals who have made significant,
positive contributions. They are the clear standouts among a workforce of more than 450,000
employees globally.
Some participants are under 30. We often give them extremely challenging assignments that
take them well outside their comfort zones. They may have to manage hundreds or even
thousands of workers, most of whom are older than they are.

My own baptism by fire began in 1981, a period of robust growth for the French tire
company Michelin. Only three years out of university, I had finished the companys rigorous
training program and had been heading a production team at Michelins factory in Cholet,
France, for barely a year. I didnt have a tremendous amount of real-world experience, but I
was eager for a bigger challenge.
One day, the head of Michelins French manufacturing division called me into his office and
said, Im making you a factory boss. I was 27 years old by far the youngest member of
my new management team. I headed to Puy-en-Velay, France, as general manager of a plant
with 700 employees.
Managing the plant taught me how to be a leader, and the experience became a pillar of my
career.
Here are the most valuable lessons I learned:
Establish trust: Your first task is to establish bonds and trust with your team. Get out of your
office and walk the floor to get to know all the core members of your team. At Puy-enVelay, I spent time with each member of management and asked them to identify the main
problems they were struggling to solve and the main opportunities they saw. I spent time on
the plant floor talking and listening to workers and getting to know them.
Break down barriers: I was born and raised in Brazil, spent my adolescence in Lebanon,
and went to university in France. Ive always been a big believer in the power of diversity. As
you walk the floor, identify people with the ability to get the job done, regardless of their
background or education. Usually the best ideas come from the factory floor. Solicit advice
from a broad array of backgrounds. If you do this, your plan will apply to a wider number of
people and you are more likely to succeed.
Be confident, yet humble: Its easy to feel overwhelmed, particularly if you are working in a
foreign country in a new culture. But your superiors trust you, so trust in yourself. Dont let
self-doubt cloud your thinking. At the same time, never be cocky. Show employees your
willingness to learn what you dont know: Ask lots of questions. Learn all you can about
what they do and why. Solicit and listen to feedback particularly negative feedback. Turn to
mentors (previous bosses, colleagues, professors, relatives) when you are stuck on a problem.
A mentor might be someone you barely know or someone you havent talked to in years;
you may be pleasantly surprised by the number of people willing to help if you simply ask.
Be demanding of yourself: Others are more willing to follow your direction if you show
your willingness to work hard, to dive into a problem, to be open to new ideas. Show you
care. Show that your own success is tied to the success of the entire team. Successful
management is about creating a model for others. You will not accomplish anything if you do
not inspire and motivate your team. Demand more of yourself than of your workers.
Listen and communicate: Young managers often think they should talk a lot; in fact, they
need to listen. Communication is a two-way street. Particularly in your first few weeks and
months, take plenty of time to listen. Then develop a comprehensive plan. The plan should be
difficult but not impossible. The plan should establish one or two key priorities, with
specific, quantifiable targets. Communicate these priorities and targets relentlessly and in

multiple formats (face to face, in formal presentations, in casual meetings, in company

videos).
Deliver! Your ability to exceed expectations is the most important element of all. Even if you
perfect all of the above elements, you will still fail if you dont deliver results. In the end, this
is what management is all about: accomplishing your specific mission. Discipline yourself to
focus on performance and avoid distractions.
At the French plant, workers quickly got over my youth when they saw I was there to work
hard and improve performance.
By quickly establishing trust, motivating my team, demanding more of myself than of anyone
else -- and ultimately delivering on my goals -- I learned important career lessons. Likewise,
todays young professionals can transform their new challenges into the experiences of a
lifetime.

The young leaders casebook

Work life for young leaders is full of challenges. We will bring you, three times a week, quick
caselets of challenges managers face across India Inc. If you've figured out how to solve
them, write to us.
Today's Caselet
Sushil, a young team leader in a technology company, has a workaholic manager who works
24x7. Sushil, along with his team, is giving his 100%, but is fi nding it diffi cult to keep pace
with the manager who seems to be obsessed with his work. What should he do?
A. He shouldn't worry as long as he is performing
B. This can lead to burnout. He should speak to seniors
C. Have a chat with the manager and set boundaries
D. Any other

Francisco D'Souza was 38 when he became the CEO and president of Cognizant in 2007. In
five years since, he has led the company from $1.4 billion to over $6 billion in revenues. The
board picked him young, but only on merit. "It was all about expertise and track record. If
anything, my age was seen as an advantage," he recalls.

Only 43, D'Souza is already the leader of 130,000 employees. What does he do next, with at
least 17 years ahead in his career? His answer is as simple as it is chilling - there is always an
expectation to do more and faster. Welcome inside the mind of a leader who has already
scaled the peak and still has plenty of age and drive left in him.
Across India Inc, more and more men and women are walking into the corner room before
they turn 40. Sanket Akerkar, the India head of Microsoft, became MD at 37; Ajay
Srinivasan, who heads the Aditya Birla group's financial services business, first became CEO
at 34 and has carried the title for 14 years.
For them, getting to the top was just one half of their career challenge. Staying there, and
meeting expectations, is the second and perhaps more difficult half.
ET spoke to both these men and more like them, headhunters and mentors, to identify key
characteristic traits that propel people early to the very top...and help them do well there. We
found five. Read on and find out if you have them.
They start well and seize the crucial moment
R Suresh, MD-India, Stanton Chase International, who successfully placed 8-10 CEOs under
40 in the last financial year, draws out three distinctive phases in their career. First is the
formative - brilliant academics, IIT plus IIM or equivalent to start with.
Next, he says, comes the adolescence phase - this should have had at least 10 years of
structured grooming with exposure to multiple disciplines. Lastly, there is the adult phase there should have been at least a 5-year period where expertise in cross-functional
management, risk taking, strategy and managing other leaders get engrained.
"The crucial part is those five years wherein the bright adolescence gets morphed into
matured adult-capabilities. The leadership potential can be spotted five years before the
selection," says Suresh.
That was the case for Microsoft's Akerkar. Conversations and preparation for a role in India
started 4-5 years ago before he assumed charge in 2010 as India head. He was working for
the company in the US back then. He had two stints with McKinsey before that, split by an
MBA in 1998 from the Kellogg School of Management.
"Getting an experience to work in India was important for me. One, India is a growth market
and from a personal point of view, I was keen on an India stint because I am of Indian
descent," he says.
"It's about seizing opportunities and proving your mettle," says Cognizant's D'Souza.
"Early in my career, I was presented with an opportunity to work with a team to build Dun &
Bradstreet's IT captive in India. I jumped at the opportunity, and that captive became
Cognizant," he says.
They think like marathoners

A headhunter who did not wish to be named says some companies often question the wisdom
of anointing a CEO at 34-35. "You burn out fast. How many peaks can you achieve in your
career?" he asks. That's perhaps why Ajay Srinivasan, chief executive - financial services,
Aditya Birla Group, sees his career as a marathon.
"We need to think of our careers in the way a marathoner thinks about running; not the way a
sprinter does," he says. "There will be ups and downs; good days and bad. A sprinter will lose
if he does not have a good start or stumbles on the way. The marathoner can deal with these
and still come out ahead."
Srinivasan has been working for 24 years and he has been a CEO for more than half his
working career. He became the CEO of Prudential ICICI AMC when he was 34. He spent a
couple of years in this role before he was asked by Prudential to move to Hong Kong to head
their fund management business across Asia.
By the age of 37, he had become a CEO of CEOs, as he went about building a regional fund
management business for Prudential across Asia. As the business grew, he had the CEOs of
10 countries reporting to him. He then came back to India in 2007 to head the Aditya Birla
Group's financial services businesses.
They keep it Humble
When he is searching for young CEOs, one trait K Sudarshan, Managing Partner-India, EMA
Partners International, keenly looks for is humility. "Arrogance is a put-off when companies
are searching for young leaders," he says. That's also a function of the volatile economy.
"Attitude works well when the going is good, but in tough times, egotism and overconfidence are least desirable."
He recalls an instance where a company was not comfortable with the attitude of the young
CEO they wanted to hire, but he was immensely talented. He was taken on board, but he
could not sustain his success as he started to alienate people in the organisation due to his 'I
have arrived' attitude. Microsoft's Akerkar has decided to keep it simple. "Listening, learning
from others around you.... you have to go with humility - regardless of who it is in the
organisation."
They know that power corrupts
Young CEOs are power-drunk, declares a Delhi-based headhunter. "Power gets to their mind.
They are brash, aggressive and full of themselves," she says. The biggest worry this set of
young CEOs have is - how they are perceived by others. That's where they sow the seeds of
their nemesis.
"We no longer support command-and-control, climb-the-ladder models or densely layered
organisational hierarchies," says D'Souza. It is important to remain consensus-driven and
comfortable with a partnership approach to client management. No single individual can
execute successfully in this fast and complex world, he adds.
"I may be impatient, but I am not brash," says Akerkar. "The biggest shift for me has been
continuously moving up in strategic thinking. You need to continuously develop yourself and
never want to succumb to Peter's Principle." (Peter Principle says in a hierarchy, every

employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. Thus, as people move up the ladder, they
become progressively less-effective because good performance in one job does not guarantee
similar outcome in another.)
They expect the unexpected
It's all right to face the unexpected, fail and start afresh. Remain unfazed. Successful young
leaders view mistakes as objective results, not as permanent or personal failures, so they are
not afraid to make bold decisions., even if they are not always right.
Srinivasan recalls big external challenges from his first CEO role. "The Pokhran blasts rattled
markets around the time we were launching our first funds. We faced highly unfavourable
circumstances as we first went to market," he recalls.
Similarly, as a young Regional CEO in Asia (he was then 37), the challenges were slightly
different. First, he had to learn to operate one more step removed from the CEO since he was
now working through other CEOs. Second, he had to be much more aware of cultural
differences, as the same culture did not operate across the 10 markets he was responsible for.
Finally, he had to contend with SARS, which essentially rocked large bits of Asia as he began
building the business across the continent.
Also, in a roller coaster economy, when the traits needed to lead businesses change every six
months, there is one constant - risk appetite. "Companies look for an ability to take risk and
not be stupid about it," says Vikram Chhachhi, executive V-P, DHR International.
Besides, D'Souza says the current environment of volatility, that's already lasted four years
now, is something that most CEOs have never faced before. "We have all the elements of
rapid change combined with economic, political, and social uncertainty. Uncertainty is the
new normal," he says.
"Being a young CEO isn't much different from being an older CEO."
HOW TO MANAGE OLDER COLLEAGUES
Respect, appreciation and trust are traits that will help you gain their confidence and stand
you in good stead.
Case Study
In a leadership role, there is a tendency to command respect, but when dealing with older
professionals, it is important to first respect them for their experience, says Sanjay Singh,
director, HR and administration at Cairn India. In one of his previous stints, Singh supervised
a professional who was 10 years his senior. "When I joined the company, a lot of people
warned me about this person and said he might try to derail me," he says. But Singh decided
to have a candid chat with him. "I told him I had certain goals for the company and that I
would not be able to achieve those without his help. Over time, we developed a deep bond
and I am still in touch with him," he says.
Keep their concerns in mind

"Sending emails early and late, inviting or dialling into meetings at odd hours, being online
all the time is not what your team will appreciate for long," says Sameer Bhariok, HR
director, Eli Lilly. "Don't forget that older colleagues may have families that require them to
live at a pace different from yours," he adds. During emergencies, young leaders should make
sure they are doing more than what they are expecting of their teams.
Evaluate your leadership style
Singh dealt with a professional 20 years his senior, who had rigid views. "I always respected
him in front of other colleagues and dealt with his problems in private, which he later began
to appreciate," he says.
Avoid Micro-Management
Leaders need to explain the context well. "Let them defi ne the operating principles within
teams. This is key to building trust. Yet, if performance is not optimal you should tighten your
grip on operating metrics and methods," says Bhariok.
Seek their opinion
Bhariok feels senior colleagues can surprise young leaders with simple and practical
solutions. "Value their experience and insights, but do take the final call," he says.
HOW TO MAKE WORK-LIFE BALANCE CLICK?
With the BlackBerrys and Smartphones spilling over into personal time, work-life balance
does get diffi cult. But it is worth the effort.
Case Study
A young leader must respond to situations, and not cut himself or herself off after offi ce
hours. Ramesh Nair, president and executive director, Jindal Stainless who became the
company president at 38, understood this, but worked a way around it. "You are essentially
connected all the time and when your job needs you, you have to be there. So try
compensating when you can over the weekend or on days when you don't need to work
late into the night. Give that time to yourself and your family," he says. Nair has struck this fi
ne balance now for four years. There are other ways too.
Quality time makes all the difference
More than the arithmetic of time spent together or away, it is how you remember important
occasions, or take time out for activities that your spouse values (for instance, taking leave on
important occasions). Like justice, it is not just about what you are doing differently, but also
about being seen to be doing things differently, that matters," says Muralidhar Rao, CEO,
Future Learning.
Online social networking can wait

Curb checking your Facebook profi le or professional network account to a set time during
the day or week. "You can save time and spend it on yourself," says Anita Belani, country
head, Russell Reynolds.
Work near home
"Try to cut down on commuting time," says Pushkar Singh Kataria, 38, VP, group HR,
Vedanta Resources. At lunch hour, he heads home 10 minutes away from his office.
Pamper yourself
Indulge yourself. Spend a couple of hours in the garden, play with children, or cook. Get
seven to eight hours of sleep every night. "Pamper yourself a little more every day and you'll
see a big payoff at work and home," says Gurmeet Singh, area director, India Maldives,
Mariott Hotels.
SHOULD YOU LEAVE OR STAY?
In the face of plum offers, an evaluation of current opportunities and future goals is critical.
Case study
Anil Salvi, MD and group head, HR, at JM Financial Institutional Securities always asks his
colleagues if they are leaving to leave, or to join a new firm. "If it is an opportunity or a profi
le that one had eyed or dreamt of all along, it becomes a compelling reason," he says. It's
extremely important to leave for the right reasons, says Anish Sharma, a senior marketing
executive, who recently left his job primarily because his boss was not letting him grow in his
role. "I could have stayed and asked for a new boss. The organisation is open to the idea, but
that would almost mean working in a new role."
Be mentally prepared
Get over the hackneyed belief that it is bad to change jobs, says Raj Bowen, MD of
leadership consulting firm PDI Ninth House. "In fact, overtsaying in a company may be seen
as a negative decision in current times," he says.
List the reasons
Make a list of reasons that compel you to leave. Bowen says such decisions should not be
taken on the basis of 'trigger' events or situations, but in the context of the essential goals a
leader has set for himself.
Evaluate current opportunities
"Young leaders should ask whether they have achieved what they set out to do in the current
role before moving on," says Salvi. At each step, he says, ask: Are you leaving because of
internal factors, have you exhausted all means of fi xing the situation?
Link decisions to future goals

Linking the opportunity to fi ve-to-10-year goals can help in taking a call. Bowen feels,
though more money can be one of the legitimate goals, it cannot be the only aim.
HOW TO WORK UNDER A BOSS WHO CAN'T SEE HIS TIME IS UP
Patience is the greatest virtue here. And keep the lines of communication open.
Avoid coflicts
Even if you believe your ideas are better than your boss', don't get into a conflict situation
immediately. "Don't send out signals directly or indirectly conveying that you are better
than he is. It might backfi re. You might think you are the perfect nextin-line, but the
organisation my beg to differ. So be patient," says Anita Belani, country manager, Russell
Reynolds India.
Talk to your boss' boss
Let the super boss and HR department know your aspirations, and tell them why they should
choose you. Give them facts and fi gures. "Keep in touch with the higher-ups in a manner that
is considered appropriate in your organisation," says Muralidhar Rao, CEO, Future Learning.
They will find a way to balance the old and the new.
Try a horizontal move
Figure out how you can move within the organisation. Increasingly, progressive companies
want people with cross-functional experience. "Don't see it as a negative. Vertical growth is
not the only way ahead," says Preety Kumar, managing partner, Amrop India.
Network internally
Many a time, people erroneously believe a good external network is all they need to succeed.
If you need to rise up the ladder faster, you will need to leverage your internal and external
networks. Besides, mingling with the right people will help you work well and improve your
popularity quotient.
RE-SKILLING WITH AN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME
High-potential executives can be helped to better understand business fundamentals, effect
change, build teams and gain leadership skills
Case Study

India Inc bets on young leaders to drive growth

Where leaders once spent a good few decades working their way up to the top job, many
more of them are taking over the corner room before they turn 45. The rise of the tech and
internet industries may have spawned the rise of the young CEO, but with their numbers
swelling across multiple industries, they are well and truly here to stay.

Energy, innovation, willingness to take risks these are all attributes believed to set the
younger CEOs apart from their older counterparts. It certainly helps in the context where
India's workforce is only getting younger.

By 2020, the average age of the workforce in the US would be 40, in Japan 46, while in
India, it would be just 29, said Shashi Tharoor at the launch of the GenNext Workforce Study
2013 conducted by CII and Deloitte last August.
"Younger CEOs have a better shot at attracting and connecting with a younger talent pool,
which is becoming the norm in countries like India and China," says 42-year-old Krishna
Kumar, Philips India's new vice-chairman & MD.
"At the risk of stereotyping, younger CEOs tend to be a bit bolder and less risk-averse. In an
environment where you need to find and create growth opportunities, boldness is required,"
he says.
Vivek Gambhir, 45, MD, Godrej consumer Products, says that the advent of the young CEO
is, in fact, a function of the workforce getting younger. "The right people will be getting
greater opportunities earlier on in their career," he says. Organisations are becoming a lot

more open, getting better at career planning, and are willing to rotate good talent, he adds.

Most companies, especially the publicly-listed ones, are looking for people who have at least
a 10-year run to ensure stability of leadership before the person retires, says Philips' Krishna
Kumar.
"The emphasis is on how to get leaders to step into these roles earlier and quicker. Companies
now tend to take early risks on people, testing them out with responsibilities and moving
them on to key roles if they perform," he says.
So, for sectors like the media, textiles and fashion, telecom and technology, knowing the
pulse of the consumer, being creative and knowing new types of management techniques are

serious advantages in favour of younger CEOs, he says.

Where young business leaders are concerned, diversity of thought makes for better answers.
"In the past, strategic decisions may have been made in closed boardrooms by the seniormost people, but the fact that now we have a healthy mix of the old and new guard, men and
women, senior and junior people all collaborating and sharing their perspectives means we
end up with more thoughtful and considered inputs," says Nishant Rao, country manager,
LinkedIn India.
Being a young CEO comes with its fair share of challenges, as these leaders are only too
aware. It is important to support them where they lack experience or context; by defining a
clear vision to channel their efforts creatively and re-teaching age-old concepts like time

management, prioritisation and discipline, says Rao. A young CEO should complement
himself with more experienced people, adds Kumar.
The under-45 CEO phenomenon is mostly possible in sectors such as financial services,
technology and IT, FMCG and the like, believes L&T's executive chairman AM Naik. These
sectors are attracting the smartest people, he says, adding, "the new generation is not very
eager to go to old economy companies which are dependent more on experience and domain
knowledge."

Senior executives on company boards too believe this is the natural way to go. Opportunities
have gone up, including an international demand for good management resources from India;
while on the supply side, there is a steady stream of good talent, including those from the
premier IITs and IIMs. "Today's middle-and senior-level executives are all highly globallyoriented. Even those who haven't worked abroad have a global mindset. A combination of all
these factors has led to people rising to the top much earlier than they did in our time," says
SM Datta, non-executive director and chairman at Philips India.
A lot of family-oriented businesses are also bringing in younger CEOs, says Ashish Gupta,
senior managing director, Helion Advisors, who is on the boards of Babyoye.com and
Pubmatic, among others.
"In most industries how you sell and what you design is no longer the same as in the past.
There are new channels of marketing," he says, explaining that the younger generation is
selling to a vast majority of buyers who are from their time.

The Economic Times Young Leaders: Young

leaders from India are talented,
entrepreneuring, says Patricia Hewitt, chair,
UK India Business Council
Rica Bhattacharyya, ET Bureau Sep 14, 2012, 07.24AM IST

Tags:

Wipro|
UK India Business Council|

Tony Blair|

Patricia Hewitt|

Infosys|

HPCL|

Business Council

(The talent pool in India)

India's young leaders need to have a stronger voice as politicians tend to listen to strong
voices, says Patricia Hewitt, chair, UK India Business Council. The membership-led
organisation is backed by UK Trade and Investment, which promotes bilateral trade between
UK and India. Excerpts from an interview to ET on the sidelines of an event organised by CII
and Young Indians.
What are your views on the leadership in India, particularly young leaders?
Iwould not take names, but I am impressed by the young leadership in India. The young
leaders from industry and NGOs are wonderful, talented, exciting and entrepreneuring. It
would be good if India's young leaders had a stronger voice. Politicians tend to listen to
strong voices, and they need to listen to young leaders.
What would you say about the quality of talent in India?
The talent pool in India is absolutely worldclass and has had world-class education either in
the best schools and colleges in India or from abroad. You have got extraordinary elite of
young leaders in India. But where India is really being held back is the lack of first-stage
education. The talent and vitality and aspiration among the children In India are extraordinary
and they deserve a far better education than they are getting and that's what's holding them
back from the best of opportunity.
What are your views about the entrepreneuring ecosystem in India? What are the
challenges?
Every part of India I visit, you can hardly move for the number of businesses. I was in
Hyderabad and every tiny shack there is a business and there in the middle of a tiny little

poverty stricken place there was Paradise Cottage Emporium. It shows vibrancy, energy and
sheer determination of Indians to create businesses. And then also in the ICT and BPO sector
you see the entrepreneurial spirit of Paradise shack Emporium to create the likes of Infosys,
Wipro and other extraordinary industries. The potential and strength are extraordinary.
And that's what gives every lover of India such intense optimism about the country. Barriers
are lack of supportive tax or regulatory environment and massive difficulties with
infrastructure. There are huge barriers in skills and employability in India. But, fundamentally
the answers to India's problems lie in India's hands and in the hands of the new generation.
What does the government, industry and academia need to do to promote talent and
leadership?
For government, the number one priority has to be education. I was a Cabinet minister with
Tony Blair and he was once asked what was the government's agenda and he said 'education,
education and education'. And that should be the government of India's top three priorities
too.
For industry, if I look at India's leading companies Infosys, Wipro, HPCL, and many
others, all of them are world class in what they do, they are training people, and giving them
good careers. And, India and the world need more of that.
For academia, the best of India's academic institutions are among the best in the world, but
there are many others who need to partner with other Indian institutions or foreign
organisations to give their students the skills and employability that will clearly prepare them
for the modern world.

How CEOs picked these young leaders from over

10,000 students at top B-schools
ET Bureau Dec 18, 2014, 05.55AM IST

Tags:

Young India|
UltraTech|

Narendra Modi|

Idea Cellular|

Godrej|

Financial Services

(The overall experience)

DIVERSE GROUP
Question sample
HIMANSHU KAPANIA: You'd led the table-tennis team. What has been your leadership
learning from sports? What do you think about the controversy about Sanskrit replacing
German?
SAUGATA GUPTA: Suppose you had to do a South Indian version of McDonald's. How
would you make it successful? Does the Indian education system encourage clones?
CEO Take
"The overall experience was very good. Initially, we thought it would be an assembly line,
but later we got a fresher, a naval engineer a diverse group of candidates. What also stood
out was that some with high-profile CVs did not meet the standard, whereas others without
those, showed a lot more promise" (Himanshu Kapania MD, IDEA CELLULAR)
"It was an extremely talented and mature set of individuals. Only one or two were not clear
about their path. That's where the variability was. Otherwise, the standard was high" (Saugata
Gupta, MD & CEO, MARICO)
Candidate Take
The interview was smooth and the questions were directed not only to test my knowledge but
also towards my point of view and my ability to recommend solutions. The panel tried to
gauge my train of thoughts and I hope I was able to convince them. (SURAJIT
MOHAPATRA, SCMHRD 2013-15)
How they picked the Young Leaders

Not a single question was repeated and the chemistry between the two bosses was apparent in
the give and take between them. Both were vocal about the confusion among youngsters
today, who were taking career decisions under "tremendous peer pressure", without any
thought to what interested them. Both were looking for clarity of thought. Kriti Jain was
picked because of her communication skills, clarity and quick-thinking abilities, while Rahil
Sahu was pronounced as star material: conceptually strong, level-headed, with great
leadership talent.
Surajit Mahapatra was picked by Kapania for his forthrightness, honesty and integrity;
Saugata Gupta thought he had a clear thought process about his choices and a good
understanding of people. Abhishek Gupta was praised by both for his clarity of purpose,
communication skills and confidence. Tanya Mehta, again, they felt, had clarity of thinking
and despite being a fresher, had a holistic understanding of subjects.
Fun Moment
A candidate when quizzed about which her dream company was, looked at Saugata Gupta
and said: "Sir, I know you head Marico." Gupta, amused, was quick to reassure her that he
was simply there as a judge, and it would be no problem at all even if she mentioned some
other company's name as her dream one.
GREAT ACHIEVERS
CEO Take
"Outstanding set of candidates. Very humbling and inspiring to see how much they had
achieved in a such a short span." (Vivek Gambhir, MD, Godrej Consumer Products)
"India is going to be a very exciting place when this new generation gets into positions of
leadership, because this generation brings a confidence and attitude that will take us farther
than we can imagine." (Ajay Srinivasan, Chief Executive, Aditya Birla Financial Services)
Candidate Take
"They made me very comfortable. Both of them being such big business leaders were very
humble. Their jovial side made me very comfortable. Ajay, truly made me feel very special
by sharing his visiting card with me" (AVIRAL AGARWAL, JAMNALAL BAJAJ
INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES)
How they picked the Young Leaders
It was a panel of two prominent CEOs from two different sectors yet completely in sync with
one another in the traits that they were looking for in tomorrow's leaders. The five traits
Gambhir used to pick the winners were degree of self-awareness (did the candidate have a
realistic sense of strengths and weaknesses), growth mindset, curiosity, determination and
results track record.
Srinivasan, who was on the same page, also looked for drive, people skills, decision making
styles and temperament of the youngsters. Stuti Pandey of XLRI, Jamshedpur impressed the
two CEOs with her spontaneity, self awareness and clarity of purpose. While Aviral Agarwal

from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies made it to the final list through his
strong sense of ambition and well-roundedness. Saloni Doshi of ISB impressed both Gambhir
and Srinivasan with her entrepreneurial ambition and can-do attitude. However, there were
some areas where both panelists felt there was room for improvement.
Gambhir felt that structure and clarity of communication in some candidates could have been
better, while Srinivasan felt that he didn't always get a clear sense of passion, either for a
cause they were willing to dedicate their lives to an interest or a hobby that absorbed them
fully. Also, he was disappointed to see not many had interests outside of work or a belief that
being a complete human being makes you a much better manager.
STRAIGHT TALK
Question sample
SANJAY RISHI: Asked most candidates what they would do to solve the top three problems
facing the country if they became the PM
DEV BHATTACHARYA: How do you respond when you lose?
CEO Take
"The candidates were very strong on cognitive skills. One area they could benefit from
greater coaching is conflict management. The ability to leverage different viewpoints to find
common ground is what separated the winners from the rest" (Sanjay Rishi, President,
American Express South Asia)
"The candidates were outspoken, looked you straight in the eye and stood their ground. They
were well informed and had a view of what they wanted to do in life" (Dev Bhattacharya,
GROUP EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT (corporate strategy & business devt) & business head
solar power & ecommerce, Aditya Birla Group)
Candidate Take
The jury members were very smart and knowledgable. They could gather critical insights on
a person through the manner in which they asked questions. Meeting them was very
inspiring. (MAZHAR HOSSAIN, IMT GHAZIABAD)
How they picked the Young Leaders
SANJAY RISHI: I was looking for executive presence, composure under pressure,
authenticity and clarity. I think a majority of the candidates displayed these in abundant
measure, while a few did not. The critical difference was the ability to counter an opposing
viewpoint from one they held The winning candidates were more open and leveraged this to
find common ground while the others just got defensive.
DEV BHATTACHARYA: I was looking for clarity of thought and perspective, . creativity
and originality, adaptability and willingness to learn.
Fun Moment

Sanjay Rishi asked one of the candidates to show his cool dance moves on a Bollywood song
while another, when asked, "What keeps you up at night?" replied 'Movies!'. "Sadly," he said,
"dads rule but moms are taken for granted. I asked some people who their role model was and
they all said: 'My father, because he did XYZ...' What about your mother? I asked. 'Oh she's
you know, my mother. I mean like, that's her job right?' "
HIGH ON ENERGY
CEO Take
"I liked the 'eagerness to make an impact' and the self awareness young leaders demonstrated.
They are clear on the path they want to choose for themselves. It is great to see ambition,
maturity and clarity going hand in hand. Experience and exposure will surely widen their
lens" (Krishna Kumar VC & MD, PHILIPS INDIA)
"They were very high on intellect, energy and enthusiasm. Keeping an eye on the big picture
they had the ability to drill down micro details. Many candidates, though extremely
perceptive and intelligent, tended to get swayed by superficial analysis" (Dilip Gaur
DEPUTY MD, UltraTech Cements)
Candidate Take
"The panel was very humble and gave me a lot of time to talk. They made me think about my
work and industry, and ways to overcome the industry challenges. Helps us look at the bigger
picture."
NISHU GUPTA, ISB MOHALI
"Had a wonderful discussion with CEOs. Interview was mostly general to assess my thought
process and know about my past achievements. Good experience overall. Came to know
about the areas where I need to improve. Thank you ET for this wonderful opportunity."
(KUNAL KAKKAR, NITIE, MUMBAI)
How they picked the Young Leaders
KRISHNA KUMAR: The jury rated all candidates on 4 key criteria, and evaluated them for
their 'early' potential as business leaders. Winners were picked from the toppers based on the
ratings received by each candidate. It was fantastic to see the IQ and EQ demonstrated by the
candidates during the evaluation process, and the 'real world' understanding. The future for
corporate India is bright.
DILIP GAUR: Based on their ability to see the big picture, de-clutter, simplify and analytical
skills, clarity of purpose.
Fun Moment
One candidate asked the two CEOs to give their views on: Narendra Modi or Arvind Kejriwal
as leader. Krishna Kumar stumped a candidate by asking him why he maintained a goatee.
The candidate tried to explain how it helped him portray a relaxed attitude. Kumar assured

him the question was not a decider for the event but he was just curious since his firm
(Philips) is into the male grooming industry.

Handy tips for young leaders to take on

organisational challenges
ET Bureau Sep 27, 2012, 07.32AM IST

Tags:

young leaders|
Time Management|

organisations|

Management|

leadership

(ET gives the young leader)

Being a star young leader comes with its fair share of challenges. The organisation's
expectations are high, and tricky issues such as an inefficient boss, time management, older
colleagues and career stagnation can derail the best-laid plans. ET gives the young leader
handy tips to take on challenges while keeping an eye on the big picture.

HOW TO MANAGE OLDER COLLEAGUES

Respect, appreciation and trust are traits that will help you gain their confidence and stand
you in good stead.
Case Study
In a leadership role, there is a tendency to command respect, but when dealing with older
professionals, it is important to first respect them for their experience, says Sanjay Singh,
director, HR and administration at Cairn India. In one of his previous stints, Singh supervised
a professional who was 10 years his senior. "When I joined the company, a lot of people
warned me about this person and said he might try to derail me," he says. But Singh decided
to have a candid chat with him. "I told him I had certain goals for the company and that I
would not be able to achieve those without his help. Over time, we developed a deep bond
and I am still in touch with him," he says.
Keep their concerns in mind
"Sending emails early and late, inviting or dialling into meetings at odd hours, being online
all the time is not what your team will appreciate for long," says Sameer Bhariok, HR
director, Eli Lilly. "Don't forget that older colleagues may have families that require them to
live at a pace different from yours," he adds. During emergencies, young leaders should make
sure they are doing more than what they are expecting of their teams.
Evaluate your leadership style

Singh dealt with a professional 20 years his senior, who had rigid views. "I always respected
him in front of other colleagues and dealt with his problems in private, which he later began
to appreciate," he says.
Avoid Micro-Management
Leaders need to explain the context well. "Let them defi ne the operating principles within
teams. This is key to building trust. Yet, if performance is not optimal you should tighten your
grip on operating metrics and methods," says Bhariok.
Seek their opinion
Bhariok feels senior colleagues can surprise young leaders with simple and practical
solutions. "Value their experience and insights, but do take the final call," he says.
HOW TO MAKE WORK-LIFE BALANCE CLICK?
With the BlackBerrys and Smartphones spilling over into personal time, work-life balance
does get diffi cult. But it is worth the effort.
Case Study
A young leader must respond to situations, and not cut himself or herself off after offi ce
hours. Ramesh Nair, president and executive director, Jindal Stainless who became the
company president at 38, understood this, but worked a way around it. "You are essentially
connected all the time and when your job needs you, you have to be there. So try
compensating when you can over the weekend or on days when you don't need to work
late into the night. Give that time to yourself and your family," he says. Nair has struck this fi
ne balance now for four years. There are other ways too.
Quality time makes all the difference
More than the arithmetic of time spent together or away, it is how you remember important
occasions, or take time out for activities that your spouse values (for instance, taking leave on
important occasions). Like justice, it is not just about what you are doing differently, but also
about being seen to be doing things differently, that matters," says Muralidhar Rao, CEO,
Future Learning.
Online social networking can wait
Curb checking your Facebook profi le or professional network account to a set time during
the day or week. "You can save time and spend it on yourself," says Anita Belani, country
head, Russell Reynolds.
Work near home
"Try to cut down on commuting time," says Pushkar Singh Kataria, 38, VP, group HR,
Vedanta Resources. At lunch hour, he heads home 10 minutes away from his office.
Pamper yourself

Indulge yourself. Spend a couple of hours in the garden, play with children, or cook. Get
seven to eight hours of sleep every night. "Pamper yourself a little more every day and you'll
see a big payoff at work and home," says Gurmeet Singh, area director, India Maldives,
Mariott Hotels.
SHOULD YOU LEAVE OR STAY?
In the face of plum offers, an evaluation of current opportunities and future goals is critical.
Case study

Handy tips for young leaders to take on

organisational challenges
ET Bureau Sep 27, 2012, 07.32AM IST

Tags:

young leaders|
Time Management|

organisations|

Management|

leadership

Anil Salvi, MD and group head, HR, at JM Financial Institutional Securities always asks his
colleagues if they are leaving to leave, or to join a new firm. "If it is an opportunity or a profi
le that one had eyed or dreamt of all along, it becomes a compelling reason," he says. It's
extremely important to leave for the right reasons, says Anish Sharma, a senior marketing
executive, who recently left his job primarily because his boss was not letting him grow in his
role. "I could have stayed and asked for a new boss. The organisation is open to the idea, but
that would almost mean working in a new role."

Be mentally prepared
Get over the hackneyed belief that it is bad to change jobs, says Raj Bowen, MD of
leadership consulting firm PDI Ninth House. "In fact, overtsaying in a company may be seen
as a negative decision in current times," he says.
List the reasons
Make a list of reasons that compel you to leave. Bowen says such decisions should not be
taken on the basis of 'trigger' events or situations, but in the context of the essential goals a
leader has set for himself.

Evaluate current opportunities

"Young leaders should ask whether they have achieved what they set out to do in the current
role before moving on," says Salvi. At each step, he says, ask: Are you leaving because of
internal factors, have you exhausted all means of fi xing the situation?
Link decisions to future goals
Linking the opportunity to fi ve-to-10-year goals can help in taking a call. Bowen feels,
though more money can be one of the legitimate goals, it cannot be the only aim.
HOW TO WORK UNDER A BOSS WHO CAN'T SEE HIS TIME IS UP
Patience is the greatest virtue here. And keep the lines of communication open.
Avoid coflicts
Even if you believe your ideas are better than your boss', don't get into a conflict situation
immediately. "Don't send out signals directly or indirectly conveying that you are better
than he is. It might backfi re. You might think you are the perfect nextin-line, but the
organisation my beg to differ. So be patient," says Anita Belani, country manager, Russell
Reynolds India.
Talk to your boss' boss
Let the super boss and HR department know your aspirations, and tell them why they should
choose you. Give them facts and fi gures. "Keep in touch with the higher-ups in a manner that
is considered appropriate in your organisation," says Muralidhar Rao, CEO, Future Learning.
They will find a way to balance the old and the new.
Try a horizontal move
Figure out how you can move within the organisation. Increasingly, progressive companies
want people with cross-functional experience. "Don't see it as a negative. Vertical growth is
not the only way ahead," says Preety Kumar, managing partner, Amrop India.
Network internally
Many a time, people erroneously believe a good external network is all they need to succeed.
If you need to rise up the ladder faster, you will need to leverage your internal and external
networks. Besides, mingling with the right people will help you work well and improve your
popularity quotient.
RE-SKILLING WITH AN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME
High-potential executives can be helped to better understand business fundamentals, effect
change, build teams and gain leadership skills
Case Study

Ashok Ashta, CMO, Minebea India, was an entrepreneur looking to get back into industry.
He decided to head for IIM Calcutta's PGPEX programme. "In terms of reskilling, it's a great
move to launch yourself back into the corporate world. I had good know-how in terms of
public policy and marketing, but in this programme, learnt about various other aspects of
business administration, including fi nance and operations," he says. Post the programme,
Ashta joined Zensar Technologies as AVP, worked with Hitachi India for three years as GM
and joined Minebea as CMO last year.
PGPX, IIM Ahmedabad
Launched in 2006, this was the fi rst-of-its-kind, full-time, one-year residential programme in
management at the IIMs for experienced managers who felt the need for a management
degree to accelerate their career path, make changes and explore new ventures. Aimed at
training executives to manage global changes, it has a general management focus, with
emphasis on managing across borders and cultures. Cost: Rs 21 lakh
Advanced MGMT Programme, IIM-B
Targeted at senior management participants, the programme is being offered for the past six
years. It helps working professionals to participate without leaving their jobs. Cost: Rs 10
lakh plus travel.
GMP, XLRI, Jamshedpur
The general management programme is the flagship full-time, 15-month residential executive
PGDM programme for candidates with more than five years' experience in a managerial role.
Cost: Rs 14 lakh
PGP, ISB, Hyderabad
ISB's one-year residential postgraduate programme meets the demand for leadership talent
and decision-making skills at organisations in India and around the world. Cost: Rs 20 lakh

ET Young Leaders 2014: Top nine CEOs from India

Inc share their wisdom with 37 bright talents
Sandeep Gurumurthi, ET Now Jul 8, 2014, 05.06AM IST

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IndusInd Bank|

HCL Technologies

(Nine top chief executives)

Nine top chief executives from India Inc had a free-wheeling conversation with 37 ET Young
Leaders 2014. They talked about leadership, entrepreneurship, strategy and sacrifice.
The top nine CEO from India Inc were Vineet Nayar, former CEO, HCL Technologies and
founder, Sampark Foundation; Kalpana Morparia, CEO, JP Morgan India; Sanjiv Mehta,
CEO and MD, HUL; Shikha Sharma, MD & CEO, Axis Bank; Vanitha Narayanan, MD, IBM
India, and regional general manager, India/South Asia India; Noshir Kaka, MD, McKinsey
India; Harsh Mariwala, chairman, Marico; Sunil Kaushal, regional CEO, India & South
Asia, Standard Chartered; Nishant K Rao, country manager, LinkedIn.

Edited excerpts from the discussion anchored by ET Now.

PRANSHU UPADHYAY, Michael Page While a young leader would have intellect,
ambition and passion, she would fall short of experience. How does one then ensure that
the path she is treading is the right one?
SHIKHA SHARMA: If you have the passion within, and you want to learn, every role you
do, every incident, teaches you a lot. Whether you are willing to suck out the most from each

experience is what counts. You need to introspect and see what you are learning from that
event.
VANITHA NARAYANAN: Experience matters, but it is not necessarily connected to age.
You don't always learn from the things you get right. Most often, the learning comes from
things you don't get right. Introspection is key. For me, it is important to never make the same
mistake twice. Learn from others, observe, and you will find that experience has little to do
with age.
SAURABH SINHA, Mahindra & Mahindra What are the top two things CEOs had to let
go, if at all, during their journey to top of the ladder?
SUNIL KAUSHAL: My first one will be do not take yourself too seriously. Also you need to
let go of your ego. That will open you up to ideas and collaboration. Collaboration is
important because a leader without followers is no leader.
NOSHIR KAKA: I think the greatest challenge for all of us is to sometimes stop doing what
made us successful. Very often the asset that made you successful in your previous role is the
most difficult to give up. Also, there is this assumption that experience always gets you to the
right decision. But the correlation is pretty thin. Experience, if it provides you better
judgement, is terrific.
KALPANA MORPARIA: When you are dealing with your family or your close group of
friends, you can just be yourself. You can have a shouting match with them, you can throw
tantrums, but later kiss and make up. But in the workplace, where you have to deal with
young people, older people, experienced people, you need to know where you really draw the
boundary in terms of engagement. There is that line that you just cannot cross in your
professional lives.
SHIKHA SHARMA: Fear of failure will sometimes stop us from doing things which will be
great in terms of where you finally head and what you can learn. That was a big learning for
me. The second thing is I used to be a very private person. As you lead businesses you cannot
hold onto that. Everything you do is going to be watched and you have to be willing to live
with that.
ANUPAMA HOON, Deutsche Bank What is your view on promoting conflict at the
workplace even though it may disrupt the harmony for a better outcome in the
organisation?
VINEET NAYAR: A well-run organisation is like rafting on a river. Everybody's doing
different things and there isn't a lot of communication but significant understanding among
everybody. If you don't achieve that harmony within the organisation, you would not be able
to raft through turbulent times. I don't believe in encouraging conflict. For the organisation,
it's not a very good idea.
SHIKHA SHARMA: Creating negative conflict is not good. But getting diversity and
differences of opinion and giving people the confidence that they can have an opinion which
is the opposite of someone a lot senior and allowing an open discussion on that, that is great
for the organisation. You want that diversity to reach a better quality of decisions in a very
volatile market.

SANJIV MEHTA: There should always be an honest and open debate before any decision is
taken. Opinions and debates do not mean conflict. However, there cannot be any corridor talk
once the decision has been taken.
SANDEEP GURUMURTHI, ET Now How easy is it to do that in a large organisation? It
can't be easy to democratise decision-making in such a way. How does one do it?

ET Young Leaders 2014: Top nine CEOs from India

Inc share their wisdom with 37 bright talents
Sandeep Gurumurthi, ET Now Jul 8, 2014, 05.06AM IST

Tags:

settlement option|
place|

open|

net worth|

mean|

markets|

Mahindra & Mahindra|

insurance|

Insurability|

IndusInd Bank|

HCL Technologies

VANITHA NARAYANAN: You are always going to have diversity of viewpoints, and you
want that within an organisation. The key there is to take those diverse opinions, and find a
way to normalise. NOSHIR KAKA: We have a wonderful line that is part of our values at
McKinsey which says 'obligation to dissent'. We love that as it drives a certain degree of right
decision, a certain degree of behaviour. It's in our value system to actually have the obligation
to dissent. You can't let that become personal.
HARSH MARIWALA: You need diversity and openness for innovation to happen in an
organisation. But a lot of conflict arises due to personality issues, ego issues and the
organisation wastes a lot of energy because of these. So they have to be surfaced and dealt
with.

SUNIL KAUSHAL: How you encourage constructive challenge is very important. We

operate in a market like India where people have a view and they express it. But in several
markets I have worked in Asia, there is complete command and control. So we would
actually encourage an environment of constructive challenge, otherwise you will not get a
debate.
NISHANT K RAO: Diversity of personality or even emotional quotient of a person is
important. When I look to my team, leadership team or project, I make sure we have different
sets of people, be they different genders, or those who think differently. It leads to diversity
and reduces challenges and conflicts.
VINEET NAYAR: If I were you and my boss or manager gets into a conflict with me I
would follow the process of structured questioning, where I systematically question the
disagreement to understand the core reasons of disagreement and then find the building
blocks to either accept that it is right or understand where that other person is coming from.
And then go back to the building blocks and represent my argument with a clear
understanding through my list of questions on why that person is in disagreement. The focus
is not on winning an argument but on winning through questioning.
ANKITA AGARWAL, Aditya Birla Group How do we know when it is the right time to
settle into a company and keep growing there? Or does moving across companies
provide richer experience and diverse perspectives required to be a CEO?
SANJIV MEHTA: At your age you should ask if you are gaining experience, challenges and
knowledge. Don't run after money and stripes, they will chase you. But if you do not get
these three or your purpose and values are not in sync with the organisation then you need to
leave and leave fast.
SANDEEP GURUMURTHI, ET Now The flip side of this is getting into a comfort zone.
When is a good time to move on?
SHIKHA SHARMA: I stuck to one organisation for 29 years but in the early part of my
career, I didn't do the same things for more than 3 years at a time. I believe in continuous
learning. You can learn in the same role, in the same organisation, or because the environment
has changed. My last role in ICICI was running life insurance, when we went through some
radical market cycles. You can learn from many different things, just as long as you are
learning.
NOSHIR KAKA: Let your decision come internally. Learning is an internal point of view. If
you genuinely believe you've stopped learning, it's time to move on.
NISHANT K RAO: While hopefully you can evolve in your role, there may be other roles
within the same company, and you don't have to go through a new learning curve of new
organisation, new culture, new people. You can get the same experience of learning faster
within the same company in a different role.
SANDEEP GURUMURTHI, ET Now What would you do if a bright young executive,
core to your organisation, wanted to quit and pursue entrepreneurship?

KALPANA MORPARIA: I have a very strong belief that working in India in a large
organisation gives you the benefit of being an entrepreneur within a corporate structure. I
would like to tell him/her that I want you to unleash that entrepreneurial spirit while
continuing to work for JP Morgan India because that is what this country needs and what my
firm needs. For the 33 years that I spent in ICICI, I felt like an entrepreneur as the
organisation gave me the opportunity to be exactly like one.
VANITHA NARAYANAN: To a great extent, companies look for people who are
entrepreneurial. It depends on the individual to see how he or she develops the
entrepreneurial spirit.
HARSH MARIWALA: I think entrepreneurs add a lot of value to the society. You have all
the freedom, you have all the risks also and if you succeed, the kind of value you are adding
to the society is far more than working in a corporate set-up. So if someone from my
company came to me and I was convinced that she has a fully viable business proposition I
would encourage her.

ET Young Leaders 2014: Top nine CEOs from India

Inc share their wisdom with 37 bright talents
Sandeep Gurumurthi, ET Now Jul 8, 2014, 05.06AM IST

Tags:

settlement option|
place|

open|

net worth|

mean|

markets|

Mahindra & Mahindra|

insurance|

Insurability|

IndusInd Bank|

HCL Technologies

SUNIL KAUSHAL: In today's day, there are so many opportunities, ideas and breakthroughs
and technology will disrupt so many industries that you will find more youngsters trying to
break out on their own. And if somebody came to me, I would constructively challenge their
thought process and ideas, and if I truly believe them, then I'd encourage it.

JITIN BHASIN, IndusInd Bank At times there is a thin line between strategy and tactics.
When you are a leader and you have to make a choice one you have to make an
overarching strategy for the firm and two, you have to make strategies to achieve what
you want to achieve. At what stage do you decide this is strategy and this is tactic and
how do you keep reiterating that?

SANJIV MEHTA: I come from an industry where execution is often strategy. When you talk
about strategy you need to be very clear where you want to get, how you will get there, what
are the competencies you need. After that it is about making it happen. Store by store, mile by
mile, that is how you win. It is not that just because you are a CEO, you sit in an exalted
office. Let me assure you strategy would not be more than 10 per cent of the job.
GAURAV LUNIYA, Mahindra & Mahindra A critical component of leadership is
decisiveness. Today, with so much data, decision-making has become more complicated.
Should a leader be left-brained, data-focused or should he/she be rightbrained,
instinctive when making critical decisions for his/her organisation?
NOSHIR KAKA: Frankly, you need both. No CEO does just strategy or just execution. You
have a telescope in one eye and a microscope in another. Data and information will only take
you thus far, there's a lot beyond that for making for right judgements, putting the right
people in place to get the right outcome.
NISHANT K RAO: Sometimes it's about whether you are asking the right questions, do you
know the constraints, have you challenged assumptions etc. If that is right, the data is a
signal, your gut is a signal, what people are telling you is a signal, you make the right
decisions.
VINEET NAYAR: The question I ask is are you in the business of taking decisions or are
you in the business of enabling people to take decisions? If you are in the business of
enabling people then the quality of decisions would be better. When I was running the
company with 90,000 people, I always believed instead of five big decisions, if you take 500
small decisions, we would move faster. So my management style was how can I enable 500
people to take decisions and therefore we inverted the pyramid and made that happen.