Engaged minds

What is an Indian Dream? Is Indian dream about attaining Nirvana and Moksha? Is it about fulfilment of human life through living a good life with freedom and attaining happiness? Is it about a good life with all material comforts? In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the divine ground of existence Brahma (creator of all beings) and the experience of blissful egoless; it is also the attainment of nirvana or moksha - the liberation from the repeating cycle of birth, life and death (reincarnation). In the Buddhist context nirvana refers to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been finally extinguished.   Asks about the Indian dream to people in India, you get a different answer perhaps the end message is what matters ‘living a good, satisfying and fulfilling  life; life well lived!   Sounds easy but the journey is difficult  as   collective national efforts are required to ...

While living and doing business in India for 3 years I had the opportunity to engage and interact with senior business leaders, managers, bankers, heads of chambers of commerce, lawyers, and bureaucrats on various economic and business matters, regulatory approvals and the various trends in India. I also recently wriote on "Elections for a change: India wins!".   I have followed the 2014 elections closely and will follow through all the changes and developments taking place in India as I believe that India is emerging into a powerhouse of people, talent, culture, business, democracy, growth and development which in a global context cannot be ignored. Congratulations to Mr Modi, a self made success story with humble beginnings, for being crowned the Prime Minister of India supported by a strong majority at the parliament; the responsibility is heavy as the crown. The 2014 democratic process proved the strength of people's vote. People voted an obscure politician (wi...

Over past few years, we had a rare moment of meeting and speaking to several senior members of my family and friends to talk about their personal and professional lives! Let me share some highlights of a few conversations which is their valuable perspectives. All of them were proud to have lived a very happy, contented and accomplished life; they were happy to share their journey, their experiences, joy, tribulations, and success.  Their message was loud and clear on what mattered to them during their life journey and that they still had a long way to go!  Life well lived, time well spent on bettering the future, and savouring every moment is what mattered the most. Living went beyond material possessions and legacy. Initial years of his life were invested to insure financial security and comforts for themselves and the family were well founded and justified however what mattered to them over long run went beyond material possessions and a...

Continued from Part 1 and 2:  1. People at head office/regional offices (HO/RO) like certainty and consistency in global policy implementation which is okay as long as it is managed correctly by the local teams!  • Most corporations will have to evolve and be managed as globally integrated enterprises; colleagues in the HO/RO with global mindsets must help build bridges and connect the dots. • Head office people often dislike the noise coming out of India (or emerging markets) as the frequency and the noise changes too quickly, so as Managers you got to patiently balance the right noise with your HO, local office and the global culture.  • Ensure your colleagues understand the diversities - invite them to travel to your customers and factory locations.  • HO/RO must also ensure that they employ people with multicultural understanding, higher tolerance levels and respectful of diversity across the region.  Japan or China or Singapore or HK does no...

Continued from part 1 ........  1. Choose your battles, focus on your key goal and key markets, and make it known to your team: a. Make smart choices: • Everything is possible in India but nothing gets done until your goal and target is well defined. Do not diffuse your energy; take one opportunity at a time, do it well and then expand into other areas. Investment is limited for a perceived unlimited opportunity! .The moot question to ask is focus on niche market or mass market. • Focus on allocating the resources and time at the right place, right time and for right returns!  b. Build a focused team, people matters: • Make your goals, strategy and tactics known to your team and patiently train them so that they can deliver on the plan.  • Communicate, listen, clarify and rephrase!  • Keep the team united and focused. 2. People are key resources in India, treat them with a humane touch: . Respect people, their cultures, and their...

This blog is dedicated to all my friends that I interacted and worked with during my professional time invested in India and all those who made my life enriching socially, culturally and professionally!  Brazil, Russia, India, China and Indonesia have become indispensable destination and/or origination markets that cannot be ignored in a corporation’s business strategy irrespective of the challenges that they throw. Each of these markets are a source of customers, raw materials, talent, innovations, and culture that creates distinct value, diversity and a source of corporate value. The corporate value is generally delivered via economies of scale, market insights, talent pool, creating price elasticity that is driven by managing the supply and demand and leverage on local innovations and customer knowledge for global business, exporting talent and connecting links that exist between India, its peers emerging economies and global business. Many MNC's in hi...

Workplace safety has become paramount for government, corporates, families and individuals. Investment on training, equipment, and work process to ensure physical safety at work is commendable. Every company and employee wants to ensure that he, she or his colleagues reaches ‘reaches home safely just as he have arrived at work’.  Do employers and employees think seriously about emotional and mental safety?  Emotional and mental safety at often passé or completely ignored though emotional and mental stress is the biggest contributor to physical safety.  Companies and employees often forget that safety is not only about creating a physically safe environment but also about mental and emotional well being of the employee and the people working for the organisation!    Emotional and mental challenges are subtly created (and difficult to prove) at the work place via humiliation, blackmailing, lack of respect, verbal abuse, and exclusion from meet...

Past over one year, I have been repeatedly asked about Indian elections and who will win? One name that is often mentioned by the people that questioned me is Mr Modi. My response has been that M/s Modi, Kejriwal, Rahul are a catalyst for a change, a change that helps India win, a win that Indians deserves!  In my view the 2014 political drama has also seen the best of political strategy, conventional and social media in action, good speeches to create awareness of change and draw them out to vote. 2014 elections also appear to be precursor to the change in political system in coming years, the rejuvenation of leadership stock and the need for the political parties to deliver on the changing needs of India and Indians. My recent India experience been that political leadership and actions of political system (Indian elections results) has been major influencing factor on change in regulations and business environment and the Indian economy; consumer confidence, growt...