Issue 2

August 2013

FROM THE GUEST EDITORS DESK

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From the Guest Editors Desk Swarup Gupta

Shimada
My name is Kambei Shimada. I am a ronin. I have no disciples This is how the leader of the group of masterless samurai or ronin as they came to be called introduces himself to

Quality Control Analyst, Zacks Research India

HR Guru An interview with Ramesh Ranjan

his disciple to be in Kurosawas Seven Samurai. The setting is familiar, explored in straight remakes like The Magnificent Seven or our very own Sholay. A village, under attack from a group of bandits seeks to hire samurai, with the promise of only two meals a day, nothing more. He continues to reflect both humility and wisdom with what he says next. Youre embarrassing me, youre overestimating me. Im not a man with any special skill. But Ive had plenty of experience in battles, losing battles all of them. His final attempt at dissuading the boy is more direct. I cant afford to take a kid with me. He even tries self deprecation and a show of his world weariness, which he seldom shows until the pyrrhic finale. Im tired of fighting, maybe its my age After a just a little more pleading, he does take the young man along after all. Soon he is aiding his master in the recruitment process, one which is to become a staple in future classics like The Guns of Navarone and even the new superhero film The Avengers.

Vice President HR Services at Schneider Electric India

Swarup Gupta
A Post Graduate in Economics from Calcutta University and a Management Graduate from IMI Delhi, Swarup is a Writer, Critic and an Economic Affairs Analyst. He is also an exponent of Hindustani Classical Music of the Agra Gharana. He currently works as Quality Control Analyst with Zacks Research India and is based at Kolkata.

In Conversation Dipankar Banerjee

OD Expert

Book Review HR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

W h a t s I n s i d e

The CEOs Word An excerpt from Winning by Jack Welch

Contd. in page 7

Man makes the difference

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Man makes the difference

HR GURU Excerpts from the Interview with Ramesh Ranjan

What are the unique facets of HR in the energy and infrastructure sectors compared to other sectors?
As it is an evolving, niche, capital intensive sector in India with not many large players, the skill sets required are not readily available in campuses or the job market. Talents tend to rotate/switch between companies and leads to price war due to switch premium. As organizations are also cagy about increasing labor costs, it is a difficult balancing act for HR to cater to the needs of the organization and also employee aspirations. Organizations must improve their retention rate by developing their internal talents and provide a liberated internal job market.

How is HR partnering business in Schneider?

Ramesh Ranjan
is the Vice President HR Services at Schneider Electric India and is responsible for providing HR Shared Services support to all the Business Units of Schneider Electric in India. He is a Human Resources expert with over 27 years of experience.

HR is seen as a Strategic Business Partner in Schneider Electric and our mission is Inspiring People to Power the Future. Driven by our values of Care, Connect, Commit and Challenge, we focus on connecting people with the organization through various programs like Engaged individuals, engaged leaders and engaged environment to provide a Total Employee Experience which enables HR, managers and employees to adopt a Shared Talent Mindset. Our HR Strategy is to enable
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HR to be the Strategic Business Partner Managers to be the primary developers of Talent Employees to be the actors in their own development
Contd. in page 4

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Man makes the difference

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Man makes the difference

HR GURU
Contd. from page 2

What are the initiatives taken by Schneider to build and nurture human capital?
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Build organizational capability to drive large-scale transformation focusing on change mgmt, cross BU collaboration, employee engagement and organization culture Develop technical and behavioral learning solutions for employees Design and support development of key talents through 3Es (Education, Exposure & Experience) Building Talent from within (build vs buy), by encouraging Internal Talent Mobility and building a pipeline of talent Build a robust succession plan by identifying and nurturing high potential employees

What is the role of HR in supporting inorganic growth of companies through Mergers and Acquisitions, Joint Ventures?
In M&As and Joint ventures,HR needs to get involved right from the due diligence period and study the people issues, history, values, environment, profile of leaders, compensation, etc and make a fair, realistic assessment of the As is and FIT situation and place all cards before the acquisition team. After acquisition, companies shouldnt rush into forced integration and a cooling period is essential to enable both the parties to understand each other. The parent company should appreciate the uniqueness of the new company, be open to exchange of ideas and best practices and create a conducive environment for smooth integration. Hence HR plays a vital role in balancing the cultures of the two organizations, building bridges and creating a positive environment that will bring synergies to the acquisition.

Man makes the difference

THE CEOs WORD An excerpt from Winning by Jack Welch

As the excitement of getting a new job fades away and as the work desk becomes familiar, all is not cosy for many. As you mull over the million dollar question of whether this is really what you wanted to do in life and does this job match your ideologies, you realize the need for a guideline which will help you ponder over this question of JOB FIT. The following is a guideline to determine Job fit and is an excerpt from the book written by Jack Welch, alongside his wife Suzy Welch, called Winning.

PEOPLE

You need to find your people.The earlier in your career the better. No job is ideal without the presence of shared sensibilities.

OPPORTUNITY

Any new job should feel like a stretch, not a layup.

Good sign : You like the people a lot-you can relate to them and you genuinely enjoy their company. In fact, they even think and act like you do. Cause for concern : You feel like youll need to put on a persona at work. After a visit to the company, you find yourself saying things like, I dont need to be friends with the people I work with.

Good sign : The job gives you the opportunity to grow as a person and a professional, and you get the feeling you will learn things there that you didnt even know you needed to learn. Cause for concern : Youre being hired as an expert and upon arrival you will most likely be the smartest person in the room.

OPTIONS

Every job you take is a gamble that could increase your options or shut them down.

OWNERSHIP
Working to fulfill someone elses needs or dreams almost always catches up with you. Good sign : You are taking the job for yourself, or you know whom you are taking it for, and feel at peace with the bargain. Cause for concern : You are taking the job for any number of other constituents, such as a spouse who wants you to travel less or the sixth-grade teacher who said you would never amount to anything.

WORK CONTENT
If a job doesnt excite you on some level-just because of the stuff of it-dont settle. Good sign : You are taking the job for yourself, or you know whom you are taking it for, and feel at peace with the bargain. Cause for concern : The job feels like a job. In taking it, you say things like This is just until something better comes along or you cant beat the money.

Good sign : The job gives you a credential you can take with you and is in a business and industry with a future. Cause for concern : The industry has peaked or has awful economics, and the company itself, for any number of reasons, will do little to expand your career options.

Feeling good about your job will help to make you more productive and open to opportunities for growth. So, it is wise to invest time and effort in identifying the right job for you. After all, a career is not just about landing a job; it is about landing the RIGHT job.

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Man makes the difference

IN CONVERSATION A tete-a-tete with Dipankar Banerjee

Life offers a plethora of experiences, some turn out to be life changing. A conversation with Mr.Dipankar Banerjee was enriching fodder for our minds as he spoke about his rich and varied experience as a HR professional. Mr. Banerjee began his career as a Management Trainee in Dunlop where he worked for 12 years. At the time of leaving he was Head of Management Development. Thereafter, he headed the HR Function in some leading Companies like Eveready, TIL, Balmer Lawrie, Duncans Agro and Exide Industries Limited. His last position before becoming a full time Consultant and Executive Coach was Vice President Human Resources of the ABP Group. Mr. Banerjee says, The greatest lessons in life are learnt through experience and we must be sensitive and open-minded to learn from the lessons imparted by every event that happens during our lifetime. A turning point in Mr. Banerjees life happened, when he attended, a series of five intensive one-week workshops which provided insights into people dynamics and group behaviour. Absorbed by the vagaries in human behavior, he decided to focus more on the subject, research it and try to decipher the mystical beings called humanity. This heralded the beginning of a career as a HR Professional in large corporate entities. However, instead of a becoming a typical HR Manager, he decided to utilize his psycho-analytical insights and to focus on process facilitation, management development and coaching. Mr. Banerjee says You create your own opportunities and letting go of them is like shying away from life itself. At the end of the day, you are the person in control over your life and whenever an opportunity comes your way, what is needed is clear thinking, a bit of creativity, confidence and the will to reach your goal. This is evident in Mr. Banerjee following his passion of going beyond the mundane and delving deep into the HR philosophy. Having been a person who never lets go of avenues to learn new things, Mr. Banerjee says that this thirst for knowledge is what drives him to explore more and reach greater heights. According to him, the mantra of success lies in going beyond the known and exploring the unknown. An illustrious career has three striking distinctions. The passion and enjoyment you bring into work, your adeptness in managing frustration and leaving worries behind, and the ability to learn and unlearn by keeping your mind free from mental blocks, were his parting words of wisdom. Finally, Mr. Banerjee says he would attribute his success to his wonderful family members, especially his wife, as they have been his pillar of strength throughout the long and eventful journey of his professional and personal life.

Dipankar Banerjee
is a mechanical engineer and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta. He is the former HR Head of several organizations, Professor, Trainer and Coach and OD Specialist.

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Man makes the difference

FROM THE GUEST EDITORS DESK

Contd. from page 1

Recruitment
That recruitment takes up much of the first half of this three and a half hour epic, is difficult to ignore. Shimadas dilemma is twofold: He requires competence, but has little to offer for it. The technique which he employs is to get his young recruit to stand hidden by the entrance of a hut, stick in hand, ready to strike the applicant as soon as he enters. The first such samurai easily deflects the blow and disarms the young man. Shimada immediately apologizes and explains his situation. The gentleman in question is angry and insulted, since he is worth more and leaves. But the situation with Gorobei the archer is quite different. He hesitates while entering the hut and breaks into a little laugh. Please, no jokes, he says. Shimada slaps his thigh in delight and Gorobei joins the risky venture just for the fun of it. The archer goes on to recruit another team member, who says hes from the wood-cut school, simply because hes chopping wood at the moment. His major qualification is that he is good company in adversity even though his fencing is second class. One hire comes easy. Shimada chances upon his former lieutenant Kato, who also survived their last battle together. Kyuzo, the master swordsman with the ability to kill with a single sword stroke, initially declines the offer, since he is interested only in perfecting his art. Ultimately, he does end up joining the group. Luck, both good and bad, cannot be ignored in such matters. The maverick Kikuchiyo, who is initially the comic element of the film, simply tags along, despite continued rejections. His erratic behavior and rustic demeanor are contrasted by such amusing details like a false birth certificate. It claims he is a thirteen year old girl. But he immediately proves his worth. When the villagers hide on seeing the samurais approach, he rings out the warning bell. Almost immediately they scurry out as Kikuchiyo, played by possibly Japans greatest actor Toshiro Mifune, laughs in their faces. This duality, this love-hate relationship between the employer and employees, will be touched upon many times in the film.

Taking charge
Kurosawa had this immense need to be understood by his audience. One of the devices he employs is a map of the village created by Shimada, played by Takashi Shimura, who appeared in 21 out of the masters 30 films. Shimada soon decides that three outlying houses cannot be saved. The occupants of these dwellings refuse to defend the rest of the village and participate in training and military maneuvers. They rush away, angry and complaining. And this is the moment Kambei Shimada chooses to change his style from a democratic one to one which is distinctly authoritarian. He draws his sword for his first time and addresses the errant team members. PIck up your spears, he says. When they refuse to comply, he chases them, sword in hand till they literally fall back in line. Then, well past an hour and a half into the film, he makes his first speech in a stentorian voice, a distinct contrast from his usual soft spoken nature. The outlying houses are three, the village has twenty, We cant endanger twenty houses for three. Remember thats war, youre all in one boat. He who thinks only about himself, will destroy himself, too! Such selfishness will not be tolerated.

I N T E R M I S S I O N

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Man makes the difference

BOOK REVIEW HR FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

HR from the Outside In: Six Competencies for the Future of Human Resources is Dave Ulrichs latest work (co-authored with Jon Younger, Wayne Brockbank and Mike Ulrich). This book summarizes the findings of Ulrichs recent survey on HR professionals. This book argues that HR has evolved over the years in different waves HR Administration Administrative and transactional work by HR (a mere support function) HR Practices Innovation in various specialized fields of HR (i.e., compensation, recruitment, training). HR Strategy Integration of HR and business practices; HR as a strategic business partner. HR Outside In HR moves beyond strategy to align its work with business context and stakeholders The era in which HR professionals were simply doing process transactions is long gone by and HR Professionals will require six competencies to thrive in todays business world. These competencies are: Strategic Positioner This is beyond just knowing the business. HR Professionals must be able to position their organization to anticipate and match external changes and their implications to bolster their organizations competitive advantage. Credible Activist HR Professionals must be internal activists who focus their time and attention on issues that actually matter to the organization. Ability to influence others and generate results assumes supreme importance in this context. Capability Builder HR Professionals must be able to align strategy, culture, practices and behavior and create a meaningful work environment and thereby build organizational capability. Change Champion Most corporate change efforts start with enthusiasm and end with cynicism. HR professionals must help the organization counter this trend by helping it diagnose problematic issues and resolve them. HR Innovator and Integrator Ensuring the availability of right talent and leadership is paramount for the success of any organization. Talent building for the present and future needs is a key area of HR focus. Technology Proponent All organizations seem to have difficulty in handling and transferring the massive amounts of information they accumulate over the years. Professionals must find ways to effectively use technology to understand and use organizational resources to build talent within the organization. The table stakes for HR are rising fast and its time for HR to fully deliver on its promises. The need for HR to support the business goals in a knowledge economy has never been greater. HR has to be impactful and HR professionals must master new ways of thinking and acting. The research and insights in this book capture the skills required for HR professionals to contribute fully to business results and proves to be an interesting, thought-provoking read.

Editors: Rachel Priyanka J, Jawhar Gani M I Mail us at zetetica@bim.edu