A working woman’s notes on work, life and leadership: Arundhati Bhattacharya shares all

Arundhati Bhattacharya addressing 55th Leaderspeak Session

Arundhati Bhattacharya addressing 55th Leaderspeak Session

Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson and CEO, Salesforce India and Former Chairperson, SBI shared how she has chronicled in her book “Indomitable – A Working Woman’s Notes on Work, Life & Leadership” her journey of formative influences, personal and professional struggles, and lessons learned at AIMA’s Leader Speak.

Since the appointment of the first Probationary Officer of SBI (State Bank of India) in 1960, it took 53 years for a woman to break the glass ceiling and become the Bank’s Chairman. Ms Bhattacharya was that very lady in question.

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The future of air warfare: Securing the skies and beyond

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari addressing

A potent Indian Air Force in the future will be characterized by an efficient network of sensors, decision-makers, and shooters coupled with firm leadership, advanced ammunition, and modern technology.  

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, Chief of the Indian Air Force delivered the keynote address at AIMA’s 7th National Leadership Conclave and here are key points of his discourse.

He opened his address with a verse from the book ‘The Black Swan’ by famous author Nassim Nicholas Taleb; “The Black Swan is an event so rare that even the possibility that it might occur is unknown. It has a catastrophic impact when it does occur. And it’s always explained in hindsight as if it was actually predictable”. He further added that in the last 2 years, the world has witnessed another Black Swan event in the form of covid, that no one had predicted. The impact of the virus has been catastrophic across the world, and the theory on the origins of the virus is yet to be developed. Similarly, we have also witnessed unprecedented development in technology, which has totally changed the way we live and work. With the advent of the Internet and social media platforms, the world has become a very small place.

Traditionally, we always looked at a soldier on a battlefield, a sailor on a ship, or an airman in an aircraft as combatants who fight wars. A college student creating memes, a youngster sitting in front of a computer, a banker analyzing the fiscal health of a company, a diplomat making foreign policies would also be the combatants waging wars in the future alongside the soldier, sailor, and airman. All these scenarios add up to the term- ‘Comprehensive National Power’. In modern warfare, the comprehensive national power of a country must be brought to bear on the adversary, if we were to want a decisive victory.

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Technology in Higher Education: Mohandas Pai sheds more light

TV Mohandas Pai

TV Mohandas Pai addressing AIMA’s Vice-Chancellors Council Session 2022

The university of the future will be a collaborative university. It will be a part of the network, but will be technology-led, said Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education Services at AIMA’s Vice-Chancellors Council Session 2022.

The two major things that have impacted Higher Education in terms of technology include;

1. the massive shift in human habits toward digitization

2. the Industrial Revolution after which education came into actual being.

Mr. Pai further explained that out of 7.8 billion people on the planet about 5.2 billion have access to the Internet. Everything that we need, from supplies to entertainment, from education to banking or even other services like medical or health, etc is available digitally. The massive shift has taken place because of the growth of digital technology, with the pandemic giving more impetus to it. So, there are going to be major changes in any facet of human life including education.

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How to think like and then become a monopolist? Saurabh Mukherjea explains

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Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Marcellus Investment Managers addressing AIMA LeaderSpeak session

Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Marcellus Investment Managers addressing AIMA LeaderSpeak session

‘Monopoly’ is not a good word to reckon with, Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder & Chief Investment Officer, Marcellus Investment Managers busts this myth during AIMA’s 32nd LeaderSpeak session with Mr Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Manipal Global Education Services on “India’s monopolists, their business models and business management.

‘Monopoly’ is not a good word to reckon with, however, companies are going for a paradigm shift to own the “monopolistic” identity. India’s biggest monopolists keep a low profile, they drive low-cost cars, they don’t make appearances for movie premieres or buy cricket/football teams. He further adds that the psychological approach of a monopolist is to be grounded and focused, rather than being caught up in the media hype.

A monopolist who endures is also someone who has relentless hunger. A classic example, Harsh Mariwala, Founder & Chairman, Marico, talks with the same hunger for the growth of his company as he would do 20 years ago. “If you keep yourself hungry then the country can give you endless growth opportunities,” says Mukherjea. And what is more interesting about it is that it is harder to keep yourself hungry than to enjoy what you have in plenty.

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Pole-vault in the age of disruption – Nandan Nilekani at AIMA

Nandan Nilekani, Co-Founder, Infosys & the catalyst of digitisation in India, addressing AIMA’s 63rd Foundation Day 2019. Read Excerpts –

Nandan Nilekani addressing AIMA's 63rd Foundation Day.

Nandan Nilekani addressing AIMA’s 63rd Foundation Day.

I think the topic – Innovation in the age of disruption – is very important. We tend to think that innovation is about 23-year olds wearing hoodies doing things, but in some sense, the innovation in India is happening by everybody at all levels. Innovation can happen in the private sector, the public sector, whether you are young, whether you are old, it really doesn’t matter. It is really the mindset of bringing new ideas into play. Ideas are really what makes a difference, and if you are able to get your ideas and get them embedded in the system, then anything can happen.

Innovation can come from anyone whether they are incumbents, challengers, young or old, in the private sector or in government; and I think that’s the spirit in which we need to think of innovation in this age of disruption because clearly disruption is a given, the velocity of change is unprecedented. Technology and many things are causing velocity, that we have never seen before, the knowledge accumulation is happening at a phenomenal pace, more knowledge was created in the last six months then the previous thousands of years, we are seeing the rise of data in unprecedented ways, we’re seeing companies accumulate huge amounts of data, thanks to smartphones they are using more data and tomorrow as we sensorize the world as every device every car everything has a sensor, then the data is going to be even further bigger than what it is today.

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Managing post-appraisal meltdown

In a recent survey of HR professionals by All India Management Association (AIMA), 70 per cent of the respondents said that they expected annual performance appraisals to cause employee attrition. Also, the survey revealed that neither the appraiser nor the subject were completely happy with the appraisal process.  Still, there is no stopping the annual performance appraisals.

The appraisal season is almost over and employees have been handed out their rewards and retributions. In a few weeks, the emotions will subside, new equations among colleagues will become routine and teams will settle down after promotions, transfers, exits and replacements. However, the HR managers and department heads will have a torrid time till then. They will have to play confidants and counsellors, even shrinks, to the unhappy majority. Also, the appraisal outcomes will add fresh fuel to the debate about the utility of annual appraisals and the legitimacy of the appraisal processes. Continue reading

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Respond Today For A Better Tomorrow

Many Brands and Business Houses consider Social Media as a promising Marketing Channel. It is critical to decide before​-hand on how to go about​ your Social Media ​Space.

​​When you work on the various Social Media Platforms it is important to concentrate on your ​Responses. Respon​ding​ is very critical. Apart from regular Posts you also need to actively respond to the various comments and remarks.  Continue reading

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How To Address Negative Comments on Social Media

Social Media is a great place to be for your Business / Brand. Everyone is talking about it and most of the Business Houses are already on this Platform.

There are lots of parameters that one has to take care of when one is looking at marketing and promoting via the Social Media. The parameters would be to understand Audience Mindset, understanding the Social Media Platform and so on. Along with these is one of the most important criteria; how to Address Negative Comments. This gets answered when you start to answer another question: how to address ‘any’ comment on your Brand / Business Page. Continue reading

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2013 – Trend Forecasts

Forecasting is a risky venture at the best of times. It is particularly foolhardy in todays’ uncertainty. However, enterprises must anticipate and plan. Fortunately, there  is no dearth of busybodies who pit their wits against the uncertain. Here is a sampling of some of the consensus predictions for 2013.

One trend that appears in every forecaster’s crystal ball is that the world is going to get more mobile and more social. The emerging business environment is being built with mobility and connectedness. This has implications for the way organizations work, communicate, market, innovate and more. Continue reading

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The Difference Between B To C & B To B Social Media Execution

Most of the corporate these days are looking at Social Media. It does not matter if you are B To C or B To B. As long as your customer is on the Social Media Platform it will be a good idea that your business / brand also lands on the same platform. Meeting on familiar and favorite ground is a good way to reach out and connect.

You are aware that the communication for B To C and B To B is different. The channel and methods are also different. For example many a times direct selling works much better with B To B than B To C. You also know that the way to Communicate for B-C and the B-B Audiences is different. Not that any should be non-creative thinking. Continue reading

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