HR Confluence on Talent Management

                    

        “The Confluence was organised at IIM Raipur on 25thAugust 2012 at its campus for students to gain an industry interface as well as understand the applicability of management principles to real life. This was also a step in joining hands with the Corporates here, their HR and all HR Professionals.”,said the Confluence Convener Prof. Shubhra Hajela.

          The confluence was graced by the presence of HR veterans from prominent corporates such as SAIL, TVS, Renault Nissan, Deloitte, L&T, Essar Oil Ltd.,Balco and Carwale.com. The issues of talent management is an issue which needs much deliberation was agreed by all the panelists especially in the world of today where economic and social changes are happening at a rampant pace. The confluence took place in three phases addressing the most important aspects of talent management such as Talent Spotting, Talent Retention and Talent Development.

           The session began with the Director of IIM Raipur, Prof. Sahay addressing the gathering on functioning of an organization and the vital role played by HR in it. The keynote speaker Mr Bhagirathi Dhal, Executive Director, SAIL in his speechstressed on how people centric the business is, and also cited interesting stories from Mahabharata to explain the concept of employee engagement.His speech threw light on the fact that talent management is not an isolated entity; instead it is interwoven all along the fabric of the organization and influences its functionality to a great extent.

             Mr ShashikanthJayaraman, Head HR, TVS highlighted the trend of modern era where ‘jobs are after people’, which is in stark contrast to the past when ‘people were after jobs’, since the mantra has changed from job security to value addition. He strongly advocated that the corporate should recruit individuals based on the principles they carry and value they hold, and not merely based on skills alone.

             Speech by Mr. Arokia Sagayaraj, HR Head, Renault Nissan revolved around the talent expectations in the core automotive industry and the importance of shifting the focus from the retention of top 10% to 30-40%. The inference from his speech was that in order to have high level of employee engagement the management should be more concerned in the mannerism in which a strategy is rolled out for it has a significant impact than the strategy by itself. Mr Vikas Gupta,VP Talent, Deloitte connected the HR activities to India’s most favourite sport cricket; this led to an easy understanding of complex issues in talent management. Ms Priya Singh, Carwale spoke of the importance in developing friendly work culture for employee involvement.She emphasized that the retention and work culture begins right from the hiring process.

               Moderator for the third session, Prof, Parashar stressed that it is talented people who provide a competitive advantage to organizations. Speech by Mr. V .Ravi, L&T Hydrocarbon, focused on the need to innovate the training programs so as to help employees develop their skills.Mr Amit Joshi, Associate VP of BALCO, emphasized that each and every employee of an organization is a talent which must be nurtured and developed through competency mapping and structured induction programs.

            The three panels Talent Spotting, Talent Retention and Talent Development had student panellists who were inquisitive about the theoretical manifestations of the real-time business scenarios.The industry experts were more than happy to provide the practitioner’s perspective on the questions raised and broaden the students’ views.The confluence served the purpose of not only gaining an understanding on employee behaviour and retention, but also gave a new dimension about the role of HRs and hopes pinned on them by the organizations for their success. As a whole this kindled the spirits of aspiring HR managers of IIM Raipur to learn more on this field and carve a niche for them.

         

            The success of the confluence can be attributed to the student core committee members Arindam Mandal, Dhileeban Rajakumaran and Anshu Katiyar under the guidance of Confluence Convener Prof. Shubhra Hajela.

A day with Angels on Earth - Experience of an IIM Raipur student

Gleaming eyes, captivating innocent smiles and warm hugs of the tiny tots imprisoned us, the moment we stepped into the realms of SOS Children camp. Being ideally located amidst the lush green environment of Raipur with sparkling clean premises makes the SOS Children camp a paradise on earth, a paradise in which the purest of the hearts resides. A very wise person once said that children are the greatest teachers, and one can learn a lot from them. We the members of "Kartavya" discovered the truth in those words, here in SOS Village on our visit during the occasion of Eid. Their courage and attitude towards life is something that all of us should emulate, the sacred grounds of SOS held a lot in store for us than what we anticipated.

The activities began by segregating the kids into three categories. The first group consisted of nursery and 1^st standard kids, and the activities planned for them were rhymes reciting, singing and drawing. Being flocked by little toddlers was a unique thrill, which made us oblige to any command of theirs readily, such as carrying them piggy backs and giving them pony rides etc., they clung on to us happily and wanted to be carried around everywhere. Listening to the little ones recite rhymes in their mesmerising voices made us wonder if we had discovered the sweetest of music in god’s creation. The decibels in the room rocketed sky high when the kids started singing movie songs and it got even higher when we danced to their tunes. The last activity was drawing, in which the little fingers wrapped around crayons and worked furiously on the charts for nearly 1.30 hours. The kids made us literally speechless by producing quality art in place of scribbles which we actually expected.

            The other two groups consisted of students from middle school and high school, and they were subjected to intense quizzing sessions of varying difficulty levels. The energy and enthusiasm of the children as they participated in the activities was truly inspiring. The children entertained us with special dance performances and Antakshari. Be it in the quiz competitions, the dancing and singing competitions, the puzzles or the drawing competitions - these kids excelled at everything. We felt very honoured and privileged to spend time with them and hear what they had to say. It was an incredible experience for all of us, and a rare chance to relive our childhood. The memories of this day will remain fresh and will be a one that we will cherish all through our lives.

IIM Raipur students take oath for ethical conduct and CSR initiatives

Life is something to be cherished with memories, sprinkled with joy and happiness. Unfortunately the key to this joy is something that remains a mystery for many. For joy is not attained by fulfilling one’s own desires, rather it is harvested in the pain of toiling to make others life comfortable. Connecting with people, empathizing and understanding their needs and serving as a tool in upbringing their life, leaves a person with content and deep satisfaction that could be obtained by no other means. Being the reason behind smiles of the unprivileged is the best form of worship as it makes a person realize the purpose of life.

                Having spoken of the joy in living a life with civic responsibilities, it’s high time to introspect where we stand in this regard.  Why start CSR in IIM Raipur when the domain of servicing the unprivileged is dominated by numerous NGOs and clubs? What contribution IIM Raipur is capable of making in the lives of the people we speak of? The students of IIM Raipur inherit the significant power of determining the course of the nation, a nation that is not governed by mere knowledge and skill, but by heart and soul. This makes the knowledge of our society a vital one to be ingrained by the graduates of this institution. IIM Raipur closes gap through the CSR club by giving birth to a new generation of managers trained in managerial skills and art of living with civic sense. Speaking of our contribution to the society, it is the intention that matters more than size and scale, just like the squirrel that helped Rama in laying bridge to lanka, by rolling over the mud and carrying the sand. CSR would serve as a mean to nurture the sense of social responsibility in the students and keep their spirits alive till they grow into full fledged players in philanthropy during later part of their life.

                Quite a lot of people wish things were better than what they are now, the members of CSR at IIM Raipur are the ones who don’t limit themselves to just wishing, but also get into action to materialize dreams for the welfare of the society. They believe in being the change they want to be, and not mere bystanders with dreams. After having events like spending a day at SOS village and coordinating at Paralympics games previous year, CSR club started the activities for academic year 2012-13 by taking an oath to pursue their work in ethical manner and work for sustainable development of the society. The moment witnessed around 160 bright minds of the nation joining the inferno in their heart, to give raise to a fire storm that would sweep the nation and bring about the most wanted change towards the formation of an ideal society (nation). The oath taken is as below:

IIM Raipur celebrates Independence day with zeal and enthusiasm

The Independence Day was celebrated at Indian Institute of Management Raipur with much zeal and spirit. The event commenced with the Flag Hoisting by Prof. B.S.Sahay, Director Indian Institute of Management Raipur. In his speech he emphasized the growing need for leadership and skill development which can be met by the IIM graduates. He asserted on student involvement in the building of an institute and hence the nation. He thanked the Chhattisgarh government for their steadfast support. He also expressed his thanks to the faculty members for their contributions.

The students presented the whole gamut of performances including solo songs, poem recital, group songs, skit and group dance. Solo Song Performance ‘Heal The World’ by Mark Lalduhsaka was applauded by one and all. The splendid group song performance by Suchismita and group made everyone sing along with them. The group dance by 1^st year girls on patriotic numbers like Jai ho and Rang De Basanti had the audience tapping their feet. Rajat Katiyar’s poem recital and solo song ‘Imagine’ was lauded. The skit by Sujeet and group brought down the house. The students organized a race for the mess and cleaning staff of the institute which was received in high spirits. An Independence Day Quiz conducted by the Quizzing Club concluded the celebrations.

Orientation Program 2012 : Four days of non stop all round lectures and activities

Indian institute of Management Raipur organized a four day induction program for third batch of Post Graduate Program in Management (PGP) and first batch of Fellow Program in Management (FPM) from June 29^th, 2012 to July 2^nd, 2012.

The students started the days with Yoga session by Dr Sidhi Sharma which helped them maintain their energies to develop mental thoughts throughout the day. The program comprised of activities for the intellectual and physical development of the students. The aim was to nurture the corporate athletes of tomorrow. Shree Sunil Kumar, Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh inaugurated the four day induction program. The Chief Secretary addressed the students to start the six guest lectures series on first and last day of the program. The lectures were aimed at ascension of thought process of incoming batch.

Apart from chief guest Shree Sunil Kumar, the inauguration was graced by the presence of Mr. Sandeep Dhar, CEO, Tesco HSC and Mr. Pankaj Gautham, CEO, Bhilai Steel plant.

The guests were welcomed by the Chairman PGP, Prof Ajit Prasad, who highlighted the objectives of orientation program, a four day program aimed at aligning students with industry expectations and making them capable leaders and ambassadors of the state of Chhattisgarh. The idea behind the orientation is to promote holistic development of the students through a mix of activities like Yoga, Outbound Training and Interaction with Spiritual leaders.

Image: Shree Sunil Kumar, Chief Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, Interacting with students during inauguration

Mr. Dhar, in his inspiring speech, elaborated on the role of managers and motivated the students to be the intellectual resources for the state. He advised the management students to think about the big picture and focus on the business proposition to develop as entrepreneurs. Mr. Pankaj Gautam in his speech enforced the need of adaptability in the field of management. He stressed that the managers should have the ability to unlearn and relearn administrative techniques depending on the market requirement.

Shree Sunil kumar emphasized that the IIM Raipur should not be a replica of other premier B Schools, but instead should develop an unique culture of its own. He said that efficient manager is one who is capable of voicing the underprivileged sectors of the society. He wished the faculties to nurture a new generation of managers with high intellectual skills and high ethical standards.

Mr. Arvind Jain, the Founder and Chairman of BEC, in a session on Opportunities and Challenges in Chhattisgarh, highlighted the journey thus far and urged students to look at opportunities present in cities like Raipur, Bhilai etc. He wished them a good future and hoped that they live up to the high expectations of the society and the industry.

The first day programme concluded with a Welcome Dinner hosted by Prof B S Sahay , Director, IIM Raipur.

The Second day of the orientation ceremony saw a mix of activities aimed at developing the personality of the students and also promoting team building, participation etc. The institute had roped in India’s leading outbound training consultancy, Praxis EXL, for the same. The day long activity saw students undergoing psychometric tests for assessment of their personality as well as lessons on spirituality from Swami Satyarupanandji from Ramakrishna Mission, Raipur.

The students were first introduced to basics of personality and behavior to get an overall idea of their own personality and then were acquainted with the various facets of their personality traits. The objective the exercise is to provide a framework to analyze one’s own personality and help in better decision making as well as identifying careers suited to the same. The trainers from Praxis EL have trained the leading corporate across the country and apart from that they have specific programs for MBA students who are budding managers.

The students then had a series of outdoor trainings aimed at developing leadership skills, teambuilding, coordination, communication etc. The students had a series of fun filled activities which lasted for over 3 hours. The incoming batch took the training hands on and displayed enthusiasm and endurance for the outbound training. The trainers of the sessions were Mr. Shubhang Raturi and Mr. Kumar Abhishek who have a rich experience in training students and corporate.

Later in the evening the students had the opportunity to attend to the discourse by Swami Satyarupanandji from Ramakrishna Mission. The session was a break from the business world and Swamiji encouraged students to explore within themselves. His wisdom and profound understanding of the human condition especially in the context of present generation resonated with the audience. The other areas Swamiji touched upon were self management and appraisal along with ethics and principles.

The third day of the orientation ceremony of had activities aimed at providing a real time experience of management challenges related to operations and strategy. The day long activity saw students undergoing simulation games well as lessons on entrepreneurship from Mr. Saurabh Chaubey, an entrepreneur from the first batch of IIM Raipur. The day ended with social and spiritual insights from Swami Vyom Pada Das ji from ISKCON, Bhilai.

Praxis Training ltd continued from where they had left a day before and created an excellent simulation environment. The simulation game was carried out in order to encourage the students to work together as a team, plan ahead and find a way to achieve the goal despite the many obstacles that were presented. The game was in the form of a treasure hunt wherein all the students were divided into teams with each team representing one ship of an armada. Each ship had to reach a treasure island by selecting one of three possible routes and return from there with maximum amount of gold. The resources were limited and students had to use them in most optimal way to reach the destination.

 The entrepreneurship thought was instilled into the minds of students elegantly by Saurabh when he compared life of an entrepreneur with the early days at IIM Raipur as the pioneering batch created systems and procedures in the institute. 

In the last session of the day, Swami Vyom Pada Das ji informed about the Akshaya Patra program which has become a milestone in itself by feeding 1.2 million children every day. Swamiji urged students to give meaning to their lives by doing something that may be good for the masses. He told that students can bring about considerable changes in the society by using their excellence and abilities. He learnt much more about life at Akshaya Patra than what he learned at Motorola, a corporate organization where he worked for quite a time. 

The fourth day of the program was graced by the presence of renowned speakers like Mr. Dilip Cherian, CEO Perfect Relations, Mr. John Hunter-Murray, chief Executive Coach, Trainer and Founder, TAM NLP Academy and Mr. Rajeev Mehrotra, Managing Director, RITES.

 Mr. Cherian, India’s Image Guru down poured his charisma and charm in IIM Raipur campus with his elegant style of articulation. A communications consultant by profession, Dilip Cherian is the former editor of Business India magazine. Perfect Relations is the stalwart company to introduce the conception of image management in India. It also offers consultancy in diversified areas such as Crisis Management, Digital PR, CSR, Strategy & Planning etc. He is member of the Board of Governors in Advertising Standard Council of India and on the Governing Council of the National Institute of Design. He is also member of the Central Board of Film Certification.

Mr. Cherian by dint of his interactive session with the students discussed about the importance of communication skills. He conferred about the qualities required for a practicing manager. It was a great learning experience for all the future aspiring managers to make out how to work on weak points in the coming days. He also shared illustrious inputs about the exciting field of marketing and about his journey.

IIM Raipur even saw dignitaries from abroad to mark this occasion. John Hunter Murray, an MA (USA) in Adult Education was the honorable speaker who came from Australia to share his experiences with the students of IIM Raipur. He is trainer of international repute working in Australia and he has served prestigious clients like Microsoft and IBM. He spoke on Leadership qualities. A leader should learn from his mistakes and not repeat them, create win-win situation for all, dream big and should have right attitude. His real life examples inspired students to achieve a lot in life. 

Mr. Rajeev Mehrotra, Managing Director, RITES stressed on productive hard work, smart work and its efficient execution. He encouraged all the students to take up challenges without fear and enlightened with a mantra that there are no shortcuts for success. He inspired students to set high goals and then travel on the path that leads to their goal. He emphasized on the importance of integrity of thought along with integrity of actions. He inspired young managers to take up CSR projects in the future to add greater value to the existing value system.

B-ing at new IIM

“Why me?”

Disappointed. Letdown. Exactly what some of you are feeling at this moment. Right?

Complaints of mismanagement in the hallowed lanes of management. Voices raised. Fingers pointed. Comparisons made. Frustrations vented out in forums. People cribbing about the non-transparency of the selection process. Dilution of the IIM brand. The talks of disparities in the cut-off criteria. The indignation at the perceived irrationalities of the interviews. Issues with the website displaying results.

And the list goes on.

Even those with calls are not spared of the misery. Especially those with multiple calls. They suffer from the dilemma of plenty. No one wants to settle for anything less than the best. We ask around for those with opinions. We read posts. We compare placement reports, batch size, faculty, infrastructure, college locations. In some cases, even a skewed sex ratio creeps in as a prerequisite. No prizes for guessing which side it is skewed towards.

Wind those clocks a year back. We were on the same side as yours. Knocking on the doors, we were.

Time was like an immovable object. Frustrated as we were on some occasions, we cribbed. We cried unfair. Some of us mocked the institutes out of sheer desperation.

“Why me” was the feeling.

Things didn’t change much at IIM Raipur. It’s not very easy to be on the other side of things. We realized this only after we got here.

In a b-school, there are the usual mundane things. Classes, Projects, Assignments take their toll. CVs, sometimes not very different from blank A4 sheets, needed major upgrades. Extracurricular activities were as important as academics. There were the Club activities. Competing & participating in events, competitions, quizzes at other colleges. Fests needed to be organized in yours. The “culture” so to say, is passed on to batches.

But it was very different with us. We had no “culture” when we arrived. We had to make one. We were new. We were not handed over things in a platter. Pitched against the best, we had no “b-school feel” as they say. Nothing to brag about. No one to give us directions.

We had the same expectations that people carry when they join colleges of the cadre of “IIMs”. It was initially a feeling of letdown for us. We envied the infrastructure that schools like A, B ,C had. All those stories about a snazzy b-school life that we dreamed of, were told about, read about etc., now seemed like a mirage. And all of this while we were being lectured about “post-purchase dissonance” in mark(read marketing) classes. Huh!

It was only in those moments of desperation, that one realized (or in some cases “had” to realize) that the legacy of those three letters “I I M” is not endowed. It’s earned. Inch by inch. Brick by Brick.

I mean, what is the point in cribbing? What do you get of it? It is not just about being strong, but “feeling” strong. If you think that you are shit just because you couldn’t fare marginally better in a written test/interview on an average day, then chances are nobody can help you either. You will remain to be what you think you are. As one of my seniors said on the very first day at college:

“Pain is Inevitable, but suffering is Optional!”

That statement took its time to settle. It doesn’t come easy; trust me when I say this. But it was there to stay. Now when we look back at the last 2 years, we can say that we have done quite well. We have had very decent placements in all domains. We have organized fests, entrepreneurship summits, and quizzes on a national level. We have had sports tournaments. Clubs have become more active. To put it right, we needed the “IIM Culture”. The legacy we inherit ensures that ordinary is not acceptable.

With no Alumni or Wisdom passed through Batches we started from scratch. Imagine pitching yourself for sponsorship from a Real Estate Company Owner in Raipur. That too for events organized on a nationwide scale as those of other IIMs. How you do it? This is just the tip of what goes in to making that ‘culture’. It will not be without its own birth pangs. It’s taking shape every single moment, right from the little things as “thumping tables” in class, the lingos, the parties, the gyaan sessions, the one-of-a-kind quizzes late in the pm etc.

One very important idea that developed was to understand how we stand and compete. It is easy to fall into comparisons with peer IIMs, talk about their shortcomings or even slander. We feel especially proud of the fact that all our communications (formal or informal) have talked of our own strengths and not the pitfalls of others. The kind of value system that we intend to create is what we hope will become a part of our ‘culture’.

In contemplation, one thinks that CAT was just a Math & English test peppered in some cases with Reasoning. That’s all it took. Getting in was the easiest part. As I am writing this, I know that some of you are thinking that I have lost it. “That’s pride talking. It’s easy to be saying these things while sitting in a b-school”. Right? But nobody hands you a six figure paycheck just because you wrote a damn test & got here. For that matter, it’s the same for any b-school. Face that!

All this talking about the issues we faced. We know that it doesn’t help matters much. We don’t want to come across as sympathy seekers.

We owe you a sincere apology for the inconveniences dues to lacunae in the current admissions system.

We can only promise you that there only one way we wish to go. And that’s skywards. There have been mistakes. There have been shortcomings. But we know we have got better. As difficult as it is to maintain standards as high as is expected from those three letters attached to our lives, it is also an experience that not many would have. Or rather, dare to have.

We are only starting. We are rising. And we need you on this. What say thou? Are you in? Can you bite the bullet?

Wish I could tell you how it is to be here. And all the things that matter at the end of the day. Because the only things you would take away from college are a bunch of good friends & the “feel-good” of having spent your two years well. And of course. Considering the current trends, a hefty loan to pay off!

Here's hoping that you choose well. All the very best for your lives.

Contributed By : Somyakanta Nanda, PGP 2011-13, He can be reached at pgp11036.somyakanta@iimraipur.ac.in

First convocation at IIM Raipur graced by the presence of Mr. Nandan Nilekani

The first annual convocation of Indian Institute of Management, Raipur, was held at its Sejabahar Campus on May 1, 2012 amidst much anticipation, excitement, joy, and pride. Decked in their graduation robes, the 1^st batch of new, enthusiastic managers listened patiently to the words of wisdom from the some of the most respected names of the country- Shri Nandan Nilekani who was the Chief Guest for the occasion and Shri Hari S. Bhartia-Chairman, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management, Raipur.

The convocation began with traditional lighting of the lamp and with an invocation to the Goddess of Learning and Knowledge- Goddess Saraswati. In such a solemn environment the founder and current Director of the Institute- Prof. B.S.Sahay rendered his first Director’s Report. In his report he emphasized on the philosophy of the Institute of nurturing and developing the best of managerial talent, with aim of contributing ethically to the growth and development of the nation, organization and all its stakeholders.

Prof. Sahay highlighted the Institute’s continuous endeavor to promote excellence in academics, research, executive education, international linkages and maintaining strong industry interface. The director announced starting of Doctoral Programs at the Institute which in accordance with the aim of the Institute will produce high level of research. The Post Graduate Program in Management for Working Executives was also declared to have started.