"Leaders don't create followers, they develop more leaders. Opportunity is missed by many as it is dressed in overalls of work. Tough people last forever. Recognizing problems before they become an emergency and pleasure in a job puts perfection in work. A positive attitude may not be enough to solve problems, an experience shows the way. To succeed one believes in self rather than anything else, as on every step it shows the way."
The first day when I sat in my official car after puja was offered at a worship place inside the house and applying vermilion on my forehead by my wife, I was full of mixed feelings as shown in the above few thoughts and felt very uncertain about getting success. It was August when I entered a small office on the first floor of the rented building crowded and ill kept and in fact stinking. There were several small partitioned cabins and the largest being occupied by Director (Finance) who was absent and went on tour to Bangalore, which was also his home town and had taken a rented house on company expenses sanctioned by my predecessor, a Joint Secretary in the Ministry.This was of no interest to me as all feedback suggested that the bureaucrat enjoyed a royal time coming to Calcutta office only for a few days in month and was engaged in arranging fund for employees' salary payment which was visible on faces of staff of Head Office. He was dependent on the Director(Finance) for running the company. Even the senior most Executive Director always talked in frustration: "Why should we bother much about the performance of this company which is on the closure path?" He suggested to me not to spend energy and arrange only funds for employee payment and activities may continue leisurely as now. We are dead woods and have no interest of any type. You are new so you seem to be very enthusiastic, but I can assure you that you will start thinking like us in a short while. I am surprised why you picked this company to work even as CMD."
I smiled and said, "I want to retire as CMD, in a glamorous position and designation."
I saw he was startled by my frankness and started looking around and finally smiled and said, "I have nothing to talk about now."
I continued, "You are the senior most ED and I will need your extensive support in running this company. I want to be independent about money matters and would not like to beg anyone for money to pay employees and would suffer with all of you. I have no second source of income and will feed myself on this earning. You must have known that I have come from JESSOP, another such sick company and I faced a similar situation there. I would like you to be honest in your job and give me ideas to work better. You have a long experience in Project working and are technically sound. Please do not talk about matters to depress yourself or any of your colleagues and guide them whenever they approach you."
I saw some distress on his face when he left my room almost after one hour of straight and clear talk and seemed to be burdened. Outside my cabin many staff assembled waiting to see and welcome me, and were mostly baffled by a long chat with ED most unexpectedly on the very first day in office. I did this to give the impression that it was continuity and should not be taken as a major change. In absence of Director(F) I wanted support from this Senior technical man. In all my previous experiences I found finance people to be a burden and obstacle in smooth working mainly due to their confined approach through the finance angle only calculating "Profit and Loss".
My designated Technical Officer came in first after ED left and asked if I would like to have a cup of tea, one of the two persons attached to my office. Surprisingly my PS was granted a few days leave by the Director before he left for Bangalore. Technical Officers were ready to take up the jobs of office management. He also informed me that many other officers would like to meet me to greet me while I was drinking tea. There were only two chairs in front of me and I asked everyone to come together which crowded the small place. I gave them a small introduction. I conclusively said, "I am here to work with you all to improve the company and ensure that your livelihood continues in a respectable manner. We will generate our own money to get paid and also to take care of huge amounts of dues. You all have a long experience and mine is the first day when I expect you all to give your best and support me so that we achieve what is desirable. Problems are many and we can solve them one by one. You should never feel discouraged and whenever you feel so my doors are open for anyone and everyone. They all were stunned by my straight talk and businesslike approach. I bid them a smiling departure from the place.
I called my two Technical Officers and had a long chat when they informed me of the details of the company's present performance and gave glimpses of problems before the company. I asked them to prepare a file including all problems and issues and submit it to me in two days time while we continue to do our daily chores of files and paperwork. I needed more explanation on different files and papers which they helped me to understand with background. In between I wanted to give some dictation which was taken by the Technical Officer.
I went home for lunch to cool myself and give thoughts to my experience of the first half of the first day. I avoided any discussion and sat down to satisfy my hunger, which was served in anguish. I went to take some rest before leaving for the office again and told my wife to discuss it in the evening.
In the office I called AGM (Personnel & Administration) who wanted to see me before lunch itself, but I told him to wait for the second half of the day. The person was polite, well behaved and intelligent and understood subjects fast being discussed. He had worked in Durgapur Steel Plant. AGM informed me about HR issues and also working styles of all senior executives including Director and ED which made me wait before any precipitative actions. Interestingly he was managing Director(F) well and could get his work done from him with some persuasion, one being his control in administrative matters, which was needed by him. Secondly he was capable of handling IR issues better and this was his big strength and also a consolation for him. IR issues are very time consuming and disengaging from real work to improve performance of a company. I got some solace and confidence at last in this person who proved to be a pillar of strength to me in this organization and became my confident in all matters.
I started visiting different offices and meeting people which was a faster pace adopted by me. It was surprising for all and more so for AGM (Per) who asked, "Sir you have been very much in a hurry and going around never experienced in the past by any of us. You have also taken only two cups of tea which run in multiples."
I replied, "You are right. I am in a hurry as there are only two years for me to bring positive changes in this company. I am seeing agony on every face which appears before me and try to estimate the quantum. I do not like to fail in my mission. You should know that I have been working in difficult companies for almost twelve years. I have accepted this difficult challenge but would like to experiment as head. I have seen most heads going in comfort and enjoying life, but I may not once again be lucky. I particularly need your help, as in the very first meeting you have given confidence."
AGM was perhaps shaken and said politely, "No sir, all will be doing their best and I am definitely with you. Only this Director(F) is a negative person and always tries to harass employees in one way or another."
"Also you have to take care as an HR man. After all, he is also your employee working in this company. You try to give him positive feedback and prevent him from doing wrong things. Next I will see how to set him on the spot. But keep a watch and don't trust everything that he does or says and have cross checks. Further we can manage" I suggested.
AGM was baffled and thought about how to go about it. I left him on this and left my office at about 8.00PM again, something unusual for all. My technical officers kept busy preparing the folders I asked for my reference and knowledge, and a multi pronged approach was necessary to cut down on self-orientation.
The new experiment was started and my mind got fully engaged. I already had developed a practice of forgetting the office on the main gate of the office to keep free from office problems.
Second day was more revealing when I asked for a daily newspaper and served with a general paper with no major economic or market news. I called DGM (Marketing) and asked, "How do you find the tenders?"
He replied, "We don't bother and for our job orders depend on SAIL plants and survive on their mercy."
"It's interesting and you do not know how to search the market for projects. You solely depend on one organization and live on their terms. Do you think it is good for the company?" I asked.
"Sir, to be very frank with you, we have never been allowed to think independently and wait for the orders from the Chairman. Since yesterday I have realized that we have to think in different ways and get prepared to work. Sir, in one day you have created turmoil and everyone is thinking what is going to happen. I am not trying to please you, this is true by God."
I laughed and said, "You are a very interesting person and hope to be reliable also. I have to think about marketing and in the meantime submit a list of orders in hand and also in the pipeline within 24hours. Please get copies of Economic Times and Financial Times for me tomorrow first thing on my table."
DGM left the office and I sat for more than an hour doing nothing and thinking, "This is the reason the company is standing still and not having a future. All employees are liabilities to the company. What should be done as no resource person is available for work in the right way and fast?"
My thought would have continued longer if not for the entry of my Technical Officer who was looking at me for a few minutes. He enquired, "You seem to be thinking deeply on something and didn't notice my presence."
"Yes you are right. I am thinking about how to go about it as all persons are highly demoralized and inactive, engaged only in passing time. There is no team feeling and all are preparing files in a thoughtless manner, which has become the style passing on buck to someone else applying no mind and use of long experiences of working."
"Sir, it is true that we all have lost hope and are only counting days in this company. Many of us would have taken Voluntary Retirement if the company could pay all money at a time which could help in planning for future life while getting alternative engagement, which is also not easy. But one has to take care of family needs as our children are still in the growing stage mostly in high schools or first year of college, and like other kids desire to get into professional education and good jobs. In the past they had a good time and expect the same in the coming days as well. Although our family members have learnt to live quite modestly within the limited resources, we can't stop caring for our parents and even younger brothers and sisters who don't appreciate our limitations. We are all struggling to survive but support from traditional SAIL units is inadequate and reducing day by day, and cost reduction practiced by them is killing us. I changed his track of talk and asked about the readiness of the folder of total job orders.
He replied, "In fact I came to inform you that it was ready and we can submit any time. I came only to inform you and seek time for presenting the same to you, but I unburden myself with all my feelings and internal situation without thinking how you will take it as a new person that too on the second day. I couldn't hold myself for the reason that you have started actions from the first day itself, and I have a feeling that you mean business only."
"No it's alright and knowing true feelings is educational for me and I may keep this information in mind while planning actions in future. However, you may bring the reports right now and I hope it won't be inconvenient to you two as it is already 7.00pm and quite late. Others may go if they are waiting for me to leave the office."
Within a few minutes the two Technical Officers came in and the second one who didn't talk earlier said, "Sir, Director (Finance) called up from Bangalore to know if you were asking for him for anything and he would take one more week before he comes."
"It's okay, let him take his own time and enjoy being with family there and he may come whenever he feels like. Presently we don't need his presence and you may tell me about anything pending with finance. I don't think he could be of any use when he has deliberately run away on the first day of my joining." We discussed the details fast and dispersed, telling that tomorrow we would decide further action.
Next day both the dailies asked for were on my table and I went through the paper to find tenders of the company's interest and marked them. I called DGM (Marketing) and told him to send the copies of the tender to the respective offices in the country. He couldn't understand and I asked my Technical Officer to make him understand. Those papers were faxed to different offices and further followed up by DGM(Marketing) and my TAs.
Opposite to general expectation the next day onward I found DGM(marketing) more active and full of initiative, and he started reporting everyday how many tenders he was finding and enlisted them in a register date wise, and also followed up every day. His mounting telephone bill was also allowed. Responses from different offices started coming which was cleared promptly in consultation with me, and he was on the topmost priority to see me any time or speak to me over phone. I also encouraged them to make decisions over phone and record them on file to get approval before placing order and if necessary get approval on fax messages to be attached to the file when a proposal came for approval. One Technical Officer was made responsible to coordinate all these marketing moves and monitor them so that the facility didn't get misused or go in the wrong direction. Changes were happening fast and everything moved at speed and prospects for getting order became brighter. Financial problems cropped up and AGM (Finance) was asked to do jobs of the Director and ordered, "You are required to give financial concurrence to marketing proposals with my approval directly. In case of fund needs you may make a proposal for inter office transfer and get my approval and advice money transfer as loan or to be adjusted in bills due against them whichever these unit heads agree. In case of any difficulty you make in-charges speak to me for giving appropriate decisions." I cared that every time my technical officer was present in discussions to ensure that I didn't issue wrong instructions and modify the same if required. Also he may subsequently explain these decisions and instructions as officers had become lethargic by mind also and gave up looking forward. This was a typical experiment being carried out in a PSU's working style hardly seen.
Fast developments in activities forced Director (Finance) to come to Calcutta early which surprised all as he never informed his tour program to anyone, and he didn't face any difficulty as he was drawing his salary from the Bangalore office, an arrangement he got done by the previous Chairman.
One afternoon Director (F) came to see me. We greeted each other, but the person appeared to be very cunning in expression and talked very softly. He said, "I could not meet you on the date of joining as I got a message in the previous evening about my wife's sickness and left early next morning."
"How is she now? You could have taken care of her longer by informing me from Bangalore. The meeting ended quickly and he left my office and started attending to my work.
I felt this fast working method was not easily accepted by the slow moving staff and the working pattern for them was very different. I was prepared to take more risks but they all learnt a process where primarily they remained safe even at the cost of organization; nothing new in PSUs where questioning on performance was less and no single person could be held responsible for the decision which was always a group decision with consent of majority. This was one reason for slow decision making and ineffectiveness in this. I asked feedback from two technical officers on this who replied, "You are right and we earlier heard but never experienced this. All have many apprehensions and we are spending many hours convincing them that their interest will be protected only when no wrong intentions are exhibited while dealing with the issue. Of course we are slow and lethargic because this culture has grown by practice. We are with you and want the company to improve, and this message is being forwarded to all center heads.
I was relieved and said, "Please check if you find me pushing too hard and which may hurt any individual."
"We have a request that you may give some more attention to Director(F) as he is not feeling secure. He has more acquaintance in ministry and may give distorted feedback as a habit." I didn't say anything and kept looking at them.
I asked, "Do you think he will come my way? I have serious doubts. He may show off the support but act opposite whenever possible. He is revengeful and goes to any extent for self gain."
Both asked, "How could you read him so correctly? Still he may be given a chance which will be better for all of us and the uneasiness shall go." Finally I accepted their suggestion and decided to change.
I called Director(F) to discuss the financial situation of the company and wanted suggestions for the same. He avoided and asked for permission to extend his house lease in Bangalore. I regretted it and asked him to come back to Kolkata Head Office and stay in the guest house. He came after a month leaving family in Bangalore for the education of his child. He often went to look after family and took advantage of being Director in the company. I waited for him to realise his responsibility. Instead he kept disturbing working and complaining in the Ministry till one day he was warned by the Minister. He was not a competent person and I didn't want to waste time correcting his behavior. AGM(F) needed support regularly to do necessary work. Director (F) had already burdened the company of dues in previous years by hiding behind the CMD of the company.
One agency called up to discuss one Flyover Project in NOIDA Film City. I called him and gathered some details and went to discuss it with Authorities. I showed my intent to do the work and it was agreed. Next day all paperwork was completed to get the formal order after approvals. This was a big order of ₹104 Crore not seen in the order book of the Company for many years. All were jubilant and started working on the project with a reasonable net profit of 4%. The agency was already decided and a work agreement was signed. Director (F) was not happy and ED was disinterested. Two were left in actual implementation which was controlled by DGM(Delhi). Two of them were upset working and doubted the viability.
I decided to call a Monthly Review meeting to decide next quarter plans with all DGMs of different offices in the country. It was organised as a residential meeting in a hotel where many stayed bearing the cost. Meeting expenses were borne by the Head Office. It went well and all explained their plans in detail and targets were set for individual units. This was their first experience and also an opportunity to talk openly and seek solutions. Director (F) joined late and hardly gave any suggestions as a result of not getting involved. Units started working with new enthusiasm and as a result our first Minister Review Meeting went well when good progress was recorded.
All these days I was maintaining austerity in office and even managed with old washed curtains, never offered more than a cup of tea, never stayed in Five Star hotel as per entitlement, travelled only in economy class and used the old car and later a hired car when it needed expensive repair and got it disposed off through auction. But this was not appreciated by most officers while other employees were impressed and unions found it difficult to rally against me while AGM (Personnel) extensively cited my example to keep them under control. I ensured that old dues of all employees were paid in small installments depending on availability of funds. Employees movement was "Let us save our Company for Next Generation" coined by them and it gave me immense satisfaction.
In all offices I held meetings with unions for limited hours with an agenda prepared by the center head where business and difficulties being faced were spelled out. Also perspective plan of action along with schedules of different dues payments to employee, contractors, material suppliers and government were clarified and an impression was created on employees and unions that when a business is run all interested parties need attention, which was a new approach rarely spelled clearly in PSUs, particularly in this company, making employees unaware of this fact and they live with ever increasing desires.
In the beginning center heads thought it to be a flash of thought, but appreciated subsequently when it gave them a tool to contain dissatisfaction and bickering in employees. They could take care of all liabilities against agencies and suppliers using the installment payment system after ensuring employee satisfaction. Employees pressed for long back dues payments, which I ignored and left it to individual heads to devise strategy and implement. I often suggested all heads to remain in contact with each other and adopt some solutions being implemented. Some insincere types and indulging in wrong practices faced more problems and even disturbed the tranquility of other places through their close contacts which were reported to the technical cell, and the majority of cases were ignored by me. Director was indulgent and sought my mediation, which I declined having doubts about his planned involvement, which was again nothing unusual in sick organizations.Our progress was smooth and on a rising curve and many good words were flowing from Minister and ministerial friends to the extent they referred some cases for employment for known persons, and I politely declined with a smile making it clear that we were not that well off. Similarly I declined facilities ministry people. I ended my first year with no comments from CAG. I loved it as I could concentrate on my work.
High manpower was a serious problem, that to non working types and majority in higher age brackets, the outcome of hiding of actual age at the time of recruitment.Their wrong doing was taking toll and we borrowed costly money as bank loan to remove extra and non-performing persons with the VRS scheme approved by the government. Many mishaps in the form of killing of VRS taking employees and duping by near relations were reported, and we took extra pain to get deposited the money in their banks. Also we trained them in new skills if they desired to work and earn before actual separation at company's expense, and also encouraged formation of co-operatives who were given smaller value contracts on preferential basis and taught them to run the business with regular guidance and assistance. This could be successful in a very limited way but whosoever applied, got some success despite the higher age group in reality. No earnest money was taken at one time and deducted in installments from their bills. This was greatly appreciated. Manpower was lowered by twenty five hundred leaning most profit centers and supervision in one way or other was possible. This demanded more involvement of executives and they were forced to give up adherence to designations and work on equal levels. All jobs were to be performed by anyone through quick switching over in needs.
Initially they resisted but were forced when their own survival became important and good understanding developed in a short time. I planned a family get-together on my visit to different places and wives came forward to thank me for the healthy changes in their life, which I accepted humbly and sincerely, responding with kind words of appreciation for their true efforts in this direction. Our thrust of getting orders regularly continued and the order book was improving. I touched the level of nine hundred crore while I aimed for one thousand in my tenure of two years.
Once when I was on tour to Mumbai to look into a troublesome project from the Maharashtra Government was getting unduly delayed due to the mischief of the contractor. I received a message from the minister to see the Railway Minister the same day in the evening. I reviewed the project in one small restaurant where the contractor was asked to come and had a tea and snacks meeting near the airport while the ticket was booked. I discussed all related problems and suggested some steps to progress the project to avoid cancellation. This surprised the contractor as no Chairman in his memory could hold a discussion in such a small place and arrive on conclusions so fast, and give assurance to resolve several related issues. Some of those connected with government officials, which I started contacting immediately after completing the meeting. My officer was equally fazed at the fast speed of deciding actions and follow up. He was given responsibility to meet the concerned government officials with my personal greeting and request to help. And tis happened as expected.
Back in Delhi I went to the Ministry where my appointment was fixed by my representative. I had to wait for a longtime as the Minister was meeting his party men in the late evening hours. I introduced myself to the minister and explained the purpose of my visit. He promised to direct the Railway Board to look into our case in the most favorable way. It resulted in many crores worth of orders and my tiring day ultimately brought some favorable results.
Two projects in Amritsar were very important; one was development of International Airport and second was a Museum on Sikh Gurus. I was chased by the aviation minister himself and the second one was followed up by the Directorate of Museum, Government of India, which took me to the place for the first time. I visited the historical Golden Temple and recollected facts about this important religious place, where one is forced to be a common man of the society served with standard Prasad etc. The Airport project was cancelled by the minister without giving time to discuss. The Museum was completed in the shortest time.
I tried to tie up for order in National Highways projects and met the Directors in their Dwarika Head Office. But we couldn't compete due to heavy fund requirements.
There was a change in ministry when a new minister took over after election and change in government. Our case was being presented by a Joint secretary using an old progress report and I objected. The Minister deferred the review for some other date. My Joint Secretary wanted to create fear in me but I didn't accept.
I was fully concentrating on the company's performance and solving employee related issues by altering systems and methods. I found new ways to arrange for orders and concentrated on important clients like NTPC who had given us orders for more than six hundred crores. Completion of these projects in time was must both in our interest and national interest of creating higher capacity in power generation, I was regularly in contact with their Directors and Chairman and also reviewed the progress on fortnightly basis.
Once I reported to the Minister at the end of the financial year that net profit was possible if interest payment on government loans could be made deferred payment. On his suggestion a proposal was moved but it got stuck in the Finance ministry. After some years it was utilised by other chairman and was in an advantageous position. But he couldn't sustain the profitability and order book of the company. Finally the company was placed under administrative Control of another PSU which in the past used our working ways to improve its own position.
I received my superannuation order from the ministry and moved out of office with a very simple farewell program in the small conference room. I got made by relocating cabins and finding a central place. This saved money spent in hotels for meetings, and gave me satisfaction.
Finally I boarded the morning train and travelled to Home City in Bokaro. Director(F), ED, AGM(P&aA) and a few other executives bid tearful farewells, which moved me too, from the Howrah Station. My newly renovated house with fresh paints welcomed us. We were relaxed and comfortable.
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Your worth lies in what you are rather than what you have. Patience building needs working regularly on this. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us improves. Great results need big sacrifices. True leadership must be for the benefit of followers and not for self enrichment. People forget how fast you did a job but remember how well you did it."
Conclusion
Life always throws challenges and people with strong minds and determination accept them to succeed. It doesn't come as a bounty but as a difficult item to grab and play to finally reshape them for self satisfaction and benefit to many in any company. If one can remember this, he can never give up or fail. Test this to believe if you have the strength.
Dr Brajendra K Jha
B.Sc (Engg, Mechanical),Dip in Management,AIMA-New Delhi,Ph D (Management) Birla Institute of Management, Mesra, Ranchi
Work Experience: Steel Plants, Jessop-Kolkata,HSCL-Kolkata,Prof.(HRM)Noida,UP.
This book is published by Dr Brajendra Kumar Jha
Bariatu, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
All copyrights are with the author under copyright acts. The book can be published only with permission of the author. Names have not been mentioned to protect privacy.
Address: 301, Shakti Sadan, Ramnagar, Booty Road, Bariatu, Ranchi-834009, Jharkhand, India
Email:
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