An European organisation having its country operations in India was focussing on marketing its products only to the defence segment, as the products were conventionally used by the armed forces. This company had been operating in India through its Indian representative since 1950s and subsequently evolved from a liaison office established in 1987, to a 100% owned subsidiary in November 1995, employing about forty odd people. It initially focused on marketing test and measuring equipment, which were needed by Defence & Space Research organisations (and Telecom manufacturing industries). This then paved the way for introduction of newer products in the areas of Radio-communications, Radio-monitoring, and Radio-location etc. This product range discovered a need-based demand in the country from a number of discerning users, who were looking for technically superior products, which could be offered as a system solution.
A threshold level in this market area was required to be achieved with the help of a diverse product mix. Nevertheless, the focus of the organisation on the defence segment seemed undeterred. The two divisions i.e., Test & Measuring equipment division as well as Communications & Broadcast solutions division were primarily catering to the defence segment as the orders here were large and everyone in the organisation found a ‘comfort’ level with this market segment, which they did not wish to give up very easily, although the market outside was equally large.
At the behest of the Head of the Communications & Broadcast division, services of PERCON were hired under instructions from the corporate headquarters, to bring about perspective changes, so that the newer markets could be explored and the onslaught of the competition in those areas could be taken affront. The Head of the Test & Measuring Equipment Division, however, was quite apprehensive of what the resultant situation would be, because he was used to the working style of the erstwhile business partners, who were not exposed to the aftermath of globalisation.
Step One
After having conducted an informal survey of the organisation, discussions were held with the Heads of each Division to conduct a formal diagnostic study. The results of the studies showed that
- The organisation was remotely controlled and the broader perspective was still to flow into the Indian operations.
- The people were not exposed to the larger business framework and organisational goals.
- There was more of an attitude of compliance towards the work methods and the attitude of delivering with a sense of involvement (in terms of understanding the processes and their purposes) was found to be missing.
- There was a lack of team spirit and some were even out to prove individual excellence and achievement without realising that they were doing so at the cost of organisational achievements.
- The HR department was not organised formally.
Step Two
PERCON facilitated the formation of the Apex Level Committee, which was comprised of the two Divisional Heads, the Finance Head and the Administration & IT Infrastructure Head.
The Apex Level Committee members were acquainted of the rationale behind the formation of this Committee, i.e., endorsement of the guidelines that were to be evolved, so as to develop a spotlight on the immediate shift in the business mission and perspective.
PERCON assisted in training the members of this committee for these responsibilities and advised them on tightening their thoughts down to what they needed to be in the changing times. They were also apprised about their own strengths, which they could afford to utilise favourably, as also those areas, where they needed to perk up.
Psychometric tests were also administered to assist everyone to introspect oneself and to assess as to where one stood vis-à-vis the required attitude. This helped in turning around the Test and Measuring Equipment Division Head in giving hundred per cent, in favour of the interventions.
The members were also updated effectively, as to how they ought to synchronise with the subsequent level Committee which was to assist in the execution of the changes.
Step Three
The next level committee, i.e., The Executive Level Committee was conceived, the members identified and created with the help of the four Regional Heads (New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai) and the Service Head. They were acknowledged as the ‘doers’ in the organisation, who prevailed over the others and could exercise their clout on the diverse unofficial and official work groups.
Also, they were picked on their abilities to seize the opportunities in braving the obstacles masqueraded by those who were anticipated to obstruct ‘change’. They all had devoted a long time with the organisation, since the formation of a 100% owned subsidiary.
This Committee became the focus of attention for evolving the attitudes towards work which were to be evolved, altered and conformed to, after the broader guidelines were discussed and agreed at the ALC level. They were not only individually counselled but also eventually taken through a rigorous training schedule which involved
- Highlights of the role of the ALC and the ELC.
- How to counsel.
- How to conduct brief brainstorming sessions to draw conclusions.
- Problem solving
- How to train
Step Four
A precise work out of both the ALC and the ELC was undertaken through counselling and training, to slam the disapproval of the interventions, by some people, because the members of the ALC and the ELC were primarily to secure the grounds of the interventions.
A “Field Force Analysis” was carried out with the help of the members of the ELC themselves, through questionnaires and interviews. This exercise revealed the strength of the opposition and aided in devising a strategy to beat the same.
It was discovered that there were some staff – both amongst the line and the support functions – which had spent a number of years with the company and had towed the line of the erstwhile business culture, even after the take over. They would muster their opinions, which only inadvertently got cushioned at a higher level, i.e., the Head-Test and Measuring Equipment Division. There were ones, who really were counter to the idea of trying anything new, whilst there were still others who were on the boundary.
There was a resolute endeavour to discuss with the ALC members, the concerns, coupled with the other troubles, which were mostly conformance, attitude and performance related, so that appropriate ‘go ahead’ signals were granted to develop those attitudes and performances.
- A three-day outbound MDP was planned to encourage teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills, interdependence and the importance of proactive benchmarking.
- A time bound plan was laid out for the ELC members to evolve the attitudes of work in different functions and review them.
- Planned training sessions were conducted with the team members by the ELC members. It was made sure that the facilitators for these training sessions were cross – functional.
- Frequent and regular stocktaking and brainstorming sessions were planned with the ELC members to watch the progress, which was done very closely. Systems were not touched, but purposes of each system were clarified with the European Headquarters.
- The Division Head – Test and Measuring Equipment after being convinced, expressly and consciously determined not to entertain any opinion that was contrary to what was evolved in the ALC and ELC.
Step Five
This step comprised of the various execution and implementation moves of the plan in STEP 4. The interventions on these lines were carried out for the following six months with at least two to three interfaces with PERCON every month.
Step Six
The outcome of each training and counselling session was discussed between the ALC members and the ELC members. The processes were initially monitored by PERCON. This brainstorming assisted, in not only sorting out the differences in observations, but reaching a consensus regarding the next course of action, as well.
Changes were incorporated accordingly. Evaluation was carried out to observe the shift in approaches.
Step Seven
An Assessment Centre Process (comprising of simulations, psychometrics, interviews and observations from previous performance records) was instituted so as to understand the competences and the changes that have come about therein.
A report, recommending the changes with regard to responsibilities and accountabilities, was then prepared with the involvement of the ALC and the Administration and IT Department.
Discussions between the members of the ALC and those of the ELC were facilitated for laying out a plan of action for the elimination of the gaps noticed in the Assessment Centre, which were stray re-occurrences of previous approaches of operating in islands.
Step Eight
With the renewed verve that was founded in the organisation and the goals envisioned with better clarity, based on the Assessment Centre Report the Administration and IT Department was advised to initiate a HR department and also competency mapping for future, after the team was trained on the concept.
The ALC and ELC were advised to brainstorm and evolve the ‘dictionary of competences’ relevant to the organisation. The proficiency profiling was to be evolved through the job descriptions laid out and eventually a matrix prepared for the level of competences in each job/function. The Management expressed that more assistance on this could also be provided by the European Headquarters.
Step Nine
The organisation was revisited for a final audit after three months.
The organisation had added another ten persons in various functions while the team spirit had enhanced and the organisation was found to have absorbed more vigour for higher attainments.
We wound up the project here because we felt that the organisation was moving towards a sustainable self reliance and better awareness.
The organisation had opened out to newer markets outside the defence establishments in a big way and were offering stiff contest to its competitors.
The entire team had become conscious of the need to translate the global policies framed in another part of the world into the Indian context.