And the twain must meet…

I recently attended a session that focused on the importance of bringing both, your masculine and feminine energies to the workplace. As human beings, we often fail to acknowledge our vast energetic system, which may lead to us feeling chronically out of balance. In such cases, while maintaining our physical health through conscious eating and fitness is important, it becomes even more crucial for us to pay attention to our subtle energies, which will eventually help us to live a healthy life. The session in question, discussed how at the workplace, all employees need to display their masculine and feminine energies, depending on the situation. Regardless of gender, each of us contain masculine and feminine energies. Words like logic, planning, structure and discipline are often attributed to the masculine trait, while words like intuition, receptivity, emotions and dreams fall under the feminine category. In a world where individuals are mocked for portraying traits that are usually attributed to the opposite sex, we subconsciously wire ourselves to behave in a manner that befits the gender we represent. When we operate primarily from one side of the energy, our minds and behaviours become one tracked, which is a sign that we need a re-fuel of the other side of the energy. 

The reason I write this post today is, while I was in the session, I kept thinking to myself - it is so crucial for there to be an equilibrium in the world, be it in our behaviours, in International Relations or even our professional lives. While listening to the speaker talk about the importance of switching to either sides of our energies, depending on the situation, I was transported to my college days when I studied about the use of ‘Soft Power’ and ‘Hard Power’ in International Relations and how nations need to exercise either of them when dealing with other nations. I was further reminded of workplace situations, when we have to display our soft, as well as hard skills, a company’s culture needs to be hard and soft, depending on the organisation’s journey and goals, and most importantly, soft and hard models of Human Resource Management. 

I present below some examples: 

Soft Power and Hard Power

Hard power is based on military intervention, coercive diplomacy and economic sanctions, and relies on tangible power resources such as armed forces or economic means. America’s ‘Marshall Plan’ is a classic example of the use of Soft Power.  This was an American initiative to provide economic aid to Western Europe after the end of the Second World War. The Marshall Plan included humanitarian aid, such as food, medical care, expert advice for rebuilding destroyed infrastructures - transportation and communication networks and public utilities, and monetary grants. When talking about the use of Hard Power, the first example that often comes to my mind is the German invasion into Poland in 1939. After Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany in 1933, he had plans to invade and partition Poland, annex Bohemia and Austria, and create satellite or puppet states, economically subordinate to Germany. After the failure of Adolf Hitler’s “rapprochement” policy and other talks of diplomacy, German troops marched into Poland in 1939, thus marking the beginning of the Second World War. Soft power is the ability to attract and co-opt, rather than by coercion, which is a form of hard power, which involves using force or giving money as a means of persuasion. Soft power on the other hand is the ability to shape the preferences of others i.e. nations, through appeal and attraction. The term was coined by Joseph Nye Jr. in 1990 in his book, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power. In this book, he wrote, “when one country gets other countries to want what it wants - might be called co-optive or soft power, in contrast with the hard or command power of ordering others to do what it wants”. This concept was further discussed in Nye’s next book (Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, 2014). Today, the term has come to be used widely in international affairs by analysts and statesmen. The concept of Hard Power and Soft Power can be seen as a continuum, with several instruments of different degrees of coercion or persuasion - instruments like punishment, compulsion, inducement, agenda setting, persuasion and attraction. It is interesting to note that, some foreign policy strategies may be perceived as effective combinations of the two poles of the power continuum, which led to the coining of the term “Smart Power’ in 2004. Smart Power is an approach that underscores the necessity of a strong military, but also invests heavily in alliances, partnerships and institutions. Smart Power is an ability to combine elements of soft and hard power to make them mutually reinforcing. 

Soft Skills and Hard Skills

I deal with this a lot at the workplace, where there is a constant debate on whether an employee’s hard skills are more important for the job at hand, or it’s the soft skills that do the trick. For the uninitiated, hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured - like domain knowledge, technical knowledge, professional qualification etc. On the other side, we have soft skills, which are interpersonal skills, behavioural and abstract in nature, but essential for performing a job well. These skills tend to influence how we interact with each other. While hard skills involve little or no change in the rules, regardless of the business or the circumstances, soft skills involve rules that can change, depending on a company’s culture or colleagues’ expectation. Let’s look at a simple example of how an employee switches between their hard skills and soft skills. The rules for a programmer to create the best code will remain the same, irrespective of where the programmer works. However, the same programmer may be able to communicate effectively to peers about the technical details of the code, but can fail to communicate effectively with senior managers about the success of the project and the necessary support required to succeed further. Coding is something the programmer has learnt through studying, however, the confidence to communicate effectively will come in from experience and trial and error. Remember, your hard skills can get you an interview, but it is your soft skills that will get you the job! 

Hard Management and Soft Management

Hard management views employees as resource of the business, alongside equipment and infrastructure. This style of management focuses on the requirements of the business, recruiting and managing employees accordingly. A soft management will focus on employees’ roles, needs, rewards and motivations, thus treating them as individuals. It is only in extreme circumstances that managers assume either of the styles, most managers draw on the combination of hard and soft styles. Let’s look at an example - A small business that is just starting out will have a manager that will focus on building the business by making use of their employees’ hard or task based skills. However, the same manager will turn to the softer style when expanding, by encouraging collaboration and team work. It is evident from this example that managers will adopt elements from both types of management to get the best out of their employees to help the business succeed.  

Coming back to the session I attended - I came out of the session feeling more confident about the way I deal with various situations at the workplace. I don’t need to think twice now before I react to or act in a certain way in a particular situation - it is just the way we are all wired! 

Quarter-life Crisis – an issue not to be ignored!

We have all heard of / read about mid-life crisis – a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle aged individuals. However, we don’t really give much thought to a similar issue that concerns people in their 20s and 30s – Quarter-life Crisis.

A quarter-life crisis is when individuals in their 20s or 30s find themselves in situations of uncertainties and anxieties – be it related to career choices, debts, independent living, or relationships. According to a research published by The Guardian, way back in 2011, quarter-life crises affect 86% millennials, who have reported feeling bogged down by insecurities, disappointments, loneliness and depression. While traditionally these issues might have seemed trivial or something all young adults have grappled with for years, today these issues seem more real and ones that cannot be ignored. 

One might wonder what has changed from young adults wondering if they will experience a quarter-life crisis to when will they experience a quarter-life crisis. Why has quarter-life become such a phenomenon? In today’s fast paced world of ‘perform or perish’, young adults are under constant pressure to prove themselves – either to their parents, peers, bosses or even their own selves. This is a time when people are the most social and are constantly striving to “fit in”, however, the society we are currently in, is wrestling with several inequities, especially with individuals becoming more and more excluded and isolated. When individuals are faced with such a situation so early on in their lives, a crisis is inevitable. 

While there are several articles about the downside of quarter-life crisis, I want to discuss the upside. As opposed to mid-life crises, a person is confronted with a quarter-life crisis much earlier on in life. While a mid-life crisis can turn a person’s life into a whole new direction or threaten a person’s identity, a quarter-life crisis can in fact help a person decide on a new direction, that may in turn open up more or better avenues. As human beings climb up the societal or career ladder, their position takes precedence over anything else. On the other hand, individuals in their 20s or 30s don’t have much to lose since they are just starting out. 

People fear making mistakes – at any age, and this is only natural. However, there is another way of looking at the consequence of making mistakes. If one doesn’t make mistakes, they won’t learn. And making a mistake early on in life and learning and growing from it will ensure better judgement later on, which can go a long way in shaping a person’s identity and individuality. This leads on to another interesting upside of a quarter-life crisis, that is, it teaches a person to be more patient with themselves. Realising one’s mistake and understanding the importance of growing out of it takes time and this tests a person’s tolerance and willingness to change or improve. 

While it is never too early or too late to introduce changes in life, it is always a good idea to make changes when young to ensure happiness and satisfaction in the long run. At an age when there is no burden of responsibilities, it is much easier to let go of things in exchange of something better. This is also a time that allows people to dabble in several different things to understand their real areas of interest and expertise. By doing something one doesn’t like or finds difficult, they are in fact trying to understand out what they can or like to do. 

Parents and society play an influencing role in shaping a person’s identity. As a result, a person in their 20s has grown up to act on other people’s expectations, all stemming from their own personal experiences. However, when faced with making their own decisions, they have to rely on their own instincts and priorities. Going through a turmoil at this stage can help the person re-evaluate their priorities, which could open up more opportunities.     

Given the parental support and guidance received when growing up, the sudden entry into the “big bad” world can be frightening for many. However, it is just a rite of passage and everyone goes through it. How one confronts it is what matters. In a nutshell, a quarter-life crisis is all about how a person shifts into the society and through a mid-life crisis a person shifts out of society to become their own person. While at one point nothing might seem to go right, this time is helping shape an individual and bracing them for the future.

Cuban Missile Crisis – winning through ‘Diversity of Thought’

I recently met someone who shared my passion and approach to history and it got me thinking about a book I re-read recently – Thirteen Days: A memoir of the Cuban missile crisis by Robert F. Kennedy. As news of the Cuban revolutionary and politician, Fidel Castro’s death came out, I was obviously reminded of the Cold War period, especially the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. As a History student, I have often stated how the Cold War was my most favourite period in history – to study of course! And to learn about the events gone by more as a story than just chapters in the syllabus made it all the more interesting. Having studied about the above mentioned event at school and university, I was relatively well versed with the happenings, but with so many articles being published after Fidel Castro’s death, I wanted to revisit history, hence, Robert F. Kennedy’s memoir.

Thirteen Days is Kennedy’s account of the Cuban Missile Crisis between October 16 and 28, 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13 day dangerous confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War and was the closest the two superpowers came to nuclear conflict, following the discovery of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, a mere 90 miles away from Florida. Robert Kennedy’s account describes the meetings held between the then US President and his brother, John F. Kennedy and his Executive Committee, a team assembled by the President to handle the situation between the two nations. At the time of the crisis, Robert Kennedy was the US Attorney General and a member of the National Security Council. Given his position in his brother’s Executive Committee, Robert Kennedy had access to the happenings – first hand. This book offers interesting insights into a crisis that brought the world to the brink of a massive nuclear war. The book is a blow-by-blow account of what ensued over those 13 days and gives readers a peak into how President Kennedy, along with his group of advisers, worked on the best response to the Soviet actions in Cuba. In a TV address on 22^nd October, 1962, President Kennedy notified his fellow Americans about the presence of the missiles and explained his decision to order a naval blockade around Cuba and made it clear the United States’ position to make use of military force, if necessary, to the contain Soviet Union’s actions. However, a big crisis was averted when the President accepted the Soviet leader, Nikita Krushchev’s offer to remove the missiles in exchange for the United States’ promise to not invade Cuba.

One might wonder why I am writing about the Cuban Missile Crisis after so many years… When I read the book the first time, it was to get another insight into what happened during those 13 days and how the two nations came so close to waging a nuclear war, but ultimately managed to avert it. My intent while reading the book again was solely to revisit the period since so many opinion pieces were getting published post Fidel Castro’s death. However, this recent reading gave me a very different perspective – how diversity of thought and experience helped President Kennedy and his Executive Committee wade through the crisis.

As someone who thinks of Diversity and Inclusion every waking hour (It’s my profession!), this perspective is of great interest and importance, especially now where the future of diversity is not what one thinks but how one thinks. While reading the book, I realised how President Kennedy built a diverse group of advisors and drew from their varied perspectives and background to deliberate over all the possible alternatives. Robert Kennedy provides us with a detailed account of the discussions that took place, what actions were taken or not taken and what the Executive Committee members’ views were as the discussions progressed. Given the vivid description of the happenings, the reader can easily imagine the pressure situation the President and his Executive Committee were put in. While the President was looking at a peaceful, non-military solution, several members of his Executive Committee were of the view that military force was the best way to keep the Soviets at bay. How the President considered all views before making a decision, helped the United States avert a big disaster.

It is interesting to know how this approach stemmed from the catastrophe caused about 18 months before, during the Bay of Pigs Invasion on 17^th April, 1961, when President Kennedy supported a rather ill-conceived covert operation to unseat Fidel Castro. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a military invasion of Cuba undertaken by a CIA sponsored paramilitary group. With Cuba’s close geographical proximity to the United States, the rise of Fidel Castro’s communist government was a big threat to a capitalist United States. However, the invading force was defeated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces within three days.

This incident heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union and was a significant event of the Cold War period. President Kennedy’s role during the Bay of Pigs Incident has often been criticised and he is said to have made a decision without a consensus. Psychologist, Irving Janis describes such actions as “groupthink”, a psychological drive for consensus at any cost that suppresses dissent and appraisal of alternatives. Groupthink occurs when a group “makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing and moral judgement”. A group that is affected by “groupthink” ignores alternatives and tends to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group can be vulnerable to think alike when members come from similar backgrounds and the group is shielded from outside opinions.

Having adopted this approach during the Bay of Pigs Incident and facing an embarrassing defeat, President Kennedy realised a different approach had to be adopted when the United States discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba. Unlike the covert operation during the Bay of Pigs incident, an operation that President Kennedy had inherited from the Eisenhower administration, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the President stayed informed throughout and was firmly in control of facts and decisions. He reworked on his strategy that involved getting diverse viewpoints, thus stimulating debate, exploring options and letting the best plan win. Having an Executive Committee that was made up of people who were diverse and far-ranging in their political orientations presented the President with a wide spectrum of voices.

President Kennedy’s approach back in the 1960s resonates very well today, when organisations are emphasising on diversity of thought, which focuses on realising the true potential of people, by appreciating the potential promise of each person’s unique perspective and different way of thinking. Leaders must accept there’s not just one right way to get things done and to be truly innovative and inclusive, companies have to focus on harnessing different viewpoints and opinions. Having people with broad experiences and exposure to different ideas will help organisations in the long run.

Reverse Mentoring – one more initiative to keep the millennials engaged or a business ‘must-have’?

In today’s workforce demographics, companies cannot ignore the large presence of the millennials (those workers born between 1980 and 2002). Within the next 20 years, more than 70 million baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1965) will retire. Organisations are introducing several initiatives to cater to these next generation workers – Reverse Mentoring is one such initiative that is fast becoming very popular. Reverse mentoring is an initiative where older executives are paired with and mentored by younger employees on several topics – the most popular ones being technology, social media and current trends. In today’s technologically advanced workspaces, reverse mentoring – or how I see it, ‘Flipped Leadership’ – is seen as a way to bring older employees up to speed in areas that are second nature to the millennials.

Mentoring is traditionally perceived and practiced as having a one-way benefit – younger employees learn from and gain valuable knowledge from older, more experienced colleagues. Today’s workplace has two very different generations working together and it is extremely important to ensure people belonging to both these generations understand each other to be able to work together. Organisations today realise the difference between millennials and their preceding generations and there is growing interest from leaders to learn from their less experienced colleagues. While in traditional forms of mentoring younger employees gain from their mentors’ experiences and knowledge, the concept of reverse mentoring is more reciprocal where both parties gain from each other’s knowledge and expertise.

Although the concept of reverse mentoring is not always easily accepted by senior executives because of their apprehension in learning from younger, less experienced colleagues, it was made popular by Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric back in the 1990s. At that time, the use of the Internet was becoming very prevalent and Jack Welch felt his management had much to learn, so he mandated that him, along with his top executives take on reverse mentors. Following Jack Welch’s example, several other senior executives have invited their younger colleagues to mentor them. The 2015 movie, The Intern, is a classic example of how the concept of reverse mentoring is catching up. The film depicts a septuagenarian taking up the role of an Intern at a Fashion start up where the majority of the population are millennial employees. He is assigned to work under the 30-something CEO. The film portrays how the septuagenarian’s experiences help the CEO and in turn the CEO teaches him about the current trends.

Organisations look at engaging in reverse mentoring programmes not as bridging the knowledge gap, but bridging the generation divide. This in turn ensures more collaboration between the two generations. While the idea behind reverse mentoring is to get senior executives on board with emerging trends, it is also a good way to get them to think differently and take into consideration its growing millennial employee population. Today every organisation is talking about innovation in every step of the way. A reverse mentoring partnership can be a good stepping stone towards innovation where the mentors help their senior mentees look at new and efficient ways of working.

Like any other partnership, there is a give and take in a reverse mentoring partnership as well. reverse mentoring can have huge impacts on organisations. While the senior executives learn about the latest trends from their young mentees, the millennials gain valuable insight and knowledge that their counterparts bring to the table following their decades of business experience. This results in both parties becoming more productive individually as well as strengthens the relationships between them to create more solid teamwork. The young mentor has an opportunity to learn more about the business and insider views on industry practices. At the organisation that I work, the CEO has been mentored by a millennial over the last 3 years. The CEO, in several of his recent blogs, has been talking about how this partnership has given him the chance to gain valuable insight into how the new generation thinks and works. This has allowed him to relook at his way of working and has also helped bring him closer to his employees. The mentor in turn has been learning from the CEO’s years of industry experience, which has been helping her take on more responsibilities, thus preparing her for leadership roles in the future. The partnership has also helped the mentor get inroads into the senior leadership at the company.

I recently read an article where auditing and consulting firm, Deloitte, shared their experience of reverse mentoring. The article talked about how in the early 2000s Deloitte was struggling to get its partners to embrace the power of the internet in business and look at new ways of doing business. Around the same time the company was also dealing with issues like war for talent and younger professionals demanding more time with company leaders. The team at Deloitte saw an opportunity here to pair up tech-savvy junior professionals with senior partners to resolve these issues. The pairs spent one-on-one time with each other where the partners learnt about newer technologies and the junior professionals learnt from their mentees’ experiences.

While doing some research on the topic, I came across a very different take on millennials. The authors of the article quoted the great German Philosopher, Immanuel Kant, in helping readers understand how to bridge the gap. Immanuel Kent said, “Immaturity is the incapacity to use one’s intelligence without the guidance of another”. According to the authors, if young people come across as immature, then older people need to help. Older executives should help millennials grow out of their immaturity. By engaging millennials in reverse mentoring relationships, senior executives essentially play a role in making the millennials more mature.

Another article I chanced upon spoke about another auditing and consulting firm, PwC’s different twist to the concept of reverse mentoring. While the teaching of new technologies, social media and current trends have been the main areas of focus for most reverse mentoring programmes, PwC made use of the concept to create a more inclusive leadership. The philosophy behind PwC’s initiative was if leaders were given the opportunity to see what life is like from other perspectives in the organisation, in particular of someone completely different from them, the those leaders would be more inclined to have emotional awareness. This exercise helped change PwC’s leaders’ behaviours and the way they led people, by becoming more inclusive in their behaviour and leadership style. The motivation behind launching this programme was to find a way to engage more women and ethnic minorities. As a result, younger / junior professionals from these two groups were targeted to serve as mentors. This is a very good example of an organisation taking into account the core issues they wanted to address and identifying people who embody those challenges within the organisation. The next step was to identify prospective mentors from the millennial population. PwC initially rolled out the programme at their offices in the UK, however, the success of the pilot led to it being replicated in other offices globally. By running this programme, PwC not only ensured more intergenerational collaboration, but also ensured diversity was being promoted within the organisation. It was no more left to the HR function to ensure diversity – in terms of gender balance and ethnic mix. The leaders, who participated in the programme, soon started talking about the importance of diversity and inclusion in case of recruitment, performance management and team building.  

While the concept brings about several benefits to the business, it is not always an easy programme to implement. One of the biggest challenges is the senior executives’ apprehension to learn from less experienced colleagues. To ensure a successful programme, it is important for leaders to have the right attitude about learning from somebody younger and less experienced because one can never stop growing and learning, no matter how prestigious their title is. In case of apprehension from senior executives, it is up to the CEO to set the tone at the top by becoming a mentee. The lyrics from Phil Collins’ ‘Son of Man’ resonate very well here – “In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn”.

As more and more millennials enter the workforce, it is time more companies take note of the business benefits of reverse mentoring. Not only does it provide knowledge and guidance to older workers about emerging trends, but it is also a way to ensure more active collaboration between generations.

Employee Resource Groups – just another networking group or a think tank group that directly impacts business?

I recently attended an Employee Resource Group (ERG) Summit, where I had the opportunity to moderate one of the sessions. The theme of this Summit was ‘Maximising the Impact of ERGs in India’ and the speakers in the session I moderated shared their thoughts on ‘Launching an ERG’.

Employee Resource Groups are an important component of a company’s Diversity and Inclusion programme. An ERG is a group of employees who identify with others similar to themselves. This may include, but not restricted to, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, working parents, functional level, disability, veterans, etc. The group comes together and actively engages and gathers around a unifying mission. In most organisations, membership is voluntary and open to all employees. ERGs serve as internal communities, providing personal connections and affiliation for its members and with the organisation. The key mission of ERGs is to promote the well-being of the company and develop mutually beneficial relationships between its members and the organisation’s stakeholders. Previously known as “Affinity Networks” or “Employee Networks”, many organisations’ ERGs are now transitioning to becoming “Business Resource Groups”.

Enough has been said about organisations having groups for its women employees where they network with other women colleagues – often seen as a platform for women to crib about the lack of opportunities for them or another employee engagement initiative. While that is true to some extent, that is not all that ERGs do. Previously thought of as social outlets for race or gender based workplace communities, ERGs are now an important part of organisations that operate in an increasingly global marketplace. Over the years, the work of ERGs has gathered momentum by evolving from being grassroots networking efforts, into formalised business assets that affect workplace, workforce and marketplace results. ERGs are aimed at providing support, enhancing career development and contributing to personal development in the workplace. Potential employees trust and can relate to ERG members with whom they share affinities.

Although ERGs have been around for more than two decades, it is only now that Indian corporates are realising the importance of having these groups become part of the company fabric – something that was earlier perceived as just another directive from the parent company. Organisations in India are slowly realising ERGs assist in fostering an environment that excels in Diversity and Inclusion initiatives by serving as the common voice for employees who identify themselves with a particular diversity attribute. They enable organisations to increase employee engagement, connect to communities in which business is conducted and enhance the bottom line.

The transition from ERGs to BRGs reflects an increased business focus and ERGs can have an effect on several business areas, right from Product Development to Marketing to External Customers and Employees as Customers, from Government Relations and Policies and HR Policies and Benefits to Recruitment and Retention, from Professional Development to Global Development, from Community Outreach to Cultural Assimilation and Supplier Diversity.

So, how do these ERGs / BRGs benefit the business?

1. Talent Attraction – ERG members double up as recruiters by attending conferences and job fairs, promoting the company’s work and hosting networking events. Members of ERGs usually partner with potential employees who are within their area of affinity, thus serving as the voice of the organisation. Many organisations run special recruitment drives to target candidates from certain affinity groups, like women, military veteran or People with Disabilities. I have participated, along with our Disabilities ERG, in a few Job Fairs for People with Disabilities where my organisation has hired several people. During International Women’s Day in March, many Women’s Networks organise recruitment drives for women, where women are invited for interviews. Organisations also encourage their employees to refer candidates during such drives – an employee engagement strategy. 
2. Retention – when employees start feeling disconnected or they start thinking their careers have reached a stage where they feel their careers are stalled, ERGs can address these aspects and improve retention by offering development programmes or mentoring opportunities, thus helping employees realise their potential. One of the speakers at the aforementioned ERG Summit spoke about the Professional Development programmes they run for their women employees. These programmes include trainings and mentoring opportunities. She shared some statistics of women who took up senior roles after undergoing these trainings. It has been proven there are greater returns when organisations invest in their employees – productivity and retention levels are high, thus ensuring greater Returns on Investment. 
3. Talent Development – non-management employees often look to employee networks like ERGs to develop their leadership skills, an opportunity that might not always be available to them. As members of ERGs, all employees play on an even field, thus giving each member an equal opportunity to hone their leadership skills. ERGs are considered one of the best sources to identify leadership talent and nurturing it. Leadership opportunities in an informal setting like Employee Networks go a long way in preparing employees to take up new roles in their careers. Some speakers shared how their organisations consider contribution to an ERG when assessing their employees’ performance. Another speaker in my session, a fresh graduate when he joined his current organisation, shared how he launched the Indian Chapter of their global LGBT Network. He started this chapter as a platform for him to come out to his colleagues and provide others in the organisation and opportunity to come out, if they hadn’t already. Today, this gentleman, in addition to his day job, also leads this LGBT Network. This is a classic example of how an ERG has played a role in helping him bringing his whole self to work and showcase his leadership skills. Listening to this gentleman talk about his organisation supporting him when wanting to do something in a sensitive area like LGBT Inclusion was proof of the importance ERGs have gained over the years, even at the Indian workplace. 
4. Market Outreach – Organisations that are consumer-facing, count on ERGs because they serve as vital focus groups and innovators in terms of products, product placement and understanding the marketplace. These groups can help organisations in reaching customers in untapped or underserved markets. Several organisations today look to their ERGs focusing on generations when developing new products or services. These groups have the know-how of the current market trends. 

Now, more than ever, organisations are leaning on their internal employee networks to succeed in the marketplace. They are looking to solidify the value proposition of ERGs and work towards understanding how these groups can facilitate innovation. As mentioned above, ERGs have been around for more than two decades, but much work still remains in capitalising on the true power of ERGs. The true power of any ERG depends on a company’s business goals, where leadership must look at ERGs beyond networking platform to a strategic resource. As companies around the globe work towards integrating its multigenerational workforce in ethnically diverse markets, those that realise the value of their ERGs will be best positioned for success by using them for the business advantage they provide.

Art of pronouncing words incorrectly- confidently! (Part 3)

After publishing a few posts on some very serious topics, it’s time for a light-hearted post. Here comes the 3^rd edition of my personal favourite – Art of pronouncing words incorrectly – confidently!

As I get acquainted with new people every day, I also get acquainted with new words and phrases used by these people.

So, I met someone yesterday who was very excited about the recently concluded Euro Cup. We were casually talking about the results of the game and there goes my friend, “It was such a gripping match. I was literally on tenderhooks.” As expected, I have no idea what this person said after that. I was only visualising him hanging on “tender” hooks. Little background: The correct usage is “To be on tenterhooks”. This simply means to be waiting in anticipation of what is to happen in a tense situation. Literally, a tenter is a wooden frame used to hang newly woven woolen cloth in order to prevent it from shrinking as it dries. The tenterhooks, obviously, are the hooks on the tenter used to hold the cloth in place. The figurative sense, which developed in the late 18th or early 19th century, comes from the fact that cloth hung on tenterhooks is tense and stretched. Those adjectives might also describe the mental state of someone in anxious suspense over something. (Source: http://grammarist.com/)

Moving on, still reeling from the shock, it was time for another. This one came from a conversation between two girls that I overheard:

Girl 1: I have news to share... I am getting married!

Girl 2: Oh wow! Congratulations!!! Who is the lucky boy?

Girl 1: His name is … He works in … company. Here’s a picture of him.

Girl 2: My God! He is very good looking and looks very heighted.

This last statement piqued my interest. HEIGHTED??? Did she mean he was tall? Gosh! What’s with them people!

Anyway, here are some more words I have picked up since the last edition.

When someone leaves a place stealthily, please DO NOT say “They snuck out”. Although it might be sound like the correct past tense, it is not! Let’s stick to “sneaked out”, please.

Did you know there is a shopping mall just “acrossed” the road from my workplace? Please, let’s just keep the paths of “across” and “cross” from crossing.

I often come across people who are interviewing “cannidates” for positions in their teams. I am always left wondering how these people, who don’t even know how to pronounce the word properly, are fit to conduct interviews. Do these things just not matter anymore, “expecially” in organisations where employees deal with people from all over the world!

This next one can easily pass off as the correct pronunciation, unless there is a pesky Grammar Nazi around. The word “relevant” is often mispronounced as “revelant”. Let’s give people the benefit of the doubt and let it pass as a slip of tongue or is it tongue of slip!?  

Now comes the one that really annoys me. I have no idea why people call a photograph “pitcher” instead of “picture”. A pitcher is a serving jug / jar with a handle…

I had to save the best for last:

I am happy to discuss more over a pitcher of beer!   

Is Diversity a Business Imperative?

As a Diversity and Inclusion Practioner, I am often asked what ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ means and what my work entails. I usually have a standard answer, “We look at hiring people from various backgrounds – gender / ethnicity / physical ability / sexual orientation / age et al – experiences and perspectives. We also work towards building an environment where everyone feels included and empowered to contribute towards the overall success of the business.”

After my little “gyan”, I then get asked isn’t workplace diversity a virtuous business effort like CSR or employee wellbeing – the right thing to do! By this point my patience is usually wearing thin. The problem is this “right thing to do” is never at the top of the agenda in the boardroom. There are too many other pressing matters that need to be taken care of, rather than moving the focus to issues that are beyond hard-core operations.

However, it is only now that organisations feel the need to look at workplace diversity as an imperative to improve the bottom line. Having clearly defined strategic goals and targets around diversity will have a direct link to quantifiable business results.

One would think in the Indian workplace, Diversity and Inclusion would be looked at from a different lens and not just another initiative that we have to implement because of a mandate from our western parents. India is arguably one of the most diverse countries in the world, with as many as 22 official languages, 29 states – each with its distinct traditions and cultures, from a population rich with diverse religious faiths, customs to attire. India has long embraced this diversity and the principles of ‘equal opportunity’ and ‘inclusion’ are 2 pillars of the Indian Constitution.

Diversity and Inclusion is an issue that India as a society has struggled with for a long time. Many feel there is a large gap between the aspirations of the Constitution makers and reality. The legacy of the caste system and a growing divide between urban and rural areas mean gross inequalities exist in terms of access to opportunities – education, employment, health and wealth. At the same time, deeply entrenched cultural beliefs – like the role of women in the society or the inclusion of People with Disabilities – have prevented huge sections of the population from contributing towards the nation’s holistic social and economic development.   

Over the last decade, the topic of diversity has attracted increasing attention of the Indian corporate sector. Recognising the business case for diversity, large multinational companies, with expanding operations in India, have been keen to explore how to apply and adapt their global diversity principles to their local businesses in India. Indian companies too are taking interest in this topic. Keen to compete on the global stage, leading local organisations are looking to up their game when it comes to embracing different perspectives and harnessing the contribution of all to drive business success. In addition to this, changing dynamics in India – rural to urban migration, growth and influence of the younger generation etc. – are providing impetus for Indian companies to put diversity and inclusion on their corporate agenda.

The directive of the new Companies Bill of 2013 has further put light on the role companies have to play towards supporting the communities in which they operate and ensuring greater inclusion of the most disadvantaged in the society. Having at least one woman director on board or developing skills of people in marginalised communities are two aspects of the Bill. Although forecasts estimate the gender gap won’t close until 2133, many companies are taking significant steps towards building a workplace that is devoid of unconscious bias prejudice in hiring and promotion.

So, why are companies finally starting to realise diversity is no longer a “programme” to be managed but a business imperative? What’s making companies move from looking at diversity as compliance to a business strategy? Let’s examine some reasons:

• Access to top talent and clients: By looking at a diverse slate when hiring, companies will have the opportunity to recruit top talent from a globally diverse marketplace. In order to become an employer of choice, thus being able to attract the best people, a company has to ensure it showcases diversity across all levels. In today’s increasingly transparent world, when prospective employees and clients do their research, they want to get feeling of “fitting” in to the work environment.

• Employee Engagement: Employees will feel valued when their contributions will have an equal opportunity to develop. An environment where employees can thrive as individuals or as members of a team can be a big boost to motivation and productivity.

• Talent Retention: An environment where employees feel accepted, valued and challenged is somewhere they would likely stay longer at. Retaining and developing its talent is an opportunity for a business to grow and also reducing staff turnover. 

• Diversity of thinking and collaboration: When organisations broaden their understanding of diversity to focus on, in addition to, gender, race, age and physical ability, diversity of thinking. This means getting value out of people’s different perspectives and different ways of reaching solutions. In this increasingly complex global world, looking at diversity from this angle will help an organisation see value and take cognizance of risks associated with homogeneity. Diverse teams are more innovative and will perform at higher levels.

• Company Reputation: A company that promotes workplace diversity and inclusion will be more favourable for businesses as well as customers. A company’s reputation plays an important role in its success – a company with a strong programme for hiring diverse talent, recognition and acceptance can improve internal and external stakeholder relations. A diverse workforce will ensure opportunities to create a diverse customer base.

Although diversity at the workplace is a wonderful thing, it also challenges many of today’s business leaders. For managers and team members, it can be difficult to navigate in a truly diverse workplace made up of people of different cultures, races, creeds, body types, hobbies, genders, religions, styles and sexual orientation. But understanding cultural and social differences is a major key to a high-performing, merit based work environment. In the global marketplace, it is important than ever that we understand and are conscious of our differences to work together effectively. We all bring our conscious beliefs and personal narratives about who we are and who others are with us to work and, with diversity in place, we can no longer ignore them. Truly effective leaders cannot pretend that we are all the same or that our preferences and preconceptions don’t exist.

Legislation can lead to a surface oriented diversity, wherein the numbers look good on paper, but the culture remains unchanged – what matters is results! In such an environment, the only change takes place within the minority individuals, who may likely “adopt the behaviour and attitudes of the existing organizational culture”. Improving diversity “in a statistically objective sense” matters, but leaders must also elevate an organization’s internal “perception of diversity”.

Diversity is not a recruitment campaign, but a strategy where high performing organisations recognize that having a diverse workforce doesn't only meet compliance targets, but allows them to tap into diverse perspectives and approaches employees bring into the workplace, which eventually leads to solving complex and challenging business issues. While many organisations are taking note of the importance of having a diverse workforce, many others are still at early stages of the journey in understanding that diversity is a business strategy.