On the occasion, Mr Kewal Handa, Managing Director of Pfizer delivered the convocation address. In his address, Mr Handa outlined the changing global landscape and the need to understand the new mantra of success.
Talking about NMIMS, Mr Handa said, “In a short span of time NMIMS has earned a unique name for itself. The Institute has a dream of becoming a global center of excellence. I have no doubt that this dream will be very soon fulfilled.”
Urging graduates to plan ahead, Mr Handa said, “You are at a very critical junction of your life. All the new graduates might be feeling a sense of achievement. However as you are stepping into a new world I am sure you will be measuring every step and asking a question, have I made the right decisions in my life?”
Quoting futurist Alvin Tofler and noting the fast changing and turbulent economic scenario, Mr Handa said, “Today as we look to the future, there is no certainty at all about where we are going or how to get there. We no longer see a straight free way stretching into the horizon. Instead we find ourselves staring at the end of the road. What lies beyond the end of the road? Alvin Tofler describes it as “ Terra Incognita “ – The un-chartered landscape of tomorrow. Up ahead we see a world of chaos and uncertainty. A world of accelerating change.”
The future will be based on intellectual capital, said Mr Handa, “A world where economy will be based not on land, money or raw materials but on intellectual capital where competition will be fierce and markets will be merciless.”
Talking about the skills needed in the new world, Mr Handa said, “New times call for new resources. You need completely a new vehicle that can handle rough and uncertain landscape into which you are traveling. Some of the research work done recently shows that a successful manager needs certain competencies beyond basic knowledge and experience.”
Mr Handa outlined following competencies:
a) Business Excellence cluster:
Adaptive thinking : Strategic insight into business – you need to be open and have the ability to think beyond the current state of the business.
Entrepreneurial drive : Experiment with new models, new businesses, when necessary break conventions and set new standards.
Excellence in execution : Bridge the gap between the blue prints and the results , the budgets and the outcomes and provides a sense of urgency and focus which ensures goals are accomplished within reasonable timeframe.
b) Energy cluster:
You need to be a team player and drive towards energizing the team. Play the team leadership role of inspiring the team – Drive change personally and set an example.
c) Managing the Environment:
Networking – Reach out to wide network for ideas and problem solving. Keith Ferrazzi in his book “ Never lunch alone” said successful networking is about giving not getting. Valuable networking is not about building contacts but is about building and nurturing genuine relationships.
Organizational awareness: is to imbibe and get the feel of culture of the organization.
d) Inner strength:
Executive Maturity or Emotional wisdom to respond to others help the person to channel his energy wisely and enabling him to help and inspire others. Transcending Self: Courageous dedication to super -ordinate goals. To do what is right you have to go beyond both, your career and the success of the business, you have to imbibe high values and stand by it.
Ending his address by drawing management lessons from sports, Mr Handa said, “Most of the award winners are like skilled Golfers – They don’t hit the ball straight and hard. They think their way around the golf course.’
