Honoring future CEOs
On 9th September 2018, managers of the 8th Executive Business Management Programme (EBMP) batch moved a step closer to becoming future CEO’s in their respective fields. Although eagerly awaited by all, this day was filled with bitter-sweet moments. Sweet because it was an accomplishment and a milestone in their professional careers; bitter because it was an end to the beautiful, one-year journey of learning and friendships at IGTC. The atmosphere was brimming with excitement and positive energy as the managers arrived with their families. Children walked in with a cheeky sense of pride into their parent’s graduation ceremony. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined that they would get to see their parent’s graduation.
The dais for the evening comprised of Bernhard Steinruecke, Director General, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce; Thomas Fuhrmann, President, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce; Chief Guests Avinash Chintawar, Vice President – Plant Technical Head, Bosch Limited and Sanjeev Taneja, President & Managing Director, Region India, Evonik India Pvt. Ltd.; and Radhieka Mehta, Director, Indo-German Training Centre. The graduation ceremony commenced with a beautiful dance performance of the Ganesh Vandana by one of the managers, Priya Daryani.
“Where are all the ‘bachas’ in this crowd?” Mr. Steinruecke asked as he began his opening address at the EBMP graduation. “The bachas are the future; the entire ceremony is for them! They are going to be responsible for their parents’ pension after all. We need to focus on the future. India needs to get moving in a major way to fill the development gap. And since there is time for the bachas to grow up, the people who can help fix this development gap are the EBMP graduates, the future CEOs of industry.”
The opening address continued with Thomas Fuhrmann, President, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, expressing his joy for being present at the event and interacting with the young students.“As a part of the German fraternity we are honored, to be able to touch upon and contribute to what we call the German Style of providing training to the society. We are humbled that as managers, you are very happy to receive this knowledge and make your job even better.”
So, what does an EBMP graduate have to do to be a successful CEO and a successful employee at the same time? Avinash Chintawar, Vice President – Plant Technical Head, Bosch Limited gave the graduates an insight on the importance of pursuing higher studies and how can they channelize this into developing new skills, getting better job satisfaction and continuing the process of learning throughout their professional careers. Not just being content and satisfied with being a high performer at work or achieving materialistic goals but also working towards a higher purpose in life.
The keynotes continued with Sanjeev Taneja, President & Managing Director, Region India, Evonik India Pvt. Ltd. He began by congratulating IGCC and IGTC for doing such an incredible job in bring the German fraternity together. Mr. Taneja, too reiterated on having that ‘purpose in life’. He made reference to a Ted Talk by Simon Sinek, motivational speaker and organizational consultant, who spoke about how leaders can inspire cooperation, trust and change. This talk changed his way of thinking profoundly and how he was inspired to work toward the outcome.‘If you do something do it with passion otherwise don’t do it’ he quoted and concluded his talk by emphasizing on continuous learning.
Finally, it was time for the graduating managers to take the stage. What makes a CEO? A question put forth to all by Olive D’Silva one of the graduating EBMP managers. The answer to it seems fairly easy, but as we all know what seems easy is never really so easy! According to her, a great leader should have three qualities.
- First, if you do what you did, you get what you got. Leaders should be open to accepting change and look at it as an opportunity than as a threat.
- Second, learning should be continuous in one’s life and it is an essential element which needs to be inculcated into a human being, let alone a leader.
- The last quality is one of the famous management principles given to all students by the operations faculty at IGTC, Boman Moradian. Have no double standards in life. People would need a high EQ to abide by that principle in their life.
The journey of the past year at IGTC has enveloped all three quotients: Change, Learning and Emotional. The bond that the managers have shared with the IGTC faculty and team was evident, as the managers remembered specific lessons from faculty lectures and even included witty one-liners about the professors in their remarks. With humility, all due respect and a standing ovation, the managers and the IGTC team jointly felicitated and honored every faculty member present in the audience one at a time. Words and emotions fell short as gratitude made its way from the heart for these living legends!
There were families of the batch, who also wanted to share their journey while their spouses, fathers and mothers were away studying. Arya, daughter of one of the Bosch managers, missed her father while he was in class but also poked fun at him for studying so much at his age. The spouses too had lot to express about their better halves as they saw the changes that programme brought in them. It is truly said that with family support, one can achieve their dreams.
The celebrations had begun as ceremony was close to its finale and what better way than inviting our EBMP Alumni who were in their nostalgic state. Rajesh Jakhmola, National Sales Head – Linde Material Handling India, said that he was back in time when he was students and could relate to very jargon used during the ceremony. Shankar Kottur, General Manager, BASF India Ltd. recalled how the programmed excelled him to communicate with his peers and how practicing all the things that were taught in class has helped him achieve his goals in life.
Finally, Radhieka Mehta, Director, Indo-German Training Centre, concluded ceremony by a vote of thanks to the dignitaries, faculty, alumni, participants and their families.
The spirits were high and the stage was set for a musical game of Antakshari. The room echoed with some old and new songs and while everyone cherishing the moments.
We wish the managers the very best in their path to becoming future CEOs of industry and like the faculty, Moradian Sir quoted, “Don’t let this stay a dream”.
