Sometimes a simple and casual discussion leads you to a big
worth narrating story. Couple of days back, a friend asked me, “Have you ever
been to India? How was the experience?” My simple answer was yes, I have
visited India once, and it was a good experience.
This simple question and answer sparked curiosity in me to pen
down the experience of my Hoechst sponsored visit to Bombay (now Mumbai).
I along with three other colleagues from Hoechst went to
Bombay on ten days ‘Management Training Program’ The batch consisted of me and
Mr. Iqbal Ahmed (pharma division), Mr. Saeed Bhatti (industrial division) and
Mr. Saleem (costing department). This was a pleasant and good learning
experience which is now an indelible part of my memory.
Hoechst had its regional training center for Asia at Bombay
(Mumbai) India and every year batches from Asian countries used to be invited
at Bombay or Goa, to attend these training programs.
On some early date of January, we took off from Karachi for Bombay.
Landing at Bombay and getting through with cumbersome formalities of
immigration, custom clearance etc, we came out of the airport and were received
by a public relations officer from the hotel we were supposed to lodge in.
As we drove towards the hotel, we observed something weird which
could never be imagined in Pakistan. A huge population was residing on footpath
on both sides of the road in their small huts, sprawling over miles and miles of
area. We were informed that these poor and down trodden families and their
generations were living there, since ages.
At the check-in, we were handed over the program for the
formal training sessions starting the next morning.
Next morning at the training hall we found about twenty
participants from different divisions of Hoechst India and eight foreign
participants including four of us, besides four faculty members. For a couple of days atmosphere remained quite
formal, reserved and somewhat tense. Particularly the friction was evident
between Indian and Pakistani trainees, for obvious reasons. Then gradually we
opened up and became friendly with each other.
Even during friendly discussions and moving out socially we
found Indians quite incisive and at times poignant, in their discussions about
Pakistan. Sensing the frailty of the situation we remained buoyant and
purposely avoided discussion on politics and other controversial issues. We
tried to handle the things in a friendly and diplomatic way to avoid any bad
taste.
In the evenings we enjoyed and had fun going around the city
and the beaches of Bombay. The city was dotted with night clubs and dancing
floors of hotels like Taj, Oberoi and other hi-fi hotels, where we would while
away the evening time.
Training session
started with each participant giving a brief introduction of him, followed by
an orientation program.
The trainers were well equipped with knowledge and masterly
handled the program all along.
Briefly the objectives of the program were:
·
To provide opportunity to each manager to look
at his own habitual way of managing tasks and dealing with people and problems
that he normally faces.
·
To become aware of what a manager can do to
bring about greater effectiveness in his own performance both as a manager and
a leader of his team and further in inter-relating with other functions.
The focus was on helping each trainee in the discovery and
interpretation of his own style, attitude and approach, simultaneously to
enable him to learn and prepare to practice more significant techniques of
communication and leadership for building effective task-relationships.
To achieve the above objectives a well
curated program was designed, spreading over nine days, consisting of interesting
subjects mentioned below:
1.
Manager’s Expectations.
2.
Elements of Effective Performance.
3.
Conceptual Framework of Management.
·
Concepts of Interdependence.
·
Manager’s Multiple Roles.
4.
Communication Process and Problems.
5.
Interpersonal Relationship Skills.
6.
Leadership and Decision Making.
7.
Technical and Behavioral Aspects of:
·
Planning.
·
Controlling.
·
Decision Making.
8.
Human Needs and Motivation.
9.
Managerial Leadership.
10.
Achieving Excellence.
11.
Skills of Management of men, situations and
conflicts.
12.
Time Management.
(I could have given brief explanation on
each topic. But this blog is already getting too lengthy, therefore, if
required it can be provided in the next post).
The theoretical lectures on each subject
were very interesting and rich in matter. This was further augmented by the
exercises, like role playing, group tasks, group discussions plus presentations
and case studies. These activities helped in not only eluding monotony but gave
practical touch to what was being said in the lectures.
This occasion provided a wide canvas to us
for discussions, exchanging views and we were exposed to valuable learning, by
interacting with colleagues from other countries and cultures. This widened the
horizon, gave much clearer orientation on different aspects of management and
handling problems in the organizational settings and contributed greatly to our
prowess overall.
In the concluding session every participant
was asked to give his independent view about the training program.
Conclusion
------The take home
The above narration is meant to emphasize the significance of
training and development of employees at all levels. This enables employees to
keep continuously learning and updating the knowledge, imperative to adapt to
the fast changing tends in the technological and social dynamics of the
market.
Training has become the buzz word in the dynamic competitive
market environment. The quality of human capital differentiates a great
organization from a good or an average one.
Organizations investing
in training and development for human resource tend to achieve both short and
long term benefits. Fact of the matter is that the most vital asset of every
organization, in the face of challenges of stiff competition, is its human
capital. Training and development is an instrument that aid human capital in
exploring their dexterity.
Therefore, training and development is vital to the productivity
of organization's workforce, through which the organizations achieve optimum returns
on their investment and thrive in the end.
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