Noticing the Mahindra "War Room" participation certificate placed on one of the shelves just behind him in his big corner Managing Director's office, I could not resist asking him: "What did you gain out of this War Room?"
"We are like axe. Hathod, you know. Constant use leads to its sharpness getting blunted. Sessions like this help you find some spark and (become) aware of looking at our business from a different perspective," says he in measured tones sitting across the massive MD table littered with lot of stuff. Simply put, he benefited. That's good.
After all, the venue is IIM-Ahmedabad, the ultimate management education temple in this country. If the WR session is not year long but a week or so, so what? Transporters getting bragging rights. Until Mahindra group hit upon the idea of hosting such management executive sessions for transporters, no conventional transporter would have dreamt of entering the portals of such high class educational educations. IIM-A returned!
What's there to learn for the transporter fraternity who've this business in their DNA, huh? Well that used to be the attitude.
Besides coveting the bragging rights, truly, these sessions are opening their minds to take a new look at the business holistically - right from "maintaining" proper books of account! Rather, slowly and gradually but surely assist them move from "lala" type organization to better managed or professionally run outfits. Need of the hour as the business is getting tougher. It's just a question of time, before big boys from overseas or existing big boys of MNC on the Indian soil would quietly clean the slate of Indian transport ecosystem.Why go that far? Even homegrown start up disruptors from IIMs-IITs are breathing down the neck already, scripting the annihilation of the decades old traditional transporting dhanda!
Changes are apparent. At Sikri, Inder is equally planning big. He has inducted his nephew Mayank, London-educated Automobile engineering backgrounder, into the business since his return in 2015. The bespectacled youngster, waiting for his cousin (Inder's own son) to join post his overseas education soon, exhibits lot of positivity.
"No, no. I was not pushed into this family business. (I) was clear that I would return to India to do this business 100%. There was no temptation of staying and working outside India," adds Mayank, seated next to the left of his uncle, the presiding deity currently at LTC Logistics.
Nice to hear such positivity from Genext of transporters who are constantly worried about the fate of the business they had built. What if, their wards say 'Nyet" to continue the transport legacy citing the "dirty" tag attached to this business? Why "dirty" tag demands a separate chapter - or perhaps a book even!
Inder does not have to worry. His wards have greenlighted the succession plans. "Our children are dreaming of 10x turnover over next five years," chortles a beaming Inder. What's his current 'x' is between him and me! Perhaps ask him next time you meet him!
The shy Mayank was not para-dropped into the executive chair - his business card reads, Operational Manager - on Day One. "I had spent time crawling under the trucks' belly and not understanding what a "kamani" is! And getting my hands, clothes dirty daily." Boastful, indeed of Mayank. He was prepared for such things because, as he puts it beautifully: "Äm more of a shopfloor and hands on guy. Love that noisy and dirty ambience to air-conditioned cabins and excel sheet magic".
However, something did not click well for this London returner. What's that?
Wait till next installment.
Ciao!
CLICK here to read Visitor's Diary: LTC Logistics-1
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