“The corporate world is not for me …”
The common perception of the corporate world is that it has a lot of tension, stress, and politics. Several people agree with the fact that they are not MADE FOR CORPORATE. Is the corporate sector about this only? Just working hard, reaching the top of the ladder, and no relaxation at all?
As mentioned in one of the earlier blogs, Tecnova was a boutique firm I used to work for. The company was into high-margin business as an India entry strategy consulting firm. The Privately owned company had a lot of clients outside India and comprised of a small team. The leaders were not expected to cater to stock market analysts as it was a private company. Due to the high margin, it was cash rich. There were no cashflow tensions. The only stress was about revenue growth, which was a positive stress.
What changed Sudarshan Jain’s view on employee importance?
The strategy was to create impact and cater to clients. This resulted in a higher share of wallets and several referrals.
The teams worked on projects and business development and worked very hard. However, they were peaceful and there was no negative stress.
As we were responsible for delivering to our clients and getting new business from existing and new clients, we worked hard and focused on working smart. Leaders were focused on client delight and helping employees outperform.
It was quite contrary to what I had experienced in the previous employer, a marketing research firm. It worked on low margins, high volume and a lot of pressure. Tensions between the management and the employees were also prevalent.
Tecnova was different. It was a fresh breath of change. There was calmness in the chaos. The stress was less, and the leaders dealt with teams in a peaceful manner. Hence it was easier to engage employees.
But what about growth?
The revenue grew five-fold in five years.
The key? Leadership was not under pressure. Leaders treated teams respectfully while they were very demanding on performance.
MORAL:
Not every business can be a high-margin business. There could be ways to manage cash flows and reduce stress levels.
If you have low margins, focus on cost effective delivery.
When the times are tough, have enough reserves. Create a pool of funds and manage debt and leverage effectively.
The listed companies should focus on delivering to client needs and delight them. The rest will follow.
For the hashtag#employees focus on working with companies that have a good business model and are financially prudent.
Work for leaders who create sound business strategies and manage execution well.
Create a peaceful environment. Peacefulness combined with passion and purpose will ensure perseverance. That will improve the performance of the company.
Peace is also necessary for Gen Z to thrive. Hence it is an essential component of our hashtag#employeeengagement model.