Podcast

Question 1: What are your views on if you could create an HR theme documentary, what would it explore?

Answer: With my background in employee competency development (the focus of my PhD research), I see a critical gap in many organizations.

The current state of performance appraisals often feels like an annual ritual, lacking a focus on building employee competencies. This hinders the development of future leaders and fails to create a roadmap for individual growth.

My proposed document would address this. It would explore various performance appraisal systems, from outdated models to modern methodologies. It would then guide businesses in selecting the most effective approach based on their specific needs and leadership development goals. This would ultimately help them create a robust competency enhancement program for their workforce.

Leadership development is a passion of mine, and this document would be a valuable tool for businesses looking to invest in their employees. It would encompass not only appraisal systems but also mechanisms to enhance the workforce’s competencies in a way that aligns with the evolving business environment.

In short, I believe a well-designed performance management system can be a powerful tool for talent development, and I’m enthusiastic about creating a resource that addresses this challenge.

Here are the key improvements made:

• Clearer Introduction: Briefly describes your experience and passion for this topic.
• Problem Focused: Highlights the gap in current performance management practices.
• Solution Focused: Explains how your document addresses the identified problem.
• Benefits Emphasized: Underscores the benefits for both businesses and employees.
• Conciseness: Streamlined the text for improved readability.
• Stronger Conclusion: Summarizes your key point and reiterates enthusiasm for the project.

Question 2: Walk us through an example of a time when you had to overcome resistance from employees or managers to implement a new HR policy or practice.

Answer: When implementing new policies or processes, understanding this resistance is crucial. Top-down approaches often lead to pushback.

My experience at GMR illustrates this point. While leading HR in their manufacturing sector, we faced resistance when attempting to implement Six Sigma projects across various plants. Employees questioned the value of these initiatives.

To overcome this, we focused on building consensus. We engaged with department heads and stakeholders through awareness programs and case studies. By understanding their concerns and demonstrating the benefits (improved processes, reduced defects, increased productivity), we secured their buy-in.

This collaborative approach proved successful. The leaders and workforce saw the value in the initiative, taking ownership and actively participating in the implementation. This approach applies not only to Six Sigma but also to various change management initiatives, including balanced scorecards and other quality management tools.

Here’s the takeaway: Building consensus through clear communication and addressing concerns is key to successful HR policy or process implementation. When employees understand the “why” behind change and feel involved, they become active participants rather than passive resisters.

Key improvements made:

• Clearer Introduction: Briefly outlines the common challenge and its importance.
• Focused Example: Uses the GMR experience as a direct illustration.
• Solution Oriented: Emphasizes the approach to build consensus.
• Benefits Reiterated: Highlights the benefits for both implementation success and employee engagement.
• Stronger Conclusion: Summarizes the key takeaway and its applicability.

Question 3: How should CHROs tailor coaching and mentoring programs to address the unique needs of different leadership levels within an organization?

Answer: Many organizations lack awareness of the distinct roles coaching, mentoring, and counseling play in employee development. Leaders often confuse these terms, hindering program implementation.

Let’s define each:

• Mentoring: A long-term relationship focused on individual development. It fosters long-term career growth, not short-term results.
• Coaching: A goal-oriented, short-term intervention to improve specific skills or behaviors. Leaders use coaching to address immediate needs and help employees achieve business objectives.
• Counseling: Addressing past mistakes and unconscious behaviors that impact performance. Leaders use counseling sessions to provide constructive feedback and guide employees towards correcting their actions.

Program Selection Depends on Needs:

• Mentoring programs are ideal for developing long-term talent pools (e.g., onboarding fresh graduates).
• Coaching programs are more relevant for addressing immediate skill gaps identified in performance appraisals.

Business Needs Dictate Focus:

In today’s fast-paced environment, many organizations prioritize coaching’s short-term, results-oriented approach. However, mentoring shouldn’t be completely neglected.

Key points are:

• Understanding the differences between coaching, mentoring, and counseling is crucial for effective program implementation.
• Selecting the right program depends on the specific needs of the organization and its employees.

Question 4: Besides the case studies, please talk about the results of a coaching or mentoring program that exceeded your expectations—anything that you witnessed.

Answer: When GMR acquired its first airport in 2005, it was entirely new territory for the company. We lacked the expertise to manage this complex business.

• Solution: We hired international experts on secondment to create a robust coaching program. These experts coached our team members across various airport operations domains, from business development to planning and design.
• Impact: This coaching initiative significantly contributed to GMR’s success in acquiring and managing multiple airports across the globe, including Delhi, Hyderabad, and Malaysia. By equipping our teams with the necessary skills and knowledge, we were able to compete effectively in international bidding processes.

Addressing Bias in Coaching and Mentoring

Bias is less likely in mentoring programs, which are long-term, relationship-driven initiatives focused on individual development, not immediate results.

Coaching, however, presents a higher risk of bias.

Leaders who experience unsuccessful coaching attempts might become discouraged and hesitate to coach again in the future. Similarly, team members may not respond well to a coach’s demanding style, even if it’s intended to achieve results.

The movie “Chak De! India” exemplifies this potential bias, where the coach’s harsh approach could be misinterpreted.

Question 7: Please share examples of successful strategies where companies have used automation to enhance diversity and inclusion outcomes within their workforce.

Answer: In terms of automation, my experience lies in implementing SAP across various business protocols in both my past and current roles. Today, whether it’s manufacturing, IT, non-IT, FMC, and more, addressing automation demands a robust plan from HR.

For instance, in my previous company, an engineering firm with a global workforce of 20,000, predominantly comprising 14,000 blue-collar and 6,000 white-collar employees, automation across all HR domains, from hiring to separation, posed a significant challenge.

Challenges:

• Client Variations: Different pay structures, time zones, and regulations across various client locations complicate one-size-fits-all automation.
• Phased Approach: Gradual implementation is crucial. Attempting to automate everything at once can lead to failure.

Success Story:

• You successfully implemented a phased approach, starting with payroll automation and gradually moving to hiring, performance appraisal, and learning systems.
• Key to Success: Creating awareness among leaders through workshops and training played a vital role in smooth adoption.
• Diversity & Inclusion Considerations:
• The impact of automation on diversity and inclusion (D&I) is a complex issue. Here are some general points to consider:

Potential Benefits:

• Automation can reduce human bias in areas like recruitment and performance evaluation, potentially leading to a fairer system.
• It can free up HR professionals to focus on strategic D&I initiatives, such as creating inclusive work cultures and unconscious bias training.

Potential Risks:

• Algorithmic bias can perpetuate existing inequalities in data sets used for automation.
• Automation may disproportionately affect certain demographics if not carefully designed and monitored.

Recommendations:

• Conduct thorough impact assessments before implementing automation to identify potential D&I risks.
• Ensure diverse representation in teams designing and implementing HR automation tools.
• Continuously monitor automated systems to identify and address any unintended bias.

By combining your practical experience with these considerations, you can promote successful HR automation that enhances D&I within your organization.

Question 8: Please walk us through any piece of literature, book or anything that has shaped your leadership journey.

Answer: These days reading habits have waned due to the omnipresence of mobile phones.

Despite this trend, I remain an avid reader, using digital platforms like Medium and LinkedIn during travel times. However, the true transformation in my leadership journey occurred through self-development books.

Transformational Books for Your Journey:

• Who Will Cry When You Die? by Robin Sharma: This book is a key influence for you, offering valuable lessons on behavior, purpose, and living a fulfilling life. The concept of appreciating even small transactions resonates with you and has shaped your leadership approach.
• Millionaire Mind by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley: This book likely provided insights into building a successful mindset and achieving goals.
• The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy: Understanding the power of the subconscious mind can be transformative for leaders, influencing their thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

From Transactional to Transformational Leadership:

These books, along with your experiences, helped you evolve from a transactional leader to a transformational leader. Here’s how:

• Shifting Focus: You moved beyond simply executing tasks to focus on inspiring and motivating others, creating a positive impact on the organization.
• Building Relationships: The importance of understanding people and building strong relationships with business leaders is highlighted.
• Strategic HR: You emphasize the role of HR as a strategic partner, contributing to business growth through innovative programs and initiatives.

Key Takeaways:

• Continuous learning through reading and reflection is essential for leadership development.
• The most impactful books offer practical guidance and inspire a shift in mindset and behavior.
• Effective leaders build strong relationships, understand the business, and drive positive change.
• Through these endeavors, I’ve added substantial value to each organization I’ve served, cementing my role as an effective HR leader driving transformative change.

Closing Note

Feeling overwhelmed with revamping your performance reviews or implementing new HR initiatives?

You’re not alone!

Take Dr. Rasheed’s insights and tailor them to your unique situation. Evaluate your current performance management system and explore resources like his upcoming documentary. Remember, clear communication and addressing concerns are key to overcoming resistance.

For tailored development programs, consider offering both coaching and mentoring to cater to different leadership needs. When it comes to automation, be mindful of diversity and inclusion.

And, to keep growing as an HR professional, stay tuned!

We’ve got a pipeline of insightful podcasts coming your way, packed with valuable tips to propel your career forward.