LEADERSHIP SPECIAL................. LEAD IN INDIA?

LEAD IN INDIA?





Before we `Make in India', let's assess the readiness of the country's manufacturing landscape

As we all know, the `'Make in India'' campaign aims to ensure that the share of manufacturing in our GDP increases significantly and India becomes a preferred destination for manufacturing across he world. That is the aim and here are the numbers. If Indian manufac uring were to reach 25 per cent of he GDP by 2022 (vs. around 15 per cent today and 34 per cent of China), t will need to grow its manufacturing by twice the rate of the projected GDP growth, consistently for the next 7 years.

Now, it is obvious that this is no easy process. It is important to think through how we will make this happen. At one end, we have to increase our production at a rate that is higher than what we have ever done before. In parallel, we need far greater investments from both domestic as well as foreign sources. This means manufacturing has to generate superior returns consistently, through improved choices on selection of assets, their maintenance, utilisation and output. In addition, other aspects of plant operations like working capital, operating costs and overheads will need to be optimised as well.

For a plant head, this means higher performance from each of the functions that are a part of his/her team. Achieving all of this, so that we grow at the required rapid pace for the next 7 years, is a daunting expectation. The bottom line is:  are our plants are geared for this?

THE CHALLENGES

Here are the three specific behaviours of plant leaders that hinder their effectiveness today:

1. They do not delegate enough:

Plant leadership teams in India have an average experience that is at least 10 years higher than their counterparts in the west. Yet they perform tasks that can be performed by people with just half their experience.

2. They do not leverage the power of teams:

The plant heads do not recognise the existence of teams and joint accountability.

3. They focus too much on the immediate and short-term tasks:

The third major pattern observed with plant heads is that they spend too much time on the immediate and the short-term tasks, thereby, taking away time from their ability to think of and contribute to the longterm objectives.

WITHIN LEADERSHIP, LIES THE OPPORTUNITY!

We have a lot at hand that needs to change and that too within a short period. However, we may all be missing the crucial point: within leadership, lies the opportunity! Leaders tend to retain information and decisions at top levels because they fulfil a misplaced sense of power and importance. They need to let go of it. Responsibility should flow to lower levels and not just sit at the top. Leaders must ensure that others in their team gain the experience of solving problems. Letting go of a solo mind-set is mandatory.

In addition to this, leaders in manufacturing have to consistently look at the big picture.

Peeyush Arya

The author is global expertise leader organisation and workforce design, Hay Group

ET8SEP15