DIRECTOR SPECIAL..................Ratan Tata knew How to Use Words to Trigger Action

Ratan Tata knew How to Use Words to Trigger Action

R Gopalakrishnan, director Tata Sons, retires on December 25, 2015, after a long and distinguished corporate innings. Gopalakrishnan discussed his career and his writing in an interview with ET Magazine.

Edited Excerpts:

On becoming a writer

My first book, The Case of the Bonsai Manager, was published in 2007. I wrote one each in 2010, 2012, 2014 and now Six Lenses is actually dated 2016, so one every two years. I started writing in the '80s for The Economic Times. I wrote under a pseudonym Ram Bhadra and was paid `25,000. I had started a scholarship with that money at the IIFT called the Ram Bhadra scholarship.

On how his two employers, Unilever and Tatas, compare

I met Ratan Tata and he explained what he wanted to do with the Tata brand. I thought that would be interesting, something new.I had worked with only one industry and here I would be looking at multiple segments. Both the Tatas and Unilever are businesses that are more than 100 years old. In 1940s Unilever said in India they want to be an Indian company with foreign owners. When I joined the Tatas, I also heard Ratan Tata say, that Tatas are not buying companies abroad to change Jaguar Landrover or Daewoo into Indian companies. They had to remain British or Korean companies with Indian owners.

On Ratan Tata

People of great character have three attributes: first, virtue or courage in the face of fear and adversity; second, self discipline energised by willpower; third, commitment to a core set of moral values that govern their style of living. Ratan Tata demonstrated these attributes as shown through his actions during the well documented challenges like the Bengaluru airport project, the Tata Finance episode, and the Singur situation. Emotions move us, and Ratan Tata knew how to use words to trigger motivations and actions.

On his HR role at Tatas

My contribution to HR, if any, was indirect as the HR chief re ported to me. I feel satisfied in a small way that so many chief executives connected with me early during their career, creating the “warm, illuso ry feeling“ that I just may have had a positive influence.

Suman Layak

ETM29NOV15