Panel Discussion |
Featured speakers |
Doom and gloom. Call from HQ? |
Security guard and doorman |
Not all panelists showed up. |
Concierge and waitress in the lobby |
I was in Mumbai for a “Summit”. I had been there last year as well. Here is the post from back then. Perhaps the best way to kick off a conference
is not with a depressing story. The Emcee started off with: ”One of our delegates told me today that he may
not have his job when he gets back to work on Monday”.
Well, it was doom and gloom in the Learning and Development
sector of Indian IT /IT ES. I provided
my support by drawing in my little notebook as serious discussions about “Investments
in Imagination”, “Human Capital”, “Bharat and India: It’s not the same India
for all!” etc . raged. OK, not quite “raged”.
More like diffident non-committal declarations upon persistent prodding
by the panel leaders:
PL: “Come on <> you surely have an opinon”,
Panelist: “Yes, yes.”
PL: “You must say it!”
Panelist: “Yeah, I suppose…*mumble*”
PL: “There you go folks, <> will now tell us his experience
from the helm of<< Name of a super multinational>>” Hands the microphone firmly to the panelist.
Cornered Panelist: “It’s a demand and supply situation. When
in doubt go to the basics. It’s not “One size” fits all. The situation on the ground is always
different and we must assess it before we make strategic commitments in this
recession prone economy.”
Thrusts the hot potato microphone back at PL and gulps
water.
I did learn a new term. Apparently, Indian youth suffer from a severe
‘Intent Deficit”. Turns out, it means
that they don’t know why the hell they are working.
It appears that corporations in India regularly ask their youthful
employees if they know why they are working.
And their employees aren’t giving answers the corporations want to hear.
I couldn’t take it after that. I had to duck out and laugh
into the delicious orange & poppy cupcakes served with black coffee outside
in the lobby. God bless our youth!