Page 31 - Sept-2020-Issue

ARTICLE

increasingly popular. Narrating business from his father M. S. motto that every hotelier, aspir-
her secret behind success, she Oberoi and expanded the group ing student or hospitality profes-
once stated, 'Ironically, I found in strategic locations across globe. sional should work and live by is
the strength not in work but in Talking about his lessons, he once ‘Be the best in whatever you do’
taking time off.' She further stat- stated: 'During the course of my success will soon follow.'
ed, 'Cooking is a science. A good life I learnt many valuable les- When Jack Welch, assumed lead-
dish is about right proportions sons from my father, but the one ership of GE in 1981, it had a
and not who has made it.' lesson that helped me channelize ninety-year history, the company
Stating his lessons as business my career and the way I work was stock traded at $4 per share, and
leader, Azim Premji once stat- his saying, 'Do not always think the company was worth about
ed: The First thing I have learnt about wealth. Wealth will come, $12 billion, eleventh best on the
is that we must always begin do the right things.' And I have stock market. It was a huge, di-
with our strengths.... that can tried to follow that 'I do not think verse, company that included 350
give us the energy to correct our of personal wealth, and if you do strategic businesses. But Welch
weaknesses;.... The second les- the right things then everything believed the company could be-
son I have learnt is that a rupee will turn out alright, expressed come better. Within a few months
earned is of far more value than Oberoi. 'People have often asked of taking over the company, he be-
five are found..... In my own life, me 'what is your real strength in gan what he called the hardware
I have found that nothing gives the company?' and I say 'people- revolution. It changed the entire
as much satisfaction as earning, they are our real asset'. 'The one profile and focus of the company.
our rewards.... The third lesson I Welch said, 'To the hundreds of
have learnt is no one bats a hun- as leadership is all businesses and product lines that
dred every time. Life has many made up the company we ap-
challenges. You win some and about anticipation, plied a single criterion: can they
lose some. You must enjoy win- Communication, motivation be number 1 or number 2 at what-
ning.... And if you do encounter and action, hence ever they do in the world market-
failure along the way, treat it as more than ever before, place? Of the 348 businesses or
an equally natural phenom- product lines that could not, we
enon.... The fourth lesson I have business leaders have to closed some and divested oth-
learnt is the importance of humil- be ahead of the curve in ers. Their sale brought in almost
ity. This brings me to the value anticipating threats and $10 billion. We invested $18 bil-
of gratitude.... It is important to lion in the ones that remained
first acknowledge what we have opportunities. Winston and further strengthened them
received.... Nothing in life is per- Churchill once stated 'there with $17 billion worth of acquisi-
manent.... The fifth lesson I have is nothing wrong with tions. What remained (in 1989),
learnt is that we must always change, it is in the right aside from a few relatively small
strive for excellence. One way of supporting operations, are 14
achieving excellence is by looking direction'. Dr. J. J. irani world-class businesses…all well
at those better than ourselves.... rightly observed that we positioned for the 90's….each one
The sixth lesson I have learnt is have to go global in every either first or second in the world
never give up in the face of ad- respect: in your ambitions, market in which it participates.
versity. It comes on you suddenly In his book called 'Winning', he
without warning.... Always keep in our commitment to also emphasized 'Before you are a
in mind that it only the test of fire business ethics, in our leader, success is all about grow-
that makes fine steel.... The sev- corporate governance, ing yourself. When you become a
enth lesson I have learnt is while leader, success is all about grow-
you must be open to change, do in our benchmarks for ing others.' Welch’s strong lead-
not compromise on your values. value creation, in our ership and ability to focus have
'Remember, those who win are communication practices paid incredible dividends mak-
those who believe they can'. in everything. ing GE as one of the world’s most
P.R.S Oberoi inherited the hotel valuable and admired company.

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