Are fresh grads & young professionals ready for primetime roles?

2008 looks like a eventful year - the next couple of years will be even more dramatic! Irrespective of the state of the US economy, Asia will likely continue its economic momentum into the foreseeable future. This will mean enhanced demand and expansion in the scale of businesses all over Asia - not just China and India. Industry will increasingly need trained human resources who are ready for the roles they are hired for.

While education institutions are doing their best to churn out "educated" graduates, I see a significant gap between the skills needed for them to be effective in their chosen careers and the skills they possess when they come to work!! I see the absence of a curriculum layer that trains
individuals to be "work-life ready" rather than just armed with a degree. Adequate work-life readiness enables fresh graduates and new entrants to the workforce to get into their grooves quickly, lower stress levels at the workplace and lead to more fulfilling careers that benefit the individual, the employer and the industry at large. A formal or informal work life readiness educational platform will also hone the skills of individuals at different stages of their profession & open up positions for capable and competent individuals who might not be armed with impressive degrees from tier-one institutions to be considered for job openings. This facilitation will become critical as Asia faces a severe "skilled workforce crunch" in the face of incredible demand generated by the economic engines in Asia.

It's hard to determine who owns the responsibility of facilitating this initiative. The government should definitely give it consideration but to kick things off the business world will have to take the lead. After all they will benefit the most...

Coping with the rising cost of the Asian workforce .. what do organizations do?

Employee related cost is not about the compensation and benefits alone. The hidden costs involving training, skills development, intellectual knowledge and associated skills, lead time in understanding internal procedure, costs around development of customer relationships are significant and far exceed visible costs of employing an individual. Add up all of this, then add the talent-cum-value component to it and you begin to realize how expensive it is to lose a valuable member of the team and then replace him/her!

To proactively prevent any of this, I believe in placing strong emphasis on people development within organizations. This not only augments knowledge and skills that help people stay motivated & productive on an ongoing basis while being aligned with the organization’s directions but also grow them as professionals and individuals progressively taking larger challenges & roles. I also value the need for recognition of outstanding achievements and celebration of success. Employees need to be made aware that their efforts have paid off and the organization has the performers on its radar! Any organization that consistently pursues these goals will create a first class workforce & build competitive advantage over its competitors by growing achievers & leaders at all levels much quicker than their competitors.

The flip side of the coin are employees unsuitable for the roles they are employed for. It is a cardinal sin to prolong with these engagements – these hurt both the employee and the organization! Organizational leadership should continually monitor these instances, provide opportunities for improvement and separate the ties (where that is the only option) as early as possible. This saves money, time & productivity for the organization and forces the employee to seek another employment that is more suitable to the personality where the individual might thrive!

Deb’s Endorsements

"Deb is one of the most knowledgeable persons of the Asia Pacific IT Market I have had the pleasure to work with. Although, I did not report directly to Deb, he was a great coach and mentor to my role in Asia."

Rick Hogan
Co-founder NetSpray
Austin, Texas
Worked with Deb at Brocade

Deb has broad and deep knowledge of the geographic markets he serves and the technology products that his team sells into them. He is also a highly respected leader who maintains a focused but fun working environment. Deb's group is professional, knowledgeable and "team" focused. I thoroughly enjoyed supporting Deb's organization and would be glad to work with him or any member of his team again.” October 21, 2008

Mark Thiele , Founder Data Center Pulse; Director R&D Business Operations, VMwareWorked with Deb at Brocade

“I've known Deb Dutta to be a passionate and motivated leader of sales. He has that rare ability to focus single mindedly on revenue goals and attain difficult sales targets without loosing composure or good will towards fellow team members. He has the gift of relating well to resellers and has created a large network of resellers who would work with him regardless of which technology or product he has to offer..” October 21, 2008

Ravi Prakash , Sr. Product Manager - Data Classification, Network ApplianceWorked with Deb at FTP Software (1997)

Deb Dutta is a very seasoned Asia Pacific executive who has successfully led and implemented multiple successful regional businesses. Over the past decade, he has built the regional business from a start-up situation to a sustainable one with USD300million in annum revenue. Deb is well referenced as a charismatic leader who leads by example and is extremely sharp when it comes to business issues. He is widely sought after for his advices on macro economic/business climate and a solid coach for personal growth & work-life development tips!

In person, Deb comes across as mature, deliberate and amicable executive. With a spirited and extroverted personality, Deb is a lively and interesting conversationalist. He is also very intelligent and constantly exudes drive & passion.

Daniel Soh
Principal CTPartners

In my role, I stay abreast of the macro-economic changes, social changes, and business trends that result from the intersection of these forces. It is necessary to discuss this with someone who can use it to draw useful conclusions. Deb Dutta is the person that I do this with and for more reasons than his position as the Brocade AP/J Regional Vice President. I do this because he has made the commitment to continuing education and leadership training for himself and for others. He is a voracious reader, capable of sensing the changes that are shaping the world acting on them. I believe that the work that Deb is doing will be a major asset to students, professionals and business leaders and would encourage those who share the same commitments to making a brighter future by educating the leaders of tomorrow.

John Bock
Controller, Asia Pacific/Japan
Brocade Communications Systems Inc.

Deb is one business leader who is able to switch seamlessly between being macro in outlook and getting down into the trenches to drive the ground objectives. His up-to-date awareness, understanding and opinions of business trends and tapestry are admirable. Yet from a vantage point, he is able to translate/interpret that macro-economic perspective into what is applicable, practical and realistic at the execution level. Despite his knowledge of the obvious (via available data), he frequently challenges the status quo and encourages out-of-the box resolutions. His mental maturity beyond his years, courage and willingness to impart are amongst the most invaluable leadership characteristics he possesses. A thought leader in every respect, I often feel blessed to be working with a walking “business guru” and “leadership Wikipedia”….

Charlie Foo
Director, Partner Business, Asia Pacific/Japan
Brocade Communications Systems Inc.

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Rising Asian rentals are not all that bad!

Commercial & residential rental spike are affecting business costs and competitiveness within Asian businesses? Is there a way to view this in a positive light?

Rental spikes have caught organizations and operating budgets by surprise especially those who are renewing leases originally set out in the post 9-11 era in a gutted real estate market.
While some regional governments have been kind in providing tax reliefs, organizations will need to go back to time tested business fundamentals to address and prevail in these circumstances. They will need to focus on costs that are within their control & reduce these to counter & soften the impact of rent related cost escalations

On a more optimistic note I see rising rents flagging a robust economy! Overhead costs are up - but so are the opportunities for incremental revenue! Higher expenses can be justified if these expanded expenses generate expanded revenue while keeping the expense to revenue ratio at par with previously prevailing levels. Efficient organizations will take this in as a cost of doing business and get on with accelerating their growth within a buoyant economy.

Non-cash modes for employee motivation and retention

Experimenting with alternate non-cash modes of employee recognition for motivation and talent retention

At work over these years, I have tried to think beyond financial and productivity metrics when considering compensation changes and employee recognition. While these metrics have been important in maintaining a successful operation, I am very aware of the fact that high-quality, strongly motivated people make or break corporate success. I believe an amicable balance can be achieved through subtle rewards - monetary, such as pay rises, bonuses and one-time cash awards, or otherwise.

Non-monetary rewards can be as impactful if not more if implemented sincerely. Organization leaders have the option of rewarding people through congratulatory notes, mentions at public forums and letting employees sincerely know that their presence and contributions make a difference. I have had no regrets whatsoever in implementing these methods and their impact in creating and maintaining a first-class work force has been very fulfilling for me.

Its not about the money, stupid!

MONEY may seem like the obvious draw but surprisingly it isn't ! Commitment to continuous learning, a performance metrics based culture where personal growth and related rewards are linked to achievement of quantifiable goals, an environment that promotes risk-taking, where business is run with a broad worldwide outlook rather than an inward focused approach and tight hiring standards that brings in the best talent into the organizations are more powerful drivers.

Top talent also thrives in an environment that provides constant feedback about them from their superiors, subordinates and peers, what they think about their organization and their work environment and how satisfied the customers are with the organization.

Top talent also looks at the organization’s leadership - their vision, bench strength and ability to execute. They also are financially literate, keenly examining the organization's financials. They understand that revenue and margins can be 'dressed-up' - they focus on the parameter that matters the most - an impressive growing CASH FLOW!

Outsourced Projects - Setting expectations upfront

My belief about successful projects involving multiple parties is all about setting right expectations and great communication. Common expectations need to be set regarding scope, timeline, budget, back-ups & contingency, resources, down-time (if any) et al. Add to that great communication at all times during the life cycle of the project to keep all the stakeholders in sync. Significant skills and track record are needed within providers to ensure consistent results.

Most often, in-house IT executives handling internal IT projects possess the requisite skills but fall short in their end-to-end implementation experience, which leads to wrong expectations, sub-optimal planning, inadequate communication and insufficient resilience which are all detrimental to the success of the project. I have also noticed that leaders in the outsourcing field 'tell' their customers what they need (based on their experience and track record of success in the customer’s industry vertical) unlike the smaller players who will 'ask' what the customer wants, while at the same time also accommodating any specific nuance that the customer needs addressed.

Customers want to talk to domain experts who know their stuff and can 'take charge' to provide advisory services or even hands-on guidance throughout the entire implementation. Honestly speaking, even the customer in many instances does not know what he/she wants at the end of the project.

Expanding business real estate - what is viable?

Alternative business hubs are an important planning agenda item for the governments of all hot Asian economies. Hong Kong and Singapore have evolved traditional residential quarters like Taikoo Shing & Tampines in recent years into residential, business and recreational destinations. Great infrastructure, glitzy commercial and retail outlets and satellite offices of prominent organizations from financial services, technology and media. These hubs help average out real estate valuations providing alternatives to owners and tenants and drive a more holistic economic development process

What normally makes business districts sought after are location and critical mass of businesses, shopping and entertainment options. In Singapore, this will further intensify as the new premier Shenton Way real estate develops and the integrated resort gets ready.

While building new business hubs might ease the congestion and soaring rentals, they will need to provide suitable alternative value propositions, similar to what the original business district does, to be considered as an alternative. The planning process by Asia’s governments’ will need to take this into consideration and put in suitable plans to drive this successfully.

Organizations need to innovate in Asia

• A culture that encourages Innovation is a key differentiator and a crucial ingredient of every ‘Gold standard’ organisation in any industry.
• These organisations have embedded this quality into its core fabric and the organisation's leaders preach and live this quality everyday setting the example for the rest of the employees to follow.
• Innovation, besides delivering competitive advantage also contributes towards building employee skills, knowledge, market share, customer base and ultimately shareholder value.
• Singapore and regional organizations can benefit significantly by encouraging an innovation led culture in their quest towards attracting high class talent, in scaling their operation and in their ability to compete with brands from global powerhouses.
• While it is easy to recognise the virtues of innovation, not all organisations succeed in implementing it.
• In addition to management commitment and creation of an innovation-friendly environment, successful organisations introduce monetary and non-monetary rewards for innovators in their ranks and establish a perception were experimentation is encouraged and failures that come out of these experimentations are not looked down upon or penalised.
• That said, it takes time to build this platform of commitment and trust. It is not an overnight phenomenon.