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.