A glimpse into the industrial visit to the Mother Dairy Plant!

 - KRITI BANSAL

On the cold winter morning of 10 January 2015, braving the chills, a bunch of 33 fervent students of Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, assembled in the college premises at 9 A.M. for the fantastic opportunity to visit the industrial plant of Mother Dairy in Patparganj. The visit was organised by Management Interaction Cell, SSCBS. It was truly a unique learning experience for all of the lucky students who got the opportunity to accompany the MIC team for this visit.

The students were accompanied by Ms. Gurjeet Kaur and the journey commenced with a half an hour bus ride to reach the plant in Patparganj. The very first impression about the plant was immensely favorable. The entire unit was clean and well maintained. First, we were taken to a conference hall where the tour conductor, conducted a brief and informative interactive session. She lucidly outlined the history of Mother Dairy and how it was established under the Operation Flood- 1 in 1974. She also explained in detail about how milk is first collected, transported, the 23 quality control tests that it undergoes, how it is clarified, pasteurized, homogenized, standardized and finally delivered in the markets for consumption by the ultimate consumers. The students interacted with the coordinator, actively participated in the session and asked many questions to clarify their doubts. The coordinator encouraged and appreciated them for this. Various facts about the production capacity and sales volumes of the plant were also discussed. Further, we were shown a small documentary film of the Mother Dairy plant depicting the process of milk production.

After this, the coordinator took us on a round around the plant premises showing us the various automated equipment, processors, filters and the huge tanks and silos required in the entire milk producing process. The quality control tests, for checking the presence of urea and soda in milk, which the coordinator practically demonstrated were the most outstanding feature of the visit which made it a fascinating experience for all of us. The entire plant was automated and computerized which ensured the hygiene standards required for milk processing. Once we had a first-hand exposure to the various processes, we were served flavored milk and ice cream.

Knowledge and fun were the ingredients of the day. On the whole, it was a truly enriching experience where we got to learn and understand actual work environments. The visit gave a different dimension to our learning and a glimpse into the real business world.

Team MIC thanks all the students who are always so keen to be a part of such visits and we at MIC, will keep on organizing more visits for all those who could not be a part this time.

THE THOUGHTFUL LEARNER

- ANUSHKA NEGI

Our mind goes into the ‘sleep-mode’ or rather the ‘indifferent-mode’ whenever the topic, learning is brought up. The ‘learning by thinking’ concept might seem to be a very recent and a rare one; but in verity it is being practiced by one-and-all. Let us all rewind a bit and go back to 29^th September,’14, to Narendra Modi’s compelling and striking speech. How many of us replayed the speech in our minds again-and-again and planned (at least) to participate in any one of the cleanliness campaigns around the city? Is this awakening not learning? It certainly is.

The difference between the terms thinking and reflection is that the latter has a sense of judgment (though we often use them interchangeably). Where thinking can happen anytime, reflection only happens after something done, said or thought.

Does reflecting upon one’s performance help in improving it? Yes it certainly does. Speaking of a professional environment, reflecting upon your day’s performance, evaluating it, finding the loopholes in it and devising a newer and a better plan of action evidently helps. This does not apply only to the working class. It holds an equal importance in the life of students.

In today’s times, studying and playing are not the only elements in a college- or a school-goer’s life. Where on one hand they try to be actively involved in the extra-curricular activities in their respective colleges or schools, on the other they also try catching up with the latest episode of Sherlock or Modern Family (or Game of Thrones). The minds of the youth are more occupied than ever before. There is so much to do, and they want to do it all. This leaves a very little or rather no scope for any kind from introspection or reflection.

Here are some useful tips which will certainly help you to reflect more -

Ø  Read More – It is a well known and appreciated fact that reading helps in rejuvenation and provides food for thought. But two things. Firstly, reading anything does not help much. Try something which will satisfy the intellectual you. Secondly and most importantly, reading alone is not sufficient; try reflecting upon what you have read. Though it sounds very clichéd, try learning something from each book that you pick. George Bush has rightly said, “Reading is the basics for all learning.”

Ø  Be Optimistic – Your optimistic mind and thoughts (the positive ones) help each other. Where optimism facilitates positive thoughts, a better thought structure leads to optimism. Optimism in thoughts helps in introspecting and reflecting better, as in we are able to point out our mistakes (on the professional and mental front) and try to correct them. This helps in improving our performance the next time we try our hand at the same activity.

Ø  Do What You Like – Studying engineering when you are a born photographer or studying finance when you want to be an actor (all of us are 3 Idiots fans) is quite pointless and worthless. Doing what you really love rejuvenates and brightens your thoughts. You end up planning all day how to go about your particular field, thinking of new innovations, and have your own perfect ideals from the particular field. I’ll take my example: I am a business studies student and took it up because I really wanted to. Off late, I have been making plans (and that is all I do) about having my own start up. I’d like to quote Mr. Ranchhoddas,” kya hota agar Lata Mangeshkar ke papa use bolte ke tu fast bowler banja?”

Ø  Have Healthy Discussions – Having a healthy discussion (or a debate) with your peers always helps, provided it is something informative. Where a discussion regarding why a contestant in Bigg Boss has white and green hair would hardly benefit anyone; debating on what Boko Haram is doing or Bilawal Bhutto is saying will not only help in elevating your knowledge levels but also feed your mind with better topics to think of.

     Well the points listed above are not exhaustive (they can never be), one needs to devise their own methods of improving as a person and a professional. Where learning from thinking is quite elementary, improving performance through reflection and introspection is difficult.

      And as Confucius, the Chinese philosopher has rightly said, “Learning without thought is labor lost, thought without learning is perilous.”

UNFOLDING SUCCESS BY BUILDING STRONG TEAMS

- JELLYBEAN SINGH

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." This was aptly quoted by Mia Hamm which directly reveals the motive of why effective team building is required. 

An individual alone cannot lead the team to the path of success. No matter how talented the individuals in a staff may be, unless they function together efficiently, they will not be able to achieve the required level of performance. It takes a great deal of coordination and cooperation on behalf of the entire team to be able to reach the zenith of success. It is quite evident in today's scenario that a workplace is often an area of conflict among individuals. A conflict arises when there is a clash of incompatible interests between workplace participants. In every organisation whatsoever, people work in teams that have either a leader or a self-driven team member to lead. While these teams are the building blocks in the office environment and are used to improve the operations and results, they are also a source of grave competition. It is this team building scenario that is often seen and noted to promote the productivity of the employees as well as the organization.

Team Building is a source of motivation for the employees wherein groups of workers communicate through a series of planned events that are fun and motivational. These events can be used to determine strengths in an individual’s personality, such as leadership skills which can benefit the individuals by giving them greater job satisfaction and the opportunity to realize their full potential. This is a circle of reward, with positive feedback following positive action; a far more efficient way to have efficient workers. Job satisfaction is an important part of a person's work-life. Feeling worthy, part of a team & having a sense of achievement within the work environment are essential elements to happiness. These feelings can motivate the workforce and ensure that their work is the most productive. Working on the premise that satisfied employees yield more productivity, companies often find that team-building events positively affect the outlook and results of individuals, teams and the company as a whole. Team building also serves to identify and utilize the strengths of team members thereby increasing team productivity. When people who rarely work together meet on a common platform to communicate, they might discover that they enjoy the interaction and continue bond with different people back at the office. Those who previously may not have been getting along will have to forget their differences in order to overcome an impediment purposely designed for the same which would possibly diminish their dislike as they work together for a common goal.

Management plays an important role in team building as well. No group of people will become a team without the commitment and support of executives and managers. The result is greater satisfaction for the employees and improved performance for the company.

5 things a manager can do to build a team effectively are:

Play to Individual Strengths

Encourage Transparency

Establish Ground Rules

Let Them Know You Stand By Them

Provide an Incentive

Hence, the aspect of team building should be taken into account by every organisation. After all, creating a team means bringing together people with different skill sets and varied personalities to work towards a common goal--a complex undertaking.

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SANTA CLAUS- The Super MANager

Vaishali Sethi

Ever wondered how our dear old Santa Claus manages to give gifts to so many children across the world, without any delay and without any mistake? … Yes he MANAGES it. What makes Santa one of the best known managers of the world?

Just sit back and recall the little rhymes and X’mas songs learnt at school, after all its Christmas time.

1. Rudolph the red nose reindeer …. Santa knows how to get work done through people. He, like a prudent employer, keenly observes all his employees and understands whom to contact and deploy and for what work. This is absolutely necessary in the corporate world where competitiveness is the buzzword and one has to have the right persons at the right work. Santa knew that Rudolph with his bright and shiny nose would be best fit for the foggy night, so he chose him.

2. Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you drive my sleigh tonight… Choosing Rudolph was a decision with not just one but many reasons! It is known that his red shiny nose had made him a kind of social outcast and it was Santa who brought him back to the mainstream. He knows how to keep his workforce happy and contented. A manager has to understand that he cannot achieve the business aims all alone; he has to assign work to his sub-ordinates. An ideal manager makes his people feel important and wanted. …You would go down in history… He knows that his success lies in success of his employees and he ensures that his team members are recognized and are successful.

3. Ever heard of Santa missing deadlines, reaching children even one day late? Ever heard of any child ever meeting Santa just because he was late and the child was already up by then? The obvious answer is NO. Punctuality is Santa’s priority and it is this punctuality that he is a favourite among kids. The Santa charm ceases to fade away. If all managers meet their target deadlines and complete their tasks with extreme precaution, well, a lot of management theories will find their place in the trash!

4. He’s making a list and checking it twice… If someone makes a to-do list, checks it twice and adds point 3 to it, well, I suppose, it just does all the work. There has to be extreme accuracy when we do our work. Planning is the first and the most important step in management. The manager must have his goal well within sight and he must have a strategy, he must know the appropriate tasks that he has to undertake to achieve the set goals. This management skill can also teach us a lot about compiling and reviewing data, removing redundancies and duplicities. ‘Checking it twice’ part can help eliminate most of the unwanted mistakes that might have crept in.

5. He wants to know who’s naughty or nice… Well, an able manager must know the good, the bad and the ugly truth of their customers and suppliers. So does Santa. He has to treat the naughty and the nice ones differently. Serving both on the same platter may end up being unfair to the nice ones. Basic management seeks to differentiate between the good and the bad. Good or the Theory Y subordinate/ workers/ employees must be given better treatment because they deserve it and keeping them in good humour will only benefit the organization in the long run. Non-performers or reluctant workers or simply put, the Theory X employees must be dealt very differently.


6. You better watch out, you better not shout, you better not cry, I'm telling you why…


Santa Claus is coming to town!! .. Dependability. Extreme dependability. The simple surety that Santa will come, come on time and that once he comes, all would be good makes Santa the most dependable and by far the best loved person in the world. Imagine parents luring the kids to sleep and then understanding that there is no Santa around. Horrifying! Wouldn’t it be? Meeting deadlines keeps customers confident in our ability to service them, and keeps their customer experience a positive one. Santa might give big business houses with their flamboyant 6 Sigma or 9 Sigma approaches a run for their money.


7. The concept of Sante di Gaddi… Go to Punjab and you might find a SANTA SINGH with a turban instead of the conventional Santa cap. A Santa from Tamil Nadu may be seen wearing a dhoti in place of the red pant! Even in places like India with predominantly non-Christian population and extreme regional variations, Santa Clause has found his way into every child’s lexicon. The key word here is adaptability. Think global. Act local. Our good old Santa has the ability to adapt himself to all the cultures and specifications that are desired of him. Have you ever imagined Santa speak Spanish or Hebrew with a little child from rural interiors of India? Do you think he will speak Marathi with people of Argentina? What if businesses make such mistakes? Will they survive?


8 The big kind smile… Honestly, I do not know anyone who associates gloom with Santa. He is the cheerful old father figure, always there as a symbol of benevolence. His is a perfect tale of service with a smile. He has been up on his work since times immemorial and still handles it with perfect ease and dexterity. A happy boss will lead to a happy workforce, and thus a happy organization. The customers will be happy and so will the results, earnings and profits be.


9 He knows all the customers and their needs – Santa knows where the kids have hung their socks. He knows what they want. Have you ever seen Santa gift a pink pair of bellies to a teenage boy? Ever seen Santa give Khushwant Singh books to a new born baby? Well that’s why we all love Santa. He is not like the organizations which produce products and then force the customers to adapt to the new products. Anticipating and fulfilling customers need is very imp for success of a business enterprise, especially in today’s scenario when the consumers prefer individuality. It is an era of customization. A happy customer is the biggest asset that any organization can ever have.


10 No complaints… only good work.. Santa never complains, falters in duty or gets tired of it. The good work speaks for itself. The work is worship. And thus Santa is revered. Best of managers not only supervise, they are hardworking people themselves. Work when done with a positive attitude ceases to be mere work, but becomes a source of joy, happiness and fulfillment.


With these little tips laced with delight and seasoned with warmth, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.



May the lord bless us all with management skills like our very own Santa Claus…!!