Machine operator more important than CEO - Arun Anand
by Surekha GALAGODA
[email protected]
A machine operator is more important to a company than the CEO, said
CEO TDI Infrastructure Ltd., India, Arun Anand.
Mantra to
sacrifice perks made profits
Anand
related how he turned around a company when he was the CFO by
talking to the clients, suppliers and union leaders. "The
company did not have cash though we wanted to offer a VRS.
Therefore, we offered Fixed deposit receipts with maturity
periods ranging from 1-3 years and spoke to the union leaders.
They agreed and we offered the VRS to 1,400 people while the
remaining staff including the top management sacrificed the
perks and privileges and barred everybody from getting salary
increments. This mantra worked and we made profits within six
months," said Anand. |
Anand told a breakfast meeting organised by CIMA on the theme "From
CFO to CEO", that if the CEO of a company takes leave it does not affect
the company but if a machine operator takes leave it affects the whole
production cycle.
|
Arun Anand |
A CEO is a representative of the organisation who only attends
meetings and is given everything to manage people.
The CEO has to listen to the CFO. He said a CEO is a surplus in the
organisation and added that "if you are not a surplus then you are not
successful and today the working life of a CEO is becoming shortened."
Anand who shared his experience said the journey to become a CFO was
more difficult than the journey to become a CEO and today a CFO is
closer to becoming a CEO.
"Today there are many jobs for CFOs as the global economy is going
through a recession but in a booming economy be ready to become the
CEO," said Anand.
In the past nobody thought that Indian companies would be in a
position to buy European companies but we in developing countries have
gone through the rut and therefore anything is possible for us in the
developing world.
A CFO who is aspiring to become a CEO should be a strategic thinker
and planner, eye for the top, visit customers and clients, get out from
the comfort zone, focus on leadership development and training, build
communication skills, generate and share bold ideas, help the sales
team, volunteer for duty, build alliances and partnerships, join other
boards, find a CEO mentor, groom a replacement CFO, prepare well for
board interactions and have a road map, said Anand.
Unless a person has the appetite for risk he cannot become a CEO. Be
bold and take risks.
Mistakes will be made down the road, be observant and learn from
mistakes.
Patience, confidence and being realistic are necessary. It is
necessary to plan the future and to be committed to the plan. Most
importantly, empower the team and let them handle the job, said Anand.
The CFO is asked questions on number crunching but the CEO should be
able to answer anything relating to the company.
Anand related how he turned around a company by talking to the
clients, suppliers and union leaders. "The company did not have cash
though we wanted to offer a VRS.
Therefore, we offered Fixed deposit receipts with maturity periods
ranging from 1-3 years and spoke to the union leaders.
They agreed and we offered the VRS to 1,400 people while the
remaining staff including the top management sacrificed the perks and
privileges and barred everybody from getting salary increments.
This mantra worked and we made profits within six months," said Anand. |
