"LEARNING MANAGER"

AGE CANNOT WITHER HIM NOR CUSTOM STALE

There are a no of attributes which are the basic prerequisites of a good manager. Essentially, he should be an effective team worker and a good team leader. He should be able to motivate his people, have excellent communication skills, job-knowledge and be able to deliver the goods. He would be branded and effective manager, only when he has all these attributes. A tall order; isn’t it? But that’s not all….

One important dimension to all those managerial capabilities, which distinguishes the spectacularly successful rising star from the common lot is however often ignored. That dimension is: he should be a learning manager of the future, because only he ,will be able to keep pace with the changing time

TECHNOLOGY UPGRADATION

There has been an explosion in technology in recent times. This has permeated to almost every aspect of management. Be it planning, production, design, and tooling, Marketing, Informatics, Budgeting, Finance or the Behavioral Sciences. These call a revolutionary approach to study of one’s own chosen field or specialization.

However, most graduates leave their books behind alongside the gowns they wore at the convocation. Very few bother, to open a book later on any subject; leave alone on the subject of the specialization.

The condition can be well exemplified by some of the general practitioners. An old LCPS physician would still be prescribing sulphur drugs pursuant to the text he had mastered in his forty’s in his college.

He is oblivious to the advances on the bacterial battle-front; of antibiotics, its various combinations and then pharmacological developments. He refuses to acknowledge study and imbibe the advent of technology, such ones will soon become extinct like the Dinosaurs who refuse to adapt to the change environment.

The acquired knowledge has to be updating, enlarged and enriched constantly. In today’s world market by an accelerated pace of development on the technological front, this is a basic pre-requisite for any professional.

INSTITUTIONALIZED LEARNING

Human resource is considered the prime and the most valuable of all the resources, the worth of which increases with the passage of time. The increase in its worth is directly proportional to the expertise of the personnel, which improves with experience, imbibing of contemporary skills; absorption of advanced knowledge in relevant fields, training, etc.

In all progressive companies the management is very conscious about its personnel- retention ratios alongside acquisition of talent, development of employees in service, forms and essential part of their retention efforts. A combination of several efforts ; search as jobs- enrichment, rotation, enlargement; exposure to innovative techniques , and off course periodic reviews of compensation packages result in a reasonable retention of acquired and trained talent.

Most enlightened employer’s have a structured Human Resource development department who take care of the basic need of updating the knowledge of employees on various fronts. This is supplemented by part-time training courses offered by a few educational institutes, subscriptions to meaningful correspondence courses, open universities registration (IGNOU), etc. Recognized professional courses offered by prestigious institutes in various functional disciplines such as costing, finance, materials, engineering, etc. are some more avenues for advancement in the chosen career.

LEARNING MANAGER

Beyond all this , there is that single-man-crusader who wishes to enrich his knowledge by religiously going through the latest technical journals, digesting modern thoughts, pouring over the old text to derive significant references and co-relating science and its applicability. HE makes conscious efforts to generally progress in his chosen field.

This learning manager is not only updating the knowledge in his chosen field but imbibing some new skills such as informatics, Computer programming, computer- aided design, graphics, etc.

He strives to add some more dimensions to this expertise by acquiring specializes knowledge in finance , cost – accounting , mercantile law, industrial regulations , licensing labor legislations , etc.

ROLE MODEL

In other words, our ‘LM’ is restless individual who wishes to progress from here to new pastures of “knowledge”. In addition to his advancement on the career path and economic well-being, “LM” directly or indirectly contributes to the organization he is serving. He is a great role model to the youngsters, too!

In our country, on account of these peculiarities of the education system, a number of deserving youngsters are denied their “right” to pursue further studies.

This could be on account of some economic, geographic or social constraints. Such brilliant youngsters accept and pursue education in whichever stream they can afford to have; followed by efforts to seek gainful employment.

Having got into the grind as a bread-winner; they do reflect on their career path. When the realization dawns on them, that their full potential was denied the opportunity to blown; they do sit up!

The next step is either total frustration or a build-up of negativity resulting in membership, in the “always disgruntled” (ADC for short). This club is thriving in today’s industrial world. The other and a more positive alternative is there emolumentation of our L.M.

MENTORING

Very often one notices a welcome phenomenon of a learning manager excepting a few protégés and offering himself to be a good mentor to them. Generally those around the learning manager are only appreciating of his untiring efforts at amazing knowledge, a few accept him as role model and a favor still are the fortunate ones who will be a direct mentoring from him. Mentoring involves advising in the right direction, monitoring the progress and ensuring post correction wherever necessary. The mentor accepts the full responsibility for the progress of his protégé.

COMPLACENCY

Normally an employee, when he starts earning his wages gets bogged down his office routine, house chores and such mundane pursuits. A certain kind of complacency so very prevalent in the rat race crepes in . To be able to overcome this”steady state” ia a great break through.

The quest for knowledge is a very basic quality in a learning manager. It is for adding to his knowledge that he strives and struggles. The motivating factor is not the monetary benefits that one may derive on account of the superior knowledge acquired. This may be an incidental side effect; and welcome too!

Another variety of an LM is a person who delves deep into subjects which are different from the area of his immediate specialization. He goes on and on, in the pursuit of knowledge in various fields. I can cite an example of a no of scholars, who were engineer’s administrators, civil servants or businessman in their vacations. But their dedicated and consistent efforts to consolidate their knowledge of Sanskrit where exemplary, to say the least.

I am resorting to this example to highlight the point that their increased proficiency in the language could have only produced an inner joy themselves and perhaps respect in their perspective erudite circles but would not have improved their earning on the economic front .

Similarly, a few engineers have pursued their study beyond the university level in specialized technologies for enriching their knowledge. Indirect benefits did accrue to them whenever some specific use was engineered by some entrepreneurs. However, this was incidental, or even accidental. There were several who did devote considerable time regularly in enjoying pure mathematics in spite of very remote chances of economic betterment through such pursuits.

EGOLESS STATE

One very common feature which is noticeable in LMs is their modesty. They are so much engrossed in their pursuits of knowledge that there is no time left for them to have ego-trips. They are at the self-actualization stage of Abraham Maslow. The only driving force is a thirst for knowledge, which increases with every attempt at satiation. Age is also not a binding factor for such individuals.

An LM can thus be described as a one-man HRD entity as a source of enlightenment for collogues and an asset to their organization.

M S RANADE
Chairman & CEO
Placewell Consultants, Pune 411007
mranade@vsnl.com

***********************************************************************