Conundrum : Diversity and 20 years plus professional experience

These are two diverse topic. Not only corporate India, but also globally corporate are grappling with the thought of how to manage "Diversity" and senior people having experience of more than 20 years.

Diversity: 

Corporates are eager to find ways to increase diversity in workforce and board. Even professional colleges are lamenting the low level of diversity. All of them searching for answers to increase participation of the women in the workforce. Some professional colleges in india are giving additional marks in entrance examination to increase women participation. On the other hand, a trend is seen in the corporate world to reserve certain position for the women. Recently, it has made mandatory to have certain number of independent directors in the board to be women. Alas, promoters are now appointing their women relatives as independent directors flouting the spirit behind it. 

Guess, in order to promote diversity, society should be empowered enough so that women can be given enough educational and professional opportunities to excel in their chosen field. Diversity should not be promoted at the cost of gender issue. It should be level playing field where men has to change its outlook towards women as they are still in driving position. The credo should be let the best talent win the game and slowly and steadily women should be treated at par with men.

20 years plus professional experience: 

There is a intense debate going on the corporate world whether the resources who have more than 20 year of rich professional experience are good enough to go on in the light of fast changing business environment. 

Financial Services and Information Technology  are the two industries which are evolving fast and furious and today's skill set may not be relevant tomorrow. The question is whether junior and middle levels are equip more with the latest knowhow and senior leaders are unable to cope with the changes & this becoming burden on the corporate. Yes, there is no right or wrong straightforward answers.

The idea is to have right mix of the young and senior professionals. The ideas can be germinated  by young generation while shepherded by the seniors who have seen several business cycles. 

Now a days companies, just to lessen the cost burden, trying to shed the senior professionals by making them redundant on the pretext of change in business environment. However, one can not doubt the experience they bring on the table. The key idea should be  let the person should be judged on the basis of his / her competitiveness and deliverable rather than just on the basis of seniority. If seniority and out of skill is the criterion in the new emerging environment, than those who are proposing ( must be senior professional) should go first, which, we have rarely seen.

Modi Wave : Risk and Reward

Well, equity markets are now approaching the frothy valuations. Scrupulous companies are raising funds through whatever means to take advantage of the high risk appetite of the investors. There is a distinct wedge between the fundamental valuations and current market pricing in certain sectors of the economy. This could converge with the growth in the economy and thus justify the valuations.

Modi Government is taking methodical step by step approach rather than big taking bang approach to bring much needed change in the Indian economy. Several such initiatives are already taken..

• Labor law reform in the some states like Rajasthan & MP; Maharashtra to follow suit
• Resolve to clear mess in the energy sector; One major step is to auction coal mines to private parties
• FDI is Railways and Defense
• Decontrol of Diesel which was unthinkable in recent past
• Expenditure committee to review and make recommendation for rationalizing the ever increasing subsidies
• Transforming the Image of India globally through recent development in USA, Australia,Japan and  G 20 summit 
• Resolve to bring Goods and Services Tax (GST)
• Clean India Campaign : Cleanliness and Hygiene go together which we have been as  a country lacking for so long.. Though look like it is a very clever campaign so that BJP can reach across the country without any opposition. 
• Several on-line initiatives to be taken to cut down on bureaucracy which can bring down corruption at the margin.

Well, above list is just illustrative, however,all such steps are in the right direction to take the country forward.

What about corruption.. Surprisingly government is silent on Lok Pal Bill ( Ombudsman). It is understandable that there entire focus is on the "Growth" while capturing low hanging fruit. Citizen usually fell happy if there is a growth all around them despite with similar level of corruption as if they are getting wealthy. 

It is a long haul journey we are undertaking with new government. Take a dispassionate view on politics. They have the ability, and now what it takes, intention to deliver. It is imperative to stay invested to test the resolve.