Even as big corporate houses and multinationals harp on the importance of resourceful people management practices, entrepreneurial ventures are not behind in transforming themselves to adapt to new leadership and management trends. Ravi Sharan, Managing Director, Artifacts India, talks about policies and practices in their small, yet professionally-run company

What is the difference between a CEO in an entrepreneurial organization and a corporate organization?

The major difference between the two can be given by an analogy from the Hindu Religion where an entrepreneur is more like Brahma and the Corporate Manager is like Vishnu.

For an entrepreneur, it is an unlearned and uncharted course with most variables remaining unknown and with no pro-active skills and no precedence in place. Even the smallest challenges hole untold and huge repercussions and an entrepreneur has to start from scratch.

Every step is a continuous learning process, where the big challenge is to translate learning to put into a system in place and create a culture. And at every stage, the entrepreneur has to suffice with meager resources and lack of a system.
A corporate CEO, on the other hand, has a great challenge of continuing the ethos and plays a role in organization in difficult times. Apart from being an entrepreneur while continuing to perform the duties of a corporate CEO; sustaining growth and anticipating future opportunity also lie in his domain.

However, the dividing lines are dissolving and the situation is more turbulent and challenging for both in the current scenario.

How does an entrepreneur create an organization that is sustainable with our without his/her persona?

While, there is no magic or written formula for this; there are, however, a few ingredients that can lead to a successful recipe.

Sustained hard work, sharing knowledge, identifying people with integrity and knowledge, trusting individuals, giving space and constant infusion of knowledge and personality learning can lead to a team being created. But the growth in geometric proportions can happen only when your core team also follows the same dictum to make the process sustainable. The trick is to let go emotionally, both control wise and attitudinally.

How do you retain top performers when they have reached the level just above the CEO? Where is the growth path for those individuals in an entrepreneurial organization?

While I have still not reached this happy stage, but if we constantly grow, innovate and capitalize on a person’s core strength, build around his other strengths and eliminate his weaknesses then spiritual, intellectual, financial and professional growth is bound to become an ongoing process.

What are the biggest challenges you have faced in terms of people management?

The biggest challenge in terms of people management is to make employees focused on work without distractions and align to the organizational goals. It is also important to make employees aware of their own strengths on which they can capitalize and grow.

What does HR function mean in your organization? Who does the role of HR?

The HR function currently retains a clerical & documenting character in ours and most other organizations of our ilk. The HR hat per se is worn by the Management as there is a constant effort to motivate, educate and harness the capabilities of the team.

What mechanism of reward and recognition you have in your organization?

The mechanism has to take into account not only the pecuniary reward and recognition but also the employee’s social, leadership and security needs. Their self actualization and growth needs are equally important. We try to constantly monitor the team’s measurable performance along with their attitude, loyalty and willingness to contribute.

For this, the formal performance measurement system and close personal contact go hand-in-hand. We have hardly any dropout or attrition in the performing staff because apart from the pay hikes, we give them other incentives and growth opportunities

What is your advice in terms of people management for somebody that is starting his/her entrepreneurial venture?

A great Indian Saint has demanded for only two qualities from his followers. These, to my mind, are all encompassing if viewed in the right perspective.

These are Shradha (Faith) on yourself and on those around you and the source (that you acknowledge or pray) and Saburi (Patience) in whatever you do, without loosing sight of the objective or the deadline.

If there is an apparent conflict in the above then it’s because of our lack of understanding and this dictum is by no means fatalistic in nature. Nothing comes without hard work and tremendous initiative and innovation. People management is only a result of your whole personality and attitude.