HOW TO GROOM LEADERS, ICICI S T Y L E
Take very deliberate, calculated decisions:
Why did the directors take a very calculated decision—and a very risky one at that—to send Sanjoy Chatterjee, then all of 34, to head its subsidiary in UK? "We wanted some of the top performers to be internationalized. In the same way, Rajiv Sabharwal was given early exposure to rural—again, a very deliberate decision,” says Mr Ramkumar.
Train people to take the heat:
Dealing with stress and pressure are part of life at ICICI. The high performance culture starts at the board meetings itself, where executive directors are grilled by the entire board. And for most newcomers, this can be an unnerving experience. ICICI has now started simulated training for potential board members which gives them a real sense of an actual setting.
Don't worry about going wrong on the calls you take:
In judgement calls, the risk of going wrong cannot be eliminated. In case a person fails, there is no witch-hunting. It's treated as a part of the training cost. Multiple cycles are given to the guy before I jump to the conclusion whether to persist with him. The cut-loss call is also taken aggressively.
Perspective building is key:
At the highest level, more than building skills, the focus is to expanding perspective. At ICICI, Harvard and McKinsey will conduct a new program for senior leaders. With the help of films and case studies, participants get a more holistic understanding of the social, political and economic situation in Africa, Latin America and China—key geographies that will prove crucial in the bank's international foray.
The buck stops here, literally:
Having an elaborate process for leadership development sounds impressive, but how do you tie in accountability for results? If the bank is forced to hire frequently from outside for its senior leadership roles, it is seen as a signal that the process isn't working. And that's not good news for Mr Ramkumar, who has 50% weightage for leadership development in computing his annual bonus. The stakes are high for Mr Kamath and Ms Kochar too, who have a 25% weightage.
Take very deliberate, calculated decisions:
Why did the directors take a very calculated decision—and a very risky one at that—to send Sanjoy Chatterjee, then all of 34, to head its subsidiary in UK? "We wanted some of the top performers to be internationalized. In the same way, Rajiv Sabharwal was given early exposure to rural—again, a very deliberate decision,” says Mr Ramkumar.
Train people to take the heat:
Dealing with stress and pressure are part of life at ICICI. The high performance culture starts at the board meetings itself, where executive directors are grilled by the entire board. And for most newcomers, this can be an unnerving experience. ICICI has now started simulated training for potential board members which gives them a real sense of an actual setting.
Don't worry about going wrong on the calls you take:
In judgement calls, the risk of going wrong cannot be eliminated. In case a person fails, there is no witch-hunting. It's treated as a part of the training cost. Multiple cycles are given to the guy before I jump to the conclusion whether to persist with him. The cut-loss call is also taken aggressively.
Perspective building is key:
At the highest level, more than building skills, the focus is to expanding perspective. At ICICI, Harvard and McKinsey will conduct a new program for senior leaders. With the help of films and case studies, participants get a more holistic understanding of the social, political and economic situation in Africa, Latin America and China—key geographies that will prove crucial in the bank's international foray.
The buck stops here, literally:
Having an elaborate process for leadership development sounds impressive, but how do you tie in accountability for results? If the bank is forced to hire frequently from outside for its senior leadership roles, it is seen as a signal that the process isn't working. And that's not good news for Mr Ramkumar, who has 50% weightage for leadership development in computing his annual bonus. The stakes are high for Mr Kamath and Ms Kochar too, who have a 25% weightage.
