Minding the Tree ?

For past 3 days, newspapers are full of reports / articles / debates and interviews re the planned takeover of Mindtree by L&T

In one report, founders / promoters have expressed fears about the possible mismatch between the cultures of Mindtree and L&T

I have no clue about the culture of Mindtree,  but having worked in L&T for over 30 years ( 1959-1990 ), I have a fair idea of L&T culture

Question :

How can one delve deep into the “ Minds “  of the employees ( Trees ? ) of L&T, in order to unravel the nature of that culture ?

Answer :

Search for hidden clues in what they might have written about L&T .

One such source ( although somewhat superficial ) could be :

https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Reviews/Larsen-and-Toubro-Reviews-E41782.htm 

But those keen for a deeper understanding would want to go through :

http://hcplntstory.blogspot.com/2016/03/ramesh-d-grover.html 

These are 51 essays ( ? ) written by ex-L&T employees , - each narrating an “ incidence “ that happened around them , while working for L&T

Through use of certain words / phrases , each of these “ real life incidence “ tells a story about L&T Culture

In the following tabulation, I have summarized a few of those narratives , listing the words used by those ex-employee writers and the corresponding “ L&T Culture “

I urge Mindtree founders / promoters and employees , to take out a few minutes to read all the 51 articles , to allay their fears of any perceived “ mismatch “ of the two cultures

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Narrative Title	Contributing Employee	Words found	L&T Culture described
Ramesh D Grover	H R Shenoy	please , giving birth to an organization and nourishing it , smile, freshness, gem of human beings, solving problems, helping,	Helping colleagues, Collaboration ,  Friendliness
Office Stationary & Reimbursement	KN	controls and restrictions, art of bypassing control	Love for details, Cost Consciousness, Tendency  to  control small expenses
Meeting Larsen and Toubro, in person	M Subramanian	he fired me for washing my hands well before the shift time, “You also look out for this person before leaving the bus.” a car was arranged to drop me at Kurla Station, all the machines in working condition, if I am somebody it is due my employment with L&T /  proud of	Easy accessibility to Top Management , Loyalty, Pride of Association, Concern for personal problems of Employees   Recognition of an employee's contribution to Company's growth   Shop-floor Discipline
Forward	A Y Divekar	suggesting corrections, not wanting to apply a brake his career development,  That earned him deserved respect,	Suggest - express freely to bosses     Concern for development of subordinates   Acknowledging contribution of a colleague or a subordinate
Then & Now	Arvind  Rao	uniform clad , following road rules, write all important communications using duplicate or triplicate books and carbon paper, no job was ever complete till the paperwork was done own up to mistakes, burning midnight oil, always answered on first ring, time for others,  knew our colleagues littlest pains, shared the jubilations of everyone’s achievements, met socially and formally and generally got a lot more done in less time, one big happy family with healthy rivalry, ethics and values dearly upheld, people who could do the work of four –	Hard working    High ethics and values   Family  feeling   Performance  pressure   Sharing triumphs and tribulations High level of Efficiency  Prompt response    Long working hours     Admission of  mistakes     Emphasis on last mile - no loose ends    Respect  for  rules
A Soft Landing in L&T	K Narsaiah	We were offered lunch in the canteen, He told me to hop in, That happened to be my best innings	Concern  for  candidates
The English Teacher	Nattu Aravindakshan   Jairam	he never liked big gathering and wasting time.    but there was one spelling mitake, perfection, purity and rigour, gracious, complimented me and acknowledged my evolving skills.	Perfection    Love for details      Grace      Acknowledging Merits in others   Complimenting on achievements
Never Ending Learning	A M Rao	not a dot out off place would be tolerated, crisply worded, grammatically correct English, tucking away every paper subject-wise, date-wise, we used to practice cataloguing and filing in neat chronological, alphabetical and physical order !  remembering spelling, grammar and basic courtesies,	Courteous Communication    Love  for  details     Systematic   System Orientation     Methodical     Emphasis  on  correctness     Intolerance for sloppyness
Collect, Store and Recall	Kodam Narsaiah	efficient and successful , neatly dressed	To be always presentable and smart-looking    Premium on Efficiency  Penchant  to  succeed
L&T Works , OK	R K Seth	visionary leadership, where only L&T-ites' children were allowed to get admission. company-wide launch TQM, giving me opportunity, TQM initiatives	Vision  for  future      " Forever  learning "  attitude    Willingness to  experiment      Emphasis on  continuous  training    Providing opportunities to Employees   Concern for  children of Employees
Leadership Qualities	Rishikesh Joshi	HHL set it as tradition, going through shop floors, The tradition still continues, Great leaders set great traditions which become part of culture...	Leadership qualities   Setting  traditions      Mixing with employees

For an “ In Depth “ understanding of L&T Culture, readers may want to look up :

[ A ]     L&T Culture

[ B ]    Nostalgic Chairman

[ C ]    THE  NIGHTMARE  YEAR

[ D ]    L&T  Switchgear  &  Other  Stories  

            Free .pdf  (or send an email to  hrshenoy1941@gmail.com  )

              http://www.dodol.pw/azvcdaaaqbaj

            Printed & Kindle edition

             https://www.amazon.in/L-T-Switchgear-Other-Stories/dp/1945825499

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20   March  2019

Rsvp ;  hcp@RecruitGuru.com

L&T Culture

L&T CULTURE 

I was with L&T from 1957 to 1978. I noticed two different cultures during this period. One before 1974 and one after 1974. Some changes were very obvious and some not so clear.

I had very little to do with the company after I left them except for occasional visits on behalf of the World Bank when the Bank was studying Cement sub sector and Capital Goods sector. But always read about the company as a tiny shareholder. I used to analyze the annual reports with great interest and raised questions. A few times, I was denied answers just because I was an ex L&Tite. 

There was a time when HHL personally interviewed candidates as it happened to me in 1956. 

Some of us, who were present at the function to celebrate the Magsaysay Award to HHL, will remember I recollected some of these stories. NMD used to have Shri Ganesh puja at his house and used to invite employees and some customers as well. HHL had once invited me to his house in Denmark when I was visiting Denmark. 

What is the culture now, I don’t know. I wish I knew but things are different now. I have no grouse as the world cannot remain static. Old things fade away and new things take their place. I suffer from one problem that I know inside story of how the company changed from one culture to another and who were the players of that game. Perhaps, I will take story to the other world with me. 

Some in the group were my colleagues during my career with L&T and they know what I did and what I did not. I have no regrets. L&T made a man out of this rusty individual from Rawalpindi who was sent to IIMA and HBS. I cannot ever forget these kindnesses. 

Best regards to all L&Tites.

SPG  [  s  p  goel  ]

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On Sun, Jul 8, 2018 at 7:07 PM Haridas Shenoy <hrshenoy1941@gmail.com> wrote:

What is L&T Culture?

I am not sure whether it should read as ‘What was L&T Culture”. Because, most of us retired people are not in touch with “What is”.

There is an email from UV Rao to DN. I am in the process of formatting it properly and adding a couple of small details. I will circulate that separately; you can read it if you have not already. It brought out a few points of L&T Culture, one of them was customer orientation.

John B Monteiro, in his Preface to the book L&T Switchgear & Other Stories, has highlighted the word 'gratitude' flowing all over the place in various articles.

1                    HCP now seems to have started by analysing an article which he and I wrote about Ramesh D Grover which appeared in L&T Switchgear & Other Stories. In fact, when I wrote and edited that, I did not analyse the way HCP did.

2          In response I received the following email from Gurudatt Kundapurkar 

ex-Parts Dept., Earthmoving & Mining Equipment, Group I. [service from 1960 to 1997] addressed to DN and cc to me.

To: Dr. Nath,

Your sharing the summarized tabulation of L&T Culture motivated me to share the following experience. 

Non-Hierarchical :  

I had the privilege of briefly jotting down the Parts Department’s initiatives and achievements in a particular year.  You will be amused to know that this was asked for by the then Parts Manager for filling up his annual evaluation form. To my embarrassment he large-heartedly told me that I could do it better than he himself could.

Can there be any greater or more generous non-hierarchical spirit in L&T than this, I wonder! For obvious ethical reason I cannot divulge the name of this manager even though he is not alive now. Trust you understand my predicament and also my belief that my sharing the spirit of this instance   gives us yet another dimension of the L&T’s healthy Non-hierarchical Culture.

 3                   My (HRS) own view

L&T Culture comprised of many elements. I have been highly influenced by the caring culture, making one feel important (genuine appreciation) and (internal) customer orientation (since I have no role in dealing with external customers.

3.1      Caring culture

HCP was a part of this. He was my boss from 1965-1971. In 1967, I wanted to pursue higher studies. The only part time option was Costing – evening classes.

For 1 year, he allowed me the option of working 38.5 hours a week, instead of 47 hours – a privilege available to unionised office staff, of course sacrificing a part of my salary.  

I did not appear for the final examination but what I learnt during that one year helped me a lot and is helping me right now as a part of Tejora Technologies.

He cared for his subordinates.

3.2      Making one feel important

KL Kanthan. In 1971, I had to make a choice between two bosses – whom I should be reporting to. Luckily, I did not have to. KLK told in no uncertain terms to the other one “Shenoy is my man.”

VS Shiroor. In 1991. Fast forward twenty years. Group XI had been formed. Service Departments were to be split. Group XI wanted me to move over there. I was reluctant. But it would have been suicidal to declare so. I kept silent.

One day RK Gogia summoned both of us. He gave a 15 minute sales talk on why I should move over. We both silently listened.

I remember only one sentence from VSSr, as he was called then. “My Department needs me more than yours.” No comments needed.

3.3      Internal Customer Orientation

I did not feel it much but there was a perception that Switchboards and Standard Products were step-brothers. I was identified as a Standard Products man though I never felt or acted so.

I retired on 29^th April 2000. In the morning I went round Switchboard Assembly Shop, among other shops and offices, announcing that their pain is over. However, one workman, with whom I had interaction because of frequent breakdown of computer terminal, told me in Hindi “Who is there for us now?”.

As if my Department was to shut down because I was retiring.

Let me rest there for the time being.

HR Shenoy, 7666128505

Co-Founder, Tejora Technologies Limited, tejora.com