MTCHRO Event – A New Beginning !

Nowadays there are several conferences happening around and with exigencies of work, it becomes extremely difficult to attend. Also some of the conferences are quite boring especially when the topics are not contemporary, thought-provoking, research based and futuristic. However when it comes to conferences organised by the talented team of More Than HR (MTHR Global), there is always something unique and different. Therefore when the invitation for the maiden MTCHRO Event came to me, I was determined to attend it. The theme of the event was Lessons in Leadership and saw attendance from several imminent personalities just to name a few; Vivek Paranjpe, Ulhas Page, Dr. Sanjay Muthal, Vijay Kanbur, Anubha Parekh Kini, Anand Pillai, Radhakrishnan Pillai, Deepak Deshpande, Ophelia D, Shamik V, Tanaya Mishra, etc and therefore despite heavy rains and traffic, I was glad I didn’t miss it. Surprisingly there aren’t many CHRO forums and therefore I was delighted to see MTHR organising its maiden MTCHRO Event. With HR professionals playing a key strategic role on the executive leadership team and even on board, it was imperative to establish an exclusive, coveted forum to bring senior HR leaders and other CXO’s together. The MTCHRO Event is an invitation-only forum that provides networking and education opportunities for C-level Executives not just within HR but even for other CXO’s. More importantly it promises to disseminate knowledge, share experiences and promote collaboration to seek solution on various contemporary HR and management issues. The value of MTHRO Event is the information, interaction, insights and inspiration one gains by hearing other people’s perspectives on a host of topics. Since it was the first event, the organisers were also interested to solicit ideas from all attendees which could help further shape the forum and even plan future events to elicit maximum participation. With the inimitable Rajesh Kamath compeering the event with his characteristic humour and wit, there wasn’t any dearth of ideas, suggestions and they came in abundance with lot of enthusiasm, just like the incessant rains outside the conference hall. Many of these ideas aimed to impart knowledge management strategies and discuss the megatrends shaping the HR and various business strategies. The event started with Amber Wigmore from IE Business School, Spain speaking about international trends in B school Talent scouting. Her speech was indeed insightful. Amber emphasised that we must,” Devote most resources to those who show maximum interest in their careers!". She further hit the nail on the head by stating "A Business School is an educational tool, not a placement service!" The next session had the amazingly talented young leader Jithin Krishnan, Founder Director, Make a Difference. Make A Difference is a voluntary organization with over 12000 GenY volunteers, with less than 10% attrition! Incredible! Today CSR has become extremely important and it is here where HR professionals can play a critical role in promoting community service. Jithin’s speech would definitely motivate everyone to practise volunteerism. In his speech he brought to light the plight of orphans and orphanages. He further added,” What orphanages really need is family support - Family our first conduit to the world!” Jithin narrated a touching story and expressed how youth are tired of being told that they are selfish. As a matter of fact, he stated that younger generation is striving to make an impact and the fact that 12000 volunteers in 23 cities devote their weekends to volunteerism attests this. Jithin also spoke about the 3 M’s: Being M.A.D., Mallus and Mass volunteerism. The final session saw the unassuming, humble and experienced Sunil Gupta, COO, Net Magic speaking passionately about his experience and emphasizing the importance of Balance. Working in large process, system based organisation for many years and then moving to a mid size organisation was a challenge. However Sunil perspicaciously shared his personal experience and educated us as to how leaders must adapt and find the perfect balance and harmony. He shared some interesting examples of office life at Net Magic which ‘possibly’ (the pun un-intended) made the audience realized the importance of finding and maintaining balance between who we are and what we want to be! Sunil also spoke about the importance of process and managing by exceptions provided there is a customer need and then regularizing it immediately is so that it doesn’t become a norm. In the same breath, he also mentioned that all Processes can be quantified but having a human touch is very important. It was an exciting event, organised at plush Courtyard Marriott hotel in Andheri Mumbai and had about 40-50 leaders and senior professionals attending it. The organization was spot-on, the dinner was delectably delicious and the speeches were very incisive. After the short speeches, everyone was busy with individual networking over fantastic cocktails. It was wonderful to come across different leaders and the evening provided them with a splendid opportunity to relax, make new acquaintances and enjoy a few in-depth conversations. Well what really started as an idea has truly transformed into a massive movement. It makes me immensely proud to see MTHR Global blossom into a sought after forum not just by HR fraternity but even by professionals from various walks of life. The fact that MTHR has been in existence for more than a decade and relentlessly continues its mission to disseminate knowledge freely is indeed remarkable. While the co-founders and core members deserve umpteen compliments, the success of MTHR Global largely rests on the prolific speakers who speak on various contemporary issues and subjects. At the same time its success is also dependant on the various sponsors and the audience who ardently attends in large numbers and participates in various deliberations and discussions. Let me profoundly thank the organisers and sponsors for their efforts in making the MTCHRO Event a great experience for all. So when you get the invitation for the next MTCHRO or even MTHR Global event, don’t hesitate; just sign up – it's definitely worth attending! Until then…Cheers !