360 Magazine has concluded its most-contested survey – “The Most Favorite Manager 2005″ – and the winners are an interesting mix of people. From IT legend Ajay Chowdhry, to the popular Alok Bharadwaj, to the shy kid-on-the-block Ram Prasad – they all find their names etched in the channel s Hall of Fame. During the two weeks that the voting was on, it was interesting to see how partners diligently voted for the man who kept his promise. It was not designations that attracted the votes, nor was it powerful brand names that interested the voters. It was purely person-driven.
At a time when most companies are fighting more aggressively in the market place, it was refreshing to see, that despite all the marketing glitz, it’s the people behind the brand who still matter. It reinforced the fact that we live in a people-oriented world. No matter what the size of the company, if the people who drive it are dedicated and sincere, their efforts are noticed and remembered. Companies build the brand, but it’s the team behind the brand which builds the legend.
A long time ago I was given an interesting piece of advice. I was told that when you are evaluating a company, don’t look at the project but look at the management. A strong management team can turn around even a bad project. Over the years I have seen the truth of this statement, many a times. Sometimes you see great projects going to dust, and sometimes no-shows raking it in. And if you look closely you will see that it is one outstanding person or team which is responsible for the success.
The daily struggle to earn a living makes us sometimes overlook the fact that men matter over money. When investing in a product and brand, we should also remember to invest in the people related to it. For, the time and effort invested in the brand will earn us good margins, but the effort invested in human resource will reap a bigger reward, it helps us build a relationship that goes far beyond a brand.