Of Potential, Profits and Philanthropy

[caption id="attachment_5533" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Mr. V.Balaraman "][/caption]     It was the fourth day and the fortnight was in full swing. The day commenced with Mr. V. Balaraman, Co-founder & Director, Boardroom Advantage Consulting sharing pearls of wisdom drawn from the book of life . Balaraman has spent decades in leading positions at various corporate houses. With his thought process packed in an aptly titled presentation -‘Being everything you can be’, he whipped up the zeal in the students to realise their full potential. The session resonated the tenor of Neev 2016 – Roots in Reality. Striking a sombre cord, recalling the sad images of an inundated Chennai and the entailing death and destruction, he said he was impressed when he saw a group of youngsters travelling to the city to help those who were in distress. An attitude and gesture so welcome in those trying moments. Balaraman was honest enough to admit that in his heyday his concerns were more about himself and his career than anything else. The thought of serving others or philanthropy seemed unreal and too theoretical. Then weaving together the two thoughts,he referred to Maslow theory of Hierarchy & Self Actualization. According to him ‘Self Actualization’ believes in ‘ What a man can be – he must be’. An individual who is self actualized is the one who embrace the facts and realities of the world. They don’t judge others. Self Actualization is an enabler that helps an individual to know what is his/her purpose in life. It is self actualization that helps us attain meaningful relationships and living in harmony with society. [caption id="attachment_5534" align="alignleft" width="300" caption=" Mr. V.Balaraman with Prof Mohan Chandra"][/caption] He cited the example of a British sculptor who was working on a sculpture in the searing heat in Mahabalipuram unmindful of the scorching sun. Out of curiosity, Balaraman asked them how could he work in the harsh conditions. The sculptor said he was absorbed in making a beautiful mermaid and hence least affected about the external environment. It draws out the role of self actualization in realizing goals unmindful of rewards or accolades or other insignificant details or deterrents. A self actualized person never considers the work or task as a chore or burden. It is fun. He cited the example of leading artists such as A R Rehman, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, or Lady Gaga, these personalities have deep passion and dedication for their art. He quoted A R Rehman – who has said “Music has never felt like work’.Drawing examples from popular brands, contrasting monumental success stories and failures, he advised students to be careful of temptations in marketing which can lead to failures. The session was followed by Q&A and the students were deeply impressed and motivated and instilled with thoughts of ‘Self Actualization’. Second Session of the day had Mr. Indusekhar Chandrasekhar, Chief Marketing Officer, Jupiter Capital speaking to the students. He with his presentation titled “If” focused on the parallels between marketing and literature. In his address, he discussed the marketing concepts which according to him are imperative and can be related to the situation described by Rudyard Kipling in his poem,'If '.According to him, ‘Marketing needs to be like a cat’ – to cushion the fall and impact when a product fails. [caption id="attachment_5536" align="alignright" width="300" caption=" Prof Githa Heggde with Mr. Indusekhar Chandrasekhar"][/caption] He advised the student to have versatility and perseverance. He further mentioned that marketing is all about intensity and for posterity. As a marketer, it is important to connect with all kind of people. Showcasing a Coca Cola Advertisement ‘Hill Top’ directed by Mr. Harvey Gaboe in 1971 and then a more creative and revised version of the same by the Google team for the digital medium, he brought out the fact that how Mr. Harvey Gaboe's wish to “buy the world a Coke” came true four decades later through that creative and award-winning project with Google. It gave the young audience, to understand how advertising and marketing concepts have changed over the times and the new tools of advertising formats have come to rule the roost. According to Chandrasekhar one should never underestimate the power of any medium. He also briefly spoke on Bill Waterson’s – Creative process.He also highlighted the importance of 'having fun'.   The Panel discussion of the day spotlighted the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility. Chaired by Prof Dr Hema Doreswamy, it was an animated discussion of the various aspects of CSR in India and how it has been instrumental in addressing some of the social challenges and needs.   [caption id="attachment_5537" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption=" The Audience"][/caption]