My last two weeks went by quickly as I wrapped up my workstream on the project and completed finishing touches to my deliverables. My work was focused on organization design for the client’s corporate communications department. I detailed out roles and responsibilities, assigned specific activities and helped the client identify hiring requirements. I realigned the reporting structure to enable greater focus on brand building and communication through the corporate website. I introduced the client to a methodical and rigorous approach to organization design and my framework became very popular with the management.
I feel satisfied with my contribution to the project. First, governance was a significant piece of the overall engagement and I had full ownership of developing the model. Second, I worked beyond scope to build frameworks for organization design, which led to the expansion of strategy consulting work. Finally, the governance model and organization design went through multiple discussions with the client and therefore was accepted for implementation. My mentor and buddy on the project played a great role in making this a success. His guidance and support throughout the summer gave me the confidence to go over and beyond my mandate.
The internship wrapped up with a 20-minute final presentation to the leadership of Strategy & Transformation (S&T) practice at IBM. It was great to see the immense variety of projects the interns had worked on. The leaders Saul Berman and Ron Frank provoked thought and articulated insights to build upon the work presented by the team. The final presentations added immense learning to my already rich summer.
Huge credits for making my summer so rewarding go to the lead MBA recruiter who got behind the nascent program with a great amount of personal commitment. With great persistence she influenced the leadership to staff us on the right projects, provide the necessary resources and participate in sessions. Most of all, she was warm and personable and wanted each of us to succeed. I look forward to working with her
Showing posts with label Anshuk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anshuk. Show all posts
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Penultimate week at IBM
I am sitting in a stylish New York cafe and thinking how much I'm going to miss the city when I wrap up in two weeks. The combination of a challenging project and staying in the Village (NYU area) has made IBM a rewarding choice for my summer.
It has been an exciting week. For the last three weeks I have been developing new frameworks for the client to think through their organization design. This involves breaking down roles into modular activities and then matching them to skill-set and career direction of people in the organization, as well as using it to identify hiring / outsourcing needs for the client. This week my model found traction with the Head of HR and hopefully this week we will put it to use. It's an opportunity to establish a personal brand on the project and I am looking forward to it.
IBM recently published their 2010 Global CEO Study on how the nature of leadership has changed in the new economic environment, and the issues that are most important to them. Interestingly, they conducted a parallel study with students globally, gathering their perspective on the same issues. The intern group had a fascinating discussion with Partners on the study, that added insight into the stark shift of beliefs from the current generation of leaders to the next. Central to this shift are increased faith in analysis-based decision making, new-found comfort with globalization and huge focus on sustainability (ecological and economic). We had some enthralling discussions on the role of governments, social enterprises and new communication networks.
As I shape the final deliverables of the project, I am keen on defining my career path at IBM. I would like to focus my career on developing operating models for my clients. I want to help clients have nimble yet streamlined, entrepreneurial yet integrated operations. Sure, this duality is difficult to visualize in traditional management thinking, but companies like Singapore Airlines, Samsung and Starbucks have innovated at turning such trade-offs into synergies in the past. This week I will reach out to Partners for their guidance on shaping my consulting career in this direction.
It has been an exciting week. For the last three weeks I have been developing new frameworks for the client to think through their organization design. This involves breaking down roles into modular activities and then matching them to skill-set and career direction of people in the organization, as well as using it to identify hiring / outsourcing needs for the client. This week my model found traction with the Head of HR and hopefully this week we will put it to use. It's an opportunity to establish a personal brand on the project and I am looking forward to it.
IBM recently published their 2010 Global CEO Study on how the nature of leadership has changed in the new economic environment, and the issues that are most important to them. Interestingly, they conducted a parallel study with students globally, gathering their perspective on the same issues. The intern group had a fascinating discussion with Partners on the study, that added insight into the stark shift of beliefs from the current generation of leaders to the next. Central to this shift are increased faith in analysis-based decision making, new-found comfort with globalization and huge focus on sustainability (ecological and economic). We had some enthralling discussions on the role of governments, social enterprises and new communication networks.
As I shape the final deliverables of the project, I am keen on defining my career path at IBM. I would like to focus my career on developing operating models for my clients. I want to help clients have nimble yet streamlined, entrepreneurial yet integrated operations. Sure, this duality is difficult to visualize in traditional management thinking, but companies like Singapore Airlines, Samsung and Starbucks have innovated at turning such trade-offs into synergies in the past. This week I will reach out to Partners for their guidance on shaping my consulting career in this direction.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
IBM's Consulting Model
IBM continues to surprise me: this time with its super-collaborative culture. I see multiple partners working on deals together, bringing business for different groups at the company. They are able to position services throughout the lifecycle of initiatives: starting with strategy setting to implementation to business process outsourcing. In addition, they tap into an enormous range of in-house software products and technologies available to create industry-edge capabilities for clients.
Many projects at IBM have large-scale technology implementation aspects to them. My group – the Strategy & Transformation practice – usually comes in at the beginning of a project to lay out strategic direction, business case, high-level design and transformation planning. I am currently advising the corporate communications team of a global manufacturer in integrating messaging and brand-building across all regions under a global umbrella. I am redesigning the organization, designing processes for content creation and localization, defining governance framework to maintain consistent brand image, and creating strategies to win the hearts and minds of stakeholders. I hate to admit it, but a big part of my work on this project is MO. I’m building upon concepts in that class to deal with real-world challenges. I am very impressed by the detailed transformation methodologies used by IBM, which dive deep into stakeholder management and communication methodologies (remember EIS simulation?).
As you decide which consulting firm to work for, two important factors are location and work-life balance. IBM is extremely flexible in terms of location. You can stay wherever you want as long as you can fly Monday-to-Thursday to your client. That gives you immense flexibility in terms of moving around with your partner. Also, you can work from home on Fridays if there are no events or meetings, which can help offsetting the travel fatigue and balance the work-life equation a little bit.
Many projects at IBM have large-scale technology implementation aspects to them. My group – the Strategy & Transformation practice – usually comes in at the beginning of a project to lay out strategic direction, business case, high-level design and transformation planning. I am currently advising the corporate communications team of a global manufacturer in integrating messaging and brand-building across all regions under a global umbrella. I am redesigning the organization, designing processes for content creation and localization, defining governance framework to maintain consistent brand image, and creating strategies to win the hearts and minds of stakeholders. I hate to admit it, but a big part of my work on this project is MO. I’m building upon concepts in that class to deal with real-world challenges. I am very impressed by the detailed transformation methodologies used by IBM, which dive deep into stakeholder management and communication methodologies (remember EIS simulation?).
As you decide which consulting firm to work for, two important factors are location and work-life balance. IBM is extremely flexible in terms of location. You can stay wherever you want as long as you can fly Monday-to-Thursday to your client. That gives you immense flexibility in terms of moving around with your partner. Also, you can work from home on Fridays if there are no events or meetings, which can help offsetting the travel fatigue and balance the work-life equation a little bit.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Starting up as a consultant
“In matters of great importance, it is style and not sincerity that matters” – Oscar Wilde
One of the most important qualities of a consultant is to build credibility quickly – with the client, with their team and in their firm. Early impressions count heavily. The first two-three weeks of consulting are the most demanding for a fresh consultant looking to establish a good early impression. I would dedicate this post to sharing learnings from my experience that could help a fresh consultant ace this early challenge.
Always be on time. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. In the American workplace, punctuality is expected by your colleagues and clients. Set multiple alarms in the morning. Skip breakfast if you’re rushing, but be 5 minutes early at client site. In a couple of weeks you’ll smack of dependability, which will go a long way in your relationship with the client.
In meetings, listen well and contribute confidently. Never let the client feel that you are an intern. Firms won’t pronounce you as an intern in front of the client. You are expected to perform like a seasoned consultant. However, I would stress listening much more than speaking. Jot down your notes, form your ideas and speak impactfully at the right time. In a large meeting, I personally prefer to carefully rehearse talking points in my head, and then deliver them succinctly, clearly and confidently.
Consulting firms are looking for new ideas, frameworks and models to solve problems all the time. Develop new models, nurture new ideas when you have some time off your responsibilities. Then take these models to your buddies, the partners, and to your clients. These go a long way in convincing your firm that you bring fresh thinking to the table. If you do implement your model, make sure you highlight appropriately. Share the model, write a case study, put it on the knowledge base and present your work to partners.
Network well. Seek advice of experienced folks on how to shape your internship. Their inputs will not only be immensely useful to your project, but will also give you an insight into its culture and what it takes to be successful in the firm. Offer to work for your partner, project manager or buddy beyond the project. Help out in writing proposals, SOWs, project plans, etc. These are very tedious document that people are always looking for help on. You’ll be a super-valuable asset to them and they will back you for a full-time offer.
Finally, always be cognizant that the client is paying a huge hourly rate for your work. Always push yourself to deliver value that is greater than that rate.
One of the most important qualities of a consultant is to build credibility quickly – with the client, with their team and in their firm. Early impressions count heavily. The first two-three weeks of consulting are the most demanding for a fresh consultant looking to establish a good early impression. I would dedicate this post to sharing learnings from my experience that could help a fresh consultant ace this early challenge.
Always be on time. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. In the American workplace, punctuality is expected by your colleagues and clients. Set multiple alarms in the morning. Skip breakfast if you’re rushing, but be 5 minutes early at client site. In a couple of weeks you’ll smack of dependability, which will go a long way in your relationship with the client.
In meetings, listen well and contribute confidently. Never let the client feel that you are an intern. Firms won’t pronounce you as an intern in front of the client. You are expected to perform like a seasoned consultant. However, I would stress listening much more than speaking. Jot down your notes, form your ideas and speak impactfully at the right time. In a large meeting, I personally prefer to carefully rehearse talking points in my head, and then deliver them succinctly, clearly and confidently.
Consulting firms are looking for new ideas, frameworks and models to solve problems all the time. Develop new models, nurture new ideas when you have some time off your responsibilities. Then take these models to your buddies, the partners, and to your clients. These go a long way in convincing your firm that you bring fresh thinking to the table. If you do implement your model, make sure you highlight appropriately. Share the model, write a case study, put it on the knowledge base and present your work to partners.
Network well. Seek advice of experienced folks on how to shape your internship. Their inputs will not only be immensely useful to your project, but will also give you an insight into its culture and what it takes to be successful in the firm. Offer to work for your partner, project manager or buddy beyond the project. Help out in writing proposals, SOWs, project plans, etc. These are very tedious document that people are always looking for help on. You’ll be a super-valuable asset to them and they will back you for a full-time offer.
Finally, always be cognizant that the client is paying a huge hourly rate for your work. Always push yourself to deliver value that is greater than that rate.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Great start to NYC summer
New York has always been among the top cities I wanted to live in. It's full of life and color, a tremendous variety of restaurants and the most vibrant art and culture platform that I have seen anywhere. Finally my dream comes true for the summer as I start my internship with IBM. As I absorb my first week of experiencing this fascinating city, I am surprised how quickly it flew by.
My internship at IBM started with a three day onboarding class in Washington D.C. with other MBA interns from Kellogg, Booth, Wharton and Columbia. While the class itself was to familiarize us with the company and the administrative processes, the three days together in D.C. were a great way for the intern batch to bond and build an instant support network in the company.
The first week flew by in a blur as I absorbed training materials and research, and networked with consultants and partners in the Strategy & Transformation practice. The need to network with people cannot be overemphasized in a large consulting organization. Since you do not have a strict reporting heirarchy, finding ways to advance your career is in your own hands. Building a network of peers and mentors can help solve problems on an assignment and help land the engagements you're looking to work on and open opportunities in the company over a longer term.
My project starts in Atlanta next week, and it's expected have a typical Monday through Thursday on-site travel schedule. My work will be focused on organizational alignment and change management at a large multinational corporation. I hope to get exposure to my client's senior leadership and be able to identify additional strategic and operational challenges facing their business. My metric for success in the project would be to creatively solve a significant problem for my client that would result in measurable value to the client. On the weekends, of course, I will be exploring the city and making some good friends.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Musings on a train journey
Hello Everyone!
My name is Anshuk Gandhi. I am writing this post on board a train from Manchester to London. We just finished a very intense and rewarding MAP last week and I am treating myself to a short holiday in England. I came to Ross from India with 5 years of operations and technology consulting for large manufacturing companies. My first year at Ross has transformed the perspective with which I went in to solve business problems. Reflecting on my MAP experience, I was thrilled with my ability to quickly recognize strategic issues in a retail bank's business model and to lay out specific changes to their products, pricing, marketing techniques and customer relationships - all in six weeks. As I prepare to intern in IBM's strategy and transformation practice this summer, this experience gives me great confidence in my ability to do well and land a full-time offer.
Besides my love for consulting, one of the reasons for my choosing IBM over other offers was that it's based out of New York, which I like because of its pace and its vibrant arts and culture scene. Thankfully, IBM has arranged for subsidized housing in Manhattan for the summer. I do not know yet whether my client will be close to New York or I will be on the road Monday to Thursday, but I am looking forward to having some great weekends in the city.
Prior to the start of my IBM internship, I am going to spend a month in Bombay and intern for a month with GMR Infrastructure. This is a corporate finance internship and I hope to gain a deep understanding of project evaluation and financing models, which will be really useful in my consulting career. I will write on this blog about that experience and others during the summer. Until then, adios!
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