'India, new cradle for corporate leaders' : Franklin Covey

Mumbai, Apr 1 : Asia-Pacific in general and India in particular is emerging as emerging as cradles for developing leaders suited for changing economic landscape, US based global consultancy firm, Franklin Covey has observed.

The emergence of knowledge-based corporate environment in leui of traditional Industrial age model has resulted in the need to implement people-centric type of model to retain customer loyalty and employee engagement.

'' The difference between a well-performing coming versus an average performing one, with the level of knowledge and skills of employees at same levels comes down to consistency in delivering which translates from involvement and participation of the employees towards the company's strategic goals.

Our studies have shown that in many companies, less than 20 per cent of the employees are aware of the company's goals,'' stated Franklin Covey, Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Whitman here today.

It is therefore the responsibility of companies and organizations clearly spell out the strategy and constantly train employees on skills required to meet challenges. Leadership should also encourage employee involvement and accountability.

'' Many companies are not clear about the matrix on how to acheive their goals. Leading employees to follow a policy of '' playing not to loose'', when they should be playing to win.

Successful conditions occur when employees understand what their goals are, and when their contribution is appreciated leading to a win-win situation,'' said Whitman.

A new model- ''Execution Practice''- based on knowledge age sweeping the world that includes moral leadership that helps inleash talent and doesn't look at employees as cogs, developed by Franklin Covey can be applied beyond the corporate sector to include non-profit organizations, government departments and even the military.

Many companies including Unilever, Citibank, Nomura and Indian blue chip companies like Mahindra and Mahindra (M and M) have adopted the model even during recessionary period and are now reaping the rewards.

'' Many companies, with short term vision, cut down their training component in their budgets during the recession and gave away pink slips to their employees inspite of us having warned them of the long term consequences. Before they finished distributing their pink slips, the recovery happened and they have trouble recruiting new talent,'' observed FranklinCovey, executive chairman, Franklin Covey (India), Rajan Kaikar.

The advantage that an economiy like India aqnd Asian region has is a large pool of young people with talent and skill with underlying philosophy of more equatible distribution of windfalls compared to a top-down system followed in the EU and US.

'' The inclusion of Indian women in the country's corporate world is also an asset for the company. Women, Indian women in particular, are more sensitive to issues like equality and employee welfare that will help a company in the long term,'' Franlin Covey, Global operations Co-COO, M R Covey added.