Resident Managers-The Significant Minority

There is this traditional concept of growth in the

software industry where companies start with software development by deputing

professionals on site, then gain the confidence of developing projects offshore, and

subsequently move closer to customers by posting a techno-commercial manager in the

country they are targeting.

This is an all-too-familiar evolutionary

scenario. But what happens after they depute the manager overseas? That''s the phase which

is of great consequence to the industry, since a large number of companies have still not

tailored a suitable package to take care of their very important but loosely-held asset.

And as they say, the strength of a chain lies in its weakest link.

Firstly, the manager''s role and scope of

responsibility is quite ill-defined and he is expected to do everything that comes his way

without having the right to refuse. Companies need to understand the return on investment

on deputing managers overseas and also the expectations from them has to be realistic.

Because of resource crunch and lean budgets, the manager is expected to perform all

functions, right from licking envelops to standing in the post-office queue for sending

his mail. There is nothing wrong in this, since many well-dressed senior people can be

seen in post-office ques etc. But the question is, does our man have the luxury of this

time? In addition, he has to locate a suitable place to settle down with his family, check

out schools for his children, ensure that his wife can adjust to the new surroundings etc.

He also has to explore office locations from where he will operate. And then comes the

administration role, with all the commercial issues to be handled apart from the HR role

to be performed to alleviate his onsite boys'' perceived problems.

Normally, the manager either lacks the

necessary skills or is ill-trained to handle all these issues. While in India, HR is

handled by the HR chief, for accounts he goes to his accountant or full-fledged finance

department etc. Thus all the miscellaneous activities, which have no direct bearing on

business, become major deterrents for him preventing him from focusing on his key

objectives. Organizations normally do not budget for this unproductive time and

accordingly need to rationalize the results expected.

Now, what about the training requirements

of the manager? Usually, had the manager been in India, he would have spent at least 15

days in a year being trained on different aspects of management, outsourcing, subordinate

development, new technologies etc. But when abroad, organizations altogether sideline

these essential personal development requirements.

And motivation? Often this is the toughest

part of the psychological aspect to handle, because motivation is dependent on a complex

mixture of factors. He needs motivation because of the stress that is induced for a

variety of reasons such as, operating in unfamiliar environments, difficulty in

understanding language, food and cultural acclimatization, no peers to discuss issues and

brainstorm, isolation, technical knowledge insufficiency, business pressures to perform,

and meet expectations etc. In addition, whenever he visits clients he has the added

problem of always being outnumbered-he has to play all the roles... of marketing and

sales, quality, technical, HR, PR...etc. Finally, he realizes that there are no crutches

available for his psychological problems and he has to rely on his own mechanisms of

self-motivation...and so each manager develops his own or succumbs to failure.

We have progressed considerably in terms of

telecommunications. Companies need to communicate face-to-face with their resident

managers more frequently to avoid the sense of insulation that develops and the loss in

understanding of the Indian environment at large and the software industry in particular.

Many companies have a rigid policy of allowing their managers to return home annually.

This is a very despairing and depressing fact. There has to be a regular interaction with

various departmental groups in India and the resident manager, in order for him to develop

the evolving perspective of the organization to which he belongs. In addition, there has

to be a thorough debriefing session.

Internationally, the phenomenon is quite

different when people are deputed to different parts of the globe. Managers have several

briefing sessions before their departure to understand the new environments in which they

will operate. In addition, even the family of the manager which will accompany him is

briefed and training programs arranged for them. Such awareness and proactivity helps

considerably in reducing the culture shocks and constant complexes that develop at various

points of time, due to lack of awareness and preparation.

It is essential that our resident managers

are allowed to develop in a broad social and technological framework with a sharp focus on

the business dynamics of the country in which they reside. This will lead to a new breed

of global managers from India, who though possibly Indian at heart and in values, will

have the right balance of the global elements in them.

SUNIT JILLA