In business, one has to constantly interact with people, and work in teams across a range of product, geographic and functional areas – and a full range of competencies need to be deployed to deal with the situation at hand.
Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla
Today’s world is no less than a racing track, and to ensure that you stay ahead, you have to hustle each day. To stay in the race, you have to be a “master” of all trade and not just confine yourself to one part or a thing. Aditya Birla Group is the same. It is in this race since 1857, almost for 162 years and have touched upon the lives of people in 34 countries.
They have grown into a multinational conglomerate, operating in different industries like Agribusiness, Chemicals, E-Commerce, Finance, Mining, Retail, Telecommunications, Textile, Wind Power. They show that it is important not only to be a leader but also make sure to cover not just one, but all realms of it.
The group’s firm Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Ltd. Sells brands like Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Van Heusen and Peter England. Out of these Allen Solly and Van Heusen have changed my way of style. The way I dressed while I was working or now when I attend some formal occasions at my college give a statement about me. The way I walk around in those well fitted outfits have given me the confidence I never had. To make sure people notice me and my presence. As it is said, first impression is the last impression. Such a small thing but it has made a big difference.
Everybody has a certain time in life, where they struggle to the core, and then rise up, again. The same moment for me was when I left my job and was preparing for my MBA entrance exams.
Firstly, the decision to leave a well settled job, with a good company, and then taking the plunge to do something I am very unsure about whether the results will be in my favor or not, was not an easy thing, as it seems to be. Even on the last day, I was skeptical of leaving. But then, there was this inner -conscious that helped me to judge better. From that day, to the day when I appeared for my CAT exam, I just had one fear, what if this doesn’t comes out well, but I was determined to believe that whatever good or bad thing comes out of it, I won’t bow down to anything and will do everything that I can to achieve what I want.
I gave my exam, and it was the worst try ever. I did not feel like giving other exams. I came home, sat and cried for hours, but got up, sat down to study for the next exam. The second exam, I could only manage to clear the 2 cut-offs out of 3, and hence could not clear that too. I was heartbroken, and the zeal to study started to diminish. More than that I feared to be a failure for my parents. I had my last NMAT exam in December, I wanted to give the last try for this. I got up again, did what all I could and sat for the exam. The day was such, I did not realize that did the exam go well or not. I came back home, slept for some time, and started searching for some job openings that matched my profile. It was in January that I got my result. I managed to cross the cut offs, and then was asked to appear for interview. I was in the lower bracket of score in the test, and hoped that my GD and PI will help me cover it up, and it did. In February I got my final result of converting the B-school. My admission was confirmed.
The real reason that I learnt was, not to judge your decisions, and listen to your core. These are the two things that will always help you move forward, like ABG, and not only confine the person in you to a minimal thing. Let that person be, leave it open and see what wonders can it make!