Capgemini's E.L.I.T.E. General Management Program - Week Two - Intense And Insightful!

Hello, it’s the E.L.I.T.E. Trainees 2017 back again! After a great start to the onboarding process, Week Two simply took it up a notch. What we experienced was a packed, hectic week with long hours; yet, the energy level in the room was at an all-time high. The sheer number of leaders we interacted with was remarkable. Over the week, we not only got insights into the various verticals of FS SBU, but also interacted with most of the members of the Executive Committee, and gained an appreciation for consulting skills. We had the opportunity to learn about emerging technologies, such as Blockchain, API economy and Microservices; in addition, we also had primers on various industries that FS SBU caters to. If the first week was peppered with Leadership Sessions, in week two those made up the main course. A direct interaction with the top leaders in FS not only exposed us to the thought process of the SBU’s strategic thinkers but also gave us lessons to develop ourselves as leaders. It was great to experience that the leaders epitomized the core values of Capgemini. The sessions were not only inspiring, but also enlightening in terms of the various businesses, decisions, and strategies of FS SBU. The extensive interaction with the Executive Committee members also provided an insight into their roles and the strategic importance of their respective functions.

"According to Thierry Delaporte, "La Niaque" is the most important quality one can have in Capgemini, and I feel this resonates with what everyone has also told us since Day 1 about being proactive. You can see that the whole organization breathes its core values." – Akshat Govil, E.L.I.T.E Trainee 2017

 

“The way the senior leaders are interacting with us, the ease with which we can ask questions and the honesty with which they reply - all show that Capgemini is one company which lives its values and has an "open-door" policy in a true sense.” – Arpit Shah, E.L.I.T.E Trainee 2017

With weeks such as these, it was difficult to choose just one highlight. But one of the most interesting events was definitely the Twitter chat on the recently launched World Retail Banking Report 2017. The active involvement in the online forum after a 12-hour day at the office was a sight to behold. The enthusiasm and participation in the room was off the charts, with everyone contributing their points of view about the emerging trends in Retail Banking. The twitter chat not only helped us understand a lot about the various perspectives on upcoming trends but also got us on the same platform as major influencers in the field of Financial Services discussing the future of retail banks.

“As part of our June 21st release of the World Retail Banking Report, it was nice to have the ELITE team join us for our #WRBR17 Twitter Chat, gathering on campus to see first-hand one example of how we leverage Capgemini’s thought leadership in the market. The chat was a great success with nearly 1,500 tweets from almost 200 contributors reaching over 900,000 accounts and over 11 million timeline deliveries. It was also great to see that 5 of the top 25 most popular participants in the Chat were members of the E.L.I.T.E. program.” – Bill Sullivan, Member E.L.I.T.E. Core Team

Amidst all the business unit specific sessions, we also got a small flavour of our Les Fontaines training week in the form of the first virtual classroom session on Consulting Skills Workshop. The first virtual session of this workshop was tremendously interesting and sheer fun. Our facilitator kept the session interactive and engaging, never letting our attention wander off. A new experience for many of us, we learnt how a virtual meeting can be kept interactive. The session also piqued the interest of the whole batch about the face-to-face sessions in Les Fontaines.   

“Shobha Meera, Global Head of Sales and Marketing for Financial Services, in a session said, “Diversity is important to avoid being mainstream” and that is exactly what Week Two imbibed. A week full of rich and diverse content, from leadership sessions to bowling events.” –
Anshul Singh, E.L.I.T.E Trainee 2017

  “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” - Well, how could the core E.L.I.T.E. team let that happen! Despite being a week loaded with sessions and activities, we had enough opportunities to blow off steam. A team bowling event on Thursday was the perfect stress-buster after a long week. Side challenges, bets and friendly banter during the event not only made it fun but also ensured a better emotional connect amongst the 19 of us. To top off the fun element, and to develop the culture of socializing outside of workspace, a self-sponsored event was organized actively by the trainees, which facilitated informal discussions and bonding among the E.L.I.T.E. trainees  

“The most successful event is the one that achieves your goals and exceeds your expectations" -Puneet Khokhawat, E.L.I.T.E Trainee 2017

  Overall, this was one great week that stretched us in terms of hours and at the same time enriched us with the valuable knowledge and skills to succeed in a demanding industry. Looking forward to more action packed sessions in upcoming weeks.   Follow the E.L.I.T.E. team’s journey on Twitter by following #Cap_ELITE or visit www.in.capgemini.com/careers/eliteprogram to know more about the E.L.I.T.E. General Management Program.    Signing off until next time!