On 12th June 2017 at 9.00 AM IST, 19 freshly out MBA graduates were standing shocked inside the security office at the main entrance of Capgemini financial district campus in Hyderabad. A group of 10-15 people including the E.L.I.T.E. core team was there to welcome them. The ID cards were ready. The training room was open with the E.L.I.T.E. welcome kit on the assigned desks. It also included our business cards-the highlight of the day for me. The joining paperwork was quickly done. By afternoon we had our laptops with us. The day ended with welcome dinner at The Hyatt where we got an opportunity to interact with seniors and leaders. What a welcome! What followed was a 5-week onboarding process which was enriching, exciting, overwhelming and fun.
The first week opened the doors to Capgemini culture and values through various leadership talks and HR sessions. The fact that the leaders knew about the E.L.I.T.E. General Management Program and are looking forward to how our journey progresses in Capgemini showed how people-oriented this organisation is. Indeed we felt like the selected guinea pigs! The week ended with a scavenger hunt in Hyderabad which tested our planning and strategy skills yet was fun.
The second week was jam-packed with some more leadership sessions and technical sessions. We were introduced to the key trends in the financial services industry that Capgemini is focusing on. The week gave us a better picture of Capgemini FS SBU, its business and practices. The week ended with a bowling event which took fun to yet another level.
The third week came and we were in no surprise to know that we have a communication workshop by Pinnacle. What surprised us was the way the workshop was conducted. Pinnacle instructors, Minita Gandhi and Kevin Douglas, followed a live do-review approach to help us improve our skills. The workshop helped us realise how many indirect signs are hidden in our body language and how it can be improved. The two-day workshop surely made me a better presenter and speaker. We were preparing for our Consulting skills workshop in parallel as in two weeks’ time we had to fly to Les Fontaines for our face-to-face sessions. The self-sponsored social event marked the end of the week where the E.L.I.T.E. trainees got an opportunity to bond.
The fourth week was on a lighter note as it followed the three hectic weeks and preceded the CSW workshop. The week had us learn about how storytelling and storyboarding are important to communicate effectively. It gave us a sneak peek into a consultant’s day and how well we should utilise our time. We also spent a considerable amount working on our CSW modules as the time for face-to-face interaction was a few days away. We bid the week adieu with a laser tag event. We sure know how to strike the perfect balance between work and fun.
Thus came the most awaited fifth week, the CSW workshop on the beautiful campus of Les Fontaines. It also gave us the opportunity to participate in the Movefifty and Co-creation events which were a part of the CSR week. The CSW workshop was facilitated by two expert trainers-Kees Langbroek and Stefan Cornelius. They had us work in teams in real time and present to clients. No better way to learn than through practice. The days were long as we spent hours working on our submissions yet we huddled in the wee hours for a couple of drinks and enjoyed the campus. The week ended with yet another scavenger hunt-this time in Paris.
The overall journey was enriching and exciting. No stones were left unturned to make sure we imbibed the culture and values of Capgemini and at the same time learn the FS SBU’s business and practices. Now with all the learning we had, we are off to our first rotation. The clock is ticking!
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Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other" - John F. Kennedy