Living Capgemini's Core Value Of Fun
“Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it.” – Eileen Caddy
“Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it.” – Eileen Caddy
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs
The first five weeks of E.L.I.T.E general management program was a period of intensive learning. We were exposed to a plethora of activities which focused on instilling lessons and values we carry with us as we embark on our journey in the organisation. Sessions on Technical and Domain were balanced with lessons on personal excellence and Leadership sessions which gave us insight not only into the organisation but also the way leaders think and make decisions. Each of these activities has helped us immensely in our personal growth.
There was a lot of uncertainty before I was about to join Capgemini - things like how would the people be like in the organisation, what the work would be like, and many others thoughts. The past two months have shattered all the doubts I had - the E.L.I.T.E. General Management Program has managed to go above and beyond whatever it promised.
Two years of comprehensive b-school education ensures an experience of a lifetime, and the highs and lows of that phase might never be paralleled in life again. It makes you do things differently than you had been doing before; most importantly, it makes you expect more out of yourself. This expectation percolates to your first job post-MBA in the organisation you have signed up to help grow and develop along with you. With that mindset, I walked into the Hyderabad campus of Capgemini India on 12th June to start my stint as an E.L.I.T.E. Management Trainee.
I have almost always managed to just make it seem like I am fairly comfortable when put on a stage. I go through whatever I have to say at a decent pace, I remain concise and am good at expressing ideas. I might stumble in my speech somewhere down the line, but I’ll regain the “flow”. So when Minita complimented me for all the above-mentioned features after my short 2-minute introductory speech, I didn’t find it surprising. As it turned out, she was saving the surprise for the latter part of the feedback. I look more like a mannequin than a living and breathing human being when I’m on stage; I barely move. I don’t know what to do with my hands; when I am on stage, they become stiff. I could crack the best joke ever (not that I can!) and yet barely smile myself. Now that was some surprise! And so, the Pinnacle Intent-based Communication Training, which was supposed to boost our confidence in public speaking, kicked-off by dragging it down. This probably was one great thing about the training. Why was it great? Because I believe acknowledgement of your flaws is a pre-requisite for any attempt to improve yourself.
Journey after completing MBA...is it a bed of roses or a new expedition altogether? How is life working inside the air-conditioned glass walls of a corporate office, amidst the client calls, striding in the business suits? At some point in their journey, every MBA aspirant faces these questions. To get insights from the life of a management graduate, I interviewed Ms. Reena Damani.
Entering into the gates to face the new challenge, getting your ID, and swiping to enter the hallowed premises of Capgemini, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. The feeling of euphoria, along with the anxiousness of stepping into the corporate world was enthralling.