Corporates may benefit by adopting people from management practices of armed forces

Organizations of civil society, including large corporates, can benefit immensely, if they care adopt some of the best practices of the armed forces, says Rear Admiral I K Saluja, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding, Maharashtra Naval Area.

Addressing a seminar on "Best practices in People management: Lessons from Armed Forces", organized by Indian merchants Chamber, Rear Admiral Saluja said the prospects of deriving such benefits were greater at this juncture when the human and social values were generally becoming narrower and youths were increasingly attracted to materialistic pleasures, thanks to the unbridled with sway of western culture, aided by modern technologies.

"Youths of today want to be free to follow their own path, and care little for the old values. Also there is a growing aversion among modern youths in India against joining armed forces, wearing uniforms, and against subjecting themselves to rigorous disciplines," Rear Admiral Saluja observed. Youths of today were highly aware, exposed to most modern ideas, knew their rights well, and demanded and got them to. But they also nurtured the wrong notion that men in uniform were required to toil round the clock, with little tile left for themselves or for relations.

Dispelling this misapprehension, the Rear Admiral said: "Unlike the BPOs, Call Centres and other IT-enabled services, the defence services provide soldiers plenty of leisure and time for relation, and never force them to till round the clock, except in war times, which are rare. The sole emphasis of armed forces is to achieve the goals through appropriate management of human resources. "

He said management in armed forces included tasks such as selection and setting goals, developing strategies to achieve those goals, and promoting the qualities of compassion, courage, candor, competencies and commitment through appropriately designed prearranges. "In fact, the defence forces strive at balancing both leadership with management."

He said: "Defence services are not yet another office or factory job, but it is a society, where men donning uniforms stick together, work together, and share together. There is a lot of bonding. It starts form the day a soldier begins to wear uniforms.

"When a young man joins defence services academy after acquiring 10 plus 2 qualification, begins to acquire values of military doctrine, patriotism, a sense of honour, sense of belonging, and strong sense of pride. He comes believe that he works for self-respect. For him 'service before the self' becomes a way life, and safety, honour, welfare of his country always become a priority."

Discipline was the backbone of defence service, which found expression through in his immaculately starched and pressed uniforms, unfailing punctuality, spotless conducts, and respect for rules. The military uniform was a great leveler, it united people who came from different backgrounds, instilled a sense of equality, and avoided superiority and inferiority complexes in work place.

Rear Admiral Saluja said individual ambitions were indeed necessary, but group activities, team goals and team spirit were given greater priority through troop games and mutual interaction. Leaders set strong personal examples of discipline, honesty, and integrity, always led from the front. He said defence forces followed the concept of participative management for policy changes, and operational plans.

Military training included basic and mid level courses and higher level management courses. "For age groups between 45 and 50, reorientation courses about social studies, religion and economy are held," he said.