Merry X-Mas, Dear Mr.Mills
By: Venkat Krishnamurthy
Tags: Human Resources, People, Leadership

I started my career as a young trainee just out of college, in the year 1996. I had no idea of the corporate world, except for visiting them during my summer internships which in India were usually very short duration.

It was 2nd December 1996, when I stepped in to the manufacturing plant and office of “India Meters Limited” in Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai. Those days when only large companies would arrange for formal induction programmes, this prestigious, yet not-so-large company, which used to manufacture energy meters, had blocked their prime conference room and laid out a clear 30-day induction plan.

The first two days were primarily for introductions and getting to meet the leadership team of the company face-to-face.

The next two weeks were booked for classroom induction, during which time each department was given a day to walk us through what they do on a day-to-day basis and how they fit into the Organization. We also had the privilege of being attendees to an extra-ordinary session on “Time Management” by Mr. N.C.Sridharan (https://thetimefoundation.com/content/n-c-sridharan) of Time Foundation (https://thetimefoundation.com). We also had a session with the Union leaders to understand their role in the ecosystem.

The final two weeks were field induction, where we were split into groups of 2–4 and spent half-a-day to a day in each department, meet with the department heads, as well as the assembly line men and women, to learn, see, touch and know what they do!

We were 15 in the group, and we bonded like college buddies again in no time. And, we made friends with at least another 20 more colleagues who were of our age (and even up to 7–8 years senior). Till date, we stay connected, thanks to the wonder called WhatsApp, having started with Yahoo Groups back then!

The whole idea of the corporate induction, was the brainchild of one genius, by name Mr.M.A.Mills — the Chief HR of the Organization. He had taken on the challenge of bringing in change and transformation to the Organization with his visionary ideas, one of which was the corporate induction programme, which the Company had not tried out before at scale. Though hailing from a different part of the country, he used to walk the floor regularly to meet with the factory employees (he was differently abled as well and had to use a specially designed pair of shoes). He had also attended a birthday party at one of our colleagues’ house with us, and I’m sure he was always open for being with his colleagues on their special days and events!

Coming back to the induction programme, I can imagine the resistance Mr.Mills may have faced from other department heads, who were used to hire trainees separately for their portfolios in prior years. I can imagine the justification he might have had to provide to his leadership to convince them of his vision and its execution. I will be failing in my job if I do not quote the visionary leadership of the legendary Dr. V.Krishnamurthy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V._Krishnamurthy), a doyen of modern Indian industry, who turned around Maruti Udyog Limited in the 1980s, who was also the Chairman of the Board of India Meters Limited. In fact, my batch and I have had the privilege of meeting him once — and that was the only occasion when I heard Dr.VK call Mr. Mills by his first name, Malcolm!

As reality would have it, people from my batch started leaving one by one right from the third month of our journey. Back then, I had a keen interest to pursue my higher studies. I even got an admission call from a very prestigious institute in Chennai at that time, as soon as I had joined India Meters, but I decided to drop the seat then. However, in a matter of 7 months, I re-assessed my long-term goals and aspiration to go for higher studies. So, when the admissions for the next academic year started (and I had a valid GATE score that was expiring that year, in 1997), I appeared for the interview at the prestigious PSG College of Technology and got to know of my selection the very same evening on 22nd July, 1997.

Returning overnight to Madras (as Chennai was called then), thanks to my father’s encouragement and solid backing to urge me go for my Master’s degree, I had to go to the office the next day, and meet Mr.Mills, to break the news of my voluntary separation.

I still remember vividly how professionally he handled it and reacted — with his trademark clasping of lips together, eyes half-closed and a disappointed, yet gentle shake of his head. Any other Organization of their size that had invested so much in training fresh-out-of-college would have just slammed me out. Not Mr.Mills though. He asked me a few basic questions (which, I can now say, was to understand where the execution of his vision was not working right). That 20-minute meeting was my last complete meeting with Mr.Mills. And, I don’t think I ever had the opportunity to meet him again, though I used to hear about him from some of our batchmates who stayed in touch with him for a few years. The last I heard was that he had moved back to Pune, where his family lived.

To all leaders out there in the Corporate world, Mr.Mills was a shining example of Vision, Leadership, Human Relations, Values and Trust. For a non-local to come all the way from the west of the country to live in the southern part of the country in the 1990s (presume he was away from his family, and in his mid-40s), having to deal with the challenges of a job where he had to transform the “culture” and mindset of people, battle individual egos, and still be so calm and gentle with his junior-most colleagues (I’ve even seen him cut loose with his peers and immediate juniors, but hardly even once with the trainees!), it speaks volumes of his professionalism, zeal, sense of purpose and commitment to his job.

I know not where he is today. But, wherever, he is, I wish him and his family a truly Merry Christmas, from the bottom of my heart. May his tribe increase, guide and lead the way to better corporate and people leadership. If only I could get one more opportunity to meet him again, I would consider it a true blessing!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Mr.Mills, and to all of you who have patiently read until here.

Stay well, Stay blessed!

(Yours truly) Venkat Krishnamurthy