IIM Sambalpur organizes its maiden ‘Women Leadership Programme’
Sambalpur: IIM Sambalpur organised two days of specially designed Women Leadership Programme in campus under its Management Development Programme (MDP) to 30 Women Officers of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited. With the changing dynamics carved in by new realities in India and across the world, especially post COVID, it has become extremely crucial for businesses and non-business entities and their leaders to reinvent themselves. There is a growing need to stay abreast in business, sustain innovation amidst disruption and continue the India growth story. Keeping this in mind, the two days of training offered guidance to adapt to the ever-changing business milieu, help socially and emotionally to keep afloat during this transforming state and assist in value creation. The program was inaugurated by Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director IIM Sambalpur and Mr. Keshav Rao, Director – Personnel, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited.
IIM faculty members and resource persons Prof. Shikha Bhardwaj, Prof. Atri Sengupta and Prof. Bhumika Gupta imparted knowledge to the women officers of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited. With rapt attention they heard about Leading self: Emotional Intelligence & Stress management, Work-life-family integration and Empathetic Communication.
Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur stated, “This program is quite special to IIM-S as we believe in Inclusivity in all aspects and as an Institute we strongly contribute to an ecosystem of developing women leaders at workplace. In the present scenario of enhanced technology and post-pandemic changes at the workplace, women will get more opportunities to perform better.”
Mr. Keshav Rao, Director – Personnel, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited stated, “Such programmes are not only important for higher leadership roles but also for women empowerment. It is important for organisations to develop a conducive work environment that facilitates women to perform. The other gender plays a crucial role in supporting women to lead. Therefore, it calls for a collective responsibility among family, organisations and institutions at large.”
The sessions enriched and enlightened the members who could acquire knowledge about own emotional well-being, stress management at workplace. Improving upon emotional intelligence which helps in assisting workforce in managing stress, building strong relationships, empathizing with others, and achieving goals. In the workplace, you can assess and affect situations and relationships more effectively, cope with pressures, demands and stress, and navigate and negotiate conflict. Owing to the pandemic, work life family integration was a topic which engrossed every single member of the attendees since every trainee faced some difficulty balancing all three within the confines of the four walls while remotely working and yet maintaining their family responsibilities. The ability of employees to deal with the successful combination of work, family responsibilities, and personal life has a crucial connection for both employers and family members of employees were highlighted with real life ordeal. It offered a perspective to broaden their horizon, since a positive work–life balance reduces employee stress, reduces the risk of burnout, and creates greater wellbeing. This positively affects not only an employee him/herself but also the employer. Sometimes listening is more important than speaking, thus Empathetic Communication is the need of the hour when the world has seen losses of enormous gravity. Participants were inspired to make someone feel seen, heard and respected, build an emotional connect. Once that bond has been established, one’s words have far more impact. Prof. Bhumika Gupta rightly pointed out the principle to “seek to understand, before being understood.”
The transformation around the world requires a new thinking, self-well-being, making sense of shifting market dynamics, developing new strategic directions and energizing people. IIM-S is focused on providing support to organisations and help them think bigger and different, to cultivate growth potential of new markets, to redefine markets in their own vision, and engage customers and employees in more relevant and inspiring ways.