HYDERABAD: What are some of the key characteristics of an effective global leader? In what way does a person of that stature motivate you? These and other topics were discussed in a complimentary two-hour workshop held by Dale Carnegie Training India (DCTI) at Taj Krishna in Banjara Hills on Friday. The session was facilitated by training consultants Kartik, Harshita, Vanessa and Sonia. Group discussion sessions and quizzes were held, and participants who answered correctly were gifted with books authored by Dale Carnegie!
DCTI Chairperson and Managing Director Pallavi Jha spoke to Express on the sidelines of the workshop. Excerpts:
Are DCTI workshops effective enough?
Renowned investment guru Warren Buffett abhors displaying any kind of diplomas on his table but for the Dale Carnegie course certificate, saying it had changed his life forever. This speaks volumes of our methodology.
What is your opinion on our education system?
It needs a lot of improvement. Technological development is happening at the speed of light, but our education process is moving at the speed of sound.
Do you think automation will take away jobs?
Yes, it will definitely impact jobs that involve routine and repetitive tasks. Re-skilling employees is the key. As per a research done by Deloitte, the half-life of a skill is not more than four to five years. So there is a need to continually keep upgrading and improving our skills.
Is there a gender bias in the corporate sector?
Unfortunately, yes. Women are paid lesser than their male peers for a similar role. It starts from the interview process itself, with women being asked personal questions like, ‘Are you married?’, ‘Are you planning to have kids?’ etc. How many companies have women on their board of directors or in executive roles? On the positive side, yes, we have maternity leave, transport system, creche facilities, etc. This is not enough, and more needs to be done. Compensation disparity is the biggest and easiest element to fix.
What is the future of the training industry in our country?
Today, training is not just needed in the corporate industry, but for diverse job profiles such as police officials, policymakers, beauty contestants, automobile dealers, etc. 65 percent of our population is under 35, and over 1,50,000 people join the workforce every month. The future of soft-skills industry is, in one word, rosy.