Every MBA graduate aspires to get a fat pay package at the end of one’s education.
On Friday, however, management guru and Chief Executive Officer of Mumbai Dabbawalla Association Dr Pawan Agrawal advised students here not to chase “packages” and selflessly contribute to their organisations.
Addressing aspiring managers at S R N Adarsh College, Dr Agrawal spoke about the dabbawalla’s monthly income of Rs 400 and said, “These days, packages rule the roost. It is useless to get a fat pay package if you do not give your best to the company. If you give your best to the company, the company will automatically give you whatever you want.”
“A student recently told me that he bagged a job with a package of Rs 11 lakh per year. When I asked him when he was joining the company, he said he was waiting for a package of Rs 12 lakh. If you get an opportunity to serve in a company, join in and stay there for as long as you can,” he said.
He said there was no retirement age for Mumbai dabbawallas, as each dabbawalla believes in ‘work is worship’. Dr Agrawal, who holds a PhD in logistics and supply chain, added that the Mumbai Dabbawallas was an example for hard work, team work, logistics and commitment.
“Students these days are smarter than our generation. The only shortcoming is the right attitude. I have observed that they do not have a good culture,” he said.
He also asked students to start reading books on the lives of inspiring leaders.
“Management education should start focusing on delivering practical lessons to students. Also, we have to leverage off our own management systems. We have to learn from our paperwallas, papadwallas and others,” he said.