A crisis is not just about challenges but also an opportunity to learn. While corporate governance tops the list of my learning as the result of the Satyam fiasco, I also found that it is very important to motivate the team in difficult times, and support the business in spite of various constraints.
Once the fraud was unveiled at Satyam, investigative agencies started interviewing me and my team. As I was heading IT, they wanted all data to come from me. So I had to take assistance from my team to collate data and produce it before the investigative agencies. There came a point when the CBI wanted to talk to my people directly. That's when some of my team members got scared and told me that they would rather work 20 hours a day to provide data to me, instead of facing the investigative agencies.
Many people wanted to leave the company at that point to save themselves the hassles of dealing with investigative agencies day in and day out. They were feeling demotivated and worked up to the extent that they felt they would be better off without a job. I assured them that to whatever extent possible, I would try and front-end the investigative agencies. It was a time of crisis and the unity of the team was a must.
CBI's grilling used to start at 10 am everyday and would continue till 2 am post midnight. So, I used to ask my people to reach office at 8 am, so that for two hours we could prepare ourselves to face the investigative agencies, which included CBI, SEBI, and SFIO, among others. We did not want anyone's statements to be misinterpreted only because one was not good at articulation.
To lighten the mood, I used to sometimes crack jokes, and do whatever best I could to keep the team motivated and not crumble under the severe pressure that they were in. Those two hours in the beginning of the day were quite valuable, as after 10 am there would no smiles.
People management skills are an absolute must for CIOs. Usually CIOs come from technology background, and it is often found that hard-core techies lack people skills. This leads to problems in the team, and therefore needs mentoring in leadership qualities.
CIOs must take interest in the work and non-work needs of direct reports. It is always good to ask team members about their plans and problems, and work with them to solve their concerns and questions. As team leaders, CIOs must also ensure that they are available to give a patient hearing to the personal problems of the team members, monitor workloads and appreciate extra efforts put in by them.
