Ajit Kamath Wizzes

I have uploaded the soft copy of the presentation which I delivered at the ISTD Regional Conference at Pune on 16 Jan 2010. Check out http://tinyurl.com/yfxcepr Awaiting videos ... that would be uploaded too.

Today was a wet rainy day. It had rained all night. Morning came, and wow!!! I was in Vienna. There is water all around our building. I stay on the ground floor but our architect /builder (more than 70 years ago) had foreseen water logging on our road. The ground floor is at a height of about 6 feet from the road level. Think of planning and proactivity. It was wonderful!!! The road was less noisy with only a few BEST buses passing by (all other traffic having stopped). When the bus came the waves also come in. The pleasant breeze was enjoyable too. Suddenly I remembered that I had a training program to go for. Now I wanted the water to go away. Unfortunately it didn't. I called up the client and spoke to them. They were accomodating. Raghunath (HR) told me it was fine and to take a call. At about 10 am, water disappeared, called up the client and they said we could still start the session at about 11.30 a.m. So off I was. Again at about 4 p.m. there was a scare and we had to clo...

It's really really funny. I know of Training Companies whose Trainers are made to claim (who dares ask for proof from the Trainers?) on the floor that their training interventions reduced attrition in client companies, but when it comes to their own Trainers they haven't been able to reduce attrition at all. Many Trainers are leaving sooo soon and that too "hurt" . One of the reason is that most Training Companies (my previous experience and of my network of trainers experiences tell me) don't have any HR processes at all. The Owners / Franchisees run Training Companies like "lalas" with autocratic form of leadership. They don't even let their teams know how much business they do. These are the same guys who 'teach' client participants that other styles of leadership should be used. Another reason is payments of dues... I remember a hilarious incident.... I and the Training Co's BD Manager, were observers to a training program being deli...

In L&T, for a particular division in Mumbai, I coach small teams in delivering an effective presentation internally to their organisation's seniors. At times the coaching is to Supervisors who have to deliver a session to their newly promoted Supervisors. Recently it was for a competition. The fun of coaching such teams is that I'm working with practical application of the learning. In training workshops, the skills are surely enhanced but chances are many of these participants may not get an opportunity to present for the next many months. Presentation Skills / Public Speaking isn't like cycling or swimming.... once learnt, learnt for life. With these skills if you loose out on applying it regularly (at least once a week) the 'enhancement' starts coming back to the original position. If organisations, do not provide opportunities to practice the skill on a regular basis, then the training effectivness (and thus the ROI) may suffer. Can the trainer really be ...

I was in Chail, Himachal Pradesh, near Shimla for a NGO Training workshop. This is a hill station in HP but probably not as crowded as Shimla. Nice quiet place. Temperature about 23 deg. For 3 days that I was there, I went for an early morning walk on 2 of those days. The 2nd day, I started walking uphill, past a gurudwara and further on. This was about 6.30 am. There were houses on the way but "sleepy". I went further on. After about 30 minutes, I paused as I was panting. Suddenly it struck me that it was eerily quiet... few birds, funny croaking by hill crows.... and nothing else. The breeze was playing truant with the cedar trees... and no human sound at all. I was frightened., frightened of the silence and that I was alone. I didn't have the guts to go further on. I started back.... to the noises. I wonder why? Is it that for a hard-core Mumbaite like me, who is so used to sounds (high decibles), so used to voices and noise... this "silence" was terrifying.

Yes, surely but depends on levels. Senior level training budgets are reduced but not training per se i.e. the venue and facilities aren't 5-star hotels anymore (nor residential resorts) but in the office conference room itself (has it's disadvantages but ;-) trainings are happening and no cuts). Similar is the situation for the mid-levels... the only hit is that people have been removed and therefore the no. of days engagement has been drastically reduced. The entry-levels and the junior level freelance trainers have been hit the most. No more bulk trainings... in many companies either being done by internal trainers or by functional heads.... outsourced trainers have been hit. Some companies have smartly started hiring full-time trainers so that a fixed salary could be paid and not per-day rates. This is the India perspective.

Last week was quite frightful. Monday onwards, I caught a viral and by God!!!, it just put me down. Fever on & off (as if someone was operating the switch here) and absolute tiredness. Just didn't want to wake up.... thankfully, not for ever! I was to travel out of country but had to postpone the trip. Client partners were wonderful in support (thankfully, didn't have many assignments going on). The good side... My voice has become husky I can sleep now at any time of the day without disturbance I connected to the net minimum (wow!!!) I woke up feeling "having slept".

March.... Possibly a month, where companies are concentrating on increasing their figures before the close of the financial year (in India). Planned Training would be at the minimum in March. Therefore in March, personally, I have a lot of time to reflect, meet clients, develop new business etc. Till last year, March was the time the smaller companies / unplanned HR / NGO's would rush to complete their (budgeted for) training. At times it was merely to complete an ISO requirement. But this year, due to market conditions these companies have no interest nor inclination. The heat of March!!!!

Sometimes I wonder, Why am I a Trainer? ... preparation for each and every program, ... meeting clients, understanding needs, designing a curriculum, ... negotiating with clients on rates, ... participant workbooks, ... delivering effectively, ... analysing feedback, ... meeting clients again, ... and much more. Won't it be better to take up a job? or do something else... Then I realise, I always wanted to be here, ... to make a difference in self through others Regards Ajit

My 'high's' at the Wine Appreciation Workshop: 7th Feb, 2009 organised by Trainers Forum at Mumbai Being a teetotaler (Goa port wine being an exception), I had a reason to participate in the Wine Drinking (oops!) Appreciation workshop . Ages back, whilst working at British Council, I was hosting a "reception" (gathering) wherein Press, Key Invitees ( CEO's / MD's of Companies) and Consul Officers were invited to meet the touring group (performers, artistes, music groups). My Senior was on leave so my Director and myself were the host. After the formal introductions, we had a formal get-together where 'pure' (imported under Diplomatic baggage) wines and liquor flowed. As a host, I had a glass of white wine and a toast was raised by my Director. One sip of White Wine and it was awful! I quickly went to the bartender and asked for white rum with lemonade (so that I could kill the taste of white wine). One sip and I was on Cloud 9 (the com...

Hi Friends I have just started blogging and am getting used to this. I am a Trainer in Soft Skills and Behavioural Programs and located in India. I deliver trainings on modules such as Presentation Skills, Public Speaking, Communication Skills etc. My journey in Training has been all of 16 years and it's been an enriching experience. I am located in Mumbai (Bombay) India. More thoughts later. Regards Ajit