What IMI did right!
Why I think IMI groomed us well for the corporate world.
I think we are a very critical people. We tend to look and point and linger onto peoples’ shortcomings, nag them of their failures and remind them of their shortfalls. Which is exactly what we, I, did in the last few months of me being at IMI to the time I finally got recruited to my ‘Dream Company’!
“The placements weren’t handled well”
“We weren’t taught the right things”
“The exam system is a mockery”
Sounds familiar? Thought so. Doesn’t matter if you had passed out of IMI in 1987 or were born in 1987 and are now a part of IMI student community; you aren’t a true blood IMIite until you critique it and talk on the aforementioned terms.
Well, let me be the “Devils’ advocate” here. (Very loaded terminology, I am aware)
What IMI did right!!!
These views of course are personal, and are derived out of my understanding of what was the final product delivered to me by IMI vis-à-vis my learnings as derived from my Aircel experience so far.
» These things are the tasks IMI and its people (professors, staff, students- seniors and juniors) made us do. It is only now I realize the relevance of it.
» I also choose to elucidate my top three choices of what I think IMI did right. For more of my choices or to share your views, please feel free to email me.
Allow me, for the ease of reading, let me do a myth-reality kind of setup here.
What IMI did:
Why it was right:
I. What IMI did: Made us not beauty sleep for 10 hours a day and Lion sleep for 16 hours on weekends.
Why it was right: I think the answer is obvious. You really don’t get to sleep for more than 6 hours on average during the week (debarring the hectic weeks of budget planning, operating plans, XYZ calendar creation etc).
(It is 1 am as I speak.. or type rather. Have just finished my days work about half an hour ago, have to finish this article, catch a few Z’s and wake up at 7 am. You do the math.)
II. What IMI did: Made us check our mails (and be well connected always), every thirty seconds, especially the PlaceComm mailers requesting candidature at 1 am, and deadline being 15 minutes.
Why it was right: Day 3 at my job, my senior colleague, trying to drill in the importance of being connected and online said, “Meghna, you will have to on a regular basis, verrry regular basis, keep on checking your inbox. Every hour, every minute if possible I need you to check it.” I think she expected a look of utter despair and distraught to appear on my face depicting my ignorance of such matters. Alas, she was disappointed.
III. What IMI did: Being lassie faire in its overall approach.
Why it was right: I think it gave us a chance to safely test our abilities to plan and manage ourselves. It gave us a chance to learn to be our own managers. Because there will be times in your organization when you feel about as directionless as a headless grasshopper. I am still experimenting with this, and in my limited capacity, dealing with it. Hence not many derivations here, work still in progress!
Moving on => The point(s) I am trying to vehemently drive thru this little article/ exposé are:-
a. Your organization will be as good or bad as IMI (in terms of “hands on/off” approach; of being too laidback and uncaring or being too involved and nose poking; and in terms of the presence of red tapism.)
b. Your organization will be as good or bad as you perceive IMI to be (point being the organization can be a mirror, a Monalisa as they call it: it will show you what you are. If you think IMI isn’t proactive, ask yourself honestly “Have I done anything to be more observant and proactive myself?”. If the answer is yes, then Kudos. Chances are you don’t see IMI as pure evil).
My advice to the students still in IMI: - Use this time as your ultimate “Trail and Error” Period. Learn how to go around the obstacles, or go thru them, to find loopholes and optimize them: do whatever you want to/ have to do, to achieve your target. If IMI frustrates you, it will also teach you how to improve your process of dealing with it.
At the end of the day IMI is a pretty decent place to be in for 2 years. Professors, Sirs and Madams of IMI, thank you for all the on-the-job training.
Take Care!
<3
Meghna
