Guest Lecture: Mr. Bala, CFO Zensar Technologies

Just a few days old or would you like to call it a few days new…. conventions are something not meant for the ZCBIians! It has the most unusual classroom I have been a part of so far. It is a classroom without any walls, boundaries and limits. It is filled by the most unusual people I have met so far. They know how to dream with open eyes. They breathe the air of Innovation and one cannot stop thinking that they were born to Transform!

An MBA designed for the Industry, ZCBIians had there second talk with Mr Bala, CFO Zensar Technologies on 26 May, 2008. The first being at the time of admissions when the applicants were scrutinized by Mr Bala along with other leading industrialists, executives and academicians from institutions like IIM. Compromise is something unheard at the ZCBI. We believe in having a batch of 80 strong rather than 100 on compromise of quality.

Be ready for surprises at ZCBI or where else would you find a CFO talking for 2 hours and not a single word on finance! He shared with us something much above the curriculum, course and finance. He shared with us his experiments with life. How he reached the top of the corporate ladder without a formal MBA degree speaks a lot for him.

The session started at 5:30 pm after the daily lectures. It was not pre-planned and we all received a mail at ZLCMS at 3:00 pm. We expected it to be a finance/IT centric lecture, because that is what conventions say and Mr Bala, not having studied at ZCBI, should follow these conventions. However, as you enter the campus of ZCBI you can feel the urge to break free and let your creative, energetic, passionate and true side unfold and blossom into a flower never seen before. Probably Mr Bala had experienced similar urge that he started with the most unusual introduction.

He randomly picked candidates and asked them to name the city they belong to while he guessed the state. Mind you, he missed no single candidate but his knowledge of geography was put to a tough test as we have candidates from all over India, right from Jammu to Kerala at ZCBI. Next, was a question left open by Mr Bala “Define a Manager” and we had all possible definitions from all corners of the classroom. Mr Bala refused to accept any one of them. He then moved on to fire another question on us. “Define Love”. The class was all out to answer this question which was so close to its heart. Again Mr Bala refused to accept any one of them. He reasoned that Love has no distinct definition and so does a Manager. He winded up the definition by saying “A true manager is the one who performs the most daunting tasks with limited available resources and most importantly without complaining”

Next was a session on the significance of money in one’s life. All had different views on this. Mr Bala then suddenly asked “How many of you drink Tea” All hands were up. Now he asked “How much sugar do you add to it”. Promptly came the reply that enough sugar to enjoy the cup of tea. Now he added “The same goes for money as well. You should have enough to enjoy the cup of life!” He explained that money should not be the sole and primary motivating factor to work. He went on to give examples of some great men he met when he was in Kolkata. They worked for Mother Teresa. He asked us that what made them work so hard. It was a cause, a mission they had in life. So strong should be our cause and mission that other motivations become just like the sugar in a cup of tea. This is the beginning of the path of success.

He then went on to share with us something very close to him. His personal experience in corporates and how he went on to become a CFO without any formal MBA degree. He has worked with multiple RPG group companies and was instrumental in getting them out of crisis situations. It is during these crisis times when people either perish or leaders are born. Unlike other associates, who shied away from immense risk and effort, he stood strong and ensured that these companies make profits again. Mr. Bala apprised us that Patience, Excellent Communication skills, Passion, Self Motivation, Dedication and Commitment are essential to achieve success. He then quickly fired a question asking which quality it is that enables a successful person sustain his success? It is the mighty “H” which stands for Humbleness which is as essential as the rest in order to give sustainability, respect, meaning and truth to our success in life.

Now we know exactly what makes Mr Bala what he is today!

By: - Abhinav Baloni