Open response to the President of CCI - questioning & critical, but in support!

Dear Mr. President

22.05.2013 Between Ourselves is very different from the usual monthly bulletins.

Situations such as the one that has arisen, given the fact that the present day establishment has given very little importance to systems and processes, is not surprising at all. It has been my endeavour with some other like minded members to keep recommending professionalisation of the club and organizational development. It is sad that the EC and the Administration have dodged any proper explanation as to why this has been shunned.

1) Since 2009 I have recommended the study and implementation of standard operation practices. Why has this been ignored.

2) Since 2010 I have recommended against IT being done in Silos. Why has this been disregarded?

3) Since 2010 I have requested a clear mandate for the club's HR Committee, why has this not been provided?

4) After my message at the KYC 2011 the ODC was created. Why did the Administration not cooperate with the Committee? Why did the EC representatives on Board, not correct the Administration and conduct?

5) After my loss at the elections of 2012 (inevitable as the block vote masters did not support me - the election code of conduct requires serious consideration and an ELIMINATION OF BLOCK VOTING) why was the ODC dispensed with and no proper explanation provided?

6) Why did the Secretary of the club act in a most unbecoming manner in dispensing with the IT manager appointed during the tenure of the ODC? Does he now realize that he himself has an attitude problem and is a poor judge of character?

7) Why is the HR audit due to be completed in Jan-Feb 2013, yet not reached a members survey, and as such incomplete?

Even a high school graduate employee of the club realized that the lack of professionalism & systems at the club, and poor establishment attitude was a conducive environment to `play the fool'.

Sir, I have loved and respected you and supported you as the leader of the club. I have worked for the institution under you for 5 years. You are brilliant and capable, beyond your colleagues on the EC. The next generation to head the club needs to be built, not pampered and cradled to the top.

My dear Sir, please see that the establishment becomes a morally honest one, under your leadership with a complete embargo on political and diplomatic manoeuvres and issue resolution by appeasement. Else it will be clever by halves as it is.

The section of the membership that believes that an EOGM to oust the EC and/or office bearers needs to reconsider such an ask. In what way will this solve the problems of the club? Lets face it, no one is blameless. I suggest that we work with our `men at the helm' to improve the establishment as a whole, and desist from bringing the club down in the face of external adversity. Else things may get worse instead of better.

With warm regards to you and my friends on the EC & in the Administration


Prof. Rajiv Bhatia
(Your very own `yedaa' club member!)

Have dead men taught CCI a lesson in the need for Governance?

The article in today’s paper is at http://bit.ly/cci_02. Next http://bit.ly/cci_03

The EC and Admin seem to have probed into the matter and understood the situation. The President's statement is mature and dignified as expected of him. A 3rd party audit and report should be provided to members for an accurate understanding of the situation. Members support should be garnered to take action against the miscreants. After all it is our club and we can support the EC and let them know that we stand by them and the miscreants know that the club is intolerant of such wrong doing.

What the EC members think of the ODC (deceased Organizational Development Committee)  is a question that the members of the EC should respond to. All I have heard is that whereas their young nephews understand the ODC, some EC members do not and some others have found it to interfere. It is evident that our EC has serious limitations in understanding modern day management, of their own confession. However, it would be inaccurate to say that no EC member supports the idea of the ODC and all have given it a cold shoulder.

The devil lies in the details, and not much can be explained here. The ODC has generated detailed minutes and reports which can be relied on. However, since asked, here are some pointers.

The RFID membership cards, purchase of Shawman etc. was done even prior to the IT Work Group of 2010. The 2010 IT Work group awarded the web site contract. Not much else was done. The HR Committee was a non starter in 2010 due to the lack of a clear mandate. Prior to and at the KYC of the 2011 elections I explained the problem with doing IT in silos and the needs of the club to professionalize. This is available at http://bit.ly/rdb_kyc. I lost the elections but the EC was responsive. What was discussed is at http://bit.ly/cci_podc Thereafter the ODC was born and I requested that my friend of 32 years standing, and someone I thought I could rely on for representation on the EC, the VP of the club, be made its VC. The ODC started work. The President and VP attended meetings regularly and all that we could address were legacy issues surrounding IT and HR. It was evident that the club lacked systems and processes as files and briefs requested on initiation of the ODC were not provided by the Admin. When recommendations to expand the scope of the ODC were made by the ODC to the EC reps on board, they seemed to be concerned about political balances on the EC rather than the administration and systems needs of the club. Which is why I stood for elections in 2012 once more as I realized that the professionalization efforts at the club would get teeth only if I was on the EC. What I said at the KYC of 2012 is at http://bit.ly/rdb_kyc_2012 I was not a part of any group and the vote block masters seemed delighted at discluding me from their lists of recommended candidates. Seemingly a concerted and collective effort to keep a potential 'misfit' on the EC, out of the race. Even then 752 members took cognisance of my candidature and responded in my favour. Hence I was not on the EC when it, its constituted 5 member committee / sub committee selection board and the EC reps on the ODC of 2012, took a decision to discontinue the ODC and set up an IT and HR committee instead. The ODC made appeals to the EC filed reports and explained but there was no response from the EC and the ODC was discontinued without any visible reason. I was invited to be the Hon. Sec of the IT Committee of 2012-13 but my response was a single word 'Regret'. Thereafter the IT Manager appointed during the tenure of the ODC, having been given only 3-4 months to work, and having achieved a lot, was not given any further opportunity by the Admin and the Secretary, without any reason on record did not confirm his appointment, as had been recommended by the ODC. The Secretaries acts were most unprofessional, biased and without basis, save and except his own fear of a person more competent that himself, heading IT. The CFO and his deputy too were merciless against this IT manager, raising doubts as to why they wanted IT under their control and would prefer a 'puppet' instead. This was brought to the attention of the EC by an email from me, but none took a stand or made effort to look into the matter.

There is no blame game here. Its just that the EC and Admin are not fully versed with good modern day management practices. When professional members go out of their way to try and help out, such help should be welcomed rather than scorned. As such, there is nothing illegal that the EC has done. Its just proven to be inept itself and not adequately aided by strong and professional administration. The result is sub-standard Governance. Senior members on the EC have sought to rap my knuckles for saying so, but it has proven to be true. The club is a glorious institution and runs on its own momentum. But rot such as the present case and many other things can stem if Organizational Development is not addressed.

In any event political and diplomatic manoeuvres and issue resolution by appeasement should be stopped. Professional approaches must be adopted. The ODC must be resurrected and duly mandated. I don't have to be a part of it nor do I need to stand for any further elections if this is done. As long as my club is well run, I am satisfied. I am now busy with a National Development agenda working on North East India development and as such out of Mumbai most of the time.