‘Be a good Project Manager,’ Says D.V. Kapur

The coronavirus was unexpected and has caused, and will most certainly continue to cause drastic changes within the nation and the world at large, said D. V. Kapur, founder chairman and managing director of NTPC, a former Secretary in the government of India and author. Speaking at the BW Businessworld Dialogue on Leadership, Kapur said taking ownership and comprehending the various degrees of changes is imperative and will enable faster growth and development of the nation. 

Kapur talked of how people need to “start accepting” and should start “planning” for the “new normal”. He asked, “Should we start planning now?” and went on to answer that question pointing out how time was crucial and wasting it may not lead to the best outcome. Being prepared for life post lockdown, or the coronavirus pandemic was important, he said, so as to be able to get things back in sync smoothly. 

This is the time for innovation and exploration. Even “leadership” needs to be “reinvented and innovated,” Kapur said. A lack of “innovation is a weakness”, and overcoming it will enable faster and better growth of the nation,” he said. 

Success stems from two concepts, “the system approach” and a “good project manager”. He reiterated that the need of the hour was for “people to be great project managers”, even if it was for themselves.  Kapur stressed that only when that was achieved, could change be deal with. The impact of change, he said, would “vary from sector to sector”. 

Regarding the question as to what is going to be new normal in post-Covid-19 scenario, he said, it depends from one sector/organisation to another However respective leaderships should get their teams not to waste crisis period and instead start planning innovations in organisation design systems and operations etc.

Challenge the conventional wisdom and see that new strategies are not prisoners of present culture It should not be treated an exercise for an image makeover, Kapur added.

He also said, the fundamental principle quality of leadership gets tested in crisis continues to be valid. It applies all the more during current gloom and doom in inspiring others on one hand and innovation of transformational changes on the other  Management of Human Resources would perhaps require overriding importance.

Despite major changes required for new environments continued focus on certain aspects would be valid  For example Systems Approach and project management There are areas like management of quality and aiming for excellence in each of organizational disciplines, Kapur added further.

Kapur concluded by talking of how taking the reins of one’s life and being productive was a great way of thinking and acting, with respect to the current situation.