Being A Leader, Not Boss

Suresh Narayanan, chairman and managing director, Nestlé India, the keynote speaker at the BW Businessworld Marketing Whitebook 2016-17 launch in Delhi, believes in leadership that leaves behind a growth legacy

The Nestlé story is interesting to every marketer today. Not only for the crisis that one of its flagship brands Maggi survived but also for the way it dealt with increased competition from local players in the past years. Suresh Narayanan, who guided Nestlé India back out of the woods, says tough times are really a test for the leadership. Citing the genetic coding that has poised Nestle for growth for many years, he explains that much as it is advised in philosophy and taught in classrooms, adversities really do come with opportunities.

“We undertake many initiatives, concepts, employ reflectology, consumer data and insights mining, but there’s always something called fate. When that happens, some of these concepts can pale. In times of crisis, you have to go back to values and what makes you grow. We believe in something called fast, focused and flexible behaviour,” says Narayanan.

Legacy of growth
Narayanan asserts on the strength of leadership that is buoyed by a team and partners and that has the ability to leave behind a legacy of growth. “Whatever a leader achieves, he does so from the shoulder of giants. This is not one hero who makes everything happen. There is a whole team, supported by partners and well wishers. They got us through what was essentially a life crisis for us. In crisis, you either want to live or go in peace. Some of us choose to live and when that happens, nothing can stop you,” states Narayanan.

He explains that leadership is the catalyst, the fertiliser and the ground for change, but change has to be embraced by people. You have to try and do the right things for the organisation. He says, “We have 104 years of very respectable existence in the category. Our experiences over time, and how we have approached them, have given us some of the most well-loved brands, and numerous leaders. We come from a position of strength.”

He reiterates the fact that it is not really the good times that put the leadership to test but the tougher times. And according to him, leadership makes all the difference, when the chips are down.” Referring to Nestlé experience again, he says, “As an organisation, I am excited. A leader’s time will come and go, but what we leave behind is important. And at present, Nestlé is taking some right steps towards growth.”

Heightened challenges
Among the key areas that are becoming important from a marketer’s perspective, are digital and diversity in workforce. Narayanan says the digital revolution, high on 460 million Internet users, and growing, 60 per cent of which is from mobile is both value and boon for many marketers. He also stresses on the role of women as an important growth driver for marketers. With women literacy rates growing, they are becoming more important not only as individual decision makers but also as consumer categories.

Bringing another perspective here, he says, “Each gender brings value to the table but who said men cannot have the soft skills we attribute to women. That is not the reason to hire. One of my learning, in fact, is that you need to be like a coconut — hard on the outside and compassionate on the inside. Women in workforce and leadership are increasing, and that is an important change.”

Reflecting on the change in digital, he says, “Companies are no longer digital-enabled but marketing is digital able. That is a huge transition. Three years ago, we had 2,500 consumer contacts in the full year. Today, we are talking about half a million. They want to know everything from what goes in a food product and how it is made to the role and authenticity of the brand.”

Future story
Millennials have taken the challenges in marketing to a new level and it is a positive challenge. There are tools that enable them to communicate, ask and know. The only thing marketers can bring to the table is perspective which adds value and helps in connecting the dots.

People are talking, thinking and living brands. Brands today have become experiential and part of the ecosystem. “One of the huge facets we observed in Maggi was that it was more than noodles for Maggi consumers; it is a part of their life. Therefore, the task as marketers to ensure sanctity, privacy and integrity of the relation is that much more,” says Narayanan.

He observes that in his role, as the company’s leader, one of the most important things he could do was to enable his teams the freedom to explore newer areas of connecting with consumers. “India is an emotive country — we have our heart in hands, and thoughts in the feet. As marketers, and as a nation, that is both a challenge and a strength,” says Narayanan.