Of giving back and leading from the front: The ‘KAR SEVA’ model

BY IMPACT Staff

“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more” - Anthony Robbins

About eight months back, I was chatting with a 45-year-old industry leader who runs a fairly large media and communications company. The media professional was considering entrepreneurship options and saying that he wanted to give back to the industry from which he had got everything. I have always said that the best way to give back to the industry is to do your own job well, honestly, ethically and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders. However, to do one’s job well and to also do pro bono work for the industry and the domain is a double whammy and exceptional . We have a multitude of industry bodies in each domain and sub-domain, each headed by a very dynamic and respected professional. Sadly, not enough women head these bodies. Perhaps there is a glass ceiling. More than six years back, when I became a member of the Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), I remember working with Ashish Bagga to create the Indian Magazine Congress, taking his ideas and lead. This generated money for AIM. Successive presidents of AIM like Mahesh Peri and Pradeep Gupta built on Bagga’s initiative and accelerated the momentum.

But last year, we saw an acrimonious election in the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI). And for five years now, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) elections have been contested by rival factions. Factionalism in industry bodies hampers work.

The point is that in our industry, many leaders and individuals have passed the pro bono test or implemented the ‘kar seva’ model with flying colours. They not only did their jobs in organisations they are running well, but found time and ideas to create sustainable, profitable and transformational initiatives for the industry they benefit from and serve. About six years back, the Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) introduced an equivalent of the MRV system to expedite and streamline payments of broadcasters. IBF, under the presidentship of Uday Shankar, has devoted serious time and effort to ensure that it leads a timebound approach to finding solutions and ideas for the industry. Shankar and his team have tried to be bold at IBF and initiate things that are futuristic.

Three years back, I thought industry bodies do not do enough, especially the older ones, as there are too many egos, interest groups and bureaucratic issues that hold up progress on real issues and implementation of brilliant ideas. I have since changed my view, and not without reason.

AIM, formed by Aroon Purie, Paresh Nath and other publishers and led by Bagga in its initial years, is a good example. AIM, in partnership with FIPP, is bringing the World Magazine Congress to India in October. Apart from helping Indian magazine publishers forge relationships with transnational publishers, it will generate half a million USD (almost Rs 2.25 crore) corpus for AIM to fund its initiatives to help magazine publishers and professionals. AIM will launch the Magazine Engagement and Affinity study at the World Magazine Congress 2011. It would greatly help magazine advertisers. In two months, Bagga will become the president of INS, the oldest mediaindustry association. A consummate professional and master strategist, Bagga will be an exception in a body where big newspaper-owners have been past presidents. For a professional, and that too primarily a magazine publisher (India Today has a newspaper in Mail Today), this is remarkable. Bagga has risen on the power of ideas and a no-nonsense approach to finding solutions for newspaper publishers and stakeholders. The current Indian Readership Survey (IRS) and National Readership Survey (NRS) merger is a testimony to it. The support of industry stalwarts like Hormusji Cama has also helped Bagga push his plans to make a difference. Knowing him, he will not be content with just being a namesake president at INS, he will try and bring real change and real ideas. Having worked with him on various initiatives, I know this.

Why just talk of Bagga? Look at Madhukar Kamath. Apart from running Mudra, Kamath has worked tirelessly for the last few years to bring AdAsia 2011 to India and enhance its stature. Kamath has a vision for re-energising Indian advertising and showcasing Indianness, our work and country; and he has walked the talk. Bagga, as co-chairman of the AdAsia 2011 organising committee, is a perfect partner for Kamath. I hope we see more Baggas and Kamaths in our industry.

Goa Fest organisers and leaders associated with it – be it Colvyn Harris or Shashi Sinha or Lynn D’souza - have also rendered selfless service to the industry. With Sinha becoming the president of Ad Club, Mumbai and I Venkat donning the cap of Media Research Users Council (MRUC) president, the industry will see more positive initiatives. We must make a contribution. These are the leaders that younger professionals look up to as role models. I am personally enthused and determined to contribute. One has to be the change himself or herself and make the ‘kar seva’ model work.

As Brian Tracy said, “The more credit you give away, the more will come back to you. The more you help others, the more they will want to help.”

Tags : Media Mantras