Do the Job that You LIKE

Jehangir Katrak, VP – Logistics, Warehousing & CFA, India, Tata Consumer Products Ltd.

What has been your passion project till date?

I have done many projects in my career spanning over 25 years, but the most challenging one was the integration project that I was entrusted to do three years ago. The Foods business of Tata Chemicals merged with Tata Global Beverages to form Tata Consumer Products in Feb 2020. There were two CFA networks that had to be integrated into one single network. As you know, the complete lockdown on account of the Covid pandemic started in Mar 2020, the entire project had to be executed during that time when teams were working from home and travel was restricted. The transition had to be orchestrated without any impact to business. The kind of meticulous planning and work done during that period was phenomenal by the project team. This is one project which will always remain close to my heart.

How do you unwind yourself after a tough day @ work?

Not much time is available on weekdays to unwind, but I try to get my ‘Me Time’ 30-40 minutes before bedtime. Typically, I surf channels, internet, watch movies or go for a stroll after dinner with my family. The ‘unwinding’, I would say, happens only on Sunday, which would include playing badminton with my group of friends, going to the gym, or taking long walks, etc. What is more important is that, if you love and enjoy what you do, then you really do not get tired. But yes, one needs to unwind and recharge batteries!

How do you manage the pressure and the challenge that comes with the job?

There are times when you are in a challenging situation, things are out of your control and there is a lot of pressure that comes along, but irrespective of the situation I remain calm, which helps me to think clearly thru the problem/ situation and come out of it. In such a situation, it is also important to be aware of the feelings of the team members and people around you and boost their morale. One must be measured in one’s approach.

I passionately believe in the saying, ‘When the going is tough, the tough gets going’.

What is your Success Mantra?

If you put your heart and soul into something and go beyond the brief, surely, you will succeed. But after having done that if still things do not work out, IT IS OKAY. One should not be pulled down by ‘one’ failure. In life, you win some and you lose some.

What is your Leadership Style?

If I must categorize myself, then my style of leadership is like a coach. I believe in empowering my team members, but at the same time, I would like them to take accountability for their decisions and results. I am result-oriented, and I do not encourage mediocrity.

One tip to Survive & Sustain in the unforeseen situations / your advice to Next Gen Supply Chain professionals…

My tip would be – do the job that you like. One can give his or her best to the job only when one enjoys doing the job and gets satisfaction out of it. Also always keep asking yourself – Is this going to add value to the company? How will it improve the situation from where it is today? One should use technology be it digital or otherwise to get the job done. And keep upgrading your skillset to be relevant in the industry. The only thing constant is CHANGE.

A book that has helped you at work

There are quite a few books from Supply Chain point of view. But I would still like to call out – The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. It gives a lot of insight into Management, Supply Chain in an understandable manner.

A book that you can read any number of times or a movie you can watch any time.

I watch a lot of movies, but one which I do not hesitate repeating is the movie 3 Idiots.

What is the best and worst advice you have received?

Best advice: Irrespective of the problem or crisis on hand, one should respect all people involved and one should not lose control of oneself. And that each person is unique and what may work for one person may not be true for another.

Worst advice: Not really

Where was your last vacation?

I have not had a vacation after the pandemic but would be going on one soon. Just before the pandemic, we went on a holiday to Rajasthan. We had toured across Rajasthan and visited cities of Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Ajmer. We had a wonderful time. I was holidaying in Rajasthan for the first time.