AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR – HR & ADMIN, RITTAL INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

Mr. Dinesh A.U. is an agile HR & IR Leader with over three decades of experience, working with Federal Moghul, Dynamitic Technologies, Shell Renewables, Centum Electronics, and Rittal India Private Limited. 
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Dinesh is a postgraduate (MSW) in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore. He is presently working as Director – HR & Admin at Rittal India Private Limited, a German MNC based in Bengaluru. He is Honorary Secretary of the National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM), Karnataka Chapter since 2018.  

Dinesh is an expert in managing policy formulation and implementation, conceptualizing and implementing OD interventions, skill and competency development strategies, talent acquisition, management and development, employee experience and employer branding activities, strategic IR management, HR marketing, and CSR projects.  

Dinesh with his service-oriented approach has been mentoring and coaching many young HR professionals and providing his honorary services to various organizations voluntarily. 

“In a retirement chair, we cherish memories of "people success stories," not "business success stories." HR is a profession that provides a treasury of "people success stories" for our better tomorrows.”

1. How would you describe yourself?
I represent the vast majority of Indian society. Coming from a middle-class background, I shaped my personality believing in hard work, complimented with the desire to achieve, determination, firm, agile and resilient approach, with a strong focus on self-motivation, and goals.

2. What makes you motivated in HR?
HR provides opportunities to connect with a variety of people, to work with them, to channelize their strength towards growth, and to share their success stories. This profession gave me immense opportunity to implement the “Principles of Working with People” I learned in Roshni Nilaya. What else is needed to self-motivate towards HR?

3. What are the most important things you have learned from your superiors?
Don't limit yourself and dream big, accept people as they are, follow the ethos with zero compromises and listen, listen, listen…!

4. How would you describe your leadership style?
I trust in inclusiveness. I value the uniqueness of each person. The leader must realize that everyone has unique strengths and derive benefits from its best use to the organization. I believe in facilitating people to break the barriers and inhibition. 

5. What are you passionate about?
Teams! Because, as Ken Blanchard said, “None of us is as smart as all of us.”
The best gift a leader can give to the organization is “Great Team” which aligns and works in line with organizational goals. The world's best organizations are outputs of great teams. I am most passionate about identifying great team players, bringing them as a team, and making them work with passion. 
Leaders are not always born; they come from within the team.

6. How do you define failure?
I consider failure as fuel to my journey towards success. Hard times make you harder and more resilient. The more you burn the more you shine. I try to see the failures in a positive light. I take the "happened is happened, let's get the best out of the remnants " approach. I try to learn from the failures, gain new insights, explore unexplored suggestions, and draw the best plans for next time. Don't learn to accept failure but learn the reasons for failure and overcome them; success follows. It is important to accept and proceed that “failures are part of life and it is impossible to succeed without them.”

7. In the next few years, industries will be facing a huge shortage of competent engineers. Your comments…
YES, the industries will have a huge shortage of competent engineers in the upcoming years, as competency and skill development are not major factors for either universities or industries. In the present scenario, the skill gap is widening and the majority of employers struggle to find the talent they are in need. Going forward new market opportunities and India's global competitiveness will be highly limited by a competent workforce. Danger to note that the students' intake for a few conventional courses is going down year-on-year, i.e., welder, fitters, turners, and so on. This will be a risk.  Industry-Academia connect is the need of the hour. HRs must equip themselves to handle this.

8. What is your definition of work ethics?
Treat everyone with all due respect. Provide the opportunity for everyone and facilitate him or her to contribute. People not only work for pay and position, but they strive to find satisfaction at work. Give everyone his or her space to excel and deliver incredible results. Remember, in retirement chair, we cherish memories of “people success stories,” not “business success stories.”

9. What are your tips for young rural background HR professionals looking for suitable jobs in HR?
Identify your weakness and work on it. You are the key to your success. Nothing can replace the hardwork and loyalty. The sky is the limit; Strive to create your own space. 
Keep a strong belief in your strengths. Convert knowledge as wisdom. Work on communication, presentation, and corporate etiquette. Develop strong technical and data orientation. Commit sincerely to ongoing learning. Have an ethical approach and develop networking ability.

10. What are your tips for building a high sustainable career?
Create strong self-branding with a solid base of principles and values, have personal USP points, maintain healthy out-put v/s cost matrix, acquire skill-set for future needs and practice a healthy lifestyle. There are no shortcuts for success.

11. How do you connect with people at every level of the organization?
Simple mantras - walk-by-talk, frequent communications, people empowerment to talk, personal-professional networking, mentoring & coaching sessions, and respect, recognize & reward. 
If you really want to connect with people, get out of your chair and from your comfort zone. 

12. How do you deal with pressure?
Do not carry baggage; learn to ease out in life. I keep reminding myself that today is always better than yesterday because you still have it with you. I may get exhausted or discouraged, but the positive hopes within me find that extra little well of determination and strength to keep going. 

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Interviewed by
​Shekhar Ganagaluru
HR Professional and Author

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