Futurestep handles people with three to 12 years of experience, country director Asim Handa says, although the so-called C level, such as the chief financial or technology officer, at small firms is also fair game.
Even people who are not technically managing but have some special skill are fodder for recruitment.
In India, the company’s strategy is to scout recruitment firms for acquisition, as well as increase recruitment by volume; Wal-Mart, for example, is its biggest customer in the US. Similarly, Futurestep officials say, they have single Indian clients who demand hundreds of sales managers or account executives that fit the profiles of middle management.
Non-traditional methods
At the end of June, Anand Deshpande, the founder of a Pune-based software company, Persistent Systems Pvt. Ltd, plans a recruiting trip to Seattle. There, among the songs and dances at the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal convention, Deshpande will set up a table and try to lure Indian emigres back home. In the US, associations for regional expatriates typically hold their annual conventions at this time of the year.
Deshpande says the meets are also evolving into a place where Indian-Americans swap job advice and opportunities.
Non-resident Indians (NRIs) who have been star performers in companies overseas, are among those he is tapping for middle management.
Previously, he observes, NRIs were returning only for very senior positions—but they now recognize the value of being on the front lines of the economic boom. India, he says, can offer them management lessons impossible in the US. “There, even the fairly senior people do not have adequate experience in running large teams. The teams in India are much larger,” says Deshpande. “They are predominantly individual contributors, who have spent time on an H-1B visa. They are very valuable,” he adds.
The H-1B visa allows holders to stay in the US for six years, after which they must either apply for a green card or return home. “We train those guys and let them manage teams of 40 people,” Deshpande says.
Domestically, Deshpande says workers are being promoted a lot sooner than they should be. Does he do that? “All the time,” he laughs. “You just ask people to step up. Those who don’t, fall away.”
Do and don’t for first-time managers
Go slow on change: There’s no need to use all the newfound power immediately. Change things gradually.
Find a work style: Figure out what works for your team—do team members like to be given the bigger picture and be left alone, or do they prefer checks and reviews? Mould your leadership style to bring out the best in each team member.
Listen, and learn:Downward communication is crucial. Have informal get-togethers to find out more about your team, and their lives. Listening is important, advising is not.
Review regularly:Monthly or fortnightly appraisals help highlight the team’s performance and action plans. They also provide the opportunity to give formal feedback without sounding biased.
Spare the rod:Use authority in moderation. A direction given as a request is a managerial type of understatement. If the response is not forthcoming, you can add a bit of authority.