Hi Dear Homi,

God bless you my dear. I won’t exaggerate if I say that the one week with you in Lonavla changed my entire life forever. My mind and soul are in an endless quest for learning. Everyday brings me a new opportunity to be a better version of myself. I will continue to owe you, my wise man, for keeping me in the programme to see the full truth. 

God bless you. You will always stay young and vibrant.

Warm regards, 

– Heba Salama, Marketing Manager,National Holding Exceed Vivartia (Hyatna) Dubai

Ex Marketing Manager Marico Dubai

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MULTIFACETED

The program has a unique objective that it has no ‘Quantitative Objective’.

It leaves one with a thought and completely on the participant on how she would take it.

It had all facets and still no particular facet, which I would say as ‘ONE & BEST’.

– Shringar Bhuwania, HR Manager, Marico

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PERCEPTION

It made me think about self – deception and how we perceive or are being perceived.

It also made me understand my pitfalls in terms of dominant & back behaviour.

Now I am ready to take pain to go on the road of excellence.

– Ravi Bhaisare, IT Manager, Marico

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CLEAR & PRACTICAL

The content was really well researched with excellent examples for clarity and was very practical.

The pace was good and enabled us to find real life applications for moving forward.

– Ella Mthethwa, Marketing Manager, Marico SA

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FLEXIBILITY

It drove the point very well.

Had a pattern & flexibility to accord with the experimental learning process.

– Indresh Pradhan, Head (IT), Kaya Ltd.

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FRESH START

The program helps you to dissect you into a new self and make you understand how you can start your new journey towards a now powerful, successful journey.

– Ranjit Kanbarkar, General Manager (Engineering), Ceat Ltd.

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TEAM WORK

I liked the program because of the teaching style – Experiential learning where we learned about behaviour through team – work.

The flow of the program was great and well researched.

Directions were clear and I am taking back more than I expected.

– Sehar Khanna, Brand Manager, Mahindra Retail

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EVERYDAY LEARNINGS

The program was very systematically planned. Right from the day when we received the book & manual to the completion of program was so well related.

Everyday was a new learning & the biggest thing I learnt was to overcome my self – deceptions & I know there are still more, but now at least I have the confidence that I can overcome those.

– Abhishek Sinha, Manager (Q. Tech), Good Year South Asia Tires Pvt. Ltd.

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REBIRTH

Dear Homi, thanks for the rebirth.

– Abhay D. Khulage, Senior Manager (purchase), Good Year South Asia Tyres

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DEEPLY EMBEDDED

Experiential learning mode enabled the concept to the drilled and understood more effectively.

The structure of the program is extremely well thought out.

– B.Ramakrishna, Group HR Manager, Mahindra & Mahindra

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PERCEPTION

The program doesn’t force – feed any learning and is completely driven by immaculate directions and self – learning & exploration.

Your inner self goes through a tremendous churn like never ever and you go back with a lot to improve & learn continuously and improve.

– Amrut Dash, Senior Regional Manager (OE), Ceat Ltd.

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RISING TO THE TOP

Dear Homi,

I am pleased to inform you that Marico has been selected as one of India’s Best Boards 2014 in a study by The Economic Times – Corporate Dossier & Hay Group.

This honour has been possible because of your valuable guidance to us through the years. I take this opportunity to convey my heartfelt gratitude to you for being a guide and a mentor.

I am grateful for the inspiring experiences that have helped us in our growth journey.

With Regards,

– Harsh Mariwala – Chairman – Marico Ltd.

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BUILDING LEADERS

Dear Homi,

I am pleased to inform you that Marico has been awarded as one of the Top Companies for Leaders in India.

You have played a key role in building the leadership for Marico. Any Marico leader, who looks back at his or her leadership journey fondly remembers and acknowledges Homi’s RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (RMP) as a key inflection point. We are ever grateful for your training and encouragement over the years to build leaders and culture at Marico.

Thanks for everything.

Regards,

– Ashutosh Telang – Chief Human Resources Officer – Marico Limited

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A HEALTHIER LIFE

Dear Homi,

Thanks for your mail and as usual prompt response.

As you taught me, it was a journey. I am very happy to have gone through your Relationship Management Program. I frankly never imagined a week out there could re – program my psyche.

I have quit smoking and have a more healthy life now. THANK YOU very much! I don’t know if you remember, I had taken a call before I left Lonavala. I have started cycling 8 months ago and so far done 100 km – metric century (5 times), despite my asthma.

Your programme gave me the guts to face people and “call a spade a spade”, and this attitude indeed helped me to develop both, personally & professionally. I approach life with more interest as I have goals, objectives and directions now for my family and myself.

My relationship with my colleagues has improved in a big way. I have a team who loves me and whom I care for!

You shook the fear out me. I owe you a million thanks 🙂

Regards,

– Jose Mathew – Vice President (International Business) – Kancor Ingredients Limited.

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EXPLORING THE INNER SELF

 

Dear Homi,

In 22 years of my work experience I have gone through many Management Programs, but this Relationship Management Program will stand out on absolute the top in terms of effectiveness.

The five and a half days program was an amazing experience and has facilitated to explore my inner self through positive and negative critiques.

The program has been a successful process, which compels you to think 360 degrees about your behaviour in different situations.

A series of upfront and sincere comments surfaced during program sessions, which will guide me to become a more efficient person at my work and personal life.

After a long time I had been through a program without any power point presentation and yet very gripping and awesome.

Your knowledge on the behavioural sciences is commendable and being an excellent orator you enabled the program to be an interesting, amazing and novel experience.

This experience will be like a treasure in my repository of thoughts and will surely push me to excel in all areas, both at home and in the work place.

Thanks Vinayak, (My M.D.) for taking the initiative in arranging this Relationship Management Program.

Look forward to meet again on April 28 for a Management by Results (MBR) program.

Thanks & Regards,

– Arun Bajaj – CEO – IPS (Coesia Group)

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WHOSE PROBLEM IS THIS?

 

Deal Homi,

Introducing myself again, I attended RMP (Mahindra batch 13th-18th Oct)
If you remember, during last session I had a lot of self deception which you helped me overcome. I want to share a small incident, which is worth mentioning. We have shifted form Faridabad to Mumbai around 7 months back.

My wife and I used to discuss that the education quality in Mumbai is not as good as it was in Faridabad. We were very happy with the performance of my daughter (6 years old) in Faridabad as after admission into that school, she became very bold and outgoing. The school was very good in terms of making students extrovert and improving interpersonal skills. For example, every month students use to participate in skits, were given a theme or subject and were asked to prepare a small speech to be delivered during assembly etc.

We found these things lacking here in the school in Mumbai. We thought about discussing it with the teacher and principal of school and was about to tell them about the problem and suggest them to improve the system. This was before I attended RMP (Mahindra batch 13th-18th Oct). After RMP I had another thought on “whose problem is this?”

There are 3 other kids in the society where I live in who go the same school and are classmates (though in different section) of my daughter. I suggested my wife to get in touch with the mothers of these kids in arranging such skits at our society only in which all these 4 kids will participate. My wife told me that it would be a difficult task as others will not agree and they would not give time for this. I advised my wife to identify potential green ball(s) and give it a try. By the way, my wife and I saw “Ek Ruka Hua Faisala” last Sunday itself.

Yesterday I was happy to note that some of the parents have agreed and preparation of the skit has started.

We were initially thinking that lack of such activities was only school’s problem and use to blame the school never realizing that ultimately it would affect us. When we realized that, we had a solution.

Thanks Homi.

Regards,

– Manjul Pandey – Mahindra

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GURUPURNIMA GREETINGS

 

Dear Homi,

I wish to offer my Pranams on this Gurupurnima day. This would be ‘HOMI’ day for me now onwards. I had numbers of gurus in my life starting from parents, friends, teachers, and colleagues in my life’s journey so far. Some in terms of their teachings were everlasting; some did not due to my own inability to retain.

You are the first guru to open up my journey inside to turn on my own self as teacher/ guide. Hope I would be able to probe deeper to come out with my own real strengths, overcome weaknesses and set right directions to my journey outside.

As a first step in churning and cleaning of my mind, I have started cleaning of my attic and cupboards full of useless, half used things. This is symbolic as well as ‘connected’. Also, I have asked for daughter and wife’s critique after explaining the process undergone at Lonavala. I intend to share my critique after getting their feedback.

ONCE AGAIN SASH-TANG PRANAM TO THE GURU.

Warm regards,

– Ashok Mhatre (Thingu) – FES – Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (23RD- 28TH PROGRAM)

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GREETINGS FROM MOSCOW

 

Dear Homi,

It was indeed a great opportunity to attend your program and introspect on various aspects of my behavior.

I had never been to such a program in the past. Therefore it was a new learning which would certainly impact my personal and professional relationships with the outside World.

Immediately after the program, I had a tough critique session with my boss Mr.NGP.

Your program gave me the right mental frame to accept the critique and work on the improvement areas.

Now, I am open to giving and accepting critiques. Once again, thanks a lot.
It was great. Please do come to Moscow, whenever you have time.

Best Regards,

– B.M. Sundaram

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THE IDIOT “HOMI”

Hello Sir,

Vaibhav here, from GMM Pfaudler Ltd., – your February 2009 patron.

Surprised by the subject na? But unsurprisingly that’s what you have achieved. I gave this mail such a title because you deserve it. Not by the literal interpretation of it, but for the intention & understanding behind it, which follows.

Sir, you must have watched (if not, I request you to do), the classic movie {ought to have been directed by you} “The 3 idiots”. And I hence titled this mail.

Homi, you have been single handily doing this, the message, which was percolated by this movie, is yours. As every body praised Amir Khan for his excellent acting and dialogues, I doubt that the concept was stolen. Because not me, but all of the participants of your Grid Program would undoubtedly agree that one of theories of “Homism” states, what has made Amir Khan so famous, was his theory in the film “Kamiyab nahi, Kabil Bano”. Kamiyabi khud tumhare kadam chuumegi”. “Excellence ke piche jao” “Who karo, jo tumhe achha lagta hai, jo tumhara dil chahe”…………..sooooo “Homism”…isn’t it?

No, doubt that many of the so called HR theories might have professed this, no doubt that many of us might had heard of this even before we met you, but the way in which it was professed by you, made the difference, as is between the architecture of mosque and that of the Taj Mahal. (I beg no religious misconceptions).

Homi, I feel proud and more so, satisfied today. I loved & continue to love my core profession as a company secretary and my the legal portfolio that I loved ever since I began my career, but YOU made me think if I am missing something in my aspirations. & I did. Before I joined corporate life, I used to teach my favorite subjects, which were made my favorite by the compulsion to teach them to my students, which in turn made me master in it, which resulted in excellence in my goals.

I came back from your program and realized that I am missing something in my life, which turned out to be the “Teaching Profession” which I had left in order to pursue my core profession. I realized that I belong to both of them and cant stay or leave either of my child. Finally I decided to resume to both the sides and started professing at a recognized Management school in Mumbai. I soon realized that both the sides of my career automatically started catering to each other some way or other once again.

Today I realize this to such an extent that I can’t think of being associated with only either of them. Irrespective of the small proportion of my time I spend in Teaching, I feel most content. Feel so satisfied with my career.

Thanks Homi, for lot of things you made us realize. It’s difficult to put it in words.

Your admirer, always!

– Vaibhav S. Bakhare – GMM Pfaudler Ltd.

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BITTER TO SWEET

 

Hi Homi,

This is Girish from Bangalore. I am not sure whether you may remember me; I had attended your Relationship Management Program training way back in Jan-2001 (22-Jan to 26-Jan) from Motorola.

Just thought of giving you a feedback about what I learned during the training and how I am finding it (yes after a long span of 7 years). I strongly believe in what you discussed and explained in the training. I had sent you a feedback in 2002, but I felt I need to continue sharing my experience with you because it was a special kind of training, which taught me to think differently.

To be honest everyday in my life I experience the facts we discussed in the training. Though it was bitter initially, results were rewarding in the long run. I still find the concepts of Managerial grid useful in handling difficult situations, both in my profession and personal life. It was the first training which taught me how to empathetic. I do not know how to explain the importance of 9,9 all I can say it is really really really…. a very powerful concept.

I remember you talking about people surviving on style and not on their strength – “they will continue, but there will be a time when the facts get exposed and they get out of the picture”. I really saw this happening recently.

BTW I left Motorola now I work for Symbian (http://www.symbian.com) as Chief Test Architect for OS Development.

In this new job, I am in a pure techie role, I do not have any one directly reporting to me, but I have the task of influencing people in getting things done the right way, across the organization.

Believe me things work only when I operate in an assertive mode and sometimes aggressive (where I need to tough) when things does not go right, I take a step back and think what went wrong? I get the answer………..It is so very powerful….

But I feel it is not easy to be perennially one needs to put in lot of effort, careful thinking, lot of involvement, to operate in that mode. Otherwise it is not possible to influence anyone.

My feedback: It was very bitter in the beginning but turns sweet in the long run. (Did I say Amba?)

Thanks and Regards,

– Girish Kumar – Symbian

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GURUJI

Dear Homi,

In my student life I had many Gurus from whose eyes and lips I had captured nectar of knowledge; my grandpa was also like my Guru, few years back Mr.KP Shanbhag, Sr.GM Telco and Ex ED Gmmco Ltd (my super boss in these companies) was also my mentor and Guru.

Meeting you was a Golden chance for me and now you are my Guru for life. I have never seen such unusual and magical Guru. In your praise I will quote this Doha:

“Guru Govind Dou Khade ,, Kake lagun Paon
Balihari Guru aapki ,Govind diyo batai”—————–Kabir

Guru and Krishna are standing side by side, whose feet I should touch? I will touch Guru’s feet who is leading my path to Krishna…

I am sorry if my firm stand that I feel was reflecting my ego or self deception, when you concluded the session each of concepts you gave me in 6 days a flashback and filtered deeply within me and made me realized that journey to sound behavior never ends. It is a path to elevation and elation which can be a long term journey through conscious and painful efforts…Your clinching statement that a really sound person is one whom others acknowledge as one, is a real fact I now understand and believe.

I am quite a humble, polite and people friendly person I don’t know why my team painted me RED, but I am believer that your concept is magical that the improvement will come only from pain, injury or disturbance, and I got all that to improve me.

I will share all learning with my family but wish my wife (Rupali) and elder daughter (Vishakha) attend some program of yours designed for their uplifting too.

One way I am happy that if I had not stood firm till end, I would have chosen a comfort zone (by changing or corrective approach) and then batch must not have seen the full episode and this way learning to all came in detailed way.(Honestly this is not creative justification)

When in Pune please visit our home some evening for dinner with us, this is a heartfelt Invitation Homi.

– Brahmanand Pandey – Mahindra

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HOMI – A TRAINER PAR EXCELLENCE!

 

Dear Homi,

I’ve written this recommendation of your work to share with LinkedIn and other users.

“Homi is a trainer & facilitator par excellence and a fantastic human being. But more importantly for me, he has been a mentor & friend who has been with me all through in my journey. Tough to describe his qualities since it is like showing lamp to the sun (as the saying goes). His passion for the work he does is so infectious & so touching that it leaves an imprint on anyone who goes through his program or connects with him. His ability to create a sense of equalization with whosoever he meets, irrespective of their age is an amazing quality that very few in this world have. I could go on & on….”

Service Category: Trainer/ Facilitator/ Mentor
Year first hired: 1991 (hired more than once)
Top Qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity

– Pankaj Bhargava (Ex- Chief-Human Resources Development at MARICO)

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PRIVILEGED

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Relationship Management Programme conducted by Mr. Homi Mulla in Hotel Fariyas, Lonavla. It is a six day experiential learning programme which takes you through the various leadership styles. This program also helps you understand your own sets of assumptions and beliefs. The way you have seen the world till now and how you can change that. You also get to understand what effective teams are made of.

I have summarised a few things, which are top of mind recall:

  1. Perception is reality. You are not what you are but how others see you.
    2. Assumptions guide behavior. To change behaviour, we need to change assumptions.
    3. Effective teams start with goals and objectives. They then mutually do direction setting. They engage in pre, post and concurrent critique.
    4. Critique is issue based, criticism is people based. Critique is like mental excretion. If you do not get it out of your system, it can become toxic.
    5. Every team should at the start identify and trust its resource.
    6. R1 + R2 = R3.
    Where R1 = Resources, R2 = Relationships and R3 = Results. Under most cases, R1 is the same. All teams have the same set of resources. But still their output varies. This is because of relationships. As Homi says, “R2 directly impact our bottom – line, yet we hardly invest time in developing it.”
    7. All of us get into our comfort zones in life, in job. This stunts our growth. We stop learning.
    8. When you are in team, not only should you welcome views divergent from yours; you should also solicit it.
    9. Stakes govern behaviour. Real behaviour comes out in ‘low stake situations’. Behaviour changes if the stakes are changed. E.g. If the teacher charges a fine of Rs.100 for late arrival, the instances of coming late will almost become zero.
    10. Trust = (Credibility x Intimacy) / Risk
    This is a relationship and not a mathematical equation. As C and I increase, R decreases.
    11. One needs to listen with empathy. This involves:
    Mirroring -> Re-stating -> Re-phrasing
    12. We should for our own development, seek and give critique regularly.
    13. One should be vary of self – deception. It is the biggest hurdle in changing one’s behaviour.
    14. Watch the movie “12 angry men” at least 2 times.
    15. Negative Critique -> Disturbance -> Reflection -> Realization -> Insight -> Behaviour Change
    16. Whenever you are faced with a situation ask “Whose problem is that?”.
    If it’s your problem, then only you have the solution.
    17. Trust begets trust.
    18. Talking with others will solve most of your problems. Open communication is the key.
    19. Give support to get support. Don’t be a ‘crab’.
    20. Begin with the end in mind
    21. Read ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey

If you ever get a chance to attend the ‘Relationship Management Programme’ do not miss it at any cost.

– Poza

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