Interview with Gautam Nath, MD & CEO, SAMS

                                        

Interview with Mr Gautam Nath, MD, SAMS

About the firm : Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd. (SAMS) is a general management consultancy, exclusively focused on servicing the needs of the health and development sectors in India.

Q1) In this day and age, does following ethical practices and behavior prove to be a hindrance, or does it help you to grow and thrive in the industry?

Ans 1) This is a difficult question. Ethical behaviour is a legal and contractual requirement and yet periodic challenges and compromises requiring malleability and adaptive behavior at work and business are inevitable. 

If your ambition is to become an industry giant or colossus, I think fanatical commitment to the pursuit of ethical practices is likely to be a hindrance. If you are content to be reasonably successful, you should be able to consistently follow ethical practices, barring the odd, small compromise.

 

Q2) What are some examples of ethical and unethical behavior in the workplace?

In our recruitment business, ethical behaviour is frequently reminding the Client that prescribed position specs do not allow them to appoint an ineligible candidate who has been strongly recommended by a person of influence.

 

Unethical behaviour would be to ignore eligibility criteria and unfairly inflate scores of an undeserving and underqualified candidate at the behest of a person of influence.

 

Q3) What do you consider to be your own ethical qualities and do you believe they have held you in good stead over the years?

Ans 3) I have tried hard to promote and insist on ethical behaviour by all of us with respect to the work we do for both internal and external clients.

I endeavor to keep my promises with clients and colleagues and reciprocally expect and demand the same from them.

I am happy with this personal code.

 

 

Q4) Describe a specific instance when your ethics were challenged? Can you please elaborate on how you handled the situation.

Ans 4) There have been instances when clients and/or business counterparts or partners have tried to gauge our flexibility and willingness to pursue an adventurous agenda. We have clearly communicated our disinterest and inability to pursue such agendas by saying no politely over the years. We are not frequently challenged any longer.

 

Q5) Could you describe a situation where you have upheld the highest ethical standards and values?

Ans 5) I cannot readily think of any occasion where we have been hugely challenged.

We have had periodic opportunities to politely correct clients, as well as admit our own faults, gaps and deficiencies and honestly address them.

We have periodically elected to stop working with clients and conversely redo work or redouble our efforts where clients and/or we have not been happy with our outputs. We have occasionally complained about unethical behaviour inflicted on us, at the highest possible forums.

 

Q6) What needs to be done in the professional workplace to inculcate highest ethical morals and values in the organization and especially among new entrants?

Ans 6) It’s important for the Board, CEO and top management team to reinforce commitment to high ethical standards. Everybody has to walk the talk.

I’ve noticed the practice gradually becomes infectious and many of us in the management team now consistently identify and uphold right and appropriate behaviour.  We frequently correct each other, if any of us falter.

The emphasis the organisation places on ethical behaviour has to be communicated on Day#1 at the time of induction and orientation.