23RD MMA All-India Management Students’ Convention 2024
Resilience is the most important quality for managing change, says Lt Gen A Arun (Retd) PVSM YSM SM VSM.
You might wonder about my choices if I tell you that I ranked 13th in the All-India IIT entrance exam but chose to join the National Defence Academy instead. During my time in the army, I have been shot and wounded five times. When I say this, it often elicits applause from the audience, but reactions vary across different parts of our country.
I want to talk about the power of the brain. The brain generates ideas, and many ideas come our way that we don’t pursue. An idea can lead to change, crisis, or chaos. It can be a disruptor, an incident, or an event. You can use your brain to predict disruptors. By 2070, it is estimated that we will be a $56 trillion economy, but to achieve this, we must take action. We need to graduate from innovation to invention and creation, developing products, services, and systems that will generate wealth for India.
The brain has infinite capacity, but it is limited by our mind. The mind is a repository of biases and past knowledge, which restrict us. To unlock the brain’s potential, we must remove these mental shutters. While a child might creatively connect various elements in a story, a teacher might restrict the narrative to predefined paths because the mind overpowers the brain. However, an unchecked mind can also be dangerous and lead to trouble.
The Domino Effect: Small Steps, Big Changes
The word ‘horizon’ signifies different things to different people; it’s about the extent of your thinking. The domino theory illustrates that one small action can trigger significant changes. For example, a chain of 13 dominos can begin with a small one and lead to a much larger one falling. If extrapolated, you could theoretically topple something as tall as Mount Everest or even reach the moon with enough dominoes. This metaphor highlights the power of taking the first step.
Resilience is the most important quality for managing change. Consider the example of tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets. These microscopic organisms are famous for their resilience, surviving extreme conditions by entering a dormant phase. They can remain in this state for years and resume activity when conditions improve, adapting to the harshest environments.
Embracing Change and Teamwork
Embrace change and keep learning. Remember, you are never alone on your journey. Be a team player, as there is no ‘I’ in a team; focus on ‘we’ and ‘us.’ We can choose to be architects of a global future, creating unseen possibilities, or we could opt to be defenders of a certain decline. The choice is ours.
