Compassion and building teamwork will be two of the most important characteristics business leaders will need for success a decade from now, believes Walt Disney Television International (India) head of programming and production, Nachiket Pantvaidya, who tells Nidhi Jain that he follows these guidelines in his professional life.

Lessons you learnt

As far as TV goes, we have to listen to the viewer and the best way to do that is through ratings. Through the years we have found out that data tells us if a certain program is watched, without understanding why it's popular. The big lesson is that especially with the viewers and need to have the openness to the idea that what we don't like may or may not be accepted by the viewers. The lesson is to get into the minds of viewers, appreciate and listen to them.

Method of pacifying madness

Given the fact that we are in the fast changing industry, the madness in the office should be used productively. That energy needs to be utilized in the right direction. For eg. we can't have confusion and chaos together. It's a changing environment, not only in TV, but also in the socioeconomic sphere where we are changing fast. I like the fact there is madnes

People that influenced

Most of my bosses over the years like Ravina Raj kohli or now Rajat Jain have had influenced me partly or wholly in different areas. From some I have learnt business skills, from some ideologies, some listening skills, but I have learnt a lot.
 

Strategic alliance
First thing is to get an understanding of the market, looking at qualitative data research to understand viewers. I understood if we don't talk to people in their language it's not going to help. Lastly, we should always be profitable.

Changing rules of work

TV is only a platform; real money is content, merchandising or books, whatever, it should have should have 360 degree effect. By 2010 TV is going to be an advertising medium for selling toys.

As for the team, it's important to have idea generation. In 1995, operational strength was looked upon as good in a TV Company. That's not enough today.

Ensuring that team delivers

Different people have different hot buttons, and it's just about pressing the right one but the key to delivery is to define what to deliver. For TV programmes you know what you want and everybody work towards it. Set a target, sometimes there are micro targets though those targets are not broken down at micro level.

Fun part of your business

Its semi human, semi creative, semi business each divided into 33%. There is a fair bit of self expression that needs to be there in terms of personality for the business of making programmes. Channel becomes a reflection of personality whoever is a part of it. It might not happen in steel, cement or a car company but it does in a TV company because it involves human emotions. There is a point of self expression. We need to continuously self adapt to our target groups.

ambler.