In the highly competitive business world marked by innovation and technological disruptions, only few leaders truly stand out. Among these inspiring leaders who are set to reshape the future of their industries is Kiran Mann, a thought leader, influencer, and business consultant in organizational and leadership excellence.
Kiran tenure over 21 years of extensive experience and deep technical knowledge in the automotive manufacturing and supply chain industries. She holds an undergraduate-degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Toronto and an Executive MBA from Western University, Ivey School of Business. With extensive hands-on business experience in her belt, Kiran led the foundation of M2M Business Solutions, in 2017.
It is her tenacity, strong business acumen, and consistent strategies that have propelled M2M Business Consulting to one of the country’s leading consulting and advisory firms.
The CEO Views is pleased to interact with Kiran Mann, CEO of M2M Business Solutions, to get a deeper insight into her company, its strengths, and unique value proposition.
You have an unparalleled professional career. What was the driving force behind your entrepreneurial journey?
My entrepreneurial journey stems from a culmination of over 15 years of leadership experience, marked by both successes and failures. While I’m grateful for the successes, it was the lessons learned from both triumphs and setbacks that truly shaped my path forward.
In my leadership roles, I observed a prevalent pattern of firefighting, where urgent matters constantly overshadowed the truly essential.
Although we were accomplishing (checking items off the task list), this never ending cycle, left us a feeling ‘Unaccomplished’ as we were just dowsing fires only to find ourselves in the middle of another blazing one.
This perpetual cycle consumed our energy taking us away from our overarching vision. We were merely tackling tasks without aligning them with the overarching vision.
Not being aligned to the vision and prioritizing urgent over important created an imbalance at work, which I feel often leads to imbalance in work and personal life too. That’s why many of us feel this work-life imbalance too.
Conversations with fellow leaders unveiled that this struggle was more widespread than initially perceived. Many were grappling with the same imbalance, prioritizing urgent matters at the expense of perceived importance, consequently impacting both work and personal life.
Reflecting on my own journey, a pivotal moment occurred during a conference at the Ivey School when I was prompted to ponder, “Why are you here?” This question sparked a profound realization, compelling me to take action. I recognized the need to spread this message and assist other leaders and organizations in achieving excellence.
Thus, I made the bold decision to resign from my job and embark on a mission to address this imbalance. Delving deep into my experiences, I meticulously analysed past projects and uncovered underlying principles that had guided my success, albeit unconsciously. It became clear that I needed to articulate these principles and develop structured frameworks, leading to the conception of “The Happy Organization.”
Over the next 7 years, my time was dedicated to working very closely with leaders going through unique challenges and building frameworks and models and applying them to overcome the challenges and achieve organizational excellence.
Today, my mission is crystal clear: to transform businesses into “The Happy Organization fostering organizational excellence while prioritizing sustainability and scalability, ultimately creating workplaces where both employees and businesses thrive.
Your key area of focus is # The Happy Organization. How M2M Business Solutions is instrumental in building “The Happy Organization”?
At M2M Business Solutions, our primary focus revolves around cultivating # The Happy Organization. Our dire belief is that fostering a culture of happiness within the workplace is integral to achieving sustainable growth and success.
Our approach to building The Happy Organization extends far beyond superficial perks like Fun Fridays or complimentary pizzas. Instead, we delve deep into the fabric of each organization, ensuring that every employee and department is aligned with the overarching vision.
Our journey begins by actively listening to the challenges faced by leaders and meticulously analysing feedback from every member of the organization. Through unique diagnostic tools, we authenticate these challenges, gaining valuable insights into the root causes
Through identification of the key hurdles hindering organizational progress, we pivoted towards transforming these challenges into opportunities for growth and scalability. Our rallying cry for # The Happy Organization propels us to instigate cultural shift sat the grassroots level, ensuring enduring sustainability.
Our comprehensive suite of services, ranging from coaching and mentoring to online training and consulting, is meticulously crafted to empower leaders and organizations in overcoming obstacles and realizing their full potential. Through workplace innovation, a focus on customer delight, and the cultivation of inspired employees, we remain steadfast in delivering on our promise of a truly happy and thriving organization.
We are committed to continuously optimizing our processes to enhance operational efficiencies
Thriving in this highly competitive industry must be challenging. What challenges are you observing and how are you approaching them as a leader?
Navigating the complexities of our fiercely competitive industry indeed presents its share of challenges. However, amidst adversities like the pandemic or economic downturns, our ability to thrive lies in our approach to these challenges.
Rather than fixating on external competition, we adopt a proactive stance, directing our focus inward to scrutinize our organization from top to bottom. By identifying and addressing key internal challenges and obstacles, we fortify our foundation for sustained success.
In our observation, organizations are faced with two primary types of challenges: external factors such as market threats, escalating costs, and evolving technologies, and internal dynamics like talent acquisition and retention, process optimization, productivity enhancement, and fostering a culture of innovation.
We firmly believe that mastering control over internal challenges often paves the way for effectively managing external pressures. Through meticulous categorization of challenges, we discern those within our sphere of influence and those beyond our control. Our strategy hinges on channelling our resources and efforts towards overcoming the challenges we can influence, thereby fortifying our resilience and ensuring continued growth and adaptation in the face of external disruptions.
Do you fostera culture of THO within your own team as well?
Absolutely, fostering a culture of THO, or “The Happy Organization,” within our own team is paramount to our ethos. Despite our team being geographically dispersed and comprising individuals from diverse backgrounds and generations, instilling this culture remains our top priority.
We continuously reinforce the purpose behind our work, emphasizing the ultimate goal of developing models and frameworks to facilitate sustainable success for businesses. This shared clarity of purpose serves as a driving force for each member of our team.
In every discussion, whether it’s with a new client or within our internal team meetings, we always begin with the “Why”—why we’re embarking on a particular endeavour and how it aligns with our mission. It’s crucial for us that every team member experiences the joy of contributing towards a common objective. We even have a unique acronym for JOY— Just Overcome Yourself— signifying that joy and happiness are conscious choices.
Furthermore, we are committed to continuously optimizing our processes to enhance operational efficiencies. We value not only the outputs but also the inputs delivered by each team member, fostering a culture of empowerment through accountability and responsibility. Above all, we prioritize the personal and professional growth of every individual within our team.
How do you maintain market competitiveness?
Our market competitiveness stems from our unique approach to serving every customer at M2M. By not only addressing the challenges conveyed to us by leaders and employees, we also continuously strive to uncover both the known and unknown obstacles they face.
We delve deep into remedying these challenges, cultivating a workplace culture that fosters sustainability and long-term success.Today,M2M stands as a distinctive Business Advisory & Consulting firm, offering a comprehensive suite of services encompassing Consulting & Advisory, Leadership Paradigm, and People Development.
Our extensive experience spans various industries, including Food and Beverages, Commercial Lighting, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Plastics, Logistics, IT, Automotive, and Construction. By consistently identifying and addressing both acknowledged and latent challenges, we ensure our clients achieve enduring success in their respective markets.
Do you have any advice to the young and emerging entrepreneurs who are about to embark on their business journey?
Absolutely, to the young and emerging entrepreneurs venturing into the business world, we admire your passion and drive to innovate and create. Our advice to you is to dedicate extra time to thoroughly understand your goals, motivations, and the path to achieving them. Maintain a clear focus on your dreams, take purposeful steps forward, and remain committed to delivering results, one step at a time.
However, it’s important to recognize that your vision, particularly in the early stages, is likely to evolve. Allow your vision the space to grow and adapt into its full potential. Embrace this evolution as part of the journey towards realizing your aspirations.
