“I found the heart of the world in India” says Anti Juhari Wuhuri who was here in the campus as a visiting faculty from Finland. His course Practical Principles of Leadership was a comprehensive platform which enabled students to look into themselves and others with a better understanding. He set the stage for the students to bring out the leader in them and to recognize and harness the potential of their fellow teammates. Filled with workshop on goals, MBTI types, Team dynamics; the students appreciated and expressed the fact that it was a course in which they learnt not just theories but more about themselves.
If this is what students are saying then what is that the man himself has got to say….
Q: As a faculty who has inspired us we would like to know more about you. Could you please tell us?
 A: Coming from a family with a lot of lawyers I also opted for the same profession .Few years down the line I started realizing that it was not what I wanted to do. Instead I saw that I was more interested in people .So I took a course on Psychology. This helped me to find out what I value the most – “Developing people” and I also could see there was a huge demand for trained professionals who could develop people, teams and understand the practical management of leadership. And a second source of inspiration was that it was common to see people being unsatisfied with their work .I took it up as a challenge to figure out what can really motivate people and get them to do their best.
Q: Oh! It is really interesting. But even many of us find it difficult to discover where our real strengths lie. We are really curious to know how you were able to find out what you value the most.
A: I was not very comfortable with my profession as a lawyer. So I conducted a “value workshop for myself”. I made a mind map to do a treasure hunt with in myself and discovered what mattered the most to me. I found out that I value helping others to develop themselves the most. So I started with training in interpersonal skills and moved on to coaching. I find this very fulfilling.
Q: Apart from your academic and professional interests could you tell us about your leisure time activities?
A: Nature is my passion. I find it enriching to work with nature. I enjoy sailing though I don’t own a boat. I have been sailing for more than twenty years. Nature just fills me with energy. In that I like your campus atmosphere for its scenic beauty .This is one of the most beautiful campus I have ever been. The environment here is conducive for learning. The energizing nature around fosters healthy learning. I also enjoy reading books. In fact my table at work is filled with a big pile of books which I am planning to read one day.
Q: Finland to ASB……. It’s a long and not a very common journey. What made you embark on it?
A: “Amma”. I met Amma for the first time in Stockholm in 1995.After the first meeting Amma kept “kind of bothering my imagination”. On Christmas ‘96 I traveled to Amritapuri .After that I have made nearly six or seven times visits to Amma’s ashram. But I got an opportunity to come to Ettimadai campus in 2006 when Amma asked me to give a lecture to the students of ASB. Thus started my acquaintance with ASB.
Q: So then how has it been for you in India?
A: India’s uniqueness is its people. In India I can see internal purity and sincerity in people. The energy in India is soft, fostering growth. Even in big cities where life is hectic there is an underlying energy which is peaceful and supportive. In West the energy is quite different. I feel a big change when I come to India and return to India. It’s a change that is like an energizer. In India there is always a positive energy though the lifestyle here is very different. For instance population is one thing that stands out you when you are in India. In Finland there are only 14 people per one square km. In India I think it’s a three digit figure. This definitely has an effect on culture. In Finland people are comfortable being alone and it is not uncommon to meet someone and be quite. Silence is a way of communication and we kind of share the silence. In India private space is much smaller which is evident even in the traffic, buses and queues. If I leave as much space in India in a queue as I would in Finland it wouldn’t be surprising if two people come in and occupy that space.
Q: Do you think this internal orientation India’s strength?
A: Definitely. I believe “India according to me is the heart of the world .Maybe the brain is parts of Western Europe”. This internal or organic focus I think helps people to adapt to changes well, have a high level of tolerance but at the same time maintain an overall mental peace. Indian culture is beneficial for high tech organizations where change is so quick and nothing is predictable. The high tolerance level of the people here helps in adapting quickly.
Q: As a person who works closely with organizational leaders and teams how important do you think is HR in such a scenario?
A: HR has a growing importance as is getting more and more integrated with core business functions in the west with. What is evolving is a new HR .Within the next ten years lots of development will be there in this field.
Q: How has been your experience with the students of ASB as visiting faculty in HR?
A: I don’t have wide experience as I have not traveled much in India. But generally speaking; students here have a willingness to seek information. They are active and really want to understand issues quite deeply. I go back with a very positive image of the students of Ettimadai.It was a privilege to work with such an active and enthusiastic group. It is interesting note that individual differences are more dominant than a collective cultural difference in the students. This individual diversity made the process of learning more interesting. I enjoyed my experience here thoroughly and am looking forward to come back again.
Complied by : Abhinay Pavitra, Anju Kamal
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