IFFCO Board meets with a difference as Sanghani drives Culture Shift

IFFCO Chairman Dileep Sanghani has introduced subtle but significant changes aimed at improving the cooperative’s work culture. Before the formal board meeting scheduled to begin today (Friday), he is holding a separate interaction with only the elected Directors, excluding the functional or official Directors, to encourage open and candid discussions.

Speaking to Indian Cooperative, Sanghani said the idea is to create a space where “real cooperators can talk freely,” noting that the presence of functional Directors can sometimes restrict uninhibited sharing of ideas.

“I will personally be there with a notepad to record everything said by the elected Directors,” he shared. “During formal board meetings, I have noticed that some hesitate to speak up for fear it might be seen as criticism of the management. For a cooperative to be truly member-controlled, it is important that the voices of their representatives are heard.”

In another move reflecting his focus on cooperative values, Sanghani has set up a dedicated Directors’ Chamber for elected IFFCO Directors to hold meetings and receive guests. “Earlier, there was no proper sitting space for our Directors, they had to use someone else’s chamber. I saw this and created a Directors’ Chamber next to the Chairman’s office,” he said.

Emphasizing the cooperative spirit, the IFFCO Chairman told this correspondent that the organization must be led by elected members, while the management’s role is to implement the Board’s vision, “a vision drawn from thousands of grassroots members.”

Several IFFCO Directors shared that the office earlier occupied by former MD Dr U.S. Awasthi has now been converted into the Chairman’s office. The spacious room can accommodate many more visitors than the previous Chairman’s chamber, which has been allocated to the new MD.

Being a popular leader, Sanghani attracts scores of visitors wherever he goes, whether at IFFCO or NCUI. While his chamber at NCUI is spacious, his IFFCO office was not large enough, his associates noted.

Sanghani has initiated a number of gradual changes for IFFCO’s improvement, which will be highlighted in a forthcoming series. Stay tuned to this column.