Selected as WCRCINT India’s Transformational CEO 2023, GIRISH AGARWAL, Promoter and Director of the Dainik Bhaskar Group is driving growth and success by keeping true to the founders values
In conversation with Girish Agarwal, Promoter and Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group
What makes a reliable and trustworthy business leader?
In the business of news, it is extremely important to understand the role that a leader plays in ensuring that the organisation stays true to the expectations of all the stakeholders while holding a mirror to the society. The most important role, however, is to encourage the team even in the light of challenging circumstances. Like our founder, we have tried to live true to our founding principles and that consistency of thought and the courage behind our convictions makes us reliable and trustworthy.
How have you strategised and adopted to the digital transformations globally?
At Dainik Bhaskar, we have always loved challenges. When the whole digital media revolution hit us, people throughout the world thought that traditional media is on the decline. However, we looked at it as an opportunity and used it as just another channel to ensure that our well-created content is delivered digitally to our readers, additionally so that after 9 -10 AM, they are still updated with global and Indian Developments via our Mobile Apps and digital websites. Today, we have made significant investments in technology solutions such as on boarding of our business partners on digital platform, developed a mobile app for smooth delivery of newspapers, web portal for advertising agencies, virtual account system for our collection. These efforts have made us the #1 Phygital News Media Group in the Country with both our Print and Digital versions.
What are the clear changes that you have made to your journey in the last decade?
Our founder, Late Chairman, Mr. Ramesh Chandra Agarwal always held the belief that as a leader of an organization whose job is to report change, slowness of change in the organization might be misinterpreted as fear of the unknown. This is why, at Dainik Bhaskar, we have always embraced change wholeheartedly, but only if it is beneficial to organization. Over the years, we have faced challenges ranging existential threats, Covid-19 pandemic related challenges, digital transformation of the landscape, among others. Our strategy has been very clear – the reader remains the centre of all our efforts and hence, we have modified our journey to ensure that we are current in our editorial strategy, built an omni-channel delivery mechanism, worked with advertisers to create mega-issues, collectors editions etc., brought about innovation to help social messaging like creating a mask out of the masthead, blurring out images to highlight slow speed of internet etc. We believe that our greatest strength lies in adapting to the new – but keeping the core intact.
What is the current vision and mission at your current role?
Being part of the promoter family and being part of the industry for nearly three decades, I am happy to tell you that my vision aligns perfectly with that of the organisation I represent, which is “To be the largest and most admired language media brand enabling socio-economic change.” Every part of our organisation, including my personal focus is to ensure each part of this vision statement is brought to life. Thinking out of Box and with 360 degree approach to find solutions to any problem is part of leadership
How do you draw a balance between target orientation and empathetic and compassionate leadership?
A leader is always empathetic and compassionate and it is a misnomer that target orientation is a victim. Conflict, challenging work situations, are always a big part of the workplace and especially for media organizations, and leaders will always have to deal with people going through these. As a leader, I listen, understand, look at the data I have and then objectively judge the situation before getting my team involved in creating an action plan.
What has been your greatest strength and weakness in the context of leadership?
As a leader, I excel at connecting with people at the grassroots level and gaining a deep understanding of any situation. This skill allows me to empathize with my team members and tailor my approach to their needs.
Additionally, I have the ability to zoom out and look at things from a holistic perspective, which enables me to see the big picture and make informed decisions.
However, I sometimes struggle with impatience when it comes to mediocrity.
While it’s important to strive for excellence, I recognize that every member of my team has their strengths and weaknesses. As a leader, it’s my responsibility to bring out the best in them by identifying their strengths and finding ways to leverage them to benefit the team. Furthermore, I understand that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, and I strive to cultivate patience and encouragement to help my team members grow and improve.
What has been your driving force or philosophy in life?
My beloved father was a great visionary and a person of values who touched many lives with his simple being and high thinking. His simplicity, modesty, ability to connect with people and the zeal towards business growth and betterment of the society is something which continues to inspire me and this is my biggest driving force.
How do you plan to drive your business at a global level at your current role?
Over the last few years, you would have seen that our organisation has been hard at work. In fact, today, with our circulation numbers, we are in the top 3 newspapers in the world. But our teams are not resting on their victories and are continuously looking for ways to better our previous efforts.
Your top leadership goals during tough times?
I follow Management by Walking around or say hands-on approach to operations. During tough times, it’s important to get into the shoes of the team, understand their challenges and then encourage & help them to look for solutions.
Your greatest success mantras?
To quickly accord credit to colleagues for diligence and out-of-the-box thinking.
How actively have you been personally involved with corporate social responsibilities? What have you felt driving societal responsibilities?
In line with its vision of enabling socio economic change in society Dainik Bhaskar has been running various CSR initiatives for last few years. These initiatives have been driven thru various media campaigns and have managed to generate good awareness.
Ek Ped Ek Zindagi, Sarthak Diwali, Mitti ke Ganesh, Abeer Gulal Ke sath Holi etc are few initiatives which we do year year.
Mitti Ke Ganesh is quite close to my heart and every year, I make a Mitti Ke Ganesh at my home myself and we do the Pooja with that Idol only.
Dainik Bhaskar Merit-Cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship” at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad is another initiative which is close to my heart.
However I feel that we have still not managed to transform these initiatives into a mass movement, wherein people themselves come forward and get involved and ensure their contribution towards society with a sense of pride and quest to achieve that is going on.
What’s your vision for the industry and the Indian economy?
Print in India will remain strong and two major reasons are: low pricing and the fact that newspapers are easily accessible and are delivered at the doorstep. The competitive pricing of newspapers is also the cheapest in the world. Besides, difference of life style in smaller towns of India where, almost 90% of India resides and where people have adequate 2-3 hours in the morning to run through newspapers. Besides, still only 38% of the people (who can read) are currently reading newspapers.
India’s economic growth is an added advantage. It is believed that the growth of newspapers in India is directly related to urbanisation leading to higher aspirations and heightened interest in buying assets.
About Girish Agarwal
Girish Agarwal is the Promoter Director of the Dainik Bhaskar Group and has been on the Board since October 1990. He heads the marketing and related operations. He is also an active member of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) and holds the distinction of being the youngest chairman of INS for the Madhya Pradesh region.
Girish Agarwal has been instrumental in making the brand ‘Bhaskar’ into the media powerhouse it is today. He played pivotal role in making inroads into the Gujarat newspaper market when he launched Divya Bhaskar. The success was so exemplary that IIM Ahmedabad chose Agarwal’s acuity and approach in relation to Divya Bhaskar as the subject of a case study.
The launch story of ‘Dainik Divya Marathi’, the Marathi language Newspaper of the group, has been presented as a case study by IIM Bangalore and was featured in the Harvard Business Review (HBR).
Under his guidance, Dainik Bhaskar Group initiated various innovative marketing strategies and successfully launched campaigns like Zidd Karo Duniya Badlo, Dainik Bhaskar Bihar – Doosra and several other 360 degree initiatives which were lauded at national and international platforms.
Mr. Agarwal has been awarded the “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the year 2006 in the Media & Entertainment category by Ernst & Young and “Outstanding Entrepreneur” in APEA by Asia Pacific Entrepreneur awards.
Girish Agarwal an indefatigable innovator, business visionary and peerless team-builder.
