Report on a comprehensive report on one-year internship with the Innovation Team

While looking for some of the internship roles back in summers, I found out the role of an advertisement on the LinkedIn. I found this internship course to be very different from the others because of the structure it has, this is actually not like the ide activity but it is different as it is full time during summer season and part time apart from the summer season. I am much obliged with its role as this internship is associated with the management of Business along with the Technology as well that goes perfectly with the degree of my Master’s that is in the Manufacturing Management along with the Bachelor’s degree in the Automotive Engineering.

Right after the two weeks, I got an email through the recruiter for the discussion of my role that included my past experience and why should I be selected to this internship role. After this process, I was then being called by the Open Innovation Director at the CHEP Europe Headquarters for an interview. When I reached at the office for an interview, the very first impression of the company on me was something spectacular due to a reason and that is the diversification in a company that became another reason for boosting me up and increasing my confidence level that I would also be given the same value as I am one of the International student from the India.

Time duration for an Interview was almost 1 hour and 45 mins approximately. During the whole session of an interview, OI-Director, Kelly Skinner  was the one that helped me a lot in being comfortable by asking about the experiences and some information about myself as well, along with this some of the specified questions like design process, time management, sustainability issues, AGV’s and the Brambles business. One of the difficult task for me was to understand about the business model of the Brambles. I realized another part that is CHEP is one of the biggest part of the Brambles same like the Uber one. While on the other side, CHEP pool pallets along with the Brambles is the one that helps out in giving different solutions for all of the future supply chains that have the initiatives of the Zero Waste World along with shaping out the future. At the end, I asked for some of the questions and then shared about my interest related to the stock marketing. This whole process was very straight forward and I didn’t not face any of the difficulty at all.

After a week, I received a phone call offering the position which I gladly accepted and offer letter two weeks later.

I enjoyed in the office for the starting weeks, no doubt it used to be much tensed situation in related to some of the meetings along with studying out for some of the previous work associated with the present research. I actually liked one of the policies of the company that is the hot desk that was much helpful for approaching the colleagues along with introducing myself. With the passage of time, as I started to meet new people who used to be the managerial or the director roles and I motivated to give out my best. There are many companies which claims about the diversity as well as inclusion to be the part of their values at the Brambles which is an actual life reality that each and every individual is much helpful as well as encouraging regardless of what the ethnicity is, and I am surprised to learn that even the executives can be reached out if needed with less or no barriers.  

Innovation team is the one that includes the Innovation Head, Todd Hoff was the one who welcomed me warmly and made me part of the team by giving out the different responsibilities and getting me involved in different meetings to understand about the business in a better way along with the scouting methods.

Weekly update/catch-up meetings are the ones that have played one important and big role I a work that I have delivered as well as obtain the direct feedback for improving out personally as well as professionally.

Weekly and Monthly Team Calls used to be the one that gave one biggest opportunity for understanding the objectives in a better way for an innovation team along with their part as well in a company. Getting involved in this task became the reason for improving out the communication skills with the executives for sharing their ideas along with the feedback as well.

I enjoyed a lot in the updating of a line manager along with the team each and every week and it gave me one of the accomplished feeling during the process of progressing. I definitely recommend for the weekly updating of the calls as they keep on tracking out the progress and maintaining the rapport along with the full team and line managers as well.  

I did research after doing comprehensive study on a past work. Design thinking material by the David has given out number of different point of views that how one problem needs to be solved. Below is how I kick started my work on disruption;

-      Study on that past materials along with the reports from Sara Pascu

I had so many questions in my mind while I was going through all this material and it is very essential for stopping and asking managers for the clarification of doubts that why this Vertical framing is essential when pooling pallets are being done along with certain trends.

Reading reports on some of the mega trends like the transparency, technology, automation and future food.  My go to sources is PwC, EY, Deloitte, McKinsey, Bain & Company, BCG, WeForum and IGD. In addition to all these reports, there are good websites such as the fast company, Material Handling etc. Please find these files on the folder uploaded to MS Teams.

-      Sharing the information gathered with the Line Manager on weekly calls to get further feedback on where to focus.

-      Documentation of the findings. At Brambles, we call them PowerPoints.

-      Multi-Tasking on the trend research, communication on yammer, reviewing Mindsumo submissions, and Bright Idea participation.

While I was doing my work, I got involved in some of the workshops but one of the main project on which I worked was The Disruption work for the Brambles of the Executive Leadership Team that includes the CEO.  

Project: Future Disruption

Workshops:  Digital Workshop: Unilever, Horizon Scouting Strategy Session, and Shaping out Future Virtual Session

The disruption work for the ELT is one of the project from which I was satisfied, for all the efforts and hours I have put in to conceptualize three future scenarios were rewarded in the end.

What is the project?

Future Disruption of a project is completely based upon the scouting of the different technologies along with certain innovations in industries as well which are opposite to the Brambles Business. Part of this work is to understand and to get prepared for the work for upcoming next 10 years in the life.

Why?

Company did number of different risk assessments at the top level for some of the strategic reasons. Innovation team is the one that introduced the role of scouting for tracking, monitoring along with participating the different solutions or products through scanning out the startups. During my time, I took part in meetings with the PA consulting and Yes.com for the disruption work.

How?

I initiated through bucketing out the trends and then grouping out in Mega, Macro and Micro. Each and individual trend is being analyzed as well as monitored to then relate these trends to the future scenarios of FMCG Product, Retail and Warehouse. These scenarios are of great relevance to current business of CHEP.

This project is the one that has received much appreciation and recognition from the ELT and personally from Mike Pooley, (Former) President CHEP Europe.

This project was carried out under the leadership and direction of Todd Hoff, Group Head of Innovation with the support and guidance from Kelly Skinner, OI-Director.

I have learnt a lot from my experience:

·        Research methodology: If person understands about a question in an accurate way then solution is the one that can be found out easily. It is important to understand the purpose and rest is a piece of cake.

·        Time management and Multi-Tasking: This role comes with a responsibility to answer. It can only be possible by getting involved in different projects and workshops, therefore it is difficult to manage time carefully to study about document.

·        Values: Modesty, honesty, and respect are what I learnt from an experience while doing an internship. I learned that these are the qualities which separate all of the successful people with the hard work from others.  

Problem that I faced here is while communicating with the Executives. I always tried my best to speak loud on different ideas during workshops, not because there isn’t any inclusion. Never did work in any of the company where one intern can approach out for the leadership team without any hurdle but line manager is the one that motivated me always and then with the passage of time I started feeling comfortable.

Multi-tasking and then dealing with the load of work can be difficult at times to get some management skills.

Brambles love PowerPoints, so definitely mastering that is compulsory for this role as anyone would love a great presentation.

§  At least one training course on Design thinking to understand the problem better to find the relatable answers.

§  A clear structure of Horizon scouting to effectively plan and deliver.

§  Alignment or close communication with either one or both departments of strategy and product development would help the intern to better track the current state of the solutions and the business.

From the day one, Kelly is the one who listened me out always and giving out clear instructions which are efficient always to judge a situation. I never saw her to get hesitated for asking out more information to know that I respect truly apart from what managers do by believing what they know more rather than what needs to be said.

I always gave clear and straight information related to the work.  

Kelly communicates through much inspiring words, I am saying this because whenever I lost my words or track she helped me out and gave confidence.

Over the 12 months, I saw Kelly how when understands the work and updates herself as well on the different business objectives along with the performance by arranging the cross functional departmental workshops.

Finally, I am thankful for such boss who is honest and being respected greatly.

Each kind of feedback inspires me and helps me to learn different things but the one that inspires me much more is the negative one. This helps me out in reflection as well as analyzing where I went wrong and how I needs to improve.

I got honest feedbacks from my line manager as well as whole team and I believe this is the best part for working out in an innovative team. Everyone here is honest and share their true and honest opinions.

Going Forward

Although I enjoyed weekly calls with the team and the line manager, I always wanted to schedule regular calls with Mohammad Ansari, Senior Manger GI but unfortunately, I never managed.

Thank you very much Todd, because your leadership has been my inspiration for every individual day. I enjoyed working with you in such a good and positive environment.  Mohammad and Julia, thank you for all your support with anything I have ever asked for throughout the year. Working with you and many others at Brambles was a privilege. I’ll probably never forget how welcome everyone made me feel on my very first day here. Best wishes to you all! I hope we can stay in touch as we pursue our personal goals.