Banking Industry: Goals and Skills - Essay Example

Banking Industry: Goals and Skills Industry: The banking industry appeals to me most as a career destination that best fits my goals and skills. For quite some time, I have nurtured the dream of finding a challenging role in this sector not only because it helps me realise my dreams but also because it can hone my professional skills. I find this sector intellectually fascinating as well as stimulating on account of its capability to record rapid growth even amid political and economic turbulence in the rest of the world. Levels of liquidity in Kuwaiti banks have continued to be high, non-performing loans (NPL) ratio has steadily declined and consumer credit activity has been rising (Kuwait Banking Industry Goes From Strength To Strength). The year 2012, in view of a stagnant operating environment, was by and large regarded as a ‘tough time’ for banks and it is remarkable that it did not affect much the performance of players like the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), thanks to the dynamic fiscal policy pursued by the Government of Kuwait. The business environment and the potential of opportunities in Kuwait banking have now lured the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to open a branch in Kuwait and the China Development Bank is also making efforts to enter Kuwait market. Organisation: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Kuwait Finance House (KFH), Boubyan Bank, Kuwait International Bank, Al Ahli United Bank, Warba Bank, Al – Rajhi Bank, Gulf Bank and Burgan Bank are currently some of the major players in Kuwait banking industry. Of these, the organisation of my choice is the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), Kuwait’s largest bank in terms of assets. It is impressive to note that NBK alone accounts for more than one – third of Kuwait’s banking assets. It has the honour of being listed among the highest-rated banks in the region by international rating agencies such as Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings (NBK At A Glance). With a history of more than six eventful decades of its credible presence and consistent performance in banking since its inception in 1952, NBK rightly calls itself ‘The Bank You Know And Trust’ (About NBK Group). I adore NBK not only for its status of being the first shareholding company in the entire region of the Persian Gulf but also for its very large overseas branch network. Apart from its 64 branches in Kuwait, NBK operates 173 more branches across 16 other countries that include the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), France, Switzerland and Singapore. It is on account of its consistent profitability and strong capitalisation that helped NBK to be ranked among the 50 safest banks in the world, eight times in a row. When I take a look at some of the laurels won by NBK such as Best Bank in the Middle East, Best Foreign Exchange Provider in the Middle East, Outstanding Contribution to Middle East Banking, Best Managed Company in Middle East and Best Customer Service in the Middle East, I feel my organisational choice is quite justified (NBK Awards). Why NBK? The benefits – from medical to financial – offered by NBK to its employees are, of course, very lucrative. NBK does not mind going the extra mile while rewarding its employees judiciously and abundantly as it realizes that monetary benefits and perks can be a key motivation in drawing the best from its human resource. But there are more than the benefits part why a young career aspirant like me would strongly vote for NBK as an organisational choice like NBK’s strong commitment deliver world – class products and services, its clear and focused business strategies, the immense training opportunities offered to employees, scope and support for work – life balance and a work environment that is productive and positive. With its dominant market share and ever expanding client base in the market, NBK is deemed to be capable of producing promising results in the years to come which in turn translates into a very bright and rewarding career for its employees with a lot of opportunities for growth in the personal as well as professional domains. Value Compatibility: While making my organisational choice, I look forward to being able to deliver my very best and I believe that a prerequisite to optimum performance is that there must be a strong compatibility between the organisation’s value system and my own. Ideally, there must be no mismatch of goals, expectations, methods and ethical standards. One of the things about NBK that impresses me is that the organisation makes conscious effort to identify the core competencies of its workforce and takes into account the needs and ambitions that are unique to each and every individual. NBK keeps its competitive techniques transparent for the employees to learn. Besides, it conducts periodical training programmes, orientation programmes, internships and workshops to educate the employees comprehensively in the fields of customer service and strategic financial solutions. This kind of guidance can be a boon to young career aspirants entering the world of finance with an amateur mind. It is common knowledge that banking in general is regarded as a ‘dry, boring and heartless’ field of work. But NBK is keen on promoting a work culture where banking can indeed be fun like the otherwise unexciting routine of the fish vendors at Pike Place. Conventionally, honesty and fun are two things that are believed to be hard to go hand in hand with banking. NBK has the commitment to reverse this notion. The feedback of a large number of people about their professional association with NBK is found to be very positive, testifying thorough professionalism, scope for real time learning in real world scenarios, assured rewards for hard work and performance along with job security. All this would be incomplete without a human touch because in the corporate world there is no such thing as ‘feelings’ and therefore it is prone to making the mistake of failing to accommodate personal space and recognise and respect individuals as creatures in flesh and blood. NBK is an organisation that always bears in mind that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and so lays emphasis on striking the balance between personal and professional realms of life. I think this is the most important area where NBK earns a distinction (Why Work At NBK And Associates). Leader Profile As for the individuals who inspired me by their leadership traits, I would like to name David Belle, the founder of the popular training discipline called ‘Parkour’ and its derivative called ‘Free-running’. Soldier, firefighter, actor, choreographer and stunt coordinator, this versatile superhero, born on 29 April 1973 in France was an embodiment of athletic passion. He drew the best out of his father Raymond Belle and his brother Jean – Françoise Belle who stood out as skilled military rescuers themselves (David Belle). If his fondness for adventure led him to join the military, it was his love for freedom that made him find it difficult to cope with the comfort of the cloistered life in the regiment. Nevertheless, within his brief stint with the military, he distinguished himself by his amazing gymnastic prowess. He then tried his hand in contrasting professions like warehouse work and sales. He studied Kung Fu in India (David Belle: The Founder Of Parkour) for a while before he continued the pursuit of giving a shape to his dream called ‘Parkour’ which, in due course, culminated in the production of the video ‘Speed Air Man’ that shot him to fame. A trailer produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) shows him leaping across the rooftops of London in an effort to reach home in time for his favourite television programme. His celebrity status today owes as much to the internet as to films like District 13, District 13: Ultimatum, Prince of Persia, Columbiana and The Family (Other Works Of David Belle). Parkour is apparently an art that helps one overcome any obstacle that is encountered quickly and spontaneously (The Art Of Overcoming Obstacles). Figuratively, it may be described as the expression of a way of life that challenges and even defies the pre-conceived physical limits of humans. What the batman does is then something physically possible without the help of graphics. I admire David Belle for his attitude that has inspired several generations. He used his superior physical agility not just as a means of becoming the cynosure of attention but as a remedy that can save lives (Pkcali Interview With David Belle). He does not try to project himself as a superhuman. He has the humility to say that whatever he does can also be done by any other individual provided they have the necessary enthusiasm and training. We all have heard the saying ‘If you think you can, you can’ and David Belle’s life all the way has been a hair-raising demonstration that precisely drives home the message of the saying. Some people seem to be capable of accomplishing feats that are presumed to be impossible. Their secret is that they do not see the limits that others see and the truth is that the limits seen by others are not real but imaginary, usually stemming from fear of risk. I admire David Belle for the ideas his life gives me. It gives me the conviction that the almighty created the world in a ‘non-competitive’ way; that each of us has the same potential, not a bit less, not a bit more; that the total energy of a human being is conserved; that each of us has an important role to play here and is sent here with a purpose; that there is a well-defined reason why each of us is made; that we all have a list of blessings to count. But god left it our discretion to discover or not to discover ourselves. For any youngster about to embark on his professional journey, I think Belle’s life has lessons – learning from the wisdom and experience of the seniors around us, for instance, as Belle did, drawing from the expertise of his father and brother. It is also important not to fear the unknown because an employee in the beginning of his career has to take up tasks assigned to him which are virtually confusing and frightening when done for the first time. It would be very convenient to be assigned a task that one is already familiar with because it lets one remain in the comfort zone. But we know – ships are safe in the harbour but that is not what they are meant to be. The managers are often ruthless in setting targets and stipulating quality standards. We would do well to remember that it is because of the fear of the sharks in the sea that the smaller fish are forced to be active so as to move at their best speeds. Fear and risk may seem to be detractors of spirit. The fact is that they are the best motivators. That Belle quit the military service in spite of the medals and promotions he bagged points to the importance of self-discovery and following our dreams and destiny without being complacent with the mediocre rewards that come across. The BBC trailer on Belle is a lesson on self-marketing. It is not enough to be able to do things well. It is all the more important to be able to let the world know, acknowledge and applaud what you are capable of doing. The greatest lesson from Bell’s life, in my opinion, is that there is no such thing as impossible, because Parkour and Free-running are as much about mental creativity as they are about physical ability. An obstacle is just a state of mind and what are perceived to be obstacles exist, in fact, in one’s imaginations. A positive shift in the paradigms can change life dramatically and make anyone a superhero. It is worth mentioning here that the so-called Parkour devised by Belle is not entirely a new concept. With some variations, it had existed in the French military and it was used in crossing jungle terrain. Belle gave an urban colour to the technique and made it his own. This is the ultimate lesson: it does not really matter where one draws his inspiration and training from; the impact one will be able to make on an organisation or the community depends on how one adds one’s personal touch to the style of doing things, thus making it one’s own. That is the secret of leaving one’s footprints in the sands of time. References: About NBK Group: Profile, Viewed 29 March 2014 David Belle, Viewed 29 March 2014 David Belle: The Founder of Parkour, Viewed 29 March 2014 http://bestparkour.com/david-belle.html Kuwait’s Banking Industry Goes From Strength To Strength, Viewed 29 March 2014 NBK Awards, Viewed 29 March 2014 NBK At A Glance, Viewed 29 March 2014 Other Works For David Belle, Viewed 29 March 2014 Pkcali Interview With David Belle The Art Of Overcoming Obstacles, Viewed 29 March 2014 Why Work At NBK And Associates, Viewed 29 March 2014 Read More