Leaderspeak

Q. The biggest challenge you faced in your career

A. The biggest challenge was also the biggest opportunity for me. I was entrusted with transforming the company to Sify 3.0. So, I had to play four roles at the same time. First, it was plumbing, which means fixing existing issues. Then there was incubation for creating new businesses and markets. Finally, I had to be the growth driver and the change-maker amid significant disruptions.

Q. Your best teacher in business

A. Our customers, to be precise. They are mostly bothered about two things - service outcome and experience. As delivery of the service outcome is a given, the experience part is becoming more critical. Hence, I have always considered the customer domain as the best classroom to learn and grow.

Q. One key management lesson for young people

A. When you are starting your career, you will grow professionally because of your skills and areas of strength. But a lot of people are not able to sustain that growth as they have weaknesses which might have been overlooked. Start working on your weaknesses even though they may not seem to affect your career growth just now. Getting a grip on them will be easier if you have a good leader to guide you.

Q. Two essential qualities a leader must have

A. One has to be genuine and transparent. The trust factor built on those two qualities remains crucial in good times and bad as people depend on their leaders for a clear vision of the future.