Skip to main content
  • Blog
  • Investors
  • News
  • Resources
  • Possibilities Podcast
  • Global
    • Australia
    • Germany
    • Netherlands
    • Singapore
    • UAE
    • UK
    • US
 
Home
Menu
  • Industries
    • Banking
    • Capital Markets
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • Consumer Technology
    • Education
    • Enterprise Technology
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Media & Entertainment
    • Retail
    • Transportation & Logistics
    • Travel & Hospitality
  • Services
    • Digital
      • Cloud
        • Cloud Strategy Services
        • Cloud Infrastructure and Implementation Services
        • Cloud Migration Services
        • Cloud Security and Governance Services
        • Cloud Management Services
        • Cloud Modernization Services
      • Data Analytics
        • Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
        • Data Visualization
        • Business Intelligence
        • Big Data
        • Enterprise Data Management
        • Data Frameworks
        • Data Analytics COE
        • Informed Intelligence
        • Next-Gen Analytics
      • Internet of Things
      • Digital Commerce
      • Digital Marketing
      • Mobility
      • User Experience Design
      • Portals & Collaboration
      • The Digital Pumpkin
      • B2B Customer Success
      • Customer Onboarding - Cloud
    • Operations
      • Agile
      • Application Development & Support
        • Application Development
        • Application Support
        • Open Platforms
        • Mainframe & Midrange Services
        • Architecture Planning and Design Services
      • Automation
        • Robotic Process Automation
      • Business Process Management
      • Infrastructure Management
        • Cloud Management
        • DevOps
        • Applistructure Management
        • Service Integration & Management (SIAM)
        • Cyber Security
      • Test Engineering
        • Continuous & Automated Testing
        • API & Web Service Testing
        • Custom Testing Tools
        • Testing in a Connected World
        • Tools & Environment Services
        • Product Testing
        • Package Application Testing
        • Data Testing CoE
      • Application Managed Services
      • Integrated Services
        • End-to-end Automation
        • Mindtree CAPE
        • Unified Methodology
      • Reliability Engineering Management Services
    • IT Consulting
      • Agile
      • Application & Infrastructure Optimization
      • DevOps
      • Information Strategy & Governance
      • Quality Assurance Strategy & Process
    • Engineering R&D
      • Embedded Intelligence
      • Product Sustenance
      • Short-range Wireless
      • Wireless IP Portfolio
        • Mindtree IEEE 802.15.4
        • EtherMind Bluetooth 5.1 IP
        • BlueLite Bluetooth 5.1 and 5 IP
        • IPv6 Stack over Bluetooth Low Energy
        • EtherMind Bluetooth Mesh v1.0.1
    • Enterprise Software
      • Microsoft
      • Oracle
        • Oracle Cloud Implementation Services
        • Oracle E-Business Suite Services
      • Salesforce
      • SAP
        • Business intelligence
        • Data Warehousing
        • Enterprise Performance Management
        • SAP S/4HANA Finance
        • Travel and Expense Management
        • SAP C/4HANA
        • SAP Managed Services
        • SAP S/4HANA Solutions
        • SAP HANA
        • Fiori, UX & Design
        • SAPUI5
        • SAP Cloud Platform
    • Products
      • Connected Buildings
      • Employee Training & Microlearning
      • Field Engineer Inspection
  • About
    • Company Overview
    • Leadership
    • Investors
    • L&T and Mindtree - The way forward
    • Alliances
    • Locations
    • Client Testimonials
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Awards
    • Sustainability
    • Mindtree Foundation
    • Possibilities Podcast
  • Careers
    • Overview
    • Global Careers Listing
    • Get Referred to Us
    • Graduate / Campus Hiring
    • Mindtree Alumni Connect
    • Meet Our Minds
    • Why Mindtree
  • Industries
    • Banking
    • Capital Markets
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • Consumer Technology
    • Education
    • Enterprise Technology
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Media & Entertainment
    • Retail
    • Transportation & Logistics
    • Travel & Hospitality
  • Services
    • Digital
      • Cloud
        • Cloud Strategy Services
        • Cloud Infrastructure and Implementation Services
        • Cloud Migration Services
        • Cloud Security and Governance Services
        • Cloud Management Services
        • Cloud Modernization Services
      • Data Analytics
        • Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
        • Data Visualization
        • Business Intelligence
        • Big Data
        • Enterprise Data Management
        • Data Frameworks
        • Data Analytics COE
        • Informed Intelligence
        • Next-Gen Analytics
      • Internet of Things
      • Digital Commerce
      • Digital Marketing
      • Mobility
      • User Experience Design
      • Portals & Collaboration
      • The Digital Pumpkin
      • B2B Customer Success
      • Customer Onboarding - Cloud
    • Operations
      • Agile
      • Application Development & Support
        • Application Development
        • Application Support
        • Open Platforms
        • Mainframe & Midrange Services
        • Architecture Planning and Design Services
      • Automation
        • Robotic Process Automation
      • Business Process Management
      • Infrastructure Management
        • Cloud Management
        • DevOps
        • Applistructure Management
        • Service Integration & Management (SIAM)
        • Cyber Security
      • Test Engineering
        • Continuous & Automated Testing
        • API & Web Service Testing
        • Custom Testing Tools
        • Testing in a Connected World
        • Tools & Environment Services
        • Product Testing
        • Package Application Testing
        • Data Testing CoE
      • Application Managed Services
      • Integrated Services
        • End-to-end Automation
        • Mindtree CAPE
        • Unified Methodology
      • Reliability Engineering Management Services
    • IT Consulting
      • Agile
      • Application & Infrastructure Optimization
      • DevOps
      • Information Strategy & Governance
      • Quality Assurance Strategy & Process
    • Engineering R&D
      • Embedded Intelligence
      • Product Sustenance
      • Short-range Wireless
      • Wireless IP Portfolio
        • Mindtree IEEE 802.15.4
        • EtherMind Bluetooth 5.1 IP
        • BlueLite Bluetooth 5.1 and 5 IP
        • IPv6 Stack over Bluetooth Low Energy
        • EtherMind Bluetooth Mesh v1.0.1
    • Enterprise Software
      • Microsoft
      • Oracle
        • Oracle Cloud Implementation Services
        • Oracle E-Business Suite Services
      • Salesforce
      • SAP
        • Business intelligence
        • Data Warehousing
        • Enterprise Performance Management
        • SAP S/4HANA Finance
        • Travel and Expense Management
        • SAP C/4HANA
        • SAP Managed Services
        • SAP S/4HANA Solutions
        • SAP HANA
        • Fiori, UX & Design
        • SAPUI5
        • SAP Cloud Platform
    • Products
      • Connected Buildings
      • Employee Training & Microlearning
      • Field Engineer Inspection
  • About
    • Company Overview
    • Leadership
    • Investors
    • L&T and Mindtree - The way forward
    • Alliances
    • Locations
    • Client Testimonials
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Awards
    • Sustainability
    • Mindtree Foundation
    • Possibilities Podcast
  • Careers
    • Overview
    • Global Careers Listing
    • Get Referred to Us
    • Graduate / Campus Hiring
    • Mindtree Alumni Connect
    • Meet Our Minds
    • Why Mindtree

Let's Talk

Let's Talk About Your Needs

Thank you for your submission. We'll be in touch.

  • Search

Share This Page

ShareShareShareShare
10 February 09

Leadership Lessons from 2008 – About Networking, The Prophet and Planning

By

3 min read

Share This Page

ShareShareShareShare

Those with a sense of inclusion usually also find it easy to network. And that’s my second learning from 2008 – the power of networking. Success comes to those who are well networked, those who can influence others, those willing to negotiate. What is networking? Networking is the nurturing of a rich set of relationships that one can tap on for diverse causes. Networking can be critical to success, particularly in a crisis, but the investment for this should have been made earlier. I have personally seen how much success depends on my ability to network. In the larger national context, too, networking comes under the name of diplomacy.

When I joined the computer industry more than 20 years back, it was not the most common thing to do. Only those who were bitten by the computing bug were attracted to this profession, so motivation was not an issue. Today, this industry is very attractive as a large job provider, so everyone wants to study computer science, information science, EC, EE, EEE. MCA, …. I have not been convinced this is the best thing to do. I believe one must do what they want to do, what they’d enjoy doing. When our interest and our work are the same, it’s a happy coincidence and we are bound to do well. Industries have their cycles, and if we persevere at what we are good at, we will survive the cycles and meet success. Such thoughts led me to organize a panel discussion for students (and their parents) who had qualified in the premier engineering entrance examinations earlier this year. The panel had computer designers, an architect, and academicians from science and engineering. Parents questioned us – if not software, then what? I realized this was a genuine question – in reality, we are not so well informed on the diverse opportunities that exist for our children today. I know we cannot attribute this to just one discussion, but we do have a significant number of bright students from Bangalore opting for physics this year. I believe we need to do a lot more of this, and not just for the filtered set as we did this time.

I have been thinking about and looking for that silver bullet that will transform the leadership team at Mindtree, and during this year, I seemed to have hit upon the target. It is a lovely concept that focuses not on building this skill or that, but on influencing your being, by helping you dive into who you are. Such programs usually find it difficult to be accepted in a corporate environment, so I was careful. There was plenty of plotting and planning, and I introduced five influential leaders to a two-day snapshot of this program. They were thrilled, and I was excited I was making progress! I distributed books on this concept, and that was a hit, too. Next came what I thought was the clinching move. We had the author of this concept (and the leader of this organization) come over and talk to our leadership team. His talk was a disaster! He didn’t get the pulse of the audience, just failed to connect.

I was back to the drawing board. I found two lessons here; sometimes, the prophet may be more effective than God. In this case, the messenger of God impressed us every time he interacted with us, and I am confident he would have connected well with our leadership team; but God did not. My second lesson is as important – probably, I planned too much and worried too much about what will pan out. I should have just followed my heart and gone ahead, without all the elaborate planning.

Sign Up for our Monthly Newsletter

Let's Talk About Your Needs

Thank you for your submission. We'll be in touch.

Skip to Top
  • Industries
    • Banking
    • Capital Markets
    • Consumer Electronics
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • Consumer Technology
    • Enterprise Technology
    • Higher Education
    • Insurance
    • Manufacturing
    • Media & Entertainment
    • Retail
    • Transportation & Logistics
    • Travel & Hospitality
  • Services
    • Digital
    • Operations
    • IT Consulting
    • Engineering R&D
    • Enterprise Software
  • Products
    • Connected Buildings
    • Employee Training & Microlearning
    • Field Engineer Inspection
  • About
    • Company Overview
    • L&T and Mindtree - The way forward
    • Events
    • Resources
    • Mindtree Factsheet
    • Investors
    • Alliances
    • Leadership
    • Locations
    • Sustainability
  • Careers
    • Careers Overview
    • Job Openings
    • Campus Careers
    • Alumni Careers
    • Meet Our Minds
    • Why Mindtree
Mindtree_logo

Welcome to possible and Mindtree are registered trademarks of Mindtree Ltd. All rights reserved by Mindtree.com

  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Sitemap

Contact Us
  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Slideshare
  • YouTube

Mindtree [NSE: MINDTREE] is a global technology consulting and services company, helping enterprises marry scale with agility to achieve competitive advantage. “Born digital,” in 1999 and now a Larsen & Toubro Group Company, Mindtree applies its deep domain knowledge to 350+ enterprise client engagements to break down silos, make sense of digital complexity and bring new initiatives to market faster. We enable IT to move at the speed of business, leveraging emerging technologies and the efficiencies of Continuous Delivery to spur business innovation. Operating in 18 countries and over 40 offices across the world, we’re consistently regarded as one of the best places to work, embodied every day by our winning culture made up of over 21,000 entrepreneurial, collaborative and dedicated “Mindtree Minds.”