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Women leadership series - In conversation with Deepthi K 5 Mar 2022 Deepthi completed her MBA, started her career in IT in a pre-sales role, moved on to be Six-sigma consultant before joining Thoughtworks 2.5 yrs ago as a BA and currently playing the role of the Product Owner for the Data platforms team. How would you introduce yourself? Hello there ! My name is Deepthi and I play the role of a Product Owner for the Data Platform team at Thoughtworks. I am passionate about working on social change initiatives and I truly believe we all are empowered to make a positive impact on the world. At home, I am raising a little lioness aged 4 who inspires me to be a better person everyday. These are the attributes that I think of when it comes to my identity. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? After completing my MBA in Lean Operations and Systems I joined the IT fraternity in a pre-sales role. I loved to experiment with new projects and roles even early in my career . From my pre-sales role I moved on to be a Six-Sigma consultant. Soon after, I picked up the role of a business analyst for one of the world's largest consumer retail companies…and that got me hooked. I started my journey with Thoughtworks around 2.5 years back as a business analyst and have recently taken up the role of a product owner for the data platform team. It has been an interesting journey in the Data space with incredible opportunities to learn and experiment. When did you first get into a leadership role? I think I have been informally introduced into the leadership role ever since I joined my first project as a BA. Though there were no explicit expectations set on me as a leader, I found myself getting curious and learning on the job. This helped to grow my competencies to fit the needs of the project without much of a push and pull. Overtime I got the opportunity to work as the lead BA for the team, a part time PM role and now a PO role. Now that I look back, I can see how big a role autonomous teams and cultivators play in an organization. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? 'Imposter Syndrome' - Definitely. I had to take a career break in between for a couple of years and when I first joined back it was challenging to get into a creative problem solving mode without worrying about skewed outcomes and imagined hurdles. It took some time to gain confidence and what helped was - 1. focusing on the task at hand and thinking of it as an opportunity to exercise and learn new skills 2. Collecting feedback proactively 3. Measuring actual outcomes at each step. What motivates you? Many things - 1. Working with individuals who are passionate about their craft. 2. Learning new and interesting things at work 3. Being a part of a thriving community that fosters deep and candid communication. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? My dad has been a great role model and influence. He kept widening my horizons and made me realize my own hidden strengths. This has shaped the way I think and act and I try to evolve and emulate these traits with all the great people around me. When I joined Tw, I was amazed by how leaders shared their thoughts very candidly and productively, each one inspiring me in their own unique ways. The list is actually long but few whom I would like to mention are - Ruchika Bhargava (PM - Bahmni Project) , Sujitha Selvaraj- (Office Principal for Tw CBE) and Richa Trivedi ( my previous mentor). What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? For me a leader is someone who inspires you to elevate your thinking without a fear of failure. In short, that is the example that I would like to set for my team . What would be your advice to young leaders? Do not trivialize the impact that you as an individual can have on your project/ team/ goals. You can inspire people by setting an example of how things can be done. It doesn't matter how small you think the task is and whether anyone would notice it or not. The other important thing is you pull others up on their journey as you grow. Listen, be empathetic and you will find opportunities to leverage the strengths and solve problems more efficiently.

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Abdul Jeelani 1 Feb 2023 Abdul is a passionate techie with good interpersonal skills who understands business and tech equally well. He is of a firm belief that strategy without execution is hallucination. How would you introduce yourself? I am a passionate techie with good interpersonal skills who understands business and tech equally well. I am a firm believer that strategy without execution is hallucination. My strength is in the execution, While I employ different methods of execution cutting the unwanted and getting the job done worked out very well. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? I started back in 2008 as an Assistant Software Engineer and in fact I got to play a leadership role right from my first opportunity. During the crisis of 2008 my campus offer was canceled so I joined a service Org as a trainee and then after 6 months I became a trainer there. With a couple of months into training, an opportunity arose where a local client needed to build a MLM website, but the Org did not want to take it up as they only welcome US and UK clients. For me it's a clean chance to prove so I went to the MD and said I will take it up and do it and for the team I can work with other 2 trainers. This negotiation went for like 1.5 hours, I narrated 50 different ways how I can make this happen to sell the idea, and finally we came to an agreement that If I deliver this website as promised then I will be promoted as an Engineer and can move on to client projects. And that is how I started my Dev / Leadership Journey as a Tech Lead from Day 1. Then I moved on to begin a startup but it did not go well. Then I joined a product company where I lead a product (that is sold and a big revenue stream even today!)After a short stint in the next company as a Senior Software Engineer I joined my previous Org a Product company as a System Analyst and moved on to the System Architect role in a few months. This is when I realized the importance of business, domain knowledge and started learning Domain Driven Design etc. This is the moment where I took the leadership role more seriously and led the team to convert a 25 year old legacy enterprise system to a then Modern system in 5 years. I am a leader because I am a people person and want to solve real world problems with pragmatic evolving solutions. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? Thoughtworks is the first Corporate for me. After the first couple of years in /tw during my leadership journey I found the decision making was totally different. I required multiple rounds of conversations with too many people to convince. The way out I figured is to first know who has the stakes and just get their buy in and rest is informed. While this had its pros and cons It worked well for me. The next big challenge is working with a diverse team especially from different cultures. The solution for that is to accept first that there are multiple ways to get things done, and find a common ground for win-win. There were a couple of health issues I faced and I had the right leaders along with me which helped me overcome them in the workplace. What motivates you everyday? Of course My kids, I wanted to provide the best I can to them, that is the driver. Apart from that whenever I see a problem / issue that is a motivation you have an opportunity to make someone happy 🙂 Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? Yes, The role models do change as you mature, And in recent years I look up to Khabib Nurmagomedov , MMA fighter, the journey he went through, His humility and how he carries himself and so on. One quote that I love from him is "When difficult decisions appear in my life, there are difficult questions to answer… I consult loved ones." What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? For me Leadership is taking people together towards the vision without losing interest and ensuring people around you are happy. For that the first step is to identify the right people for the right job. ⅓ of the problem is solved once you understand the problem better and clearly, ⅓ is solved once you have the right people, the remaining ⅓ is about execution. It is really really hard to fail in the last phase if we get the first two phases right. What would be your advice to other leaders? Put people first. You can be an Elon Musk or Nelson Mandela. Make the decisions, It is okay to fail trying rather delaying forever Always stay relevant - When we feel don't it's the time to retire !

< Back Why IT departments must reinvent themselves - Part 2 In my last blog, I tried to explain the factors that impact the direction .. In my last blog, I tried to explain the factors that impact the direction that IT departments need to take to stay relevant in the current business scenario. In this edition, I share my thoughts on the change in the culture of work within IT departments. We believe that our IT departments should deliver the same way that Thoughtworks delivers to its clients. - David Whalley, Thoughtworks CIO Traditionally, IT departments operate differently from the ‘delivery’ teams within the organization. This happens due to the nature of work, which in most cases is dominated by support and maintenance. This excuses them from being seen through the same lens as the delivery teams. However, this is no longer an accepted excuse. In the last few months, we have moved towards restructuring our teams along the lines of how businesses operate. With the current focus on ‘value first’, it is no longer okay to operate differently from any other product team. The expectation is that IT departments transform themselves into a ‘delivery focused’ team. Does this mean they are no longer a support/operations team? Yes. It may sound strange, but I advocate for IT departments to turn themselves into an innovation led and delivery oriented organization. Even though the primary focus of IT departments is on operations and ensuring that the business systems are running smooth, we need to constantly question the way we work. While it is important to keep the lights ON, IT departments need to lead the way by bringing business insights to their stakeholders, not just take orders. Here are some simple things these teams can do: Have a strong governance framework that helps prioritize your work along with your stakeholders. Make all your work visible to key stakeholders so that right prioritization can be done Let the work be driven by the value that it generates for its users. If you are doing any work that does not offer value to the stakeholders or the team, question why you are doing it Host internal planning meetings with the teams for weekly prioritization and to track the work progress. Define clear milestones and stick to them Host regular retrospective meetings for continuous improvement Establish proper communication channels for sharing your work and communicating with stakeholders. Establish a fast feedback mechanism that allows mid-way course correction and altering of priorities as needed Host regular showcases for your work and allow teams outside IT departments and immediate stakeholders to give you feedback With the focus on value creation, ask more questions on bringing efficiency, automation and self-service channels to the users And, most importantly, empathize with your stakeholders and partners, understand their needs and talk to them in the language that they understand Internal IT teams have a unique advantage within organizations because they know the internal business processes, know how the systems act and manage their infrastructure. This makes them best placed to understand the impact of changing business scenarios than anyone else in the organization. If you think of any business vertical, any technology or innovation/ideation that happens within an organization, you would find that IT teams play an important role in them. This makes me believe that with the right focus, internal IT departments can really make a difference in the way organizations operate and do businesses. Considering how important it is for T teams to work like delivery teams, there are some aspects of work and team culture that needs shaking up. From my experience of leading teams across multiple organizations, including Thoughtworks, I have found that changing the culture of the team, is not easy: However, to start the change, you can: Ask yourself if you are working on the most important task of the day Check the value of your work and the outcome you get out of it, repeatedly Share and communicate your plans to a wider group Ask if there are any alternatives to the repetitive stuff that you are doing? Is it delivering enough value to justify it? Can it be automated? Can it be done by users themselves? Can it be stopped? Think of ideas that can help you improve your own workplace and office and help you learn more skills Learn to co-create and collaborate across offices, across regions and teams The team first, always! Don’t limit your ideas to what only you can deliver. Learn to harness the power of collaboration and join people with different skills Tell yourself and your teams that it’s OK to fail as failing early and failing faster and changing course is better than failing too late into the cycle Turn your organizations into a continuous learning organization While aiming to change the culture of the team, IT teams need to be able to cover the entire spectrum of scope that includes ‘Create / Build / Configure / Implement / Roll out / Own and Support’ of their infrastructure and products. When the focus is shifted from BAU and maintenance to innovation and value creation, the work becomes more interesting and challenging. This allows IT teams to start making an even bigger difference than what they have been thus far. Previous Next

Women leadership series - In conversation with Kavitha Thyagarajan 5 Mar 2022 Kavitha is Head of Design with Digital Platforms & one of the best in visual design. How would you introduce yourself? I am a multidisciplinary designer, enjoying my current role as Head of Design for TechOps Digital platforms, where I am surrounded and inspired by the most talented techies everyday. In my past life, I worked as an Architect and landscape designer. I believe in Mies van der Rohe’s motto “Less is more” and my work often reflects the same. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? When did you first get into a leadership role? I have extensive experience in designing digital applications for consumers and enterprise solutions. I manage an interdisciplinary team of designers and developers and deliver value across cross-functional, multiple stakeholder, and distributed environments working in a globally distributed team. I have helped organizations set up a User experience design team and UX practice and have led and mentored design teams. My first role as a leader was when I was managing a bunch of designers and developers working across different products and services. This was my safe and comfortable zone and I never felt that I was doing anything different. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? When you are leading a team that caters to different business functions that have its own priorities, it’s always a constant struggle to manage these priorities and at the same time delivering value. Initially this was a bit of struggle, but setting clear expectations with the global stakeholders, keeping them informed and making decisions along with them, helped me bridge the gap. I would always have an open and honest conversation with my stakeholders and would truly be invested in solving their problems. This gained me their trust and built a long term relationship with them. A leader must also know to navigate ambiguity and give a sense of direction to the team when they look up to you. I always believed that I needed to have answers for all the questions which would stress me out. I slowly realized that it was ok to accept that you don't have an answer yet and be transparent about it. This created a special bond and mutual respect for each other with my clients and team. What motivates you? I am a dreamer and constantly get inspired by numerous people around me. I love to experiment and I thrive on creativity. Mundane and routine bores me and hence I always find something that lets my creative juice flow. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? There are so many amazing people around me who I admire and follow. Couple of folks I get my inspiration from are John Maeda from the Tech and design leadership angle, Dan Norman - the design guru, Irene Au - for her amazing design leadership role where she has built and led design teams for some of the top companies. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? Leadership to me means leading by example and setting up a safe and fun environment for everyone to thrive. Investing in people's growth and achievement is a great asset to have as a leader. Being open, honest, transparent, approachable and having empathy for others has helped me grow as a leader. At the same time, it is important to have a clear vision and strategy, direction, staying calm and focussed during adversity. What would be your advice to young leaders? When you take up the role as a leader for the first time, don’t get overwhelmed with everything around you. Take it slowly but stay connected with the key people on the team. Empowering others to make decisions, sharing responsibilities and communicating constantly with your clients and team is crucial. Active listening is an asset that every leader should have. Things will soon fall in place when you have empathy for everyone. Another important aspect is to focus on your own personal development. Make sure that you allocate some time in a week specifically for this. This will help you grow as a leader you always aspired to be. Last but not least, make sure you have fun.

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Gyanesh Ojha 16 Feb 2023 Gyanesh started his IT career as a developer more than two decades ago but soon transitioned into the security domain out of curiosity. He is someone who does not like to say "no" and help whoever comes to him with a problem. Gyanesh derives satisfaction on solving problems and feeling of responsibility and trust motivates him. How would you introduce yourself? I am Gyanesh Ojha. Some people miss the “y” in my name and call me Ganesh. I know it's difficult to pronounce names but I’d prefer people pronounce my name correctly 🙂 . I am from India but am currently living in Singapore with my wife and daughter. I work at Thoughtworks and am currently responsible for South East Asia (SEA) InfoSec. I am passionate about Information Security and spend time sharing my knowledge with others to make them InfoSec savvy. I have been continuously honing my Infosec skills for over two decades now. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? I started my IT career as a developer more than two decades ago but soon transitioned into the security domain out of curiosity. Early in my career, my focus area was application security, vulnerability assessment, penetration testing and audit. Those were my consulting days when we used to test government websites, private organization’s applications and used to audit banks and private organizations against IT security standards. Gradually I moved towards compliance and internal information security management. My mentor, Dr Deoraj Bhanu Murthy inspired me to think out of the box to solve real world problems and in the process made me take on the leadership role. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? I am a person who doesn’t like to say “no” and the reason is simple. I want to help whoever comes to me with a problem. When I worked as an individual contributor, this would result in a constant backlog that I found difficult to clear. But when I started to lead a team, I had to decide where my focus should be and prioritize my tasks. So, I started to filter and focus on high priorities looking at my team’s bandwidth and, in the process, I learnt to say “no”. Though it is still not that easy for me, I have made quite a good progress. What motivates you every day? The satisfaction I derive on solving a problem, no matter how big or small; the joy I feel on seeing a colleague being more infosec aware and the responsibility my seniors trust me with, motivates me every day. In my personal life, the support and unconditional love of my family push me to outperform in every aspect of life. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? I look at the positive side of all the individuals I have connected with so far, both in my professional and personal life. But Dr Deoraj Bhanu Murthy is the one I truly Iook up to. I feel blessed to have had the chance of working with him early in my career. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? Guiding team members in the right direction, taking ownership and responsibility of the team’s work and making the team believe in themselves is leadership according to me. Simon Sinek says, “Leaders are the ones who are willing to give up something of their own for us.” This pretty much sums up my style of leadership because I believe true leaders don’t think their team works for them, instead they work for their team. What would be your advice to other leaders? There is no perfect leadership style. So don’t stick to just one style of leadership. You might have to change your style to better suit a situation. So, be open to change and bring out the best in you without compromising on the values. Also remember that being a manager is not the same as being a leader

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Sakthivel Viswanathan 9 Feb 2023 Sakthivel Viswanathan is a Technology Principal with Thoughtworks and co-leads the IDP (Internal Developer Platform) Program. With more than a decade of experience, his strong focus has been to bridge the gap between technology and business objectives and to make the jobs of the business leaders easier. How would you introduce yourself? “Hello there!” I am Sakthivel. Working as an application developer in /thoughtworks. In recent months, playing the role of Technology Principal for Digital Platform products. Having a decade long experience in programming and leading the technology side of delivery. In recent years, my strong focus has been on bridging the gap between the technology and business objectives with the goal to support and make the jobs of business leaders easier. I spend most of my time in my leadership role and I continue to find a balance in keeping myself updated with the evolving technology world in the areas that are of interest to me. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? I still feel and remember the enthusiasm, challenges and late nights during the initial days of my programming career. With the days passing, It was personally evident that my interpersonal and career skills grew with varied opportunities and stints. I remember taking on the leadership role during my days in Cognizant for the first time, when I was expected to influence a client with programming expertise with the intention of forming an offshore team with three members. It was a wonderful opportunity to understand the leadership role and I was prepared and ready to take on the unknown and came out well with tons of learnings. The single most important turning point in my career was the experience I gained by putting myself on the spot and to take on the challenges through the journey. It was the best thing that I did for myself and it helped both professionally and personally. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? From my personal experience, the challenges I faced during my journey include managing my time and reducing the cognitive load for operating effectively. I have come a long way from the time it was incredibly difficult to manage my time and I continue to reflect and adapt based on the needs. Some of the key strategies that I follow to be effective in my role is to have a focused time and to start the day with must do items. Ensuring to reflect on the progress at the end of day and course correcting if necessary. This helps to consciously plan the next day better. To manage the cognitive load, I tend to avoid switching contexts too much. While it is important to respond to pressing items, it is equally important to plan for a dedicated time for activities such as these. In my opinion, there is no one rule that fits all but opportunities to experiment and learn from individual experience. I am personally a big fan of doing “One thing at a time” which gives a sense of self satisfaction in accomplishing goals instead of trying to complete “Way too many things at a time”. What motivates you everyday? Nature is a great source of inspiration and motivation for me. Tiny events such as birds chirping, morning sun shine, clear blue skies and cool breeze, gives me a positive vibe which takes the day forward. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? My parents are my role models. Their dedication and tireless effort to shape my future is the single most thing I admire whole-heartedly. The other personality that I admire most is my spouse. She has been my guiding light and the person I look to during some critical times in the recent years. Apart from them, Late Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inspired and continues to inspire me. His humbleness, devotion to his profession, dedication and the heights he has reached through hard work is something that is cherished by millions of people, I am proud to say that I am one in the million. I recommend reading his autobiography “Wings of fire”. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? To me leadership is all about commitment. It is vital for leaders to be committed to a goal. A leader, who demonstrates strong commitment towards a goal can easily nurture confidence and trust among others. No one is perfect and I am no exception. I strongly believe in commitment and I always try my best to be as committed as possible. The other important leadership style that I follow is active listening. A leader listening to his subordinates and juniors demonstrates that he or she is willing to value their ideas and perspectives. This increases trust, innovation and fosters a positive work environment. An environment where people are ready to talk about anything related to their work is an outcome of a leader who values opinions however small they are. What would be your advice to other leaders? Being an effective leader is a continuous learning journey, a general advice that I have for my fellow leaders is to continue the learning process irrespective of the position you are now in. Continuous learning helps us to sharpen our skills and be more effective. Be open minded to accept constructive criticism and feedback. Being humble and understanding the criticism helps us to adapt and course correct in challenging situations and environments. Always embrace failure as you celebrate success.

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Venkatesh V 12 Jan 2023 A strong desire to be a catalyst or a problem solver brings Venkatesh to work everyday. He is at his best when he is connected to people. How would you introduce yourself? I am a taskmaster, go-getter, thinker, story teller, an influencer and an enabler working for /thoughtworks in the role of a Product Manager. It's been 5 fantastic years so far in thoughtworks and I must say some of the best times in my career are what I am doing right now at work. I have had a good share of Industry experience prior to I started off in software consulting, I have briefly run a start up and have also helped my family business scale during my long sabbatical. In my current role, I work with a fantastic team to build a product that addresses the critical access management needs of /thoughtworks to run thoughtworks’ business as a public company. The product we build directly contributes to the efficient functioning of business, providing right access to right systems/data for right people at right time. This product benefits the business directly and indirectly in many ways. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? I was one of those people who was drawn by working in the fancies of the technology industry, genuinely interested by getting a taste of doing it for a project while working in the financial services sector. I knew I had it in me but have waited long for a suitable opportunity to transform my career path. The euphoria moment was 12 years ago and I haven't looked back ever since. I have taken leaps in growing levels in a short span of time in my past career. I once used to be the youngest among my counterparts responsible for managing business operations for a state/province. I have had reportees more experienced and qualified than me, despite I felt this is not what I wanted to. I always wanted to be hands-on responsible for my own work, an individual contributor. But this belief has changed in the environment that I am currently in. It naturally occurred that the role I took up in thoughtworks in a team after being a team player for a considerable time, I had to step up and become responsible for just not what we build but also for the well-being of the people who do it. I would like to stand clarified, I was no one's manager here but a leader to enable people and nurture them. I must thank my leaders who have spotted the potential in me, created an opportunity for me to practice and learn leadership in my own style. My leaders have constantly helped me take up more challenges, extend the role across teams in multiple countries, supported me when I struggled and provided the right kind of support. They made me feel privileged and special, what more can I ask for? What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? More than anything the fear of failure and anxiety about ‘Will I be recognised as a leader’. Probably it is the case for anyone who starts off in their leadership role; perhaps I have also gone through that difficult phase. Like I said before, I was backed by my leaders and it was ok for me to experiment, still I was longing for the acceptance and recognition as someone who can lead from the front. It all worked well, with some intentional efforts and took up responsibilities willingly to bring that difference. More than anything, having regular one on one with the team, being open with feedback and listening to the team’s opinions helped me operate well. I remained honest, candid about telling what I really know about anything and was able to gain the team’s trust in a short span. What I enjoyed is observing the team from the cultivation lens, with an intention to see the potential in each one of them and consciously look for opportunities to expose and expand their strengths. I enjoyed doing this repeatedly alongside fulfilling my work responsibilities. I have seen evidently that people grew, became more footed and confident in their trade, they spread the feel good vibe everywhere they went. The emotional send-off that I got from the team I recently rolled off is my personal testimony of how I contributed in building a REALLY STRONG AUTONOMOUS TEAM. What motivates you everyday? The desire to be a catalyst or a problem solver brings me to work everyday, I am at my best when I am connected to people. I can contribute to solving problems interestingly, generate fascinating ideas, build a solution or design an interaction by engaging in a conversation. People and conversations are the real motivation for me to get to work, as long as it all ties to a meaningful goal. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? I certainly have a role model, not just one but many many. I have got positively influenced by many people/leaders I have come across in both professional and personal lives. I have made sure I build a relationship with such people and continue to draw inspiration and seek their help and support. I am consciously not making an effort to call names here, those people have been my professors, well-wishers, friends, mentor/coach, managers or colleagues. I am sure they would know I am referring to them if they get to read this interview. All due respects and credit to them for having helped me become what I am today and constantly helping me thrive and get better everyday. I talk to people who are in reach often. I remember, recollect and cherish the times of those I could not be in touch with. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? In my mind leadership has 2 dimensions, Meet the goals as a collective in this process enable/motivate/show the team to do it the right way To Support people to grow in this process, spot the potential in them, provide right opportunities and take them towards their aspirations. These are mutually inclusive in their own way, a leader is not successful by achieving just one of ‘accomplishing the collective goals’ or ‘helping the team meet their aspirations’. A good leader is expected to obtain both with a good balance the most times, no leader or a team is fail proof. One of my colleagues gave this candid feedback to me. Hey Venky, “I think you will have to be less polite and more authoritative in what you ask from the team”. I thought for a while and asked them, the problem here is my style or not getting things done? Is there a concern that I am not delivering to the expectations? My colleague said, no you meeting your expectations is certainly not a problem. Therefore, there is no one leadership style that works the best, it is a combination of what your personality is and what you truly believe in. Some leaders like to drive to the detail and lead by facts, while some remain as an example and show the team how to deliver: neither is good nor bad. It depends on how you orchestrate and make things work and uphold your team’s dignity. My style of leadership is tuned by what is necessary and the kind of people I deal with, however I can confidently say I mostly lead by being an example. I first prefer to do what I expect others to do! What would be your advice to other leaders? I am no expert, so I cannot offer any advice. But I can share what I have learnt from my experience: Leadership is not about one secret formula to success, it can be as different as how unique you are and a different person from everyone else. We can observe and learn from everyone, but practice it based on your best judgment and intuition. At times, I have attempted to deal with situations like how someone whom I look up to would have dealt with it, maybe it is logical or safe to do that way, later I have realized i was not my original self in dealing with it and regretted. At last, be yourself as a person and a leader, learn what to do and what not to, but do things your way. In hindsight, Did I offer advice? Maybe!🙂 Good luck!

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Vijayalakshimi Kandasamy 25 Jan 2023 Vijayalakshimi Kandasamy (Viji) comes with 19 years of IT experience and leads one of the most important project within internal IT. Viji is very passionate about solving problems and has a keen interest towards Project and People management. She loves to be close to nature and spend her spare time trying to maintain a small farmland. How would you introduce yourself? I am a Lead consultant at Thoughtworks with over 19 years of IT experience . I consider myself fortunate for being exposed to a variety of projects in different domains with many organizations. I am always passionate about solving problems with a keen interest towards Project and People management. This interest also led me to pursue MBA while parallelly working as a developer. On the personal front, I am a mother of two tweens. I love to be close to nature and spend my spare time trying to maintain a small farmland. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? I started my journey as a Java/ J2EE developer in a small sized product company. Being in a small sized company one can’t restrict to a specific role and that helped me to explore and extend my knowledge on the end to end software lifecycle. As the product I worked on was acquired by a large software firm I moved to this firm as part of the acquisition. This opened doors for me to work more closely with clients and understand their perspective. I have spent considerable time in the automotive domain and also with DevOps in trying to set up CI / CD pipeline for toolchain and in automation to bring down lead time for release. During my journey , I always ensured to take up the opportunities that came my way and challenge my limits. Before Thoughtworks, I spent more than a decade with Bosch which helped me to shape my management skills. Being empowered , accountable and driving strategic initiatives to deliver results were some key factors that inspired me to take up leadership roles. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? Collaborating with different teams to achieve a common goal is one of the challenges I could recollect . As a means to overcome , an alignment on the priorities, the benefits of the common goal and responsibility of each team involved will bring everyone on the same page. Following this, establishing a mechanism to uncover and track dependencies certainly helped in successfully delivering the results. Keeping the teams focus and delivering results while navigating through ambiguity and uncertain times is definitely a key challenge faced. Being transparent about the situation , constant communication with teams, working on solutions given the current clarity and openness to evolve as the situation improves were some actions we implemented to sail through the rough patch. What motivates you everyday? It is good to be surrounded by people who constantly motivate you however I feel the best is to be intrinsically motivated. The impact created due to our work and the value we add to the organization motivates me. Also I am greatly motivated while I am able to mentor people and make them realize their complete potential. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? I do not deny the fact that some training and leadership programs help play your role efficiently , but more than any other means I imbibe a lot of skills from the people I collaborate with on a daily basis. While I had opportunities to work with a lot of inspiring leaders , I still cherish working with my first mentor after moving to IT. He inspired the team by his way of approaching a complex problem , modularizing it and then connecting the dots. We were as freshers quite awestruck by his way of solving problems. Another great leader I look up to, empowers his team to be autonomous and stands by them during difficult times. My Mother has been a great inspiration in my Journey ,a Doctor by profession she has always been empathetic and I Am greatly astonished by the positive impact she has created on many people. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? Leadership is just not a designation or role offered to you, it is a mindset where you assume responsibility and be accountable for the results. I do not stick to a specific leadership style always ,it is scenario based and a mix of multiple leadership styles. Although mostly inclined as a Democratic leader in some cases I also tend to be autocratic where specific guidelines have to be set and to keep the team focused on near term time critical goals. In a few other scenarios in my experience, where there was a strategic restructuring of teams based on product revamp I acted as a transformational leader in adapting quickly to change and supporting the teams to eventually sustain. It is not that I consciously shift between different leadership styles but this comes out naturally in a given situation. Only later when I reflect , will I be able to differentiate the approach taken and the correlation with the leadership styles. What would be your advice to other leaders? I believe there is no substitute for hardwork and commitment. As leaders, creating an unbiased environment that encourages open feedback is essential.While it is quite common to spend significant effort firefighting on the current priorities , setting up time to strategically plan the long term objectives of the Project will not only help the Business but also reassure the team of the opportunities ahead.

Emerging leadership series - In conversation with Junjun Yang (Lily) 14 Feb 2023 Junjun Yang, also called as Lily, is part ofthe Digital Capabilities team with @Thoughtworks IT. She started her career in China in in Digital marketing & communications, before moving to Silicon Valley technology start up as a Marketing director. She is motivated to learn new things, gain new skills and taking on new responsibilities and solve problems. How would you introduce yourself? My name’s Junjun Yang, and most people call me Lily. I am from China, and I joined the thoughtworks as a business analyst in 2021. Can you tell me a bit about your career journey? What inspired you to take on the leadership role? After completing my master degree in Environmental Science from Peking University, I started my career in the digital marketing and communication industry by coincidence. Even though the problem that people are trying to resolve in digital marketing is different from that in the science labs, the approach is basically the same, namely systems thinking and analytical skills. Since moving to a Silicon Valley technology start-up in 2016, I've held positions as marketing director. That gives me an opportunity to do lots of different things and develop skills, like capital raising, product localization, and have a full experience to build a business and expand the brand in China. I'm very motivated by learning new things, gaining new skills, taking new responsibilities, and trying new ways to solve problems. That’s what inspired me to take on the leadership role, and why I joined the thoughtworks. What were the top challenges you faced during your journey and how did you overcome them? One of the biggest work challenges I’ve faced is selling ideas to others or persuading colleagues, who are just willing to listen to themselves and never listen to others’ opinions. It made the collaboration difficult, and work was proceeding slowly. First, we need to build trust. I initiated many conversations to focus on what they have to say and let them know I truly understand what they care about. Second, invite them to identify the root of the problem together. Instead of proposing the solutions, we discussed what the current situation is, and answered essential questions together. After fully communicating, we were finally in alignment with the problem and reached a consensus on the solutions . What motivates you everyday? I believe we are the sum total of our experience. Experience motivates me. For positive or negative, at home or at work, be it together or alone, I may want to experience something different and progress every day. Do you have a role model in your life? Can you name a few people who you look up to? My role model is my last supervisor Brian Yang, and he is also my mentor because of his strong leadership and lifelong learning. We built a great team, pulled through the tough situation and accomplished business goals. He led by example and taught me how to think globally, how to communicate with staff and upper management effectively, and gave me advice on how to plan my career. Currently in thoughtworks, many long-term thoughtworkers and great women are inspiring me everyday, such as Gregory Schalliol, who is always shown concern for social vulnerable groups and starts a program to help the unemployed in his retirement, and KK, who is willing to spend time developing others and provide learning opportunities for the junior. What does leadership mean to you? How would you describe your leadership style? Leadership means collaboration to me and leading by examples. I would describe my leadership style as delegate, and open minded. I enjoy taking the lead and responsibilities, planning for the strategy, and considering future growth. But I also like to stay involved, work hands-on and know how to help coworkers do theirs better but not get in the way. What would be your advice to other leaders? What I expect from myself is continued self-improvement, like thinking critically, communicating clearly, and establishing connections with others to build trust, share ideas, develop their strengths and achieve the work. This could be my advice to other leaders as well. Chinese version 简单介绍下你自己？ 我是杨君君，大家也叫我Lily。在2021年我加入thoughtworks武汉办公室，作为一名业务分析师。 可以分享一下你的职业经历吗？ 是什么促使你承担领导者的角色？ 在完成七年的环境科学专业学习之后，机缘巧合使我在数字营销传播行业开始了自己的职业生涯。我发现尽管人们在数字营销领域试图解决的问题，与在科学实验室里的不同，但运用的思考和方法基本相同，比如系统思维，和逻辑分析。 在2016年，我加入了一家硅谷科技初创公司，担任市场总监。在五年的时间里，我有机会锻炼多样的能力，也有幸实践了很多不同的事情，比如支持公司不同成长阶段的融资、响应市场的需要进行产品本地化，以及拥有在中国市场建立业务，和扩大品牌影响力的宝贵经验。 学习新事物，获得新技能，承担新责任，尝试新方法来解决问题，这些激励我积极担任领导者角色，也是我当初加入thoughtworks的原因之一。 在这段经历中你所遇到的最大挑战是什么？又是如何克服的？ 我曾经遇到的最大挑战之一是如何推销自己的想法，说服共事的人。如果对方过于果断，只想听自己的声音，从不听取他人意见，合作往往会格外艰难，事情的推进缓慢。 首先要做的是，构建信任，为此我发起了许多次对话，专注于让对方表达自己想说的，确保他们明白我是真正理解他们所关心的。之后，我会邀请他们一起澄清问题，或者找到分歧的根源，不着急提出解决方案，而只是讨论当前的情况，共同回答一些重要问题。经过充分的沟通，我们最终对所面对的问题，以及下一步如何去行动达成了共识。 你每天的动力是什么？ 我相信，人是自身经历、经验的总和。每一天激励我的是能经历不同的事物。无论是积极的还是消极的，在家庭生活中还是工作中，无论是在集体里或独自一人，我期待每天有新的体验和成长。 在你的生活中有行为榜样吗？ 可以介绍几位你所钦佩的人吗？ 我的行为榜样是之前的上司 Brian Yang，他有很强的领导力和终身学习的能力。回顾一起渡过难关，一起达成业务目标的时光，Brian始终以身作则带领团队，也教会我如何从全局思考，如何建立与员工和高层的有效沟通，以及指导我如何规划自己的职业生涯。 现在，身边有很多资深的thoughtworkers令我钦佩，比如Gregory Schalliol，他一直关心和支持社会弱势群体，刚刚退休的他将启动一个帮助当地失业者的项目；KK老师，她愿意投入自己对时间发展别人，并为后辈创造学习实践的机会。 领导力对你意味着什么？ 你如何描述自己的领导风格？ 对我而言，领导力意味着合作带领进步，以身作则。 我认为自己的领导风格是知人善任，保持开明的思想。一方面，我愿意承担领导者的责任，为中长期的发展做规划；另一方面，我也很享受在团队中，处理实际的任务，帮助同事们更顺畅的创造价值，而非妨碍他们。 你对其他领导者有什么建议？ 我期待自己成为持续学习者，比如，持续迭代自己的思维能力，与他人更清晰地沟通，建立联系建立信任，持续分享自己的想法，发挥个人优势以更好的实现目标，等等。这也可以作为我对其他领导者的建议。

< Back Seven tricks to feel motivated at workplace and in life Have you ever felt de-motivated, dejected, disappointed or down hearted ... Have you ever felt de-motivated, dejected, disappointed or down hearted after a long day’s work ? I am sure you would have at some point in your life, if not every day after the work. Staying motivated and positive for long time is a real struggle. We are surrounded by and often assaulted by negative thinking and anxiety about the present situation and of course about the future ! We always have a phase where we start doubting ourselves and feel depressed. Unfortunately there is no master key or a simple solution to unlock the mystery of de-motivation. Even after we feel we are over it, sometimes, it comes back to haunt us in an even bigger way. Here, in this article, I would like to mention few of the points that would help one keep up the motivation, focus and avoid the long spells of depression and dejection, especially at work ! Love music Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach Whilst I am not a big fan of music collection, I do have a small collection of specific songs that I find dear to my heart. It is a decent mixture of all types of songs ranging from disco to classical and ghazals to bhajans. Depending on what emotional state I want to get, I choose the song and listen. This helps me often to get right state of mind before I proceed to do next task. Have a buddy at work Its important to have someone at work whom you can consider a best friend or a buddy. You need to have one such friend with whom you can share your work difficulties and vent out temporary frustration. Believe me, more often than not, you need some kind of instant emotional support with whom you can talk and share things. At more stressful jobs, you often experience bursts of negativity around due to several work related matters. So it is always helpful to have someone who you can count on to help you get out of negativity and back to normal mind state. Human is a social animal and we all have an inherent need of talking and being heard. In case you do not have anyone whom you can to and talk your heart out, it really feels like dejected and lonely at times. Spent a good time with your friend and talk on topics that interest you to get your positivity back on track. On the other hand, please extend help to your buddy when he / she is in the need of help. Have a hobby / passion In my opinion, having some passion in life is very important. For me, my passion is watching football. It keeps me going and helps me keep happy. My favorite club is Manchester United and I do everything I can to watch them playing (on TV at least). Watching them play my favorite game makes me happier and feel inspired. However, if they lose then there is an equal chance of me feeling more miserable after that. I do keep recordings of certain match clips which I tend to watch when I am feeling a little low and it certainly has helped in keeping me inspired. Passion is closely related to the emotional behavior of the human and if you see your passion fulfilled, its more of a chance that you feel inspired and motivated. Focus on positives Sometimes, if we experience too much negativity for a prolonged period of time and feel de-motivated for a longer spell of time, we go into a state of mind where all the thoughts start with negative options and creates negative vibes around us. Once you fall into the negativity trap, its not very easy to come out and have any positive feeling about anything. In past, when I had fallen into the trap of negativity, I used to feel negative for no real reason and sometimes a mere presence of few people around used to make me start feel de-motivated. However, the wiser I got, I tend to avoid feeling on this trap by concentrating more on the positives that are coming out from the situation. Look at the scenario holistically rather than what is only seen to you Thank God for not making things any worse Find out one positive thing that you can take out of the situation. As I often mention in many of my conversations, “there are always 100s of negative things that can be made out of the situation, but if you find at least one positive thing out of it, consider it a learning for life and thank GOD”. Positivity is a habit, and once you get it, you can easily overcome situations that are trying to put you back in the hole of negativity and de-motivation. Praise others Spreading good words makes one feel positive and help others feel good about themselves. This, in turn make change in people’s behavior towards you in a better way, making you feel better. Believe me, speaking positive about someone else’s work and personality is the best way to connect with the person in a right way. I remember a specific incident when I was given to work with a so-called difficult person. All the people who worked with that person earlier, warned me about the boring and micro-management behavior of the person. While I too felt a little bit strange with his work methods, the more I started to talk to him and praise him about some real good work he had done in past (in some cases without anyone’s real help), it made him really comfortable with me and I could see an immediate behavior change in him towards me allowing me freedom to work the way I want. Ultimately this led to work satisfaction for both of us and a little bit more positive at work for me ! However, one thing that you need to keep in mind is when to praise someone and how much to praise. There is fine line between real appreciative person and feet-licking bastard ! You need to ensure that you do not cross to the other side .. Open your mind I always feel that one need to share what he / she feels about the situation in a right way. Its not often very motivating to work in uneasy, unconvincing situations or scenarios where you are in a confused state or feel half-committed to the cause. Learn a bit about emotional intelligence and try to be aware of your state of mind. One very important, but often neglected, fact is to know our state of mind and understand our emotions. We go through so many emotions such as happiness, inspired, dejection, unhappy, nervousness etc., at work place during various hours of the day and due to several causes, it almost becomes a habit to suppress them and continue with the job we are doing. Can you stay in a meeting where you do not feel like being, and contribute productively ? Can you give right suggestions and solutions to a problem, when you are in a state of anger or frustration ? Definitely not ! The more you suppress your emotions, the more you feel out of control and start losing your own focus. Its important to let others know what state of mind you are and help yourself in getting back to where you should be. Believe me, the more I tried this, the more I felt in control of the situation and my responses were getting better, in turn making me feel positive and motivated. Think big and have faith When you get the questions, such as “why does it always happen with me”, “why am I being pushed to do something that I do not want to do”, “no one seems to help me here” start flowing in your mind, think of is as time to take a step back and consider the bigger picture and look at the intention behind the situation. When such situation occurs, look at the big picture and find out the intentions behind this situation. In case you are wondering how to do this, I recommend reading a story in my leadership series. You can safely bank on the thumb rule of “intentions of people at work place are never bad, sometimes behaviors are” to sail through this period. On the other hand, if you are unable to trace the intentions and get any positivity of the big picture, think of it as the lowest point and be happy that things can only improve on this point onwards. Just have faith ! #positivethinking #work #mindset #behaviour #worklife #emotions #emotionalintelligence Previous Next

< Back Be LEAN .. this year! The LEAN framework originates from the manufacturing system developed by Toyota called Toyota Production System ... The LEAN framework originates from the manufacturing system developed by Toyota called Toyota Production System [TPS] that pursues the principle of optimum streamlining throughout the entire system through the thorough elimination of waste and aims to build quality in at the manufacturing process while recognizing the principle of [ongoing] cost reduction. It also includes all the accompanying technology & tools necessary to accomplish those aims. [Reference .. here ] The process that Toyota developed for Just-in-time production was called TPS until 1990. MIT researchers tossed the term LEAN in their 1990 book called “The Machine that Changed the World” to describe the principles of Toyota Production System. Thereafter, of course, the process was known to the world as LEAN Service Framework . In a nutshell, LEAN is an integrated system of principles, work practices & processes that empowers the operational users to drive the relentless pursuit of perfect customer value creation. Although LEAN was innovated and started in the manufacturing industry and especially at Toyota, it, over the years grown out of the manufacturing industry and into other verticals, not to mention the IT/BPO industry. LEAN underpins 5 principles in the framework as follows, Eliminate Waste – As per the LEAN principles, the waste could be due to the idle time spent by the employees waiting for work, or spending extra hours to exceed customer expectations (without customer asking for it), excessive testing etc., activities and all such activities that do not add add direct value to the customers. Eliminate Variability – This talks more about complexity of the work within the team. LEAN suggests eliminating the variability of work done by the employees so that activities & individual performances are streamlined to carry out typical activities. This also talks about the external work that comes within such as ticket trend, business requirements etc., and suggests to streamline. Eliminate Inflexibility – This suggest more about the resources capacity and the work segmentation and align the efforts and create skill pools so as to better utilize the knowledge, performance & work practices against repetitive / common tasks. Performance Management – LEAN suggests to compute the performance of the individuals as well as the team and making the results publish to the individuals / teams and discuss with them on a regular basis. LEAN recommends that regular performance discussions enhances the team morale, gives them goal to enhance performances etc., Involvement of workers – LEAN, more than a process is more of a philosophy and change in the thinking of the workforce and suggest to have the workforce participate and understand these principles so they themselves are aware of the waste being created around they can eliminate themselves. Many IT companies have implemented LEAN successfully. IBM has been doing the LEAN implementation for the customers since last 3+ years. Over the years, being LEAN organization has been a selling point for the IT vendors and equally the customers have been demanding. The benefits of LEAN include reduce waste, reduction of inventory costs, cross trained employees, reduced cycle time & obsolescence, high quality & reliability and may more. This, of course was a drop in the ocean of the knowledge of the LEAN framework, even for me. If you are interested in knowing more and reading more, suggesting the following reading Principles of LEAN Thinking Lean Manufacturing & Lean Software Development What is LEAN? Benefits of LEAN LEAN – The Machine that changed the world ! Previous Next

< Back The path towards technology transformation can be very long, says Swapnil Deshpande, Chief Digital Officer at ThoughtWorks This is an exclusive interview conducted by the Editor Team of CIO News with Swapnil Deshpande, Chief Digital Officer at ThoughtWorks. Technology leaders need to be able to adapt to the constantly changing environment around them, sense the change early, and be ready before the change becomes a problem by responding to the change appropriately How did you plan your career path to be a successful technology leader? Let me break down this question and answer it in two parts. First, “how did I become a technology leader?” and second, “how did I become a successful leader?” For the first part of the question, let me admit that my journey of becoming a technology leader has grown from many small career dreams I had at various stages in my life. My very first career dream as a child was to grow up and be a teacher. Being the son of two teachers, I have always had a great admiration for teachers, their knowledge and wisdom, and their ability to impart knowledge and build the characters of hundreds of students. Growing up further, when I was in my pre-teens, I developed a passion for reading, and I would spend hours and hours reading various kinds of books and novels. Reading would not only broaden my knowledge and understanding of various subjects, but it would also foster a deep respect for the authors’ creativity and story-telling abilities, and their fantastic ability to take readers on a journey through their stories was something I was eager to learn. So, my second career dream was to become an author or storyteller. Later in my early teens, I got introduced to computers, and it unlocked a completely different world for me. I was fascinated by the abilities of computers and the possibilities they could unlock for the world. Computers allowed me to be creative, abstract, and structured at the same time, and I knew that this is what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. So, my next career dream was to make a career in computers and technology. Thankfully, I stuck to that for the rest of my life. After completing a formal professional education from NIT Allahabad as a Computer Science and Engineering student, I had work tenures with Cognizant, Tech Mahindra, and Amdocs before taking the plunge to be an entrepreneur and setting up two start-ups. My most valuable lessons about the corporate world came during my days as an entrepreneur. Now, I have almost 10 years of working experience with Thoughtworks. For the second part of the question, I do not know if I am successful or not. The definition of success is different for different people, so I cannot say generally whether my career is successful or not; I will leave that to others to decide if they think of me as successful or not. For me, “career” is a long-term and evolving part of life. A successful career includes great learning as well as using that learning to help build a positive impact on others. For the first part (my professional life), I believe I have had a reasonable amount of success because I have had numerous opportunities to continue my learning over the course of my two decades of experience. For the second one, I would leave it to the people who work with me to tell if I have been successful in delivering a positive impact on their life and helping them grow. What challenges you faced in your career path and how did you overcome them? I have a comprehension issue with the word “challenge.” I find it difficult to treat a specific situation as a challenge; I would rather think of it as an “opportunity” to make an impact or make life better for someone. A couple of examples I can give are: some people think of the “rapidly changing technology landscape” as a challenge; I think of it as an opportunity to continuously learn and expand the horizon. Another example could be the “constrained financial situation of companies and departments” post-COVID, which may be a challenge to deliver impact, but I think of that as an opportunity to “innovate” the business models. Looking at any situation as a challenge makes your brain think of it as a problem to be solved or mitigated and responds like that, possibly in a constrained way where the focus is to avoid loss or issues or risks. However, looking at the same situation as an opportunity makes you think across the horizon to find the best solutions, innovative solutions, and sometimes those that do not exist today. The emphasis then shifts to value maximisation and impact maximisation rather than risk or loss avoidance. Having said that, the real challenge comes when you deal with people and their emotions at work. Understanding human nature and behaviour is indeed challenging, yet an important aspect of leadership. I am pretty sure I have made mistakes in my leadership career; however, it remains a journey of continuous learning. What are the challenges faced by technology leaders today while implementing digital technologies? Continuing from the previous theme, rather than outlining the challenges that are likely to be faced by the technology leaders, I would like to outline the situations that the technology leaders are likely to face and in which they will play an important role in steering the organisation forward. Technology leaders will face increasing pressures from managing and navigating industry and business model disruptions. They are not only expected to react to disruptions, but also to anticipate and prepare for them in many cases. Markets are evolving fast, and the technology landscape is evolving even faster, so navigating this will be a big thing on the minds of the leaders. On the other side, this presents a wonderful opportunity to disrupt yourself and get ahead of the competition. Aside from the topic of disruptions, technology leaders will increasingly face constraints on the investment dollars at their disposal. In the post-pandemic, recession-hit world, investments in building new technology or in the use of new technology are getting harder scrutiny. The technology leaders will need to learn how to manage experiments, innovations, and using new technology for generating tangible value without touching their mainstream businesses (that earn money). The third and perhaps equally important conundrum that the technology leaders will face is to manage the timing of their key investment decisions. When should I invest in developing or deploying technology for commercial purposes? Should we buy technology or build it ourselves? The right decision always lies somewhere in between “opportunity cost” and “cost of missed opportunity.” If you invest too early, you may not get the right value (because the use cases have not matured), while if you invest too late, you may have missed out entirely. Technology leaders will need to always balance their decisions between these two poles. How can technology leaders overcome the challenges faced? While technology is important, the people and leaders of the organisations that drive tech initiatives and business transformation play a larger role. For an effective outcome, they need to have the right mindset and be “transformation ready.” I would advise the technology leaders to focus on the following key aspects for preparing themselves and their teams to respond better to challenges and unpredictable situations: How to think? The technology leaders need to see possibilities and opportunities beyond the current problems and situations they are encountering on a day-to-day basis. Being buried in today’s problems does not help people have the right mindset to imagine a better future. How to act? Because things can get unpredictable along the way and decisions could go wrong along the way, it is important for the leaders to be tolerant of an environment that seems ambiguous and often contains risks. Since the path for each company is unique and unexplored, the teams and leaders need to show a high level of resilience in the face of constant change and constant ambiguity along the way. How to react? The path towards technology transformation can be very long, bumpy, and full of unexpected surprises and blockers along the way. Leadership changes, organisational direction changes, business model changes, organisational politics, shifting powers between teams, and the ability to influence are some of the key reasons why the path can be bumpy. The technology leaders need to be able to adapt to the constantly changing environment around them, sense the change early, and be ready before the change becomes a problem by responding to the change appropriately. Any best practices, industry trends, or advice you’d give to fellow technology leaders to help them succeed professionally? Technology is transient and ever-changing, while the business value paradigm is permanent. While some businesses develop new technologies, the vast majority of businesses use technology to deliver business value. I would strongly advise the technology leaders to take a keen interest in understanding the business model of the organisation and the associated nuances. Knowing how the company runs and generates profit or grows is very important knowledge that the technology leaders should possess. Keep your curiosity quotient high. Go back to the fundamentals and apply first-principles thinking to bring more innovation and impact to your business. Do not be satisfied with the status quo and challenge it continuously. Finally, taking inspiration from the most successful football teams, another message I would like to give to the technology leaders is to forget about the past achievements and successes and focus on delivering future value. What you did in the past is over and should be forgotten as soon as possible, and your focus should be on the next target. A technologist’s true joy comes from the journey of learning and creating value. Any other points that you would like to highlight? Some tips that have helped me along the way are: Try not to overinvest emotionally at work. Invest in people, not work or products. Your career and journey are much larger than the project or team you are currently on. So, invest in long-term relationships and help each other grow. Have a passion (or a hobby) outside of work that you are willing to burn your nights for. For me, watching Manchester United play football is one such passion. I tell my team not to be surprised if they see me responding to some chat messages or emails at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. India time. It’s possible I might have been awake watching football. Take time off. Do not just book time off to fight stress and refresh your mind; take time off to experience new things too. Take care of your physical and mental well-being. The pandemic has taught us how important it is to take care of mental health. Take it seriously and take good care of it. Previous Next