1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

Main challenge in growing and transformational organization is scaling people, creating career glidepath and succession planning for domain centric roles with clear job description and roles. It’s very critical to create differentiating value prepositions while setting goals and expectation in with regards to what defines going extra mile in any given roles versus stamping on other team members roles, which then creates conflict.

The definition of expecting team members to resolve all problem to be resolved is directly proportionate to the organisation frame work, roles and objective setting with evaluation of parameter. Simply put we cannot expect JCB Operator to navigate to fly a plane.

It’s very important to have optimal engagement of team members and this can happen when they feel motivated, valued, respected and accomplished with clear vision on strategies which are linked to goal setting exercise in any performance management system cycle-Its very imperative to create harmony while we are focusing on competitive edge and building high performance teams. We cannot have team members emotional quotient to be low with insecurity, psychologically Unsafe and overwhelmed with destructive competition.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I actually achieved an executive roles twice in my career, first as a Director of Operations in Capgemini and currently in Deutsche Bank while leading Insight and Data Financial Crime and Compliance centre of excellence for Asia for Capgemini , I learnt the executive presence is very critical for successful career path at leadership roles- I started practising high level of Emotional Intelligence, to be successful in leadership role and bring in intended change .I have worked on being subject matter expertise in my domain and that has opened doors for many senior roles for me at leadership level.I have achieved these leadership position by taking my feedback right , working with my mentors on the career glidepath and also learning on new skill. I have enjoyed new challenges put across by sponsors and taken them as opportunity to learn some thing new and given energy and time required to be successful in the role .

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I wake up pretty early in the morning, I practise Yoga , I read little of The Bhagavad Gita often referred to as the Gita -verse Hindu scripture, which is part of the epic Mahabharata as recent inclination in my spiritual connect - I spend my day having breakfast with my son , as single mother this is connect time and making most of the run for the day .I then make most of my check list and daily management while driving to office and iam highly organised person -I organise my time and work backwards to attain intended productive. During the office hours I connect people and work on having face to face interaction to resolve the issues

Post office hour I enjoy my Gazalals (The ghazal is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry) and indulge in Chai (Tea) mostly . i enjoy cooking and serving family at leisure its stressbuster for me to serve food.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Being Resilient always -One of great leadership lesson i have learnt in recent experience to be reliance - It takes time to solve problem on the table some time. We cannot have good news always-managing bad news with out shooting messenger and working with extended team, stake holder and converting the successful stories requires lot of persistence patience, energy, positive attitude towards goals and clear context towards goals and vision..

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Dare to Lead, by Brené Brown - I was refrred this book by my ex boss had observation/feedback that i was very forgiving in my early career days and that created less performing team. My learning has been to be able to navigate less performing team towards clear goals and lead with context .The insights from the book helped me become more courageous rightly , better and bolder, yet remain empathetic leader for the organization.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Recognise the Skill Gap at early stage-Domain expertise is key .I would not respect Cabin Manager who can give best speech and cannot rool up sleeve ,walk upto desk of co worker to resolve the issue with subject matter domain expertise and stay intellectually abled -For younger me and others be subject matter expertise in whatever you do- don't settle to be average and excel in skill you learnt.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

Did you have break fast -Iam reminded this word from my erstwhile MD who wuld always ask when she met any oen firts on floor.This actually is so empthatc ways to start your day with smile and ask people if they has enough energy to start the day in busy commuting time zone. I started this as best practice and i see smiling faces and teams working with positive energy.