Name: Sagar Chaudhuri

Title: CEO and Co-Founder

Organisation: DealsNow Consumer Solutions Private Limited

An HR Tech evangelist and founder of HiFives, a SaaS company in the HR tech space. Also, founded Pertivo, an intelligent recruitment scale, and another venture in the wellness space. Also, worked with companies such as Genpact, GE, Infosys, and ICICI Bank. Engineering degree from IIT Kharagpur and MBA from IIM Lucknow. https://www.linkedin.com/

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Sagar's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

I try my best to maintain a high say-do ratio and also acknowledge my failure to keep up a commitment.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

I look at it in the form of long-term and short-term goals for the business. Or the ultimate goal and the roadmap, or the milestones to get there.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Coaching, mentoring, and trusting are the best ways for leaders to empower their people. Just think of yourself as a soccer or any other sports coach.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

My mother has been the most significant influence as a mentor and coach in my life. Though she is not from the business world, her anecdotal mentoring style has been invaluable to me. Her strong work ethic and deep understanding of human psychology ensure I get the right kind of advice I just need to translate to a business context. For example, should I trust a specific person with a certain level of responsibility?

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

I take the perspective of the other party or a 3rd party to take any bias or personal emotion out of the equation whenever I am deciding or communicating about something.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

I use an online calendar for weekly plans that I can access easily from any device. For monthly and more extended plans, I maintain notes on my laptop. For longer-term plans, I keep an offline diary.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Believe in your people, coach and mentor them. Remember the old saying - 'You teach a man to fish, he will live a lifetime'.