I speak up because our time has come

Stories of Role Models

I was a shy kid. Very reserved - I preferred having few friends. 

Things did not change much, when I finished my engineering and started my first job at HP.

A team event was being organised in our team. There was a flurry of consultations. People's opinions were being sought on where we should go, what we should do. 

They must have known, wallpapers don't have opinions. Because no one asked me what I wanted. I was furious. 

More with myself than with them.

I walked up to my manager and accosted him - something I had never done up to now.

He heard me; he apologised. The team got in touch; I felt so much better.

I told myself, 'Never again!'. Henceforth, I would speak up. 

As I began to do so, it became easier. Things became better.

I began to seek out opportunities to take initiative. In the beginning, doing was easier than talking, so the action helped.

The moment I would catch myself hesitating to speak, I would raise my hand. When people would look at me, to hear me, I would have no choice but to weigh myself in, even if I had not yet fully organised my thoughts. 

I caught on to the idea of taking risks.

I began to do well - became a project manager. Then bigger projects.

After 11 years in HP, I moved to SAP Labs.

I had already been exposed to American colleagues and now it was time to work with German friends.

By 2010, our aspirations to take ownership of work we do in India - had grown to unhealthy levels. At Least from the point of view of our erstwhile lead labs.

We had built a mobile product out of India. We had taken ownership and steered the product from the end user's perspective. 

This product had a back-end customization aspect also and our German partners had created a similar product, with greater focus on ease of backend customizations.

The two products would need to integrate. There were strong and passionate arguments from both sides. But, no decision!

It boiled down to deciding which product would be the primary one. My friends had fore-warned me on how difficult it can be to persuade a German.

I had thought to myself; they are humans no different from us and maybe they listen more to logic and data, so let me try to speak their language. 

When we met, It took us all of 30 minutes for us to agree that we will keep our conversation data based. We were transparent and presented our case with well-prepared data. It swung the conversation to our side. 

Forget others, I myself was seeing a different Mangala, from the one who had stormed to her manager, because she was not consulted.

I have learnt over the years to come prepared and I take risks. Ownership does not happen without informed decisions that you stand behind.  

In essence, this is what has helped me succeed.

Today, I work with young people all the time - mentoring and coaching them. 

I am excited by what I see. 

Youngsters do not begin by carrying baggage like we did. 

They want their seat at the table and they want to be heard. Not shy to ask, they ask for empowerment rather than favours. The next generation is more informed, more innovative.

This is good.

On the flip side, they want instant results. Careers can not be like springs - giving you an instant jump up. 

Careers are made by solving difficult problems. To do that, you have to immerse and go in deep first. 

I urge them to explore and find what they want to get deep into. Then do so. This is the quickest way to ensure success.

We succeed best when we embrace the new, but keep what works from the past. The past has much to keep.

There are good things from our own traditions - humbleness and customer obsession. If a guest is akin to God (अतिथी देवो भवः) - customers who pay are sure to be pampered :)

As the centre of gravity shifts to India, the day is not far away when we will be counted as a developed country.