The future of work - Sat Santokh Vicharo

Stories of Role Models

The future of work will reward those who are sorted out on two things. They co-create abundance. They drive results in sustainable ways. This is my continuing story.

Who I am

I started my career in Mumbai. The city was happening. I worked for an iconic brand. 

A few days into the job, my ambition soared, but my spirit dampened. I realized I was sorely homesick and wanted to move back home to Jaipur. 

So, I moved from Mumbai to Delhi and then back to Jaipur. I prioritized emotional health over career. 

This choice has rewarded me each day, every time. Not having to leave my daughter in the creche but at home is but an everyday decision that validates my choices.

There are many perspectives to one’s truth. The hard core professionals, amongst my friends, continue to be surprised that I diluted my career by moving to a tier 2 town. 

On the other hand, my soul mate - who I met at work - has always supported me. 

My professor summarized it nicely. She said, “You need to identify substance and stick to it.” 

Co-creating abundance

Learning agility is my core value. My curiosity helps me learn in everyday life. I also consciously attend structured programs to facilitate my overall development. 

I am a passionate mentor. We seek out youngsters, one at a time, to help. 

We hire trainees from challenging backgrounds, after they complete 12th. We train them on the job. They pick up computer and English skills. The stipend soon grows into a healthy salary. 

One of my mentees whose parents worked as cleaning staff today runs his own organization. 

I believe the more content and grateful we are, the more we are blessed with abundance.

The cultural context of Finesse - my entrepreneurial venture - is based on this.

Every day we have a half an hour “Finesse Zone” where we explore and evolve as a team. 

The theme for this month is “gratitude and achievement” – we journal and we revel both in our good fortune and our wins. 

This small activity is anchored in positivity, and we are getting brilliant results. Gratitude has led us to abundance.

Driving results in sustainable ways

I was sticky about Jaipur. The universe colluded to help me continue in jobs for some time. By 2013, it became unsustainable. 

I listened to my inner compass and took the plunge to launch Finesse. 

Henceforth, we would be consultants. I planned to focus on small and medium enterprises, besides corporates. The latter was my comfort zone, but not too many of them were around in Jaipur.

SME is a different world altogether. 

Consultants were viewed with scepticism in Rajasthan. They were seen as silver tongued professionals who created fancy documents that gathered dust once they left. 

Rather than investing in promotions, I devised an offering called “diagnostic”. This was a 360 degree assessment of the Organization. 

I offered this complimentary, but it created immense value both for the client and me. The client got a great starting point to drive strategic growth and we at Finesse got excellent “word of mouth” and inroads in the SME market.

Project by project, organization by organization, we were able to make a difference.

The team grew. We added new offerings. We began to do Assessment Centres, Recruitment, Training and OD interventions. With this, we helped our customers win the war for talent.

Then Covid happened. Business-wise, it levelled the playing field.

If you delivered, no one cared anymore where you were located. We rode rapidly on that wave. 

Not only did we find new customers across India, we also got ourselves clients in the US, UK and Korea.

The small town disadvantage is much reduced. This is the future of work too.

My Compass

I have strived for two things. Co-creating abundance and driving results in sustainable ways.

I take my inspiration from the concluding hymn of Shri Guru Granth Sahib. 

I believe this has defined the compass for living and for work up to now and will continue to shape the future of work, for those who seek meaning out of it.

The hymn gives 3 keys - Sat Santokh Vicharo.   

Sat is the ability to see Truth. To integrate multiple perspectives. To increase our own awareness. To not get overly attached to “my version” of the truth. 

Innovation, collaboration, peace all flow out of this.

Santokh is Contentment. The healthiest of human emotion which help us attract more to be grateful for. This is like operating from a “space of abundance”.

Vicharo is contemplation. Reflecting on the relevant questions. “How do I make a relationship better?” “What is my point of maximum contribution?”

It is the path to evolving. People, community and culture gets crafted here. Emotional Intelligence is sure to be strengthened.

With this compass in hand, I await with gratitude what the future will unfold for all of us. It can only be good!