7 Things That Make Udhyam Unique As An Organisation: A 7th Anniversary Special

At Udhyam, we deeply value and cherish our culture. Every organisation has characteristics that set it apart, and we wanted to figure out what it was that made Udhyam different.

This question came up in a recent catch-up among the Udhyam leadership team, and there were a variety of answers, all as unique and varied as the team members themselves. Here is what they had to say, some of it in their own words:

1. The heart of a non-profit, the pace of a startup, and the processes of an enterprise: Just like the people who make up our team, Udhyam is a reflection of the best of many worlds. Deeply mission focused, our efforts are always towards our end customers: millions of underserved young Indians and nano-entrepreneurs. We also want the best for the most, and to bring about this impact at scale we work with the pace and audacity of a startup. Keeping things streamlined and accountable is important to us, and being process-driven helps us get where we need to be in a smooth and replicable way.
2. Freedom and trust:?“I have experienced the freedom and trust to try things and fail and I have witnessed others experience it too.”?No one has all the answers right away. From the structure of our Youth Business Projects, where students get seed money without the fear of failing, to our own internal work culture, we all learn by doing and embrace the failures on the way as signifiers on the path to eventual success. Knowing that you are operating in an environment of trust and having the freedom to experiment and fail is an exhilarating feeling.
3. A feeling-based approach: Empathy is embedded in Udhyam’s work culture and processes, starting from our vision statement, which speaks of “co-creating a caring world.” We try to bring this sense of empathy towards the people we serve, the fellow team members we work with, and any partners we interact with.?
4. Being always ready and in the moment: Something we strive for is to bring all of ourselves to everything we do. We trust (and have seen) that the outcomes that come about from this kind of honest commitment and intention can’t help but be positive ones.
5. Great team members: “It feels like every single colleague has been handpicked with a lot of thought.” It’s incredible to know that everyone you work with is there for a reason. Being around motivated, curious, and passionate people also makes work more fun!
6. Imagine crazy things: When asked, a member of the leadership team told us that being at Udhyam gives them permission to imagine and then try out crazy ideas. After all, it’s crazy ideas that change the world.
7. The power of humility: The leadership style at our organisation is characterised not by authoritarian power, but by humility. We work side-by-side, valuing each other’s contributions, and embracing the joy that comes from working together with great people towards a mission we all believe in.