Connecting with People: A Key to building the relationships

Leadership is a journey, not a destination that you achieve in a span of time.?

This newsletter brings you the summary of one hour intense discussions on overcoming the challenges to Digital Transformation (DX). I undertake these discussions with CIOs and CXOs in ClarITea Chat - on LinkedIn Live and YouTube Live every Saturday at 5 PM IST. You learn from top technology management professionals here.?

?In the 12th Episode of clarlTea chat, I went live with V Subramanium (Director Digital Technology- OTIS EMEA). In this 12th Edition of newsletter, ?

1. Discussed the importance of building relationships with people??
2. How to manage Communication and Partners??
3. Different challenges and learning as a global leader.?

Here is the link to the complete ClarITea chat episode. Let’s get started now.?

Key Insights?

1. Art of building a great IT team:?

• Relationships:?

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• Building relationships along with involvement and support from people is more important than managing excels and powerpoints.??

• Breaking ice and breaking the barriers is required to build relationships. For this, you need to walk the extra mile to connect with people.?

• Subbu shared an example about attending the Ganesh Chaturthi darshans in all his team mates houses regardless of their level in the organisation.

• People:

Giving respect is what is required by people. Mutual respect is essential - you automatically get respect as a leader but you too need to respect those under you. Then their respect to you becomes more, and genuine.?

You can put any technology in place. But if people cannot adapt to the technology, there is no point in dreaming of any success with technology. ?

Technology can be put in place, but it’s people who make it happen.?

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2. Significance of Mentors:

Books cannot give you all the knowledge but the wisdom comes from the mentors. In real life, you need mentors – your college professors, seniors, bosses or super bosses. They give you the insights you won't find in any books or manuals. ?

• Identify your coaches or mentors to shape your career and your personality.?

• Leadership is a journey, not a destination, so identify what you want to be mentored for and what you want to become as a leader.?

• Identify your short-term and long-term goals and also what all improvements are needed.??

• Align your goals to leverage your strengths, not to improve your weaknesses.??

Instead of focusing on converting your weakness into strength, focus on maximizing your strength to overcome limitations.?

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3. Working with Global organizations - gives interesting opportunities to learn and fine tune your game at a larger, more complex level.?

• Opportunity to work across cultures, diversity, complex environments, landscapes, complex business scenarios, and different business models that helps to understand the industry.??
• Spend time and understand your industry well, as knowing your company creates a strong foundation.??

4. For every success, there is a failure. It is mandatory to keep your contingency plan in place for such a situation.??

If you recognize failure as a blocker, then you get blocked. If you recognize failure as a possibility or opportunity to bounce back and that’s where you create success.??

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5. Adopting to the global work environment – evolution as a global leader requires us to go beyond judging people “not like us” to understanding those not like us. We have to go beyond judgement to evolve ourselves as multinational, multicultural leaders. Some aspects to focus on are - ??

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• Culture:??

Every culture has a history, traditions, and enriching experiences, and that is what you need to learn.??

• Adaptability:??

Every country is unique in terms of rules & Regulations, Time zone, etc. Learn to be sensitive to different times zone with different people. ?

• Landscape:??

Every country is unique. Its landscape is different. Despite working in the same country, you will find uniqueness or specific requirement for that particular company.??

• Judgment:?

Judgment comes because of the ego barrier. So we need to hold back our judgment and then replace it with understanding.??

Working across geographies can be an enriching learning experience if we approach it with an open mind and no judgements.?

The organization is like an orchestra when people from every country and company, irrespective of big, small, or medium, connects that create melodious and soulful rendering music that creates a unique customer experience.??

6. Communication: An art?

Communication includes your messages, how you speak, how you communicate, how you collaborate, and what words you choose. These improve and refine when you start practicing. It’s a fine art of storytelling everyone should learn.?

• Audience: The basic motto of communication is connecting with people. You should know your target audience thoroughly.??
• Words/ Message: The essential part of verbal communication is words. If you choose very complex words, it creates confusion.?

To communicate a powerful message and engage people, your choice of simple words is essential.?

• Style: We need to decide what type of communication we are going with. Is it 2 way engaging or involving, or is it uni-directional???

The purpose of communication is the audience, so it is vital to understand audience expectations before communicating.??

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7. Transformation of CIO into Business Leader:??

• CIO is a part of the business, but the only difference is they use technology to drive business while we manage technology to support them.?

• If a CIO comes into the business front and becomes a business leader, there are a few advantages: the knowledge of technology capabilities that can help make the business functions lean.??

• CIO needs to learn like business functions, processes, and models, and collaborate with business leaders to align on how to transform the function.

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The Game of collaboration never changes. You will require the help of other leaders to learn and transform the organization's functions.??

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8. Managing Partners Effectively:??

• Once you decide on a particular vendor to be your partner, they are no more your vendor. They are part of the team.??

• Inclusiveness and a holistic approach toward understanding the project has to be delivered to the team by you – its critical to aligning everyone to your purpose.?

• Adapting and learning new skills.? Recognize the competencies brought by vendors and make them learn those skills lacking in the business. It becomes a two way collaborative effort.??

• Celebration and recognition for all the team members, be it your partner, your team, or your support functions ?- that , create long term supportive relationships.?

• Execution is a team game – everyone needs to be involved and everyone needs to work with one team spirit, discipline and transparency.?

An excellent plan without the discipline of execution is useless.??

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9. Making the previous generation comfortable with technology: ?

Our leaders in most longstanding organisations are of the previous generation. There are a few reasons why it is difficult to make the previous generation comfortable with technology.?

• Fear of technology: ?

It is not like the old generation does not support technology. They are not aware of it fully and have a fear of technology. You have to make them comfortable.?

• Comfort Zone:?

They are not used to technology. It is new for them and difficult to bring someone out of their comfort zone. Find out the key things where technology can help them and it shrinks their discomfort zone.?

• Connect 1-1 with them:??

Break the barrier and involve people. Sometimes people are not comfortable accepting what they do not know or don't understand. Getting involved with them 1-1 and clearing all their doubts can help. ?

To wrap up, connecting with people is the first principle in management. Building that bond with people is very crucial to managing changes inherent in technology initiatives. ?

You can completely transform your career if you get the right mentor at the right time.??

To grow in your career, have a solid foundation that can be built by learning about your industry and company. Leave judgement aside to learn and adopt multiple cultures and geographies, in order to become a global leader. Communication is key to connecting with stakeholders. Treating your partners as your team members builds trust and creates inclusiveness. ?

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About the Author??

Jagdish Belwal is CIO turned global advisor on business growth using technology and digitalisation. He is also the founder of FlocknGo startup after having been an angel investor in tech startups. He is a regular speaker & conference moderator at various national and international platforms.?

His ClarITea Chat show brings out the wisdom and experiences of CIOs and Leaders of top organisations. ClarITea Chat is popular with the IT fraternity and is available on LinkedIn & YouTube – live as well as past recordings. You can find all the episodes here, or in the Featured section of Jagdish's LinkedIn profile. The ClarITea Chat podcasts are also now available on all major podcasting platforms. He can be reached out for advisory, investing, training and conference moderation on [email protected] ?

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