A Conversation With An Aware Leader

Is it something special that exists within the individual or, is it something that can be replicated or taught? Perhaps it’s enough just to know, or be aware of, that offers you a reference point for your own independent approach or actions.

We all live in a world of processes, procedures and expectations of reasonable outcomes, but every once in a while, someone comes along with something else in mind. An approach that’s different yet produces immeasurable results, so much so that the people upstairs simply leave it alone and hope it lasts.

It all started with a simple question – Boss: “What do you think you’re good at?” Searching for an intelligent response the Manager replied, “I’m good at meeting deadlines, I’m also good at coming up with solutions.” Boss: “True, but you’re actually very good at building teams and connecting with people.”

There were no classes taken, no books illustrating step-by-step instructions for managing a team. To him – it was obvious… Care.

This simple conversation offered him a chance to pause for a little introspection, and thus began his quest to connect the dots to see if he could identify and define the underlying cause of his success. In the process, The Happiness Index was born.

The name of this unique human being is Alok Gupta, an innovative technology leader and SVP of Engineering at Strateos, Inc.

I had the pleasure of engaging with Alok on several occasions in the past; and came to realize that he had something meaningful to share that was uniquely different from those that I have encountered with a similar breath of experience and background. After several weeks of prodding, he finally agreed to get on the phone and share his thoughts, experiences and perspective. Needless to say, we feverishly took notes, and in more or less of an interview style, what follows, is what he had to share.

Steve: Alok, you touched on something very interesting, you said that you ask each member of your team a simple, yet, revealing question each and every day. What is that?

Alok: I ask them – How are you feeling today? Not meant as a simple pleasantry, but because I truly care and want to know. The fact is, when you ask this same question ten days in a row, people genuinely begin to give it careful consideration, because they know that the question will be met with a certain expectation of sincerity and meaning. To me this is not a process, either you are genuine or, your efforts are contrived. I see this coming full circle – I gauge someone’s reaction to my question with how does one adapt?

SIDEBAR… Is this lost in corporate America? Being authentic and genuinely caring, or, is it simply “language” now? The fact is, actions reflect leadership, and it should, as we all know, be the norm.

Steve: Has this had a profound, visible effect on your team from what you can see?

Alok: There is a pattern cause/effect in play here. Through repetition and consistently asking for feedback, there is a compounding effect that makes others begin to believe in the authenticity of your efforts. Being genuine is the key to building trust. Through this continuity, you get people to start thinking for themselves as they know I will be asking them how they are doing. The Happiness Index comes into play when others are not able to differentiate between personal and professional life. You take care of the personal side, and typically the rest takes care of itself.

There also becomes a growing improvement in (all forms of) communication, whether verbal or nonverbal ques. Their body language is different, and their energy level will alter because they are experiencing positive changes. They come to realize that every meeting/conversation with your manager/leader is NOT about a status report. It is important that we go beyond just statuses. Once you genuinely care about others and help them, you can help the team to connect the dots at strategy, solution or prioritization.

SIDEBAR… "According to the book The Happiness Advantage, written by Shawn Anchor, the brain works significantly better if a person is feeling positive. Additionally, the book says that individuals who are positive and happy can solve problems better and are more creative. Because of this, Anchor says that the role of organizations is clear: happiness leads to better profits, provided that companies take the necessary steps in improving happiness in the workplace."

Steve: You mentioned the Happiness Index. What is that exactly?

Alok: The Happiness Index, in short, is the measure of fulfillment that is achieved serving the organization in ways that are aligned with ones professional as well as ones personal goals and objectives. It is crafted through experiences that encompass corporate and team accomplishments, milestones, overcoming obstacles, roadblocks and conflict. It revolves around education, perspective and ultimately execution, and caters to the satisfaction of customers adhering to the organization’s principles, values and guidelines. Personally, it’s simply been an effective way for me to evaluate the conditions of the moment, and overall progress.

Steve: Have you seen what you are practicing actually taking place within other companies that you’ve been associated with? If so, is there an area where they fall short?

Alok: The corporate world is quick to learn the lingo and use it freely, but employees hate it when they don’t see words matching the actions of those at the helm. Tough talks with your team/employees are always difficult, sugar coating, saying that we care yet your actions don’t demonstrate that. If we really care, we should care about people. If people are taken care of, you will see productivity gains in your project, product, or whatever your organization goals and objectives are. Corporate culture, at times, create this artificial pressure of running after a shiny object, “their own mission,” which is nothing more than a quick win to secure their position.

The fact is, every human wants to work, it’s about helping them discover their purpose through effective engagement. It’s about building a framework for someone to discover their own possibilities. It sets the tone for being in the moment - not what have I done in the past or where are we going? It’s a known fact that being in the moment automatically facilitates greater productivity and less distractions.

SIDEBAR… There is a fine line between process and pattern. Alok’s thinking drives out introspection – how am I doing today? His pattern is very much a “real” meditation, how am I doing every day brings focus on today and sets the stage for what follows.

Steve: When you ask questions of your team, what exactly are you looking for?

Alok: It’s all about providing direction and honestly answering: Am I helping this person or not? However equally understanding it’s their choice.

Do I understand their story or problem truly? I LISTEN, I zone in on their thinking and ask myself, what are the main challenges they are wrestling with (reading between the lines), and from that reference, ask how I can help that individual and give them the right support.

Steve: Can you explain the "Zone" you are in when listening to others? What are you looking for between the lines of their comments?

Alok: Depending on personality, folks present their roadblocks and challenges in different ways, sometimes they don’t want to call out an incident, person or a group, on the other hand, at times others find no issue with passing the buck. It’s important for you to go beyond the spoken word and understand what’s happening here. Is the person trying to get away from their accountability and responsibilities or, are they simply reluctant to tell the exact reason something occurred or, perhaps something in between? For a leader, it’s important to listen without a phone or other distractions, be present and focused on the conversations. You must also be careful, someone can take all of your time, in this setting, it’s okay to come back to your point with clear and concise questions.

Steve: I would assume that being this hands-on and genuine creates a fundamental foundation of trust with your team?

Alok: The reality is, you may try 10 or 100 things, of course not everything will be successful. It's how you react to these incidences that is truly critical. Equally important is creating a safe environment, and what I mean by this, is establishing an understanding that I in fact work for my team and not the other way around. I put myself on the front lines with leadership and I'm willing to take the bullet should ever the need arise; and I let my team know that my shoulders are always here for them if they ever need to lean or stand on them.

This commitment and all-in support are essential. You need to alleviate finger pointing – no passing the buck. I am solution oriented, not blame oriented. I take ownership of problems and thereby lead by example. A system that is short-term results oriented, mainly creates great chaos and a lot of finger pointing. You need to find appropriate balance of short-term and long-term thinking interlaced. You need to hold both a micro and macro view. And because I take full accountability and ownership, I have never had a need to explain my philosophy to my managers, they trust in my follow through. Fact is, short-term results naturally turn into long-term engagements.

Steve: What do you believe is the “secret sauce” to all of this?

Alok: Truthfully? The best leaders feel secure in what they think and do, to their teams’ and company's benefit. They see into the broader possibilities. Their team efforts are extension of their efforts. Because you are willing to take the bullet, you ask people to extend themselves to their fullest abilities knowing they are safe under your wing. The fact of the matter is, most managers are not secure enough to create that security.

Steve: You mentioned to me that a new member of the team approach you and asked “What do you want me to do?” I thought that your response was quite inspiring.

Alok: My response was simply “What do you want to do?” You only need to prove to yourself what you can do or not do. I will not set limits for you - you need to set them for yourself. The question then becomes - what do you want for yourself? Are you pushing yourself to the limits – technically, professionally, personally? I can help you, push you, encourage you – but it’s all up to you. When management informs the team on what they should do (rather than guide them as to what they should/consider doing), team gets trained on the limits that get set by management. When we ask them to explore, express and set their own limits, they go outside of their comfort zone (safe environment) and take risks, perform experiments and at times fail, but in those moments they learn. They take ownership and think for themselves, champion a direction and commit to it with conviction.

If you can get your team to take on that responsibility, then it becomes the “exponential multiplier" that goes beyond what we can each imagine and the effects begin to take shape. However, they must first be accountable for raising their hand. The multiplier could be in terms of taking care of exploring and finding answers for a problem that they may be in middle of solving or, helping customers by going beyond the scope of their domain. It’s all about the learning journey.

Steve: Let’s talk about your first-hand experience with management and how it may have influenced your approach today.

Alok: One of my assignments as a manager brought me into a great moment, I realized that I was victim of micromanagement from my boss. One thing that crosses your mind of course, in a hot job market, is why should I have to deal with this? While I was contemplating whether or not to change companies, a light bulb went on – What’s the guarantee you will be able to choose your next boss who is not micromanager? And what if your existing manager leaves? Guess we cannot choose our enemies and neighbors.

Instead of running away, I decided to stay and learn. And instead of micromanaging, I decided to manage my team from a different perspective while actually managing my micromanager. The next six months were about experimentation managing my manager while simultaneously shielding the team. Though managing a micromanager is a topic for another time, I find that many managers push for the sake of pushing. Not every manager can connect and cultivate productive teams. The only choice left then is micromanagement.

Steve: How did this “trial and error” period that you experienced transfer over to your existing position?

Alok: I came to realize that the effectiveness in my roles and responsibilities are not just a fluke. Initially it crossed my mind that perhaps I had just been fortunate in some way that enabled me to successfully work through various problems, but then it (success) kept repeating itself. Was I just lucky to have the best team or the best manager? Was I simply fortunate to have managers who gave me the “room?” Actually, luck and circumstances had nothing to do with it. The fact is, in light of my personal approach of connecting with my direct reports at both a personal and professional level, and the obvious chemistry that ensued, my bosses feel confident in trusting my judgement and generally leave my teams alone. What I can tell you is that in the end, it does simply come down to caring, asking questions and listening that drives everything, and it's proven not only by actions, but results.

It starts with ground principles – No BS, no politics, no bad mouthing. You can still achieve your goals with the team in meaningful way, without micro-managing and without abusing authority.

Steve: You say results. How is that measured?

Alok: Overall productivity is measured differently by functional areas, be it finance, marketing, sales etc., however, the same thinking should be applied in building teams. When it comes to measuring productivity, I always say I can’t manage your time for you - I care about the results. As long as they are there, we’re good.

In the end, it’s all about delivering positive outcomes to customers. Be it delivery, meeting deadlines, building trust or delivering what you said you would in the timelines agreed upon. Once you do that, doors begin to open. You will make customers happy to work with you leading to customer loyalty. Then everybody's happy. Bottom line, when you find a strategy that works with your team and your customers, all of the dots become connected and life… becomes easier.

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We've all heard the saying that employees leave managers, not jobs. I’m curious as to how many companies truly take this statement into consideration. How often do management reviews take place? What does the environment look and feel like? Does the company have enough confidence in them, and management in the company, for the manager to be willing to take a bullet for his or her team and still feel secure and confident in their own skin? If not, where does that fault lie? In the manager’s value to the organization or, the organization’s mis-judgement in leadership talent?

When Alok asked others... Why do you like to work for me? The response was, "because our relationship is long term." His example allows for not only his actions to speak loudly, but his words as well, finding a home with those who know they can count on him. This shouldn’t be rare – but it is.

About Steve Diedrick...

Steve is the founder of Redmond, a global executive search firm whose clients include world renowned brands and start-ups that are shaping tomorrow's world. As a highly respected authority and pioneer in the field of human capital with close to three decades in the space, his progressive ideas on search-excellence reflect a profound understanding/passion for the global economy and the ever-evolving mindset of the unique talent that propels companies forward. He has personally reached out to more than 100,000 professionals and interviewed over 35,000 potential candidates throughout his career. His personal drive, perspective, discipline and focus is a culmination of his life experience living abroad and the 27 years spent mastering the Martial Art of Qi Gong. His Mantra: There is nothing like direct experience that takes you from knowledge - to knowing.

Email me at: [email protected] or Text me at: 947.222.9200 and let's discuss how Redmond can help you.

? Redmond Research, Inc. 2020