An Ode to the Teachers who influenced my life

In my journey so far, somewhere I got this belief that two things can change our life, significantly - the books that we read and the people that we meet. Both bring us useful triggers. For me these triggers were initially, nothing but weak signals that later developed into life-changing instruments of renewal. And these triggers can be even more potent when the two (the people and the books) come together. What I mean here is that if the triggers from the books are further reinforced by the personal journey of the people who authored those books, then the impact is even more pronounced. Now, you may wonder what is so different and special about this phenomenon. Isn’t this a fact that the books we love to read also make us admire their authors? Not really! I have read quite a number of books and yet I don’t remember the names of the authors because the triggers did not really set the ‘quest button’ in my mind to explore and wonder the life of their authors and learn from them. So, it is not a usual for someone to experience this.

In this blog, I am going to write about two people whose thoughts, beliefs and behaviours have inspired my life in a significant way. They are: -

·      MG - Marshall Goldsmith. #1 Leadership Thinker, Executive Coach, NYT Bestseller. Dartmouth Tuck Professor Management Practice, #1 Leadership Thinker & #1 Executive Coach, Thinkers50. 

·      VG - Vijay Govindarajan (VG) #1 Indian Management Thinkers (Thinkers50), world’s leading experts on strategy and innovation, Coxe Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business. 

The best part of this entire experience and relationship is that they both are great friends and their friendship exudes admiration and respect for each other. They love each other’s work and mutually inspire themselves as well as their global readership. This MG - VG duo is a rare blessing for me in terms of timely triggers, inspiration and direction-setting for delivering big impact. They have been my thought-provokers, soundboard, feedback provider and a catalyst for change as well as growth.

Both are exceptional thinkers, extremely generous and have articulated their thoughts and experiences in a manner that inspires new possibilities for future creation and opportunities for creating impact. They are my teachers, gurus and beacon for navigating future. I have learnt a lot and continue to learn from them and apply the learnings in my life, to achieve significant outcomes. They are indeed my guide for discovering my True North.

What sets them apart are some unique traits and behaviours: -

1.      Their thoughts are simple, yet profound and their work is seminal and path-breaking.

2.      They are humble and unassuming, despite phenomenal success in their respective fields.

3.      They are generous and kind to whosoever they meet and connect.

4.      They respond to mails and messages within 24 hours, despite their hectic and busy schedule.

5.      They create exceptional wisdom from their routine experiences around them.

Probably the list could last a few pages as their contribution is very large and widespread. However, I ‘d like to contextualize as to how they influenced my direction. Let me narrate how this journey of influence and impact began.

It was year 2012, when I first met VG and later took a batch of select top-most leaders of a top 5 global technology company to Tuck Business School, Dartmouth, for a global innovation program. My job as a coach was to see that the participants learn from the best and bring those learnings into their workspace, for creating exceptional experience for their clients. VG left an indelible imprint on my mind through his ability to simplify most intricate perspectives of innovation in a remarkably simple manner. He left a positive residue in that experience on all of us.

It was there in one of the sessions where my friend Clark Callahan, a fellow MG 100 Coach introduced me to Marshall Goldsmith, who was addressing a session on leadership. Marshall was kind enough to take out 10 minutes during the break. And he spent some quality time with me, getting a sense of my aspirations and leaving a trigger or two, on how to manifest them in a structured manner. Marshall is always keen to take out sometime, for someone as busy as him. That’s the hallmark of a humble teacher. This is how the journey of mentor-mentee relationship began for me. MG-VG's continued guidance, candid feedback, sponsorship have played an instrumental role converting my seed idea of creating COSM (Centre of Strategic Mindset) into a thriving reality.

Here are few specific experiences and learnings that I am tempted to recount, which I gathered in the company and influence of these two great leaders and teachers.

Marshall Goldsmith

·      Back in 2014 during his visit to Mumbai, I had a breakfast meeting with Marshall in Hotel Hyatt, where he patiently listened to my idea of entrepreneurial venture and challenged my thinking, which refined my perspectives and approach, tremendously.

·      He proactively responded to my countless mails with genuine interest, creatively challenged and helped me discover newer learnings.

·      In 2017, at a breakfast meeting at Taj Lands’ End, Mumbai he said, “You have a gift and a curse, which one would you like me to share first?” And I said, “Marshall, whichever comes first to you, I am listening”. He said, “You have an expansive mind (which is your gift) and you have an expansive mind, which is also your curse”. This was a very powerful reflection that he triggered in just a few words. In this brief experience, he drew my attention to the need to FOCUS. And I am indeed indebted to him for such a beautiful and powerful revelation.

·      Marshall’s two books – ‘What got you here, won't get you there’ and ‘Triggers’, gave me plenty to learn, experiment and create new perspectives in my life and workspace.

·      I owe a lot to him for my coaching practice and I continue to learn from him, to sharpen my skills as well as effectiveness as an executive coach.

·      Being part of MG 100 Coaches community is indeed a privilege as well a responsibility that I will like to fulfil to the best of my ability.

Vijay Govindarajan

VG has been one of the greatest influencers in my life. His work ‘Three Box Solutions’ has been one of the most significant frameworks that I have held on, to shape my life through a series of personal and successful transitions. The framework talks about three boxes: Box I - Managing Current, Box II - Selectively Forgetting Past and Box III - Creating Future. I use these frameworks to consistently design and redesign my life for delivering greater impact. My learning relationship with VG unfolded in following definitive outcomes: -

·      VG’ thinking had the greatest ‘Rub Off’ effect on me, which led me to create Centre of Strategic Mindset to groom strategic minds who can deliver bold business impact

·      VG made me believe that I could also think like him and create the ideas for future.

·      He has always been so prompt in responding to my queries or offering a suggestion, when I asked for one.

·      He creatively challenged my abilities by sharing his work, seeking opinion and acknowledging the suggestions offered by me.

·      VG gave me quality time to interact, gain mindshare during my frequent visits to Tuck, Dartmouth or whenever he was visiting India.

·      Last but not the least, he made sure I connect with right people to gain the necessary perspectives in order to bring my ideas to fruition.

·      His book, ‘How Stella Saved the Farm’ is one of most creative and simple works on Innovations that companies as well as individuals can leverage for innovating the culture, business model, products and services.

MG and VG continues to inspire me in unique ways. What I like most about them is their true sense of altruism in the field of knowledge and wisdom and the benevolence with which they give away to others whatever they have created in their lifetime.

The influence of a good teacher can never be erased and sometimes the best teachers are the ones that leave a mark without even knowing that they did. I have had the privilege of working alongside the two 'Gurus' in my field from whom I have learnt a great deal. I strongly believe that my life wouldn’t have shaped up the way it has, if I had not met the two great gentlemen during the course of my career. And If I am ever asked for an advice I will not hesitate to say, ‘Be on a hunt to find the right teachers and rest, they will take care of’.