Shiv Nadar: The Resilient Leader who built HCL Technologies

This is the story of Shiv Nadar, who was born on July 14, 1945, in Tiruchendur, Tamil Nadu, India. He grew up in a small village in Tamil Nadu and faced a lot of financial struggles early in his life. He attended Town Higher Secondary School in Kumbakonam and later graduated from PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore with a degree in electrical and electronics engineering.

His interest in computers began when he was working at Delhi Cloth Mills (DCM) in the calculator division as an engineer. Along with six other colleagues, he quit DCM in 1976 and founded Microcomp Limited. The company sold tele-digital calculators under the brand name ‘Televista’. Microcomp was renamed Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) in August 1976, which was set up on land given to them by the Uttar Pradesh state government, and a starting capital of Rs. 187,000 cumulated by the founding group.

Shiv’s vision, dedication, pursuit of excellence & resilience drove HCL's growth. Under his leadership, HCL went from a small startup to a global IT services company known for innovation, putting customers first, and empowering employees. His commitment to nurturing talent and fostering innovation made HCL a global success.

Was it easy for Shiv to grow HCL to where it is now? No, he did face several challenges.

·??????? One of the biggest challenges was getting permission from the Indian government to manufacture computers. At that time, the government had strict regulations on the import and manufacture of computers, and it was difficult for private companies to obtain licenses. To overcome this challenge, Shiv formed a joint venture with the state government of Uttar Pradesh, which had been granted a license to manufacture computers. This allowed HCL to manufacture computers under the state government’s license and eventually obtain its own license.

·??????? Another challenge that Shiv faced was competition from established players in the IT industry. To overcome this challenge, he focused on innovation and developed new products and services that differentiated HCL from its competitors. For example, HCL was one of the first companies in India to develop an indigenous microcomputer called the HCL 8C.

·??????? Shiv also faced challenges in managing a rapidly growing organization with diverse businesses. To overcome this challenge, he implemented a unique management philosophy called “Ideapreneurship,” which encouraged employees to take ownership of their ideas and innovate. This approach helped create a culture of entrepreneurship within HCL and fostered a culture of innovation and a sense of ownership among employees.

“Ideapreneurship” is based on the idea that every employee has the potential to be an entrepreneur and contribute to the company’s growth. Some examples of how “Ideapreneurship” was implemented at HCL are:

Value Portal: HCL’s “Value Portal” platform encourages employees to share customer-focused innovations that can help improve the company’s products and services. The platform has generated over 81,000 innovative ideas from 39,000 unique contributors for over 500 customers.

Intellectual Property Monetization (IPM): HCL’s IPM platform encourages patentable ideas and enables employees to file for patents. The employees are rewarded first when a patent is filed, and then when the patent is granted. Through this platform, HCL’s “Ideapreneurs” have had more than 600 patents filed and granted since 2015.

MAD JAM: MAD JAM is a competitive platform that celebrates innovative ideas and the people behind them. It encourages employees to come up with new ideas and pitch them to a panel of judges. The winners receive funding and support to bring their ideas to life.

Shiv demonstrated resilience while growing HCL to where it is now. The lessons we can learn from his experience are:

·??????? Innovation: Innovation is key to overcoming competition and differentiating your business from others.

·??????? Collaboration: Collaboration with other organizations or governments can help overcome regulatory barriers and other challenges.

·??????? Entrepreneurship: Encouraging entrepreneurship within your organization can help foster a sense of ownership among employees and drive innovation.

·??????? Persistence: Persistence is key to overcoming challenges and achieving success.

I am a Resilience & Well-Being Coach with over 3 decades of L&D experience. As the founder of Resilient Leadership, my mission is to enable leaders to be proactive about mental health and wellbeing, choose mental fitness & emotional strength over stress and struggle and grow through what they go through.

Should you wish to conduct keynote addresses, workshops, or short introductory sessions on Building Personal Resilience please get in touch with me at [email protected] or on 9820177998.

You can also visit my website www.resilientleadership.in ?

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