So, what's your story today?
For more than the last 2 decades, I have been pushing Sourcing and Investment decisions in my place of work. In that process, I faced some of the toughest and unforgiving senior executives who would not have the patience to go through my diligently crafted paperwork, but start with a loaded question - "So, whats's your story today?"
I tried many approaches including, short briefing note, one-para elevator pitch or to have some heavyweight in the room to support me but with limited success. I guess what worked best was when I could navigate the interaction into a "conversation mode" as if it were a coffee table discussion and my life depended only on those 3 to 4 key points to elaborate and get alignment on. What also helped was keeping a relaxed posture, looking into the eyes, avoiding complex theories and sounding impartial to my recommendations.
I started getting my reward when after couple weeks, the executive will open the pen to sign-off my notes the moment I would peep through his office door, almost on reflex. And while signing off, the conversation would not be about what is being signed off!!
However, such a show of confidence put me under enormous pressure to think, prepare and recommend something I truly believed was beneficial to the organization - forced me to think more like a businessman than the hat of a functional leader I was wearing!
Well, this is how I built my stories over and over again! And by the way, the sum total of those stories would easily be in excess of US$ 10Bn.
Sócio Especialista em Planejamento Tributário | Elis?o Fiscal | Recupera??o Tributária | Prote??o Patrimonial, Sucessório e Holdings | Regimes Tributários
2 年??????
Procurement ,Freight & Supply chain Manager- MENA
4 年Keep knocking and Keep going is the only mantra!!! It is also about our conviction, It is very challenging to wear the hat of a functional head and at the same time think like a businessman! sometimes people do not have the same vision, as what you have.
Supply chain professional with core industry and functional strategy consulting experience
4 年Wow .. as always much appreciated, what an apt articulation of mantra for aligning senior management .. am following your footsteps.. going to follow this Amitabh Prasad ??
Founder& MD Veritech Infrastructure pvt ltd
4 年That’s Amazing and very True! Any ordinary man can differentiate between “work done with passion and work done under compulsion “ . Simplicity develops faith and circumlocution brings scepticism. You have been true warrior of your Employer.