How This Software Engineer Transformed Failure into a Leadership Lesson on Creative Problem-Solving

I think uh that learning I'm still carrying out, right, uh, uh, it's, it's thinking out of the box. It's uh thinking for the customers. Uh, it's, it's seeing solutions and not problems. So when you see a problem, and everybody is crying for a problem, try to find solutions. When everybody is doing one kind of thing, try to think out of the box. So, uh, that's one thing, uh, or rather, it is, it is somehow my, my discipline as well and my, my characteristics as well, which is one of my strengths, where I really want to think outside, uh, outside of the box. Creative and uh solve problems, you know, instead of uh crying for a problem, I try to focus on solutions. And that's one of the learning I had from that approach, that solutions which I'm actually uh cherishing even today. And that's the discipline I'm trying to set up in my team as well.

See, one of my professional failure, I, which I do remember is when I jumped into the leadership role. Um, uh, but that is uh quite back in 2013. Um, if you are fine, then I can explain that, otherwise, I'll probably focus on other things. OK. Sure. So, uh, prior to 2013, I was, uh, I was leading a small team, uh, you know, probably a two-member team. I was more technical driving deliveries, uh, through technical leadership, and there was no aspect of people management. And suddenly in 2013, I got a very good opportunity where I was supposed to lead a team of around 12 members for one of the clients. And uh at that point in time, I thought, yeah, it doesn't matter whether it's a 2-member or 12-member, uh, my, my technical skills, my technical expertise will, you know, get the team going and get the team success, necessary success. But uh when I actually started working on the project, uh, you know, we generally have employee satisfaction surveys, uh, going on uh for all the managers basically to provide 360 degree feedback and my first feedback was uh 18.72 below the benchmark, and I remember the decimal because it was a

It's, it was a pinch to my confidence. It was a self-realization that, uh, you know, uh, where I'm going bad, means I'm a technically good person. Uh, what's, what's going wrong? I'm doing good. I'm doing my deliveries, what's going wrong? And, uh, I, I spoke with my, uh, uh, technical director and I said that, uh, I, I don't realize uh how this happening, uh, this is happening. And she suggested a few things. She suggested to focus on the leadership aspect, focus on the people management aspect now because you are into a more leadership role. Think through that. So I started working on my people management skill. I, I, I started understanding that leadership is a different ballgame. It's not about doing technical deliveries, coming to your desk and doing all this kind of thing. Um, and I started reading books. I read, uh, the book, uh, the first time Manager. I also take the, uh, I also took the, uh, paid workshop, which was, uh, uh, seven habits of Essential Managers. Uh, and, uh, this, this actually helped me to groom as the leader. Um, it actually helped me what is required to be a right leader, uh, people's aspirations, people's goals, people's growth, and then making sure that they are engaged and empowered enough. It's not only about you doing your work, it's about team doing your work and then entire team getting success. And then, uh, in the, in the next 6 months, my, I hit the benchmark, and at the end of 9 months, my score was 2 points above the benchmark. So, I, I, I, I felt that I learned a lot from that failure, which is I'm still cherishing in my career. After that, none of my 360 feedback, no, no, neither for me, neither for my uh direct reports ever got below benchmark, especially from the people management aspects.

Actually, I was receiving those data, right? Uh, uh, the way I was, uh, working with my team, always discussing the deliveries, always asking, uh, you do this, you do that, those were the triggering points, but I never realized that because I was not in that situation of understanding what leadership means. So those data were there, but I was unable to identify those. And, uh, and that's the reason I say, right, I remember the decimal because it was a pinching point. There were data, but I was unable to figure it out, and that's the reason I failed.

Sure. So, I always make sure that my, my direct reports, uh, you know, I understand their philosophy of people management first aspect. Whether I have something to learn from it, whether I need to coach them in, in, in making sure that people management approach which they are taking is right, and also making sure that Is there anything to learn for me? Uh, so, you know, it's, it's a, it's a cohesive, uh, discipline which me and my direct reports, uh, implement within the team, and that's because of my experience, because of their experience, and, we collectively, you know, make, make, make sure that our, our team is happy doing good things, motivated enough and empowered enough to do right things. OK.