In a highly competitive business world, it is not easy for an individual to ace the path to greatness without challenges and obstacles. However, there are some CEOs who managed to rise above the fray and achieve true greatness. What sets them apart?

In a provocative fireside chat, Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies and now Founder and Chairman of Sampark Foundation during People Matters TechHR India shared his mantra to achieve greatness, and why they are so often overlooked in the modern business landscape with People Matters CEO and Editor-in-Chief Ester Martinez.

Talent wins

Every one of us has encountered adverse or challenging circumstances in our professional life. Someone embraces adversity as an opportunity to excel. However, it is important to maintain a growth mindset, focus on the lessons to be learned, and remain open to the positive changes that can come from navigating challenging situations. This perspective can empower individuals to approach difficulties with resilience and optimism.

“Adversity is the time when we learn to determine whether it is an opportunity or a challenge,” said Vineet Nayar, who believes that a leader has the capability to transform an organisation by his actions.

“It is not the organisation but the talent that wins. When adversity hits you, your response to that adversity will determine whether it is an opportunity or a challenge. you can transform an organisation with what you do or how you do it,” said Nayar.

Purpose is important

The importance of having a sense of purpose in the workplace cannot be overstated. A clear and meaningful purpose provides direction, motivation, and a sense of fulfillment for employees.

“To inspire the workforce, it is important for an organisation to give purpose and aspiration to their employees. Having a purpose and aspiration help people to give up their old mindset and become totally different people,” said Nayar.

He also called for making managers responsible for igniting inspiration and transforming everyone in the organisation.

“As an HR, you are not just responsible for adhering to policies or structures,” said Nayar, adding that HR’s responsibility is to delve into each individual's mind, extracting their unique aspirations, and igniting a purpose so profound they'd climb Everest to reach it. And once you do that, you will have a completely new set of people.”

He pointed out that often HR gets entangled in "doing the little works," rather than its true role. They don't do the hard work of finding the individualism in that individual. “If HR could take the responsibility of inspiring every single employee and making the manager responsible for inspiring every single one of them, their organisation will transform, their own life will transform.”

"HR should stop doing the little work and focus on finding the individualism in each individual"

Cultivating Individualism for Collective Intelligence: Fostering individualism enables us to tap into collective intelligence, as each employee possesses a unique spark. The culture we weave should be a tapestry of diverse perspectives, opinions, and solutions. Unity should stem from our actions, not our thoughts.“Divergence in views, convergence in action, that is what HR is trained for and that’s what HR’s focus should be.”

Nayar who is vocal about "Let divergence in views, convergence in action be the motto of the organisation", said that besides purpose, employees should have a great cause, and they should be proud of what they are doing and their achievements.

“An enhanced focus should be there in making the world a better place. To make the magic happen, it is a must to give people purpose and pride,” he added.

Do’s and dont’s for HR

HR leaders should refrain from firing employees as this is the worst thing to be done. Vineet advised HR people to get away from data, analytics, and Excel sheets.

“If you want your workforce to excel in their professional life. It is better to connect with them individually to define a compelling vision for them. Having a one-to-one and clear communication about their roles and responsibilities makes them more responsible to achieve their defined goal,” said Nayar.

“We have seen people visiting places of worship invest their own money, and experience a sense of upliftment, but when they step into the workplace on a Monday, earning their salary, they feel disconnected? What underlies this disparity?”

Having better communication with your employees makes them feel connected. They would feel motivated and stay focused, concluded Nayar.