CEO SPECIAL .......‘Leadership is all about people’

‘Leadership is all about people’

A LEADER MAKES SURE THAT PEOPLE NOT ONLY SEE THE VISION, BUT LIVE AND BREATHE IT. THEY INSPIRE OTHERS TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF

The chairman of PwC India, Deepak Kapoor spoke to HT about his idea of leadership.

Edited excerpts:

How do you define a leader?

I think in today’s complex business environment one has to be a ‘whole leader’— one who has the ability to demonstrate strong, authentic leadership at all levels whether that’s with ones clients, on projects or as organisational leaders.

A ‘whole leader’ also has technical, business and global acumen and the ability to create and maintain relationships of value. Leadership is all about people. A leader makes sure people not only see the vision, but live and breathe it. They inspire others to be the best that they are capable of.

How do you nurture young executives into leaders?

Of the many leadership programmes that we currently have at PwC, one that stands out is the Young Partners Forum (YPF). This platform gives select young partners, on a rotation basis, the opportunity to deliberate on live issues facing the firm. This process takes them a step or two higher in their transition towards ‘hard’ leadership skills.

Also, at PwC, we value the unique qualities of leadership that come from our women colleagues, and actively promote them. Currently 30% of our employees are women. We also have 19 women leaders and 20% of our leadership team is made up of women.

Can you learn leadership? How?

Absolutely! A good manager can evolve into a good leader by working effectively with teams and developing skills that can help them unlock other people’s potential. At PwC we are looking to create authentic, inclusive leaders at all levels, which will help PwC to stand out.

How did you transition from being a practice leader to the chairman of PwC?

As a practice leader, you are focused on one unit primarily, as the chairman you

› must widen your view to multiple units and be decisive about issues impacting the firm not only in India but throughout the world. One has to balance business, risk and people issues.

How did you handle the fallout of the Satyam scandal?

It is in tough times that the mettle of a leader is tested. Instead of becoming defensive, good leaders take steps to improve their businesses’ resilience against further disruptions.

At PwC we tried to do all that and today the India firm has registered the highest growth in the PwC Network.

What was the biggest leadership challenge you’ve faced? What lessons did you learn from that?

The Satyam episode. The challenge was to convince our clients, staff and the community that the audit team was misled by the Satyam management.

Though it took time and effort to win back the trust of our stakeholders we overcame this challenge and have rebuilt our reputation.

The last few years have seen many ups and down. The economy has teetered on the brink. How did you, as a leader, keep up the morale of your team?

Regular interaction with the leaders and entire PwC family through various forums keeps me connected with them which in turn gives me an opportunity to understand what drives them, in particular our millennials.

What is your leadership mantra?

It is the responsibility of the leaders to provide opportunity, and the responsibility to individuals to contribute and be accountable.

What is the biggest leadership lesson that you have learnt?

Appearance and content are two different things. Don’t be quick to pass judgment.

What is the best leadership decision you have taken?

Succession planning and initiatives to focus on the development of our high performers, creation of the Young Partners Forum being one of these.

What is the worst leadership decision you have taken?

Sometimes we have to take t ough decisions and it is important not to delay taking such stands. For instance, decisions pertaining to employee performance. I had, in the past taken a longer time to respond to such situations but as they say, it’s never too late!

Who are your role models?

Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi.

HT150101