(n:gage): Looking back at the last 27 years, if there is one top
achievement, which still gives you a career high - what would that
be? And the one decision / situation if given a chance that you
would like to undo - what would that be? If you could elaborate.
Archana: After spending over a quarter of a century in Corporate life,
personal achievements stop to matter. Being able to make a difference to
business outcomes, life of an employee or company culture becomes more
important. Over time, getting individual reward or recognition stops being
the prime motivator.
But when your team is recognized as the most responsible, approachable,
problem solving and employee’s go-to team, it makes me feel very satisfied.
Leading a team of professionals with a heart, those who are successful in
balancing the company’s policies and employees needs, is a daily dose of
reward. And then when you meet your ex-employees and they tell you that
what they miss the most in the new organization is the HR presence and
human touch, or when you meet an old employee and they remember you
fondly and reminiscence about how it mattered when you sought
management’s discretionary approval for his personal need, it gives me
immense feeling of humble happiness.