the reveal

“I’m most grateful for the valleys of my life, not the peaks. I look back and see they made me much stronger. It’s like building a house: there are powerful pillars in the corners that were built in times of trial and tribulation.”

Notable Revelations in the Interview

 

“I was bullied a lot in school and not the most popular, but I knew that I could come home and be secure. This hedge of protection my family provided for me had a very big impact on the way I think about the security we provide for kids today.”

 

“I built a confidence in things outside of what made me the most popular person.”

 

“During hard times, you labor through it and you focus on hard work.”

 

“Going to college at Dartmouth was definitely a culture shock. There were times when I thought I’d made a mistake and should go back to India. But you realize your family is different now. It’s an inner circle of close friends you’ve built.”

 

“I was a part of a new division that Apple spun off. It went nowhere. Here I was, three or four years into my first real job out of college, and feeling like it was a mistake.”

 

“For anybody going through a tough time, I tell them: if you labor through it, you are going to learn some lessons through it that you would never learn at the peaks of your life. All of the major lessons I’ve learned in my life were from the valleys of my life. I look back and see they made me much stronger. It’s like building a house. There are pillars in the corners that are built in times of trial and tribulation.”

 

“Every day the priority of my family versus work demands is threatened. If anybody in today’s world says they’re not trying to balance family, work and a variety of other priorities, then they’re kidding.”

 

“The notion of a 40 hour week doesn’t exist. We’re all working 50 and 60 hours per week. Quantity does count being present, but the quality hours matter. So I’ve made certain priorities: I’ve tried the best I can to be at home every night for dinner. Even if someone is visiting the company, I’ll bring them to my home for dinner. Weekends are sacred when I immerse myself in the kids activities and try not to travel for work.”

 

“When you’re there for friends or family members going through a tough time, lean in and be a pillar for them. Because one day they’ll be a pillar for you.”

 

“Speaking from the heart in the corporate context: it’s rare, but it’s the only way to be.”

 

“The core aspect of my Christian faith drives my values. For example, integrity should be a foundational value that all of us play by, regardless of your faith. For those who want to know more, I’m able to talk more. But I’m careful never to make it an imposition for people who have a different perspective from me. At the same time, I don’t hide anything. It’s a balance of knowing this is what I stand for -- and it’s out in the public and on social media -- but it’s never offensive to others who may believe differently.”

 

“I talk a lot about servant leadership. Typically most companies are top-down oriented, like a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid is a person driving things downward. I take the pyramid and invert it. My job is to serve you (e.g. sales rep, engineer, marketing manager) is connected to the customer, my job is to take every obstacle out of the way to enable your success. It’s no longer about me, it’s about the team. It becomes a liberated organization of employees that will go to war for you. This is premised by the core values of my Christian faith, but I don’t have to bring out a bible verse to talk about it. This is how I live my life.”

 

“I’m a big believer in storytelling. One of the most effective communicators is a person with a compelling story.”

 

“When you can tell a passionate story in the context of work, and mix it with examples that people can relate to, it has an impact.”

 

“One of the things I stress to my team is to throw away a PowerPoint. Tell me a story. The first time I want to hear their life story, I’m going to sit back with no distractions. Highs and lows. As a manager, this is the first conversation you should have -- before diving into work -- to get to know them.”

 

“The more you know what makes your people tick, the more likely you’re able to leverage them for the best that’s possible.”

 

“I don’t ‘give back’ based on obligation. Here’s how I think about it: I’m very grateful to the people who influenced my life, like my mom, my dad, other older folks. I owe this to others, as opposed to the general mindset of humanity which is selfish: you take and you don’t give. And I think it’s more blessed to give than to receive. When you have this mindset, you’re always looking for ways to serve others.”

 

“I don’t look at volunteering or mentoring as a huge impact on my time. You plan it, you prioritize it. For every hour or several hours I’ve given, I somehow get that time back later on.”

 

“My sources of inspiration start with my faith and family, and part of that ‘family’ is the inner circle of trust I’ve built. I try to find a way for this inner circle to give me feedback -- for example, what’s going well and what could I improve? Instantly there’s feedback that’s valuable. I encourage every leader to make this part of their personal growth to become comfortable with not just praise but also the right amount of critique from people you trust.”

“I mentor and ‘give back’ not by obligation but because I’m very grateful to the people who influenced my life. As opposed to the general mindset of humanity which is you take and you don’t give, I believe it’s more blessed to give than to receive. With this mindset, you’re always looking for ways to serve others.”