Cultural expectations surrounding the elderly are being challenged today, and with good reason!
While it was the norm to slow down and retreat into a quieter life post-retirement, more men and women are finding purpose and joy in doing the opposite.
WisdomCircle honours such men and women by shining light on their journey through an inspiring series called “Wisdom Stories”. These people have successfully smashed stereotypes, and their stories remind us that life should be lived to the fullest, no matter what age or stage.
I grew up in various cities in India as my father, who worked for Indian Railways, had a transferable job. I always dreamed of a global career. My father was posted to the Philippines when I was 10 years old, where I had the opportunity to study at an international school. This was a turning point, as it paved the way for my higher education in the US where I got a full scholarship to Dartmouth College. Interestingly, I was offered a seat at IIT Kanpur at the same time. I opted to go abroad to chase my dream. This was a transformative experience for me, and I was among the first few Indians to go overseas for an Undergraduate degree.
I wanted to come back to India after I graduated from Harvard Business School in 1986. I eventually got a call from Mr Anupam Puri, who led McKinsey India, for a 6-month project. I took it up, and this turned out to be a turning point as the project with CK Birla became the foundation for McKinsey’s India practice and a reference point. Mr Puri later became my mentor. He cared deeply for his team and rolled up his sleeves whenever required. I experienced this personally, as he helped me transition into my new role in India. I was also inspired by my father who had won accolades both in academics and sports and set the bar high for me.
While working in the US, I found myself challenged by some aspects of team leadership and was less than satisfied with my efforts in that direction. Instead of letting that impede my career path, I shifted focus to client relationship building, which became my signature strength and trademark. On my subsequent return to India as well, this has been a skill which has given me a lot of satisfaction and created growth on all fronts. I have always taken challenges and turned them into opportunities, and that has been a big positive in my personal and professional life. Some roadblocks may have changed the direction, but always led me on to bigger and better things.
In hindsight, I would take a different approach to my time at Harvard. I opted for “hard” courses like Finance, Accounting and Marketing, and avoided “soft” courses like Organization Behavior, which in Business School parlance was seen as “touchy-feely”. People are at the heart of good business decisions, and working around their strengths and motivations is the most important skill for a leader. I wish I had internalized this at business school and not learned it at the school of hard knocks!
Retirement is overrated and there is only so much free time that one can enjoy. One needs to be professionally and intellectually engaged, connect with people and stay relevant. This plays into our physical well-being as well. My advice is to plan post-retirement life with thought and identify areas of interest to sow the seeds early. It is easier to do that while you are still working.
Today I am a Senior Advisor to Ernst & Young in India and part of Social Venture Partners. I also offer advice on wealth management, a topic close to my heart. I enjoy being active and continue to seek out areas of interest that impact people in a positive way.
Photo and Interview credits – Saonli Bedi of WisdomCircle
