Our next guest is not a founder of just one startup but two (we are sure to get double the insights from this episode). We welcome Arun Jagannathan, founder of CrackVerbal- currently India’s leading GMAT test prep and MBA applications consulting company. 

Arun was a victim of poor career advice which resulted in him being extremely dissatisfied with his job as a techie. He later moved into a project management role before plunging full-time into entrepreneurship. 

His journey as an entrepreneur led to him having a very fulfilling mission in life which is to help people make better career decisions. His second entrepreneurial venture started with  English for India in which they help companies meet their business outcomes through better communication.  

Over the past decade, he has also worn multiple hats as a tutor, an entrepreneur, and a technology manager. Arun likes to read online on digital marketing and productivity. He has also mentored over 5000 students and some startups on a pro bono basis.

Episode highlights:

• Positive trends that emerged during 2021
• Why re-skilling your workforce is important
• Key characteristics a leader must have to lead successfully
• Why letting the team take the spotlight is important
• How the above helps in multiplying the growth of the company

1. Positive things that have happened in 2021
Arun feels that the working people were pulled to a state of shock in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, in 2021, they have found the sweet spot of working at home. They go to the office when it is really needed. In 2022, the hybrid working model will evolve and more people will find the perfect space for working from home and office simultaneously. 

2. Re-skilling workforce and its need

As per Arun, managers in their 30s and 40s use emails innately. However, youngsters in the workforce in 2022 converse via chat. Therefore, creating an environment where people could communicate freely would be one way to re-skill the workforce. 

3. Key attributes that a successful leader has

Employees mimic their boss, and therefore, if a boss exhibits a certain kind of behavior, the employees tend to follow it. The new workplace changed the perception that leaders have to be more empathetic towards their subordinates. Leadership styles are evolving, and it will need time to grow completely. 

4. Paradigms that leaders should let go with respect to evolving workspace

Teams don’t need a top to down approach, but a guerrilla approach is required to figure out the things that are to be done. Experience does not matter in the remote workspace as youngsters are more capable of handling social media and digital tools when compared to their seniors. However, they should continue supervising so that the workplace energy is maintained. 

5. Why should the founders give the spotlight to their teams? How does it help to grow a company?

Arun gives examples of heroic leadership showcased in Ramayana and Mahabharata to explain this concept. In Ramayana, Lord Rama took things forward whereas, in Mahabharata, Lord Krishna took a backseat and gave advice. As a corporate leader, one should be more like Lord Krishna. An efficient corporate leader should identify the strengths of employees and act as an advisor for them. In short, the perspective should be employee-driven to move a company forward.

Follow Arun on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra