In a VUCA world (especially the current Covid-19 situation), with everything in the environment changing all the time, leaders need to be able to build teams that not only TRUST them but also trust each other. Being authentic is what builds trust. However, leaders struggle with being authentic because of the perceived challenges around being “vulnerable” and the need to make choices that have a larger goal which might not necessarily be equitable to people in their teams.
In a thought-provoking discussion, the panel explored how a coaching approach evokes authenticity in leaders and how vulnerability is probably the most important part of being seen as a leader who can be trusted.
About the panelists
Ramesh Sreedharan MCC: Ramesh is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) credentialed with ICF and a seasoned business leader with an overall experience of over 30 years and brings significant business and team leadership experience to the table. As a coach, Ramesh has worked with over 300 leaders and their teams. Apart from Coaching, Ramesh runs various leadership development programs through his organization, Orenda Centre for Leadership Excellence, with the firm belief that inner wisdom guides every individual in his/her journey and the role of a facilitator or coach is to help the individual reflect and derive their own insights.
Website: https://www.orenda.net.in
Rama Kannan MCC: Rama is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) from ICF and coaches senior executives in the corporate and social sectors globally. She has been a Mentor and a Coach for ten years. Her strength as an executive coach is built on 16 years of corporate experience in large multinationals in senior strategy and marketing roles in the Asia Pacific region. She is a Director on the Board of an Indian listed company which offers a great perspective of the challenges in the corporate sector.
She is also keenly interested in the social sector – she is a Director on the Board of a US Impact fund and teaches social entrepreneurship in India and has taught social entrepreneurship for a UN programme. She served as a mentor for Afghan civil servants through the UN for ten years and a mentor for a social incubator in India. She has an MBA from NUS, Singapore.
Ram Ramakrishnan is Managing Director with JP Morgan Chase and Co is the Head of the Commercial Banking Operations for the firm’s Global Corporate Centres in India and the Philippines, and is based in Bangalore India. He is a member of the Firm’s India GCC Operating Committee, and is also the Location Leader for the Bengaluru site – which is one of the largest international hubs, of the Firm. Ram has been in the Banking and Financial Services Industry for over 30 years, and has previously worked for large global organisations such as the State Bank of India, ANZ Grindlays Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Tata Consultancy Services – across India, Australia and Taiwan.
Mahesh Balani is an ICF certified ACC coach who works with leaders and business owners to achieve breakthrough performance. He is a seasoned global business leader with a strong operations & business transformation background. He has worked with leaders and managers across BFSI, Healthcare, CG, Manufacturing and Business Services.
