While I was working in Tekelec UK (later on acquired by Oracle) managing a TAC (Technical Assistance Centre) EMEA team, I attended a leadership training in Tekelec’s head office in Morrisville, North Carolina. In addition to attending this training course, I took it as an opportunity to engage with our Tekelec director Michael St. Germain and asked him for a meeting. He invited me to a 6AM breakfast meeting (yes 6AM as the folks in US start their workday very early) where we discussed the strategic direction our department should be taking. Not only I learnt valuable leadership lessons from that meeting but I also got his approval for a customer experience training for my team. Few take aways I would like to share from that trip:
👉 When you get an opportunity to engage with your seniors, be prepared. Ask relevant stuff. If you are attending an event or a training where your company’s senior/top management is also present, take it as an opportunity to engage with them.
👉 If you are presented an opportunity to meet the person you want to meet but a time that is not convenient for you but is the only possible available time slot for that person, take it. Make yourself available and show up. It will be one of the best investment of your time both in corporate world or in business.
👉 If you don’t ask, you don’t get. If you think you need something from your boss, or from boss of the boss, don’t assume, they know it already. Ask for it. The worst that could happen is you will get a No. The best outcome is you get you what you want.
👉 Gratitude: Tekelec had assembled a great team in US, that was energetic with a CAN DO attitude and with a culture of collaboration and helping each other. I would like to thank Tekelec Customer Services team and all my other US team mates for making it a memorable time full of learning and excitement.