“Suspend Judgment” To Learn From Gen Next

The experiences of life are all about taking the right lessons, applying them and moving ahead. S.V. Nathan, Partner & Chief Talent Officer, Deloitte India, not only delved deep into what life taught him over the years but also decided to put it in the form of a book, ‘The Heart of Work’ for many more to learn from.

Nathan believes that while he is an author by default, and not by design, he is a storyteller at the core. Speaking at the fourth edition of the India Business Literature Festival’s (IBLF) Gurugram Chapter, he shared several of his experiences, which are also part of the book, as cases in point for leadership lessons. “The book is all about the heart and a lot about work, hence the title,” he said.

Emotional Intelligence In AI Age

Many of his stories emphasise the need to balance emotions at work, be rooted in values and understand emotional intelligence (EI). “EI requires one to be in the moment, and accept it as is, instead of being judgmental. Part of intelligence is observing and staying in the moment,” he explained.

He said that while people keep learning through observing others, reading books and many different ways, the person who will win is the “person who wins hearts”.

“All of us are given opportunities. People are given a second chance. What we do with it is what makes the difference. Life is a lot about values. Can you care to care,” Nathan added.

The Gen Next Play

Speaking on Gen Next and some behavioural trends, he said, “The young generation is far more talented than many of us. Many of them could be losing their sense of direction. It is our role to play to their strengths. There is a lot we can learn from them.”

Nathan himself has a 24-year-old reverse mentor whom he exchanges notes on subjects such as technology with. “The power lies in the conversation,” he said.

“A third of India’s GDP is in the hands of these people, who are entrepreneurs. That figure will move dramatically in the future because of these young people. All we need to do to learn from them is to suspend judgment. Don’t say you must read but give them content that is interesting for them to read. Give them the opportunity that they would like to do and keep an open mind and a willing heart.”

As a final word of advice, he said, “Be yourself. If you try to ape someone you are not, you will fail miserably.”