Winning Stroke: Interview with Naveen Munjal, Managing Director, Hero Electric
If not in the current profession , you would be?
Photographer / Traveller / Adventure Junkie all blended into one…
One tune you always hum?
I’m leaving on a Jet Plane by John Denver
One Book to read when you want to motivate yourselves?
Finding my Virginity by Richard Branson
One Dialogue of a movie that motivates you or you like the most?
"There are many points in life when we cannot see what awaits us around the corner, and it is precisely at such times, when our path forward is unclear, that we must bravely keep our nerve, resolutely putting one foot before the other as we march blindly into the dark." The Hundred-Foot Journey
The Place you never been to and always want to go?
Cuba. I would love to experience and see it through my eyes… my lens, before it becomes too “westernised”. My bucket list…
An animal that signifies you & why?
I would say the mighty Eagle. For various reasons… Eagles have the power, intuition, creativity, balance and the ability to look at the hidden truth and things beyond what other birds and predators can see. There is a tremendous amount of grace in how they soar high up in the sky and are able to see the bigger picture and yet focus on the tiniest of prey miles away.
A movie character you most resemble or resonate with?
If your life was to be turned into a movie who would you like to play your part?
Matt Damon. I love his ability to stay calm and yet the next moment he’s the most dangerous assassin.
Luck or Hard Work , What do you think weighs more in defining a successful Person?
I think it’s a combination of the two. I recently heard a talk by Sadhguru who said it’s not about working hard but doing the right thing. That resonated with me since I believe it’s about doing the right thing at the right time that matters.
One best decision you ever made?
Sticking on in the Electric Vehicles business through thick or thin even when there was absolutely no industry to talk of and yet we continued to expand the network giving assurances to the dealers, employees, vendors who were reluctantly joining us… The tunnel was a very dark one and most of the companies had vacated this industry, yet we stubbornly stuck on with one belief that eventually the world will move to electric… It’s been and still is a tough journey but I’m glad of my decision to have stuck on against all odds…
A strategy that you always use to take your decisions in personal or professional life?
Look at the bigger picture… Always look at the bigger picture… Will this decision have a positive impact in the larger scheme of things? If yes then go ahead… Keep moving … And my school motto which has been drilled into my head – “Never Give In”.
Whose advise you seek when in dilemma?
I have a group of advisors that I talk to when I face any dilemmas… I brainstorm with a few professional advisors, my family, and some friends… I listen to all of them but at the end I take my own decision keeping in mind a holistic view and looking at things from 40,000 feet up on what impact this would have in the bigger picture.
What has been your biggest achievement?
I would say, our sticking on in the Electric Vehicle industry even when there was no industry to speak off… our single minded focus of keeping this EV industry alive, sometimes some of the decisions we were taking for the industry were not necessarily beneficial for Hero Electric, yet we continued to push for those decisions simply so this industry could hold it’s own. I would say my decision to focus on this industry and looking beyond just my company has been my single biggest achievement at work.
One thing that you want to change in yourself?
At times, I am a very obstinate person… if I believe in something, I pursue that with a single-minded focus. I would like to retain my ability to focus yet be able to evaluate other options, other avenues…
A line said by your close one that you never forget?
My grandmother used to always say that “live in the moment” and to “accept everything and reject nothing”. These have stuck by my all these years. When the going gets tough for me I think about how the next moment could be completely different… how things can change drastically from one moment to another… no matter how dark the night is dawn will always follow…
