Ms. Shilpi Jhunjhunwala Patnaik Head of Business Operations AT - Cisco view linkedin profile

Q. What according to you are the key skills required to deliver excellent Customer Experience?

Being able to keep customer first mindset along with empowering people in an organization to develop the right skill set is very essential to deliver excellent Customer Experience. Alignment of various functions internal to an organization like Sales, Business Development, Renewals, Customer Success, to have a one broad vision and common goal to remain customer focused is key to deliver continuous growth to the business.

Q. Team Management skills act as a multiplier to productivity. What role can a leader play to achieve it?

A leader in today’s world has to be one amongst the team and not one above the team. Being approachable, humble and owing up one’s responsibility and accountability rather than focusing on authority can help the team to stay motivated and have each other’s back while creating a conscious culture of diversity and inclusivity.

Q. Ms. Shilpi, you have to promote one person from your team. You are stuck among two individuals. Both are crucial employees for the process/organization.

A. One is excellent in communication. He can express clearly, his thoughts, problems, solutions but lack in Subject Matter Expertise.

B. Another is a Subject Matter Expert. His process knowledge in unchallengeable. He has had no major errors in his employment period. But this person lack in clear communication.

Q. Under the above situation, whom will you prefer to promote and could you take us through the process/understanding that led you to your decision?

I will promote the one with excellent communication skills as Subject matter expertise can be taught. While communication skills can also be improved, it takes much longer to improvise on.

Q. How has your management learning from your days from MDI Gurgaon, helps you in your everyday walk of life?

I remember the first day in MDI Gurgaon where we were given projects to complete overnight and present the very next day. This happened for 4 days consecutively which meant lack of sleep in the very first week of your joining the institute. These projects were focused on team work and I learnt how under pressure team can collaborate effectively, brainstorm ideas, respect difference of opinion and still deliver the project results. Also, the professors in MDI Gurgaon taught us about corporate world and the theoretical knowledge could be applied during industrial visits. It was a learning experience which helped me grow as a person too and taught me the art of loving, sharing and caring.