First year at work: I learnt to observe & listen to drive change, says Rajesh Magow

What I did in my first 100 days

My first job was with Voltas. Besides jumping straight into the defined role as first-level executive in F&A, a lot of the time in the first 100 days was spent in listening, observing and learning all aspects of the business. I was posted in one of the Voltas plants in Thane. The average age of the staff was early 40s, and I did feel a little out of place, finding it somewhat hard to drive change. But it was a good learning ground.

The biggest innovation I did

While the role didn’t warrant any big innovation, I did my bit to streamline the processes and automate them by moving the process from manual-filing to computers … guess it proved prescient in my being involved with MakeMyTrip’s founding later!

The best leadership lesson I learnt

How to drive change by persuasion and demonstrate its real value to the impacted party. I also found the opportunity to create genuine recognition and appreciation-platforms which were lacking until then. I was an active player in promoting a “Brain Wave” scheme to recognise new ideas and good work done outside the normal call of duty.

The worst mistake I made

To expect my fellow colleagues to match my pace at work while they were fairly hardcoded in their routine and historical pace.

How I managed my work-life balance

This was probably the best time for work-life balance – being out of home, living in a campus and being single.

How I had fun at work

Since this was the first time that I had stepped out of home comfort, I loved every bit of life outside. Life was truly idyllic in the Voltas Campus at Upvan in Thane.

(As told to Sreeradha D Basu)