Hyderabad: Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan spoke about how people doubted her capability to handle two posts —as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. She said she rebutted them saying she was also gynaecologist and if she could handle newborns, singles or twins, she could handle these posts.
She was addressing alumni and students of the Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX) course at the Indian School of Business Hyderabad campus. It is an annual event organised to bring current and future leaders from the ISB community under one roof. The theme for this year’s summit was “Where Leaders Meet – Strategy, Synergy, Success”.
The Governor shared some management lessons by drawing examples from her personal experience. She said when she took over as the Governor of Telangana, her critics doubted her ability to handle it as Telangana was the country’s youngest state. “I rebutted them, saying that I am a gynaecologist and if I can handle newborn babies I can handle this too.”
She said a year later, she was given additional charge of Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, leading her critics to again question her ability to handle two posts simultaneously. “I said as a gynaecologist, whether a single baby is born or twins are born, I can handle it. So whatever the assignment, you should have courage, conviction and commitment to do it,” she advised students.
She advised students to manage their subordinates well. Narrating a personal anecdote, she said how her friend in Chennai had expressed surprise at how she had employed the same cook and driver for over a decade.
The Governor said her cook makes idli better than dosa, and due to this, though she used to like dosas more, she started liking idli. “Similarly, my driver drives very slow and I like going fast but now I am learning to enjoy slow speed. So I changed myself instead of changing them. Managing our subordinates and workforce is an art. Make them love the job. If we are able to do that, half the battle is won,” she told the students.
