Donning Different Roles Date:   Wednesday , February 03, 2010 When Girija Muraleedharan, Deputy General Manager of the U.S. West Business Unit of UST Global, mulls over the concept of glass ceiling and says, “There is a glass ceiling, but not just for women, and those who say there isn’t are in denial,” she just does not seem like a critic or a feminist, but emerges as a true example of a woman professional who has fought against those barriers and emerged successful. According to her, although the ceiling does exists, that should not discourage anyone. The trick is to recognize its existence and work towards breaking it, because it can definitely be broken. No wonder; today she runs offshore operations for one of the largest business units of UST Global, and is part of the BU leadership team managing over 900 associates worldwide. With determination and commitment to emerge successful in whatever she takes up, Girija has managed to delve into areas that many people unwittingly ignore. She recognized early on in her career that IT is but a tool that leverages technology to achieve business impact. To succeed in any industry, you need people acumen and business acumen, she says. People acumen deals with the three aspects of learning, mentoring and coaching, and people management skills, and is universal to all industries. Business acumen, in the IT context, is built through a combination of technology and domain skills. “I strongly believe that you cannot live with just one or the other. You need a deep understanding of both the technology and the domain you’re in, so that you can understand the business problem you are solving, and use that knowledge to fine tune how you apply technology to solve the problem.” Mastering the best of both worlds, Girija today handles both her primary responsibility of delivery operations as well as playing an active role in furthering domain expertise in UST Global. Reflecting on her journey of 18 years, she says that all the organizations that she worked for have left a lasting impression on her. With a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from Kerala University, Girija first started working with Wipro Technologies and then moved to GE Healthcare, Metavante Corporation and Northwestern Mutual, the last three in the United States. The combination of companies she worked for gave her a 360 degree perspective of the IT industry – as a service provider, an IP creator and an end user. Today, this experience guides her in building her approach to solving business problems for her clients. When asked what the turning point in her career was, she unhesitatingly states that it was her decision two and a half years ago to move permanently to India and join UST Global. The decision to move back to India after thirteen years in the U.S., she admits, was made from the heart. “The tug of India, of home, and most importantly of the fantastic journey that India had embarked on, was too strong to ignore, and we packed our bags and moved back.” She admits she had apprehensions of what the work environment was going to be like and whether she’d be able to fit in, but her apprehensions were laid to rest when she joined UST Global. “UST Global provides a great environment - very innovative, progressive and inclusive – and the seamless transition from an American company to one on the other side of the globe was truly beyond my expectations!” Being in India and in UST Global has helped her realize her potential she says, and adds laughingly that she sometimes feels ‘potential’ is elastic – it expands to fill whatever you are pushed to achieve! Coming from a family of academicians, Girija had thought that this would be her career path too. But once she started working in the technology field, there was no turning back. The analytical and logical thinking in the software field interested and excited her. Hence the decision to remain in the field was natural for her. While she worked for Northwestern Mutual, she also completed her MBA from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In fact one of the most interesting things she learnt is, as she recollects, “One of my teachers said that organizational behavior is one of the easiest courses you do in the program, but that’s what you keep coming back to long after you complete your MBA.” She couldn’t agree more. No wonder; she is a firm believer in building relationships. A strong relationship facilitates better understanding, believes Girija, and she takes pride in practicing the same at her work place. A tenacious leader, she believes in listening wholeheartedly to her employees. It is, in fact, one of her key strengths, which even her employees say what they like in her. This quality of hers has not only helped her team in realizing growth in their careers but also in their personal lives. As she puts it, “When you enjoy a good relationship with your employees and colleagues you listen not because you have to listen, but because you want to listen. And it helps you move from a mode of hearing and reacting, to anticipating what your team needs to succeed and proactively enabling that.” You should always watch out for your team, she says. This was something she learnt from a previous mentor, and something that she always keeps in mind. It’s like in the army - one for all, all for one – you watch out for and protect your teammates, and they will do the same for you and for their own teams. But where does this leader get her inspiration from? She cites the values of UST Global of “Humility, Humanity and Integrity” as her primary source of inspiration. When a company is founded on human values, she says, it serves as a guiding light for everyone who comes in contact with it. In addition, there are a number of people at UST whom Girija admires: some for their business acumen, some for their dedication to their teams, and yet others for their mentoring abilities. And finally, she very frequently finds herself falling back on what she learnt from her mentors in previous organizations. When a tough decision has to be made, it is all these people, their principles, and decision-making skills that she likes to remember, and she asks herself, “what would they have done?” to help her in her own decision. A mother of two, this passionate and hard working leader balances her personal and professional life well. She makes sure she is home every day at a reasonable hour so she has enough time to spend with her daughters. And she takes them along whenever she can, to business meetings that are outside regular working hours. She believes that creativity and flexibility are key to achieving a good work-life balance. Follow your heart, she says, and you will do what is best for you, your family and your company. In fact, she believes that it is okay if one feels like taking a step back at some point of time in one’s career. Many times, women feel torn between taking up more responsibilities at work and taking care of family, fearing that they may not be able to do both at the same time. Evaluate what your priorities are, and give whatever you are doing your best, whether it is work or family or both. But also remember to keep circling back regularly, to re-examine whether you are where you still want to be. As Girija says, it is important that you are able to look back at what you have done and not have regrets later on in life. Her advice to young woman professionals is, don’t let the fear of a glass ceiling hold you back. For instance, if you’re at a stage of life where flexibility is important to you, devise creative solutions to achieve that flexibility, and talk it out with your manager. Don’t be afraid, because after all, the worst that can happen is that your current situation will not change! More often than not, as long as business interests are addressed, your employer will be willing to listen. Also, many organizations are aware that not having enough women in senior management roles is a problem, and are making significant efforts to change that. Be a part of that change, and leverage the support you will get from your company in achieving yours and your company’s goals. Girija likes to remember a quote a friend told her in the past, ‘Play like a man, and win like a woman.’ So work hard, don’t complain, and don’t hesitate to leverage all opportunities and advantages that are available to you. Break free from the limiting belief patterns about professional women. It will take a while for this glass ceiling to be shattered, but it will eventually happen. As Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India had once said, “People with clenched fists cannot shake hands.” Girija inspires us to do the same. Break the barrier, change the norm, make it big, and become an achiever.