In Gratitude - S5.4 : Paying my homage through years of my life || My Career || By Anupama Vaidya

Series Part 5.4 … towards my big milestone - 2021 - Golden Celebrations.

Published on Facebook: 27-Oct-2021

Lovely 21st birthday celebrations with Ishita, we are now marching closer to my milestone! Ishita has some interesting surprise plans, and I so look forward to her unveiling her surprises for me!! we brought in Ishita’s birthday on 24th Oct night with her large group of friends at a lovely place at Leeds; 25th Oct, travelled to London, had an amazing dinner at the Aqua Shard; a landmark in London.

Right now, we have just switched our AirBnB, viewing the beautiful river waters of Thames; my expression of gratitude to this organization which in the corporate world provided me a outstanding platform to contribute immensely in a leadership role & carry with me loads of memorable moments to cherish upon and once again expand my amazing circle friends for life !!!

Yes, we get back to series 5, with the part 4 – 5.4. Yes, its my days with Saint-Gobain and Grindwell Norton. A key leadership role, with its multi-faceted dimensions that I so cherish in my career.

I was quite worried while taking the role, whether it will be once again a managerial one being a multi-national, as I had shared that I preferred more of an entrepreneurial & transformation role. But believe it when I say, this was a wonderful part of my career where I got a balance between both the worlds, a global & multi-cultural exposure program management integrator role with a high scope of entrepreneurial element in it – a wonderful balance between the global-local model; with a high empowerment at the local level. Loads of initiatives to drive and have really enjoyed it every moment of it!

An organization which represents -

“LOVE” in its true sense; standing for Live Our Values Everyday; as coined by Medha Shanbag for one of the Values celebration we had during my stint. Amazing to be associated with such a value based organization and a leadership team that walks the values everyday!!!

“So Alive”, even with a rich history and legacy; our motto for the 75 years celebration of Grindwell Norton; the motto really represented the full of life organization that we stood for!!! Still so fresh in my memory… the 350 years of SG and 75 years of GNO! Back to back years of engagement !

The one person who made me change my decision and consider to join this organization – Joe Periera! The warmth, vibrancy, the depth of thought, the care, insights, your fairness and transparency, your assertion and yet so caring, your forthrightness and yet so understanding … even when we were in midst of discussions, felt so much at home… as we knew each other for too long! To work with a leader in Joe, surely was a blessing. Such open candid conversations, so understanding - yet so professional – yet so caring. To Joe I dedicate my days at Saint-Gobain and Grindwell Norton, and really admire his leadership; a true people’s leader with values at the heart of everything! Joe, you are so loved for what you are and miss you every single day!

As I assimilated into the organisation, one more leader, whom we all revere – fondly known as MRR – MR Ramarathnam. Years of experience, expertise, learnings wrapped up in layers of humility; a personality unparalleled – a true representation of a value based leadership. I loved every interaction with you MRR, could speak my mind to you, share difference of views so comfortably, discuss such wonderful interventions and we covered so much ground together! Learnt so much from you, while your faith in the work I was doing, was a great encouragement for me! Every interaction is so fresh in my memory! MRR, you were a key leader who engaged me so well into the organization, I am indebted to you forever and blessed to have worked with you at SG! Did miss you at the MCM as you retired… Its been so wonderful to continue to remain in touch and through my life seek your blessings always! Today also all the EHS learnings from you are so afresh in my memory !

Our Management team interactions, deliberations, confidence with which we worked together; the leadership of Anand Mahajan – calm and composed leadership, so empowering, a learning for life, so full of trust in every person around him; the visionary leadership of Santhanam – a leadership so inspiring, and helping you look beyond. Learnt a lot from him through the decision making dilemmas of how to simplify and work objectively; the vibrancy of Deepak Chindarkar & a partner in various interventions as the CFO! Loved every bit of interactions with Deepak and driving the enabling functions as a partnership.

Remember our morning coffee with Deepak and Viswesh in Viswesh’s cabin, the three of us discussing critical matters; different views, perspectives and so meaningful and enriching.

Viswesh, a person I admire even today and my go to person for any advice! Even today he is a just a phone call away. Simplicity personified with the amazing talent!!! a solid sounding board in Krishna Prasad, with his sharp acumen and business thinking, always was a there to support and enable the interventions. And a true engaging leader in Sreedhar who was always so encouraging! wonderful to see him put the India leadership on global team of SG!

And while we as a management team I really loved walking this wonderful journey, I couldn’t have done so without the dream team that I was so blessed with; a team that any leader will love to be having… each one a leader in their own way …

In Jyoti Tiwari and Medha Shanbag, I have friends for life… A relationship that evolved over the years, as they say… Its like the Whiskey! Only enhances its taste with Age…. Every year we spent together, it has been only be getting better and better!!! A dream team with both of you on it! The go-getter spirit, the vibrancy, the pace, the we can do attitude! We could take on so much together my dearies and really appreciate the excellent team that we made together!

With a strong backbone in Vishwanathan! To whom I owe holding the forte for HR interventions…. Vishwanathan – synonym that I have for you is DEPENDABLE, you always were there day in and day out, night in and night out to make turn-arounds and deliver the best! I still remember the way you made an overnight turnaround on the Compensation review technology when with the IT team we had a night out to roll out the letters, the last minute crisis management. Wonderful work that we shared and loved your ways to be there always , learn and deliver. Nishi in you, I found a little sister! Yes, its wonderful when you now call me “Di” and a lifetime of a lovely bond…so dependable and loving, and yet so full of wanting to make things happen. In you I knew that I have a solid pillar to depend on.

And then there is a full list of my lovely team, Divya, on whom I relied my office management, with her creative ideas and wanting to experiment (owe her to introduce me to Stepathalon), Wilma, a strong trusted support and many more to mention Shweta (2), Asif, Karan, Parikshit, Swati, Nikita, Sonalika, Narendra, Prasad, Sankar, Vivek, Shraddha, Kartik, Bansi, Sheldon, … … …

Remember our monthly catch-up meetings as a team, logging in across and so much wonderful sharing, caring and making things happen. The HR Conferences, the projects we all did together, the Rainbow and Reflections (with many feeling that we may not sustain such wonderful capability building interventions)

Its so wonderful to see each one of you flourishing in your careers … that’s why it is dream team, each one of you with amazing leadership…the list goes on and on… loads to thank and each one of you who made a difference to my life in your own way and to the overall work we were doing together!

Colleagues in the likes of Padmakumar, Phani, Bhaskaran, Venkat, P Natarajan, Hari, Narayan Prasad, Harshad, Dinakar, Ritesh, Amit Koul, Rajendra Hudlikar, Nikhil Kelekar, Samir, Denis, Prachi, Naushad, Rahul, Yves-Christian, amazing colleagues from France, Paris, UK, US and across the world of Saint-Gobain; oh so many names to still cover…

I’d rather put it this way, every member of the Saint-Gobain family… who have give so much love and respect and made an impact on me, years to cherish with all of you…you all mean a lot to me and relly appreciate this phase of my career… …

It was with a sense of fulfilment that I then walked ahead in life to discover myself afresh and make a difference at the grassroot levels on entrepreneurship.

The learnings and contributions from these SG days with the abundance of friendships that I carry with me, reflect in the blessings in my journey ahead!

Joe, thank you for being able to show me this phase of my journey with your mentoring and providing me a platform of abundance of friends, team, colleagues and life! Indebted to you always! And three cheers to my team, as many of you are my family for life!