Name: Mubarak Bhimani

Title: Research & Operations Lead

Organisation: TechnoSol Private Limited

Have 15+ years of multi-dimensional experience in R&D (Product, Market, New Business), Business Analysis, Management Consulting, Gender GAP Analysis, Recruiting, HR Management and operations Management. Critical thinker always eager to learn something new and start again.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Mubarak's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

As a team leader, the most challenging thing that I have faced so far and consistently is finding a middle ground to keep team members' personal interests, their personal lives, their thinking, their religious lives, and their work separate. Either I should let them loose or I should tighten them as per the situation in Pakistan and the kind of thinking that is slowly growing in people's minds is a very difficult task. Although this approach to finding a middle way affected productivity and outcomes but sadly it is what it is

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

It is very difficult to say that I am a leader as I have had a long career where I have found myself in trouble simply because I am not part of a certain group or I am not educated in a certain university or I don't live in a certain part of the city, it will not be appropriate to say that I am a leader. What I would like to take credit for is that I tried to take the middle path whenever I got the chance due to lack of resources, sometimes unfavorable circumstances, and sometimes other issues.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Simple, I go to work at the designated hours and if it's necessary I stay late or otherwise I leave the office. Then i won't think about what happened in the office or what going to happen the next day I don't try to plan just let it happen and then i act accordingly.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

Never trust bosses.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell.

It provided me with a comprehensive framework for effective leadership. By understanding and applying Maxwell's principles, I enhanced my ability to motivate, inspire, and guide my team members toward achieving common goals. Maxwell's insights on building trust, fostering collaboration, and empowering individuals can transform team dynamics, leading to increased productivity, innovation, and overall success. Embracing these principles elevated me to a position of recognized leadership, paving the way for career advancement and professional fulfillment.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Never take shortcuts.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?

As a leader in Pakistan's corporate landscape, one impactful story involves successfully navigating a cross-functional team through a challenging project deadline. By fostering open communication and leveraging each team member's strengths, we overcame obstacles and delivered results. This experience highlighted the importance of collaboration and adaptability in Pakistan's corporate environment, emphasizing the value of teamwork to achieve shared goals.