Name: Nidhi Jain

Title: Head of Group – Internal Audit

Organisation: GEDU Global Education Group

Nidhi is a Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). She has a total of 20 years of experience in diverse areas of Finance, Accounts and Audit. She has a brilliant academic record. She is the World Topper in IFRS from ACCA, UK.

Further, she passed her CA exams in the 1st attempt. She has also completed a Leadership Certification from IIM Ahmedabad. Her graduation is from Delhi University, and she is a Silver Medalist & secured the 2nd Rank in her college. Her schooling is from DPS (Delhi Public School), Noida.

She is currently working as the Head of Group – Internal Audit of GEDU Global Education Group, wherein she is building & leading the Internal Audit of GEDU Group for all its group entities and subsidiaries, spread across the globe in over 12+ countries, and for all its business areas and departments.

She has worked as the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of ICCS. Other Companies that she worked in include EY (Ernst & Young), ABP Network & KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd (US Based MNC).

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

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

A great leader must be dynamic, continuously learning, developing, and adapting to the ever-changing environment, which is the most challenging aspect of being a leader.

I hence ensure that I continuously keep on learning, to stay attuned to the evolving new trends & challenges. I also attend seminars, obtain certifications, and undertake relevant training. I also love interacting with various people from different industries, backgrounds, and perspectives to gain insights from various experiences.

Learning, Unlearning & then Learning new things is the need of the current year & the times ahead!

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

Leadership came to me naturally, as I had leadership traits since I was a small child & my leadership skills were enhanced over the years with practice and experience.

In school, I would lead activities such as anchoring, school plays, clubs, etc. In college, I was the Student Council Representative in all 3 years of College. Besides, I always was one of the toppers in my school & college, and also involved in many extra-curricular activities such as swimming, sports, debating, creative writing and art. I used to train juniors, while I was only an intern during my Chartered Accountancy internship.

I was first a Manager in KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd. where I had a small team. I then moved on to managing bigger teams in ABP Network & ICCS. Over the years, I have been able to refine my leadership skills. I also realized that developing & coaching my team was one of the things that I enjoyed the most!

Based on my own experiences in leading teams for around 20+ years, I believe that you can bring out the best in a team member through encouragement & appreciation!

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

I always try to sleep adequately. I believe that you can do good work only when you are well-rested. I eat vegetarian food only, have lots of water and also exercise regularly.

In the office, I always start by planning the entire day. In fact, I plan for the year and then break it into small goals for the month, week and each day. This allows me to have a clear focus. Time management & delegation of tasks to appropriate team members are also very important.

In between my work, I try to take adequate breaks to refresh & recharge myself, keep my efficiency level high, and boost my creative thinking, etc.

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

One important leadership insight that I have gained from my experience of leading people is that there is no fixed approach when it comes to leading & managing your team. All people are unique and have their own characteristics, personality and strengths.

Your leadership style must be dynamic, as per the requirement of the business situation & also the specific team member. I have had a diverse range of employees reporting to me from freshers to senior citizens nearing retirement, from diverse educational backgrounds, and from various different locations, etc.

Recently, while studying for my Leadership Certification from IIM Ahmedabad, I was reminded of this lesson which I had already learned from my real-life experiences.

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?

I like to read books on leadership and motivational books. “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson is one book that gives such an impactful & powerful message with such a simple story. It encourages us to always be ready for change & also have a positive mindset. This book has made me always remember that change is inevitable, and that being flexible and adaptable leads to new opportunities, and new paths to success.

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

One piece of important advice that I would like to give to all young leaders is that - Believe in yourself & be unstoppable! You are made to be YOU! Each one of us is unique & special. You are limited only by your own thoughts. So, don’t be afraid to dream big and then plan to turn your dreams into reality!

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

In one of the earlier Companies that I worked in, one of my juniors, who had recently joined my team, messaged me that he was not well & had a fever, and requested a leave. He also sent various photos of ‘proof’ on WhatsApp!

I immediately approved his leave and wished he would get well soon, but I also informed him that he does not need to send ‘proofs’ for taking normal leaves! I understand that we all need to take a few leaves due to various reasons, such as being ill, family commitments and other personal reasons.

After all, our team members are not machines or robots! Empathy is an important leadership skill. According to surveys, the secret of great leadership is empathy. By developing empathy, leaders can build trust, loyalty, and performance among their teams, and create a positive impact on their organizations.