Name: Zakaria Khan

Title: Director Operations Strategy & Facilities

Organisation: Aga Khan University Hospitals East Africa

A humble professional with diversified experience over 2 decades with the vision of enabling young professionals to develop and excel in their fields of professional competencies.

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

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

Cheers,

Jonno White

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

Challenges are considered to be the lifeline of a leader. The days there are no challenges in the work or personal life of a leader it means that he has already reached the stagnant part of the curve. As a leader, the most difficult and challenging part is the development of empathy and understanding how the teams working with you are challenged.

Once you start understanding the dynamics of the team and are able to compensate them accordingly for these limitations, the sky is the limit for deliverance. As a leader, you need to understand that every professional is blessed with a unique set of competencies. You should be able to extract those competencies to the best and should be able to place them correctly in the sphere of service delivery.

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

Becoming a leader is by virtue of stepping into shoes that are destined for you. We as humans are blessed with the instinct to lead and rule. The only thing which differentiates Leaders from others is the capacity to lead and also the capability to take responsibility for the actions you take. Professionally being an engineer, I was standing at crossroad junctions where either you have to risk and trust your judgement or move with flow and bear the consequences.

In the year 2003, I was stationed at a remote project site that was undergoing major infrastructure upgradation. Being a remote site, internet and communication arrangements were always challenged due to climatic conditions. We were a team of 10 engineers, and I was the lead I&C engineer and was responsible for electrical and control upgrades of the project site. Being an old site, the biggest challenge was the documentation. There was no documentation for most of the site.

The only information was from the old technical staff working on site which was completely memory-based with 50 % accuracy. Unfortunately, we landed in a situation in which no one would want to be on an old running project site without documentation and a way forward. The project had a very tight turnaround timeline which had no window for delays. During the site works, the cable routing and details given to us did not match what we saw on site.

Our project manager was completely caught by surprise and decided that we could not continue further and we would wind up the site and return till clarity was brought on the routes etc. The site management did not like this attitude and pressed us to continue. I was watching this to and fro communication and the exchange of heated arguments. I started sketching a model that I was told to lead the project and how would I do it.

To date, I never understood what thought provoked me to do this, but I started drawing up a flow chart and model that I would do it like this. After two to three hours of discussions, our project manager told us to gather in the meeting room with the site management. He started with the comments that we cannot continue working on-site as the prerequisites are not met etc etc.

The site director was an experienced gentleman and he patiently listened to him and then spoke, he said that what you are explaining is the ideal situation that will never happen in your entire project delivery career what are the alternatives have you planned them? He flatly refused and sarcastically looked upon and said I cannot do it but if any one of them has an idea we can listen to it.

There was utter silence in the room, I was sitting in the middle of the room. I gathered courage and confidence and took the permission to present my sketch. The Site Director welcomed it. The project manager with the confidence that it was a waste of time welcomed it and gave me the opportunity to present my idea.

This was the turning point in the delivery of the project, without damaging the ego of the project manager I presented an idea where we used the knowledge of the site staff in the most optimized manner thus ensuring and meeting project timelines. I was hesitant in the beginning but with the confidence and encouragement from both sides of the table, I completed my idea for delivery.

Not only was it approved but also accepted widely by both sides. After we completed the site director thanked me and ensured that my plan was followed in true spirit. This was the first time I had the confidence that yes I can think candidly and also convince others to deliver.

We completed that project well before time and had an exceptional EBITDA on closure. There have been many ups and downs, and challenging times but the teams that I have led to date as a leader are to date like my extended family. We do not meet often but whenever we talk and meet the warmth is phenomenal. I am blessed that I have been able to make a difference in the lives of many by motivating them to do better!

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

The day starts by praying to God for his blessings and guidance. Before going to work 30 minutes is reckon time on the most pressing issues of the day. Actions, discussions , requests, and warnings thing are planned before leaving for work.

The day starts with a gauging of the team and the tasks at hand. I often start my day at work with an informal chat with the team. Discuss what's going on in the surroundings touch base on the moral and we kick off. It has been a habit to stroll through my workplace, meet important internal stakeholders say a quick hello meet and greet the staff. Then the agenda is religiously followed throughout the day.

Before I close for work I sit with my team and we do not discuss how the day has been, instead what the plans for the evening are. I have always tried to ensure every father or mother working with me in my team reaches home with a broad smile for his wife and children. A stressed father or mother will only ruin the evening. The eyes waiting for you at home are the ones that matter a lot.

Throughout all these years I have always tried to leave the workplace in peace. Talk to my parents daily, and take their blessings. Meet the family at dinner to listen to what has been going on in their lives. Specially children they have a lot to tell. After dinner take a stroll with my wife to reflect on how the day has been. Pray to God for his blessing and off to bed.

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

Destiny and fate lie in the hands of God. We as humans can try our best and leave the rest in the hands of the almighty. Your faith is a cornerstone of your belief in delivery. Your faith works as an anchor in difficult times and situations.

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?

To be a good leader, the basic pre-requisite is to become a good human being. The best book for any leader to be acquainted with is his Book of Revelations. If he is a Christian, then it is the Bible. If Muslim the Quran, if a jew the Thul math. Understanding the guiding principles is the way to success. You can only become an effective leader if you follow the divine principles laid down by God.

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

Be empathetic. Follow your religious teachings and try to make a difference in every life that you come across. Humans are creations that God is proud of. Be one to make him proud!

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far? It's all about bringing a positive impact in one's life. I was stationed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Director for Facilities in a Pharma company. This facility is a state-of-the-art facility and we required a specialized welder to repair one of our reactor systems. It could take a week to get a specialized welder into the country due to visa restrictions back then. This delay could have jeopardized our manufacturing campaign.

I was anxious and nervous and was thinking about how to cope with the situation. Out of the blue one of the riggers came to me and said in Hindi " Saab yeh jo driver hai, iss ko welding aati hai, par chor di hai. Kehta hai mujhe yeh kaam nahi karna. Agar Aap iss ko kahin tou shayad yeh kar le ga" It means" Sir the driver is a trained welder but he left this trade and opted to drive as he did not like this trade".

I lighted up like a Christmas tree. Took the guy to the welding workshop and asked him to weld. He said I can't do it. After a brief deliberation, he agreed to do a mock welding test. To our surprise, he did well. It was not the best, but it was still acceptable. He did all the required repairs under expert supervision. Once the job was done, I got him hired. He was a daily worker working as a driver. After being hired he went through technical training. He had two daughters back home in Bangladesh.

I encouraged him to enroll them in school for education. Later arranged a loan for him to construct his house back home. Over the years I saw him grow and flourish. In 2020 he resigned and went back home to spend time with his family. His daughters completed their education and pursued medical education to become doctors. To date, he calls him and blesses me with prayers and blessings. All that it takes is empathy and humanity to help in every possible manner and way.

The ultimate goal in life should be to help in every possible manner under your control. You can only do that if you have that instinct to take calculated risks and then be able to deliver keeping failure and consequences in mind from the start. Men who fail are the ones who try. Try & Try until you succeed. Garner and develop a team who you are proud of and the team is proud of!