Leaders are born” is something that Mr. Vikas Sachdev does not agree with. He has a different opinion and believes that leadership qualities can be acquired. Well, these are thoughts coming out of an eminent leader, a dedicated professional and a strategic thinker. In a career spanning nearly 14 years, Mr. Sachdev has cleverly crafted his managerial skills to lead from the front.
After passing out from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management in 1997, he kicked off his career with Exhibitions India. Th at was the stepping stone on his path towards success. Although, it was not a big organization, Mr. Sachdev capitalized on all opportunities which he came across. He was responsible for business events at domestic and also international level. His hard work was reciprocated by the organisation, as quite oft en he was sent abroad to generate more business. Aft er completing a stint of 3 years, he moved to Reading, a town near London to join a UK based organization called Trigyn Technologies. His portfolio changed as he now got into IT product & solution sales.
After spending over 2 years in the UK and being blessed with a son, he decided to shift base back to New Delhi. He joined Data Access, a division of which was later on acquired by Bird Group, which is one of the largest and most diversified entities within the industry; from pioneering back office processing to being the representative for many of the world’s leading airlines; from managing the backbone of the technological framework for airline IT and distribution to managing crucial relationships of international service providers in India. At Bird Group he has a multifaceted role, where initially he was responsible for the non travel BPO business. At present he handles the ITES/IT arm of the Bird Group. He is also looking aft er the client servicing and business development initiatives at the corporate level. Mr. Sachdev has contributed tremendously towards the rapid growth of the business. His astute management and client handling skills have been responsible for expanding business internationally, especially in the UK and US markets.
When asked about his choice of studying at IIPM, he smiled and said that “it was the orientation which impressed me”. Way back in 1995 there were limited B-Schools. His hard work at IIPM paid him rich dividends in his career. Mr. Sachdev cherishes the moments of his IIPM days: “14th of February was a declared holiday by Prof. Arindam Chaudhary”, his smile while mentioning this said it all. Oft en the chai at the nearby dhaba was shared with Prof Arindam Chaudhary, who made sure that he spent maximum time with students in any way possible. It was Prof Chaudhary who had another name for IIPM which was “Indian Institute of Pyar Mohabat”.
In today’s competitive world, Mr. Sachdev feels that the quality of manpower has declined. An important reason for this, according to him, is that the communication skills of the young professionals trying to a make an impression in their career are not up to the mark, the ownership of which lies with the B-School. A lot of B-Schools try to make their course content exhaustive and forget the basics such as communication. An advice to the young generation from Mr Sachdev is to work on their communication skills as this is the major competitive advantage. He shared his experiences of working with Mr. Prem Behl, his fi rst boss at Exhibitions India. The first organization plays a vital role in anyone’s corporate journey. Therefore the choice for the right organization becomes crucial. With intense pressure on students, they often take the wrong decision. Hence, luck at times becomes the deciding factor.
He does not believe in the philosophy that leaders are born. Anyone can become a successful leader if the right qualities are inculcated. Th e traits of a leader can be acquired during the career. Th e most important attribute of a good leader is that he or she should be heard. This, however, does not mean that a leader has to be vocal, but as they say actions speak louder than words. A leader should be a mentor. Mr. Sachdev admires Bill Gates, whom he thinks of as a geek by nature; when it comes to leadership skills, Microsoft is the answer. Freedom should be given to subordinates and Mr. Sachdev ensures that his team members are given the right freedom to perform their duties efficiently.
He loves spending time with his wife and his two children Raghav & Divisha. Whether its going for a movie or taking them out for a vacation, he does it all. He plans at least two vacations in a year with his family. On Saturday’s Mr. Sachdev along with his wife Deepika meet friends and spend quality time with them. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other”, Mr. Vikas Sachdev has proved him right.
