Outsource everything except being a mother and a wife

The creative team

Recently, I worked with a team of women on a newsletter as part of the "Women in IT" program.  This was a good experience as it exposed to me a lot of infectious enthusiasm and fun. My responsibility included interviewing  a senior leader, writing it up, editing the articles and creating the final copy along with the Chief Editor. Here is a picture of the entire team and a copy of the interview.

No appointments, No disappointments

Traditional at heart, yet modern in her views and outlook, Vasudharini Srinivasan is a shining example of a successful senior leader. She started her career as a Senior Systems Analyst at Mascot Systems and quickly rose through the ranks due to her innovative problem-solving capabilities and financial acumen. As part of her accomplishments, she has been instrumental in taking a new age internet service company through the CMM certification journey, she has led the PMO and Quality function followed by heading the Stores IT delivery organization at Tesco. She is a warm and caring person with a no-nonsense attitude and is happily married with two children aged 15 and 12 years. Here are some excerpts from an interview with her.

 Name few qualities which you think is able to help you get to the current level?

 Execution - Being a hands on technical person helps to lead a technical organization in the right path and ensures that leadership is execution focused;

Empathy - having a true connect with people ensures growth and a high level of retention.

Balance – knowing when to dive into the details and when to get the strategic outlay are a few of the key leadership qualities.

 How do you balance your various roles?

My mantra is, “Outsource everything except being a mother and a wife:-)” Basically, build strong support structures which can complete tasks and provide the time for you to focus on things that you need to complete. I love cooking, and it helps me de-stress, and so does spending time with my children and elders in the family. I believe in working smart to produce results and expect no less from my teams.

 What keeps you going in tough times?

I love humor. That is the most effective therapy during any tough situation. I carry less luggage (hurt, anger, worry, fear) and hence the journey is comfortable and enjoyable. Whenever I hit a rough patch, I tell myself that “this too shall pass” and this helps me to blithely move ahead when all mental weight has been shed.

 What is your view on why there is drastic drop in percentage of women at the top?

I think that the question is whether there is a credible drop in percentages as we climb higher. My answer would be no, because women make their choices and prioritize personal fulfillment over professional success. In the fight between the board room seat and the family hearth, I think the family hearth wins hands down. This is a conscious choice that women are making and there is no element of bias at the top. I think these choices are personal and every woman has to make it consciously. The only advice I would give them is never to allow a guilt gap to overpower or cloud these important career choices.

Be the best you can in what you are, what you do and where you go.  Best Wishes! 

Mrs Vasudharini Srinivasan - Head Stores IT, Tesco HSC