A Chance Encounter
Earlier this year I was staying in a rental apartment in Bangalore, and I needed a handyman. A kind neighbor helped me track one down.
Nandini Chawla, CEO of T V Rao Learning Systems
We got to talking — and right away I realized I was standing next to someone who had spent decades building leaders, running 360 feedback programs, and coaching senior executives across some of the biggest organizations in the world! What a treat!
That neighbor was Nandini Chawla, CEO of TV Rao Learning Systems. So, I basically said: you have to come on my podcast! And, she did.
Inescapable AI & The Importance of Humanity
We got to talking about AI — because of course we did, it's inescapable right now — and I asked Nandini what she thought it was doing to leadership. Whether things were getting better or worse.
Her answer was not what I expected.
She didn't talk about digital skills or learning agility or any of the things you'd expect from someone in her field. She said: I think we need to go back to basics. And the most basic of all is — how can we be more human?
Gif by balazsvarga on Giphy
It hit me because I think a lot of us have been framing the AI conversation backwards. We're asking "how do leaders keep up with technology?" when maybe the better question is "what human qualities are irreplaceable in this technology age?"
The answer Nandini has identified, after 25 years of developing leaders up close, is: the moments when someone genuinely sees another person. Those moments of interpersonal connection are what moves the business forward. The new ideas born of sharing and collaboration cannot be overstated.
Quantifying Gratitude
Nandini’s firm has started embedding gratitude into its 360-degree feedback tools as an actual measured dimension of workplace performance.
Because, as she said, if you want something to become a habit in an organization, you have to embed it into the systems. Then, once gratitude is measurable, it can be expanded and improved.
I love that. It's so simple and so smart. Gratitude as fundamental. Measurable. Elevated. Important.
Listen for More Insights
There's a lot more in the full episode — from Nandini’s own journey from engineering student to CEO (via sales, marketing, and a very wise mentor named Dr. Gopal), what most organizations get wrong about 360 feedback, and the two daily habits she thinks every leader needs.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the Mindful Momentum Leadership Podcast — find it on YouTube, Apple or wherever you listen.
Listen to our conversation here!
👉 Learn more about Nandini Chawla and T V Rao Learning Systems or Perfect Professional.