By Yasmin Pascual Khalil
Whether it is Satya Nadella, the latest Indian-born Microsoft CEO making headlines or past managers from leading companies like Pepsi, Deutsche Bank, Adobe Systems, Diageo, MasterCard, and more, India has always had a pool of potential leaders. Most managers of Indian heritage have had the same educational background, graduating from US or UK universities not to exclude their Indian schools. They’re all in their late 40s and early 50s, with most of them having a solid management experience starting out in India, and later working for global corporations abroad.
According to a study conducted at the Southern New Hampshire University in 2007 that focused on drawing comparisons between Indian managers to US ones, South Asians were found to be more humble and inclined towards building meaningful relationships. This comes with no surprise as Nadella’s first email as chief executive to Microsoft employees started with: “This is a very humbling day for me.”
What makes Nadella so relatable to us is his journey, which can never be compared to that of Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. He studied at normal schools and colleges, worked hard to get to the top of the ladder on his own and most importantly, hasn’t changed; he still is a friendly and humble guy. Ganesh Prasad, a former classmate of Nadella was quoted saying, “I remember asking him about what’s ahead; he wanted to get involved in marketing at a software company—namely Microsoft. His goal was so clear at that time,” and until today, “When you go to talk to him, you leave feeling great,”
Today, many families of Indian-origin are thriving abroad. A 2012 report from Pew Research Centre, confirmed that the median annual income for Indian Americans was $88,000 (£52,587) a lot higher in comparison to Asian Americans with an overall US household median of $49,800 (£29,759).
Many believe that Indian IT professionals have always had an edge over the competition not just because of their proficiency in the English language but mainly due to their work ethics, management style, and the country’s reputation for its booming IT outsourcing business. Another key factor could be the openness of foreign countries like The States in accepting and promoting talent from abroad to rise to the top.
In Nadella’s success, we see the prospect of our own success. He is an ideal role model for young professionals to look up to in today’s world; a true example of how hard work and determination can drive a person to accomplish things which were once thought of as far beyond reach.
