Guiding people to be a better version of themselves. That's what R.M. Vishakha, Managing Director and CEO, IndiaFirst Life Insurance, loves doing as a hobby. On weekends, when most people engage in light activities, she conducts one-on-one sessions with people, and grooms them to be better professionals, all of it pro-bono.
"I have always enjoyed explaining things to people. Had I not been a CEO, I would have been a professor. These coaching sessions help me interact with people and know them better."
Vishakha completed a certification in executive coaching during the lockdown and started conducting sessions for others. "Interacting with people is invigorating. It amazes me how a similar theory or example is absorbed differently by different people."
People always look for an anchor to understand new concepts, she says. "That is how you can make things simpler for them. For example, if you have never heard of upama, you'll struggle to understand what sort of food it is. But if I say namkeen halwa, you'll instantly relate to it."
From a 24-year-old woman to a 65-year-old man, Vishakha has coached them all. "So far, word-of-mouth has led people to me. Before taking someone on board I make sure the person I am coaching is committed to learning. I invest a lot of time in coaching, I do not want my efforts to go waste."
