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Mapping New Directions

She has trekked her way to the top, with nothing more than a backpack of dreams and a survivor’s kit of well-honed skills and innate intelligence. She has a bucket-list of places to see and things to do. Always looking for new roads and avenues that are off the beaten track, Liane Ghosh is an example of a new-age woman whose journeys are inward, outward and always forward. Tanned and refreshed from her recent jaunt to the Valley of Flowers, Liane is already planning her next adventure. That sums up the life of this passionate traveller who sees life as an act of discovery and adventure. As Head of Innovatia India (Asia), a Canadian organisation that delivers Documentation Solutions for technical products and services worldwide, Liane is responsible for setting up and consolidating the business in India. Leaving behind a trail of success stories and achievements, across organisations and domains, Liane is an inspiration to all who believe in Henry Miller’s statement that “One’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things.” Liane exemplifies it through her life’s journey.

Your profile is extraordinary: a graduate with majors in English Literature and Psychology, you now head an organisation that provides end-to-end technical solutions. How did you make this unusual transition?

LIANE When I was in college I was laid back and didn’t really look at mapping a career but was focusing on getting a job which would help me become financially independent. Once I did that, I realised that I could do more and be more.

I also discovered I was quick at learning new things, even though I didn’t have the necessary foundation or background. I wasn’t diffident about technology; in fact, I was comfortable with it and saw that that was where my future was. In many ways knowledge is power, and that realisation made me embrace whatever information and skills had relevance to the industry. I decided to join the fray and put my mind to be the best.

Your professional path has taken you from service and support to strategy, not only as you moved across organisations and domains but also vertically in terms of roles and responsibilities. How did that happen?

LIANE I played to my key strengths and demonstrated my abilities in each organisation and role. I kept looking for opportunities to pick up new skills and acquire knowledge that was current and relevant to the business. I also took the initiative to qualify myself in each new role.

For example I realised that quality is a key factor in every business, so decided to earn a Six Sigma Black belt certification that made me more credible in my role.

I took it one step at a time and now, when I look back, all those aspects of business shaped my perspective. I started as a Technical support specialist, moved to quality, then to Operations, Information development and finally to Strategy. All these roles enlarged my vision as a professional.

Why was it so important ‘to do more and be more’ and when did that motivation kick in?

LIANE In my first job I was very casual. I was straight out of college and earning my bread; enjoying my independence was on the top of my agenda. It didn’t take very long for me to gain visibility. I realised then that I was a smart worker and could lead people. The realisation that I could achieve so much so soon, with very little effort, and that I could be more, prompted me to consider a career in management.

Success itself is a great motivator. Money was no longer a concern and with each recognition and promotion I became more confident, took greater risks and worked harder, to fulfil an inner urge to be empowered and add value to each role and each team I worked with. Each small success is a trigger to launch you forward, and for me each new role and responsibility was a step up to discovering my strengths, developing new skills and using them pro-actively.

In your last job at Dell, you grew rapidly, winning accolades and recognitions, awards and positions. You were placed in the Champions quadrant based on direct reports and surveys; you have won awards such as Manager of the Year, Business Excellence Award, Product Group Revolutionary Award and received the Dell Innoval for of the Year Award from Michael Dell as recently as 2012. Would you call these milestones defining moments in your professional path? 

LIANE Yes, they are milestones, but they are only significant in that my work is recognised and appreciated. They launched me on a global platform. The awards don’t mean I have reached the zenith of my performance.

Somewhere along the line, I realized that my individual success no longer mattered as much as adding value to the things I do and the people I lead. Whether it was motivating someone at the bottom of the heap or showing the way to a novice or sharing the burden with my boss, growth meant taking people along with me. You can never do it alone, it’s people who carry you forward.

These awards only showed me how fortunate I have been to work with people who have backed me all along. I have been fortunate to have had inspiring mentors, managers who were fair and exemplary and colleagues who supported me in my roles.

You are now at the helm of Innovatia India. How did this fortuitous situation come about and what are the challenges ahead? 

LIANE A tip off from a former boss made me consider the possibility. I was happy but I felt I was ready for a change or rather for a role that life had been preparing me for. Many conversations later and a rather unconventional interview at JFK airport, New York, while I was on a business trip (with my manager at the time), consolidated the appointment.

In 2 months time, I was setting up the India operations from scratch which meant finding a place, putting a team together and training them in processes.

My current goal is to make Innovatia the Number 1 specialist in Documentation solutions in India.

You were recently featured in The Economic Times as a success story of Executive management programmes. Why did you decide to qualify yourself with a management degree at this juncture of your career? 

LIANE There is no end to learning. I realized the need for a formal qualification in management, and this programme was tailor-made for experienced executives. It would enhance my market worth and put me in the running for a leadership position in business excellence, which is where I saw myself adding greatest value.

It was a tough decision to make as it meant being away from home. It called for a huge investment and was a daunting challenge, as I was going to a reputed B-school which set high expectations. My husband supported my decision as he saw it meant a lot to me.

The course completely changed my perspective, gave me loads of confidence and helped me to know I could hold my own in a crowd of highly motivated and accomplished people. In the final simulation- assessment module, I ranked 5th out of a class of 50 and that was one of the high points of my life. It showed me that it’s possible to achieve your goals if you have the will and make the effort.

Growing up, you faced emotionally challenging situations. You were brought up singlehandedly by your mother, a school teacher. How did those tough times shape your identity?

LIANE They were emotionally tough times as I watched my mother work hard to raise three children on her own, but they taught me valuable life lessons of doing more with less and learning to survive against all odds.

Fortunately, we had an extended family of aunts and uncles, mostly single. Mum packed us off every summer to the family home in Kolar, where they spoilt us and made up for everything. I grew up believing that women can manage everything from bringing home the bread to paying the bills and, of course, picking up where everyone leaves off at the end of the day. While I was still young, I learned to stretch, to make do and manage a home independently.

At home, my husband happily relinquishes the reins of home manager to me. I’m glad I had simple but highly resourceful and independent women like my mother and grandmother to watch and learn from, as they made me sensible and practical.

Your marriage is inter-faith and inter-cultural as well. How did you make the differences work for you?

LIANE I met Arnab, an architect, through a chance meeting with friends and we instantly hit it off. We enjoyed each other’s company and I think I was ready for his calm and laid back attitude. Initially my mother was upset that I was marrying someone of another faith but she finally came around. Just as much as I have made adjustments, so has Arnab. My in-laws live in the flat below us, and both our families share an easy relationship.

At the end of the day we are comfortable with each other. Arnab encourages me to pursue my passion. An indulgent and caring husband, he often accompanies me on breaks. Though our ideas of holidays are different, we compromise. We share a common love for good food and one of our weekend pastimes is to find a new restaurant. We are both foodies; he loves to cook and I love to eat. He is house-proud while I manage the nitty-gritties. Couldn’t have worked out better!!

2002 was a life-changing year for you. You married Arnab and you lost your brother Geoffrey tragically in the same year. How did you deal with those life- changing events?

LIANE I was hardly past the honeymoon stage, when my brother met with an accident and slipped into a coma. I was numb with shock. I was very close to my brother. Geoffrey and I were just 10 months apart and like peas in a pod. He was my closest friend and confidante and, above all, the one who championed my every cause. I watched my mother sit by him as he died a little each day, and that had a profound effect on both Arnab and me.

My in-laws were very supportive, particularly my father-in-law who would come in every day and relieve my mother or me. I grieved and wouldn’t talk about my brother for years, as I threw myself into work and being my mother’s support system.

It sometimes takes a personal tragedy to make you conscious of people you often take for granted. Life can change in an instant. and that taught me to value each moment and relationship.

Did this tragedy affect your decision on parenthood? 

LIANE To face that kind of loss as a parent is unimaginable. Initially Arnab and I were numb with shock and pain and so postponed the decision. It seems like we missed that possibility at some point and, much as I would have loved to have children, I’ve filled my life with simple joys and strong familial bonds.

You love travelling and you mentioned that you don’t often walk the beaten path of tourist attractions but take the roads less travelled by. Can you talk about your wanderlust and some memorable experiences?

LIANE It is exciting to go to new places, find out new things and just see the world and all it has to offer. I love the mountains and try to get to at least two destinations a year. I had the privilege of motoring to the Nathula pass, 14,000 feet above sea level, on the Indo – China border, which was part of the Silk Route and I’ve just returned from the Valley of Flowers in Uttarkand. Even on a business trip, I try to take in the cities where I happen to be.

“To travel is to live,” said Hans Christian Andersen, in his autobiography, The Fairy Tale of My Life. How has travel changed your perspectives and broadened your horizons?

LIANE When I was in France, doing my management course, I ventured out to one of the suburbs by the Metro. Before we reached our destination the train ground to a halt, followed by an announcement that there could be a delay of 2–3 hours. So there we were without electricity, a bunch of strangers in a coupe.

A young man started talking to me in French and soon we were communicating in two different languages, but making sense nevertheless. A bottle of wine turned up as did snacks as others joined in. In three hours, we went from being just passengers to becoming travel companions.

We were strangers in the dark, laughing and talking about life and our experiences, without inhibition or reservation, transcending all boundaries. It was an amazing experience.

What else is on your bucket list? 

LIANE My ultimate goal is to establish a retirement home for senior citizens which, while running as a business model, will cater to every need, comfort and amenity that will give the elderly a full and comfortable life.

Besides that, I want to give back. I feel blessed by the many opportunities I have received and by the people who mentored and supported my growth.

I would like to do the same for young professionals with dreams and potential, to make those dreams come true. I would feel truly fulfilled if I could provide career opportunities for at least 500 deserving people. dreams come true. I would feel truly fulfilled if I could provide career opportunities for at least 500 deserving people.

They say all journeys lead to an inner destination. What nurtures your spirit, grounds you, yet inspires you to fly? 

LIANE Growing up, my mother was very strict in our observance of rituals, especially going to church every Sunday. Faith is a very personal thing and I do believe that it is the centre that grounds you and makes you who you are.

After I read ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, I was inspired to follow a simple act of appreciation and faith. Before I turn in, I thank God for ten blessings I have received and ask in faith for things I need. That act of faith keeps me humble and spiritually dependent.

Did you, at times, feel particularly inhibited or conscious of being challenged as a woman in a ‘man’s world’? 

LIANE I was a tomboy and grew up believing that a girl can do anything if she sets her mind to it, so I don’t think I was particularly conscious that I was a woman in a man’s world. I saw myself as a person with courage and gumption to scale heights.

You have to often create opportunities when there are none. It’s important to take charge of all those aspects that make you feel better about yourself.

I struggled with weight issues, being the foodie that I was. My lifestyle made me feel unhealthy. I woke up one morning and didn’t like what I had become. There was no sense in making myself feel like I was the victim. I decided I had to take charge and motivate myself everyday to think positively and to care for myself. Now, I’m fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been in body, mind and spirit.

As a woman who has journeyed to a place of respect and visible success, what message would you like to leave with our readers? 

LIANE It’s important to always be ready for the next big thing and use opportunities that showcase your potential and latent strengths. It’s never too late to learn or grow. If you empower yourself, you can transform the environment you’re in. I have learned through personal experience that life is precious; so seize the moment and don’t postpone acting on your impulses. Life can pass you by.

The coffee in our cups has grown cold but our conversation has warmed our spirits. Seated in her beautiful home, lovingly designed by her husband, I look at this smart young woman basking in the sunlight that drenches the room, and know that Liane has arrived! She has a maturity and calmness that comes from realising that though the road has been long and often hard, every turn in it has only brought fresh fields and pastures new. As I prepare to leave, she already has that faraway look of a traveller dreaming of the next adventure…Bon Voyage, Liane! May the road rise up to meet you!

Dr. Shirley Hereford, Ph.D, who interviewed Liane, is the Director, 2nd Mile Inc., a Learning & Development Consultancy, that provides programmes in leadership and Management skills. She is a freelance writer who has been published in academic journals ,newspapers and periodicals. 

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