Inspiring lessons from the ‘Father of the Indian IT sector’- Narayana Murthy

“I believe that we have all at some time eaten the fruit from trees that we did not plant. In the fullness of time, when it is our turn to give, it behoves us in turn to plant gardens that we may never eat the fruit of, which will largely benefit generations to come. I believe this is our sacred responsibility, one that I hope you will shoulder in time.” – Narayana Murthy

Image credits: www.infosys.com

In India, Information Technology wouldn’t be what it is today without NR Narayana Murthy. Murthy is the chief Founder of Infosys Technologies Ltd, the first Indian company to be listed on the NASDAQ. Infosys also became the first listed Indian company with an annual revenue of $1 billion. He has been the recipient of many prestigious awards like the Padma Vibushan and the Padma Shri. Blessed with a brilliant mind and acute business sense, he has successfully led key corporate governance initiatives in India, and his lessons have often been sought after by leaders and managers throughout the globe.

Here are a few inspiring lessons from the Father of the Indian IT sector.

Respect transparency

Murthy often says, “When in doubt disclose.” Murthy always stands by being open and transparent. According to him, “The leader has to create an environment where each person feels secure enough to be able to disclose his or her mistakes, and resolves to improve,” as stated in Renu Saran’s book, Narayana Murthy and the Legend of Infosys.

Be generous

After the IPO, Infosys decided to share a portion of its equity with employees. This helped them retain talent and gave employees a sense of ownership. Murthy is proud of having given away stocks worth over Rs 50,000 crore to employees.

Global benchmarking

Narayana Murthy believes that global benchmarking helps serve the customer better. It also helps in competing with the best. Once you realise what can be measured and controlled, you know what can be improved.

Values

He describes a superior organisation as one where employees at all levels are driven by values and no employee is high or important enough to put up with non-compliance. Compliance to a value system creates an environment for people to have high aspirations, high self-esteem, a strong belief in fundamental values, confidence in the future, and the enthusiasm necessary to take up difficult tasks.

Embrace simplicity

To this day, Narayana Murthy lives a simple life and has a middle-class house. He has always been accessible to people around him. Murthy is known to be frugal with money. However, he does not compromise on buying books or brushing up on literature.

Keep learning

Narayana Murthy encourages learning and encourages the youth to learn by constantly investing in training, development, and building facilities. He has always been keen on nurturing the younger generation, and welcomes young talent.

Aren’t these absolute pearls of wisdom?