Cyrus Mistry, the former Chairman of the Tata Group, was an exceptional leader with a brilliant mind, and a wonderful heart. He was modest to a fault, sincere, humble, charming, and a beacon of integrity. His acute business acumen, clarity of thought, diligence, keen listening, and ability to mine collective wisdom were a hallmark of his leadership style.
He had the gift of asking simple but profound questions, rather than instructing others. When he hired me to be the Group CHRO, and a member of the Group Executive Council, I had the terrific privilege of working closely with Cyrus for four years, during his tenure at the Tata Group.
Cyrus envisioned that “by 2025, 25 percent of the world’s population will experience the Tata commitment to improving the quality of life of customers and communities.” He believed that making this vision come true rests on enhancing the quality of life of our employees. He truly believed that the vision for our future must be co-created, and, more importantly, it must be a vision shared by every employee. He had a strong focus on corporate governance, and added 60 CEOs/CXOs across group companies, and 40 independent directors, paving the way for a robust future.
On diversity and inclusion, Cyrus encouraged us go beyond just a policy framework, and focus on a long-term philosophy. When presented with a path-breaking set of women-centric policies, built on the needs of women employees across their life stages, he gave a go ahead saying the need supersedes cost considerations.
On Tata Group’s commitment to affirmative action, Cyrus spoke of the 300 million out there, who are socially deprived, impoverished, and uneducated, highlighting the onerous responsibility we had, in doing our bit. During his tenure, the group received a national award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for serving the underprivileged and underserved.
Cyrus had a humane and thoughtful side to him that was palpable. Early in my tenure, he called me to discuss how we need to manage separation, where necessary. He shared that while contexts vary, one must always remember that there is a family behind every employee, and we must show dignity, respect, and compassion in the way we treat anyone. While he was swift in supporting a separation on account of integrity lapses, if proven beyond doubt, he would also be slow in accepting a performance-based decision, till he ascertained that enough opportunities were provided to improve.
Cyrus envisioned a remarkable strategy roadmap for the group, one that reflected his brilliant mind, and deep understanding of business dynamics, the environment, and future trends. This playbook is a legacy he left behind a lot of which have been successfully adopted later.
I recall a message that Cyrus shared with me referring to the formative years and what he learnt, when his father passed away a few months ago. “When I returned from university in 1991 and joined the family business, Dad empowered me, guided me encouraged me, but never instructed me. Again, I was privileged to work in an environment where challenges become puzzles to solve, work became the fulfilment of passion. Along this journey, my father was my sounding board, and my safety net.” Cyrus brought this approach to work, and life when he steered the group.
Cyrus had a fine sense of humour, and could laugh at himself. His own jokes were subtle, but he would chortle with great abandon, when something funny was shared. He was an avid reader, and a keen learner. He was an amazing host, and a connoisseur of food. Since we parted from the Tata group, I stayed in regular touch, met him many a times, and exchanged messages almost every fortnight. I have been lucky to have him as my boss and friend. Cyrus leaving us so suddenly is a deep personal loss for me.
Cyrus equanimity in facing difficult situations and complex challenges, reminds me of what Martin Luther King Jr once observed: ´The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”.
Cyrus always showed the courage to stand tall amidst adversity, and firmly believed that truth will prevail. He has bid goodbye, but his legacy lives on.
NS Rajan is former Group Chief Human Resources Officer, and former member of the Group Executive Council, Tata Sons, and is a member of the Board of Governors at XLRI. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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