An interesting phenomenon of being a leader in any organization is, your style is not only observed by your own people, but you might be very easily making an impression on your peers in the industry. Submerged in the many hats you wear every day, it is easy to forget your behavior, reaction, perception and most importantly communication is shaping your team and organization’s culture.

While you may think it is ‘the big names’ whose leadership styles are made into case studies, it is your peers in other firms who are trying to decode the good, bad and ugly of your management ways.

I have been lucky enough to meet quite a few insightful leaders in the past few months. These dynamic personalities are quick to observe the people processes of various companies in their industry. The common thread of our discussion has been how HR and business leaders are influencing the culture of their as well as competitor’s organizations. I must add, these are never generic discussions, but deep analysis of roles, structure, psychology, etc. The mere energy exhibited by these observant leaders to understand changing forces at work, and the need to explore methods for a better outcome shows one can no longer be too complacent to change with the evolving business needs.

This is an incredible opportunity to learn.

Companies often conduct Leadership Workshops with the purpose of drawing bigger goals, address conflicts, and to bring influx of ideas. This is needed for every organization’s growth, however, such meets would still have homogeneity in approach because employees are tuned into certain norms within the organization. Such interventions are productive as a group, nevertheless to grow as an individual one needs to broaden the horizon and be vulnerable to learn from others who are steering different businesses.

Hence, finding out opportunities to connect with other HR leaders, business owners, department heads, etc. is critical to advance in growth path. This isn’t restricted to corporate driven conference meets or networking events. Online forums are great ways to exchange ideas, and we need more Indian leaders present there, brainstorming and sharing insights.

The business scenario in India is very different today. Millennials and Gen Zs represent a major force in talent and business today. Yet organizations are still adapting to engage them. Attracting and retaining the right Talent can be concern for many firms. So is the concern to actively engage the existing Talent Pool. Though every organization’s challenges are unique, nevertheless if this is your area of concern, entering in a meaningful dialogue with the likes in the industry can lead to creative solution.

In the world where competitions are transforming to collaboration, it only make sense to break down all walls to communicate with our peers across the nation.