Sabyasachi Goswami: Leadership based on decisive actions
Selected as WCRCLEADERS, India’s Most Trusted Business Leaders 2020, Sabyasachi Goswami of Perfios has driven growth with decisive actions and values
In conversation with Sabyasachi Goswami, Chief Business Officer, Perfios
Years of working in the industry, your contribution reflects versatility and volubility. What has influenced your decision making process at various stages?
Each stage requires a different decision-making process. However, the common trait is adhering to the basic value. The growth and success is dependent upon action and thus need to demonstrate decisive actions help all stakeholders derive value.
A project or an accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career?
I believe that the most significant accomplishment is the growth of Perfios that we have seen over the last few years. Perfios is now being implemented by over 250 + Financial Institutions worldwide. Perfios has grown to serve a trusted customer base of more than 50 million individuals and has become synonym to the category itself for real time decisioning and analysis for credit underwriting.
To accomplish this, it was required to onboard people who have the potential to become strong team players, thereby creating a web of efficient teams who work closely with each other in attaining the common goals of Perfios. We now plan on expanding to even more geographies globally.
How do you integrate corporate philanthropy or corporate social responsibility as a part of your business strategies?
We have been actively working towards upliftment of women through workshops promoting Women’s healthcare and creating a safe and open environment. We host various sessions on the pressing issues of menstrual hygiene and childbirth complications that prevail in India, among the underprivileged communities. While serving the larger global cause of education, potentially, these activities can also help in getting right set of our next generation employees!
What has been your driving force or philosophy in life?
At every stage of one’s life, there are certain goals and duties set out. The primary objective is to perform activities that will help in achieving these goals. A lot can be achieved if one can work as if everything depends on him. I strongly believe in the quote that “The only way to do great work is to love what you do”.
What are the other philanthropic works you are involved in?
The other area of focus has been to reach out to underprivileged kids through NGOs, where we have distributed cycles to those who walked a long distance to reach their school every day. We also spend a day every alternate month in a rural school teaching, serving/organizing lunch; provide them with books, bags, stationeries, etc.
How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?
At each stage of your journey, the definition of success changes. However, at each stage, as long as the set-out goals and objectives are met and provides value to all the stakeholders, I would consider that as success. Success for me is a good night sleep after a hard day’s work.
We are constantly making things better, faster, smarter or less expensive. In other words, we strive to do more with less. Tell me about a recent project or solution to a problem that you have made better, faster, smarter or less expensive?
Our tech platform and its solutions have made the entire credit decisioning process faster, cheaper, and smarter for both our customers and their customers. Manual activities at Financial Institutions have were replaced completely using our analytics platform. As a result, decision making, which earlier took weeks, even months was now done in real-time with much more accuracy.
In your opinion what is the most significant aspect of leadership?
The ability to convince, motivate and lead a team to align with your stated goals and vision and getting them executed Encourage personal growth and mentor the team. Make suggestions that will enrich their own personal development outside of the organization also.
As a leader, which organisational function are you most inclined to and why? Is it Marketing and Sales, Workplace Culture, Product development, Finance and Accounting, Training and Development, Business Development or any other function.
Marketing and Sales – It provides the opportunity to interact with customers and offer solutions that bring about change in the way technology can be used for decision making. This function plays a key role in the building loyalty and trust between customers and business. All business planning begins and ends with Marketing & Sales forecasts.
Key driving factors that make you a successful task master and an empathetic leader.
Ability to contribute significantly, People skills, ability to understand the teams’ viewpoint and in turn helping them achieve their goals. Over a cup of coffee in a café, speak with team members one on one to strengthen the personal connect, (not a review type) and to understand whats happening in their accounts and if need be provide my views and ideas that can give some direction to the team members. Asking them for their advice and/or views pertaining to anything at work. This brings in a feeling of empowerment and sense of belonging. Acting on some of their suggestions and closing the feedback loop by action has proven very impactful.
How do you create balance between target creations, achievements and an effective workplace culture and motivation.
It is important to our organization that each employee stays motivated to achieve their targets, as only then the organization as a whole is able to achieve its overall goals.
The management at Perfios does not set anyone up for failures. Targets are realistic but aggressive, so employees feel secure and motivated towards the company’s vision and mission. Some of the other methods of motivation used include:
- Set Meaningful Goals
Each employee has a set of goals which are related to the organization’s overall goals. Employees are informed about their individual goals, as well as the management’s goals.
- Develop future leaders from within
As our brand grows we will need additional leaders to step up. Giving every member of our team the ability to move into those roles by empowering them to make decisions, both right and wrong.
- Be accessible:
Part of being a leader involves being there for the team. If they have a question or need our advice, I make sure that I make it easy for them to access me anytime.
- Provide Constructive Feedback
We strongly believe in sharing feedback. Feedback is given to employees not only when the employees’ work needs improvement but also when they are performing well. Constant and constructive feedback makes the employees aware of their strengths and their areas of improvement.
- Encourage New Ideas
Employees are encouraged to brainstorm and ideate. Opinions and ideas are shared in an open forum which includes not only their own team members but also seniors from the management
PERSONAL GRID
One thing you wish to change and one thing you wish to retain about your industry?
We have seen that the financial industry is still slow to adopt the latest technologies. There is a reluctance to change the existing process and utilize the latest technologies which will enable organizations to become more efficient.
One thing to retain is the amount of regulation and compliance present in the industry. This is crucial to safeguard our customers from any setbacks.
One thing you have to let go off as an entrepreneur/leader?
Sometimes we might have the drive to be individual contributors, but this should take a backseat when we become leaders and we must delegate the tasks and responsibilities amongst the team members.
Who do you owe your success to?
The team. The team that refines and translates the vision into action and execution
Best thing about your job?
Perpetual learning, new technology advancements happening around that will change our life completely
A message from you to all the future entrepreneurs/leaders?
Growth and success is dependent upon action. Procrastination will slow us. If we demonstrate decisive actions our team will develop the same decision-making skills.
