Inspired Execution: AT&T Business EVP of Customer Service and Operations Sorabh Saxena talks about his 25 year journey with AT&T, how his early exposure to diversity is key to his growth and drive for innovation, as well as inspiring his team.
In this week’s installment of the Inspired Execution podcast, DataStax Chairman and CEO Chet Kapoor sits down with Sorabh Saxena, AT&T Business EVP of Customer Service and Operations.
Join Chet and Sorabh as they talk about:
- What it was like for Sorabh to grow up in India during the 1970s and 1980s
- Sorabh’s three key takeaways that he carries with him every day
- Why Sorabh believes that leaders can only inspire high performance—not demand it—and what they need to do to accomplish that
- The important role both data and the cloud play in AT&T’s digital transformation
- His three M’s of inspiration — Michael Jordan, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King
- Sorabh’s advice to his younger self
Growing up in India during the 1970s and 1980s gave Sorabh the diverse perspective he believes is necessary when it comes to enjoying a successful career.
“Thanks to my upbringing, I developed a deep seated belief early on that everyone is equal and everyone has equal potential. I like to look for the light within every individual, and that requires becoming a lifelong learner.”
If you’re still trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up, Sorabh advises you to follow your bliss.
“Developing people is a passion of mine. I'd say whatever you're passionate about actually comes easy and you have to tap into that. For me, keeping up with technology, engineering and solving multi-dimensional, multi-variant problems is what I enjoy. So, I don't know if it comes easy, but when you enjoy it, it just makes it look easy.”
All leaders focus on results. Smart leaders understand that you can’t wave a magic wand and get results; you need to inspire your team to get results on your behalf.
“The number one job of a leader, if I may say so, is to align teams in collective vectors of genius, because you can only inspire high performance. You cannot demand it.”
One of the main reasons digital transformation efforts fail is because organizations don’t think about digital transformation the right way.
“I love the juxtaposition of those two because transformation is a series of well executed, wave-like motions that result in a new mode of operation. You must have a transformation engine, in my opinion, running in perpetuity.”
Success in today’s business world starts with cultivating a collaborative environment and getting everyone to chip in.
“Democratize innovation. The ivory tower model doesn't work. So you have to engage the hearts and minds of everyone.”
Listen to this episode of Inspired Execution to learn more about what Sorabh has learned over his 25-year career at AT&T, the important role underlying values and principles plays in business success, how to inspire teams to reach their full potential, and why you should follow your passion.
The story behind “Inspired Execution”
Interested in learning more about the genesis of the Inspired Execution podcast?
Remember to listen to previous episodes of Inspired Execution with:
- FedEx CIO Rob Carter on Delivering the Total Package: How FedEx CIO, Rob Carter Continues to Lead The Industry
- Home Depot’s Fahim Siddiqui on Our Front Door is Our Mobile App
- Banco Santander’s Chief Platform Officer Aiaz Kazi on The Journey to Nirvana: Becoming a Platform Enterprise
- T-Mobile CIO Cody Sanford on The Secret to 20+ Years of Innovation: Always Put the Customer First
- Jackson CIO Dev Ganguly on Going from 0 to 100 in 90 Days
- Nordstrom CTO Edmond Mesrobian on Fashion Starts with Digital Transformation: Being a Change Agent
Also, check out Episode 0 to hear DataStax Chairman and CEO Chet Kapoor speak to what inspired the series and what listeners can expect from his interviews with CIOs and tech leaders from the world’s top enterprises.
The podcast series is available on InspiredExecution.com, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
