The world through new eyes

“I learnt that diversity leads to an explosion of ideas, in turn leading to extraordinary innovation.”

Five years ago, if anyone had told me that I would be working on a joint National Task Force of representatives of industry and non-profits in India led by the Tata Group's chief ethics officer and brand custodian Dr Mukund Rajan, I would have laughed! That would have sounded more bizarre than an attempt to climb Mount Everest!

Five years ago, I was this true blue, dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate, corporate professional, who wore blinkers and knew nothing but the hard-nosed world of business, chasing profits, working with business associates globally with the single objective of increasing revenues and building brands! I hardly knew much of the other two sectors –the not-for-profit sector and the public sector and the work they do. So ensconced was I in the corporate world, with no care for the happenings outside my world.

And then five years ago, the organization I worked for, Titan (part of India’s largest industrial house, the $100bn Tata Group) nominated me for Common Purpose Meridian, the Senior Leaders program. I still recall the first day at the program vividly. There were participants from all three sectors who seemed like a bunch of very interesting people! I went in, (perhaps preening like a peacock), with a “the corporate sector is indeed the best“kind of look! How I was wrong! And how foolish I feel when I think back to that first day!

During the four month Meridian program in Bangalore, I had the most fascinating experience learning about what Julia calls “The Square”in the middle of the city. During that period and after, I learnt so much about my city and my country. We visited places and organisations I did not know existed and engaged with people who were doing work that had great societal impact. My fellow participants were some of the most incredible people I had ever met in my life!

The impact of Common Purpose on me was clearly fivefold:

1. I began to take more of an interest in people who engaged on civic issues and various other issues the city faced. I found myself wanting to learn more about such issues nationally.
2. While faced with challenging issues, my mode of response changed from the earlier “complaining" mode to a “solution" mode. How can I solve this problem, how can I leverage my networks to solve this problem became the refrain post Common Purpose.
3. I found myself automatically “moving beyond my comfort zone” and leveraging my strengths and networks for work that was meaningful. 
4. At work too, I started raising my hand more often for newer learning opportunities and challenging assignments. I started thinking BIG. My mind was not restricted to think local, it would think national and global ever so often! 
5. I became a true believer in the power of cross-pollination which I had studied in my work on innovation because I saw Common Purpose demonstrate it in the real world - how the cross-pollination of ideas from diverse sectors, backgrounds, cultures and disciplines leads to an explosion of ideas leading to extraordinary innovation.

“Breakthrough ideas are almost always “intersectional” and Common Purpose enables intersectionality” - Meera Harish

In five years, I have grown so much. I have done a second Common Purpose program – their maiden Dishaa. My fellow alumni and I have done some work with the prisoners of the Bangalore prison, helped them earn some income with their craft work, and helped a high school kid put together a self esteem program for kids from vulnerable backgrounds in Bangalore etc. I am now on the Board of a mid sized NGO in India – something I would not have even have dreamt of five years back. I have taken part in several Government of India initiatives, all thanks to the impact of Common Purpose.

I now understand the significance of what the Tata Group Founder, Jamsetji Tata, said: In a free enterprise, the community is not just another stakeholder in business, but is in fact the very purpose of its existence.

The dyed-in-the-wool, inveterate, corporate professional has been truly transformed! Thank you Common Purpose!