I’m Apurva Purohit, President of the Jagran Group, and this is how I Lead from Within
President of the Jagran Group, one of India’s largest multi-media conglomerates, Apurva Purohit is an inspiring, powerful leader – difficult to resist or defeat. With over three decades of stellar experience in the media and entertainment industry, she has been named one of the Most Powerful Women in Business by the India Today Group and Fortune India. Embodying values of authenticity, inclusivity and hard work, Purohit is a leader to learn from – and admire – everything one can.
Preparing to Lead
The grounding that my parents gave me is, largely, what has shaped me into the leader that I am today. My father was a government servant. We lived in government colonies across the country where families from different states and cultures also resided. So, I grew up with an innate sense of inclusivity. I did not make or understand distinctions when someone was a Gujarati, Tamilian or Bengali – we were all human beings. There was a huge multicultural influence in my childhood, which, today, helps me run 39 radio stations with offices across India. I’m as comfortable working with my Bangalore station as I am working with the station in Chennai or Delhi. Given the segregation, divide and narrow mindedness in the country today, I feel fortunate to have grown up in that environment. It made me inclusive and understanding of different points of view – qualities that I believe make me a better leader.
Another foundational, defining experience was studying at IIM, Bangalore where I got to interact with management students of a very high caliber. That instilled in me a certain kind of competitiveness, which if seen positively is a great trait to possess because it pushes you to become the best version of yourself. Competition used rightly, I realise, is an effective driver for success.
Skills for a Multi-role Professional
> Working hard: I am extremely hardworking even at this age. I see enough people around me who are either coasting or doing 50-70 percent of the work that I do. That won’t cut it. You have to put in the drudge hours. Hard work is critical input if you want anything out of life, especially if you’re juggling multiple professional roles.
> Being ruthlessly efficient: I hate wasting time. I keep things in their place so I don’t have to waste time looking for them when I need them. I utilise my hours on a plane – I wrote three quarters of my book on a flight. I read a book in my free time. I don’t do wasteful things that bring down my efficiency.
> Prioritising: I cut through the crap especially when it comes to social events. I don’t go to parties because I don’t enjoy them. I have a few dear friends who I like to spend time with but other than meeting them, I don’t oblige for the sake of networking or being seen as a good family member.
My Core Values
> Authenticity: I spend a lot of time getting to know my authentic self better. To me, pretending to be someone I’m not is the most stressful situation. It bothers me to be even the slightest bit fake. I have accepted that I can’t please everyone; I’d rather have a few people like me for who I am instead of everyone liking me for someone I’m not.
> Tough love: this is not just a personal value but something that I’ve incorporated in our organisation too. It simply means that as managers and leaders we have to have the best interests of the people we work with at heart. Running an organisation is like parenting; we love our children but we also discipline them and teach them how to be a good human being. Similarly, in an organisation, it is the responsibility of the leaders to make better professionals out of their juniors – this is where toughness is needed.
> Change maker: it is important for me to make a difference wherever I go – whether that’s at the organisation level or individual level. We are born to make a difference to the lives of the people around us – our families, communities, organisations. I believe it is my solemn duty to extend a helping hand if someone reaches out to me.
My Superpowers
> Abounding positive energy: Irrespective of where I go – to a boardroom, conference or event – I can charge a room full of people with my energy. I’ve seen managers who enter a room with so much inertia in them that they bring down the energy of the entire team. Leaders must understand that their energy can be a success driver for their team and organisation; it needs to be abundant and positive.
> Being an inspirational communicator: I truly believe that I inspire people with my words and stories, whether I’m speaking to them individually or addressing a group.
> Ability to simplify complexity: I can sift through noise and reach the crux of a problem or strategy very quickly, which helps me find solutions and implement strategies without wasting time. This is a huge reason for why my businesses have done well.
No Role Models for Me
I’ve always thought that the best way to figure things out is through experience and reflection. Observe what’s happening around you. Observe what people are doing right and what they are doing wrong. Read. I believe that who I am today is a result of a lot of personal learning and introspection rather than looking at another human being as a role model.
Women for Women
An organisation may have appreciable diversity policies and maternity benefits but the single most important reason why women stay in the workforce and aspire for higher roles is when they see real-life role models around them. Enough senior women in the organisation implies that it is a safe workplace, which doesn’t have a bias against women and where women can grow. Seeing women in senior positions makes younger women professionals feel that they can achieve those heights too.
Unfortunately, a lot of senior women are either not visible as role models or not proud to be a ‘woman’ leader. They think that their success is being tarnished – that people will think that these women received special benefits for being a woman and, hence, are where they are. But if you have faith in yourself and know that you’ve achieved success on the foundation of your own skills and talent, then there is nothing to be embarrassed about. If you are not willing to be seen as a role model, you’re doing a disservice to the women around you. It is your duty to be visible.
As a role model, be humble and relatable. Women role models are few and far in between, and most of them portray themselves to be special and flawless. This is counterproductive. Instead, share your truth with other women. Tell them that you are just like them because you are! You have similar issues, aspirations and expectations. Remind them that if you can do it, they can do it too.
Advice to Young Women
> Work hard: you cannot run away from hard work whether you’re 20, 40 or 60. Or whether you are an entrepreneur, corporate executive, tarot card reader or a homemaker. Put in the hours and work; it is necessary and extremely rewarding.
> Constantly improve yourself: be it a personal hobby or a skill at work, strive for constant improvement. Work on it little by little every day. Do more of it, do it better than before, do it longer than before.
> Constantly move the goal post: especially for the roles that you aspire for in your professional careers. This is not about being greedy or ambitious, it is about growing continually. And to succeed, you need to keep moving your goal post forward.
> Be aware of unconscious biases: there are unconscious biases around us as well as in our minds. And it’s the latter that is more dangerous. A lot of women think that they can either be a successful executive or have a happy family. Or they can do well in HR but not in finance. Or that they should not ask for a raise because they will seem greedy. Beware of allowing yourself and others to box you into stereotypes.
