NR Narayana Murthy, the founder of Indian IT giant Infosys and currently the Chairman of Catamaran Ventures, shared anecdotes from his life while speaking at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) over the weekend.
Murthy said that he feels bad that he did not invite his mother to visit Infosys early on in life. He said, “Feel bad that I invited my mother to visit Infosys only when she was dying.”
The Infosys founder also spoke about what a corporate leader’s motivation in life should be.
“I have learned this from Mahatma Gandhi. He believed that whenever you take a decision, think of the poor people who will get affected by that decision,” Murthy said.
Adding to that, Murthy also highlighted how wealth-sharing can work as a powerful motivation tool. He said, “I used to take only 1/10th of my salary and give 20 per cent extra to junior colleagues. This is leading by example and instilling a sense of responsibility among the team.”
Furthermore, he also explained that ‘humility’ is one of the most desired qualities in a top executive.
“There were people smarter than me in my college and later in my industry, but humility is something that helped me soar in my career. Always have your feet on the ground,” he said by using himself as an example.
While addressing the students and the faculty members at IIMA, one of India’s premier management institutes, Murthy also highlighted that the students should consult the faculty to become better leaders.
“Faculty members can also help CEOs in building a better company,” he added.