Leadership Lecture by Mr. Rakesh Godwani

Introduction

• Professor Rakesh Godwani from IIM Bangalore
• Author of multiple books
• Teaches various programs including PGP1 and 2, PGPM, PGP EM, and executive education programs

Icebreaker

• Interaction with audience from various colleges

Professor's Journey

• From Jodhpur, Rajasthan; family of doctors
• Decided against becoming a doctor; initially wanted to be a chef, then an engineer
• Education journey led him to REC Trichy for computer engineering
• Placement challenges and unique interview at Wipro

Career Path

• Worked with Intel and Qualcomm; took a teaching role at IIMB
• Decision to follow passion for teaching
• Emphasized the importance of communication and shared the turning point in his career

Six Key Messages for a Better Career

1. Collect Knowledge, Not Marks

• Depth of knowledge is more valuable than high marks
• Practical example from his reunion - no correlation between marks and life success

2. Collect Skills, Not Degrees

• Importance of practical skills over just holding degrees
• Story of Padman and Vedic village illustration

3. Collect Friends, Not Followers

• Genuine friendships are crucial, not just social media followers
• Shared a personal anecdote about a friend who valued experiences over material wealth

4. Collect Health, Not Wealth

• Focus on maintaining health while pursuing goals
• Health wanes with age; invest in it early on

5. Collect Experiences, Not Rewards

• Emphasize experiences over accolades
• Story of Dashrath Manji (Mountain Man) illustrating perseverance

6. Collect Your Purpose, Not Your Position

• Finding and following your true passion is more important than titles and positions
• Reference to movies like 'Kung Fu Panda' and 'Tamasha'

Q&A Session Highlights

• Change in educational and corporate systems takes time; importance of small individual contributions
• Encouraged joining and changing the system from within
• Discussed how to identify and follow one's purpose
• Suggestion to engage with faculty and learn from their experiences
• Shared personal preferences for books and movies
• Importance of genuine self-recognition over external validation (LinkedIn 'Nobody' title)

Closing Remarks

• Focus on finding and following one's purpose
• Expressed gratitude and wished success to the audience