Change is Not a Threat: Takeaways from the Session by Mohan Kumar

We recently had the privilege of hosting Mr. Mohan Kumar, Executive Vice President of

Human Resources at Koantek, for a session titled “Change is Not a Threat.” Having 24

years of HR experience, Mohan blends business strategy with human insight. In this

session, he spoke about how aligning individual aspirations, accountability, and

innovation can drive personal and organizational growth.

Early on, he engaged the room by asking, “What will be your aspiration for the next five

years?” One colleague dreamed of a world tour, another aimed for a promotion to

Finance Manager and Mohan smiled, saying that our aspirations are the fuel for growth.

In fact, career experts note that “aligning personal aspirations with company growth

opportunities… increases job satisfaction,” showing how our goals can energize both

ourselves and our company

Mr. Mohan Kumar leads a discussion on career aspirations and growth. During the

discussion, Mohan said that as an employee we have to bring value into the business

and nurture our own careers. He shared a story from his early days as an HR when after

hiring someone, he would document the cost-savings that a hire brought to the

company. He also spoke about standing up for employees when they face challenges,

repeating that HR has to support management and individuals. To Mohan, every hire

and every employee is crucial for growth just as leadership thinkers like Vineet Nayar

have famously written, “Employees First, Customers Second.” According to him, the

main job of the manager is “to do everything they can to maximize the efforts of

employees who work in the value zone“(the front line where real value is

created).Likewise, Mohan urged us to empower our colleagues: when each person is

enabled to succeed, customers and the business benefit.

Key Principles for Growth

Mohan talked about three simple but essential ideas during the meeting. It can

drastically change how we grow as a team and as individuals if it is adopted by every

employee. He used them as reminders that making thoughtful choices is the first step

towards progress rather than as strict rules.

1. Identify your objectives.

We’ve all been asked the “where do you see yourself” question before but Mohan

framed it differently.He encourages us to set our goals precisely, which will benefit the

company as well as for our growth. Knowing what we want makes us make better

decisions and without any distractions.

2. Add real value.

Whatever your role, Mohan said, approach it like you own the outcome. Every task, even

the routine ones, is a chance to make a difference.It will be applied to simplify a

process, to help with quality, or simply because someone would spot something that

could be done better. It is this mindset that transforms everyday work into real impact.

3. Own your journey.

We recently had the privilege of hosting Mr. Mohan Kumar, Executive Vice President of
Human Resources at Koantek, for a session titled “Change is Not a Threat.” Having 24
years of HR experience, Mohan blends business strategy with human insight. In this
session, he spoke about how aligning individual aspirations, accountability, and
innovation can drive personal and organizational growth.

Early on, he engaged the room by asking, “What will be your aspiration for the next five
years?” One colleague dreamed of a world tour, another aimed for a promotion to
Finance Manager and Mohan smiled, saying that our aspirations are the fuel for growth.
In fact, career experts note that “aligning personal aspirations with company growth
opportunities… increases job satisfaction,” showing how our goals can energize both
ourselves and our company

Mr. Mohan Kumar leads a discussion on career aspirations and growth. During the
discussion, Mohan said that as an employee we have to bring value into the business
and nurture our own careers. He shared a story from his early days as an HR when after
hiring someone, he would document the cost-savings that a hire brought to the
company. He also spoke about standing up for employees when they face challenges,
repeating that HR has to support management and individuals. To Mohan, every hire
and every employee is crucial for growth – just as leadership thinkers like Vineet Nayar
have famously written, “Employees First, Customers Second.” According to him, the
main job of the manager is “to do everything they can to maximize the efforts of
employees who work in the value zone”(the front line where real value is
created).Likewise, Mohan urged us to empower our colleagues: when each person is
enabled to succeed, customers and the business benefit.

staying adaptable, and most importantly, lifting the people around us. He used the

phrase “fight for the team,” and it stuck.It’s about stepping up when it’s hard, giving

credit where credit is due, and holding yourself accountable without waiting to be asked.

In his words, “That’s the foundation of trust and strong culture.”

After making those points, Mohan turned the spotlight on us with a reflective question:

“What are three things you could do starting now to help this organization grow?”

The answers ran the gamut from automating workflows to reduce cost to creating

recognition programs that celebrated the small wins we often tend to overlook. It was a

good reminder that growth doesn’t necessarily always have to be huge. Sometimes, it

starts with small, consistent contributions and efforts.

He returned to a theme that surfaced repeatedly throughout the session: accountability

and shared success. When things go wrong, it’s easy to look outward and assign blame.

But Mohan pushed us to pause and ask a harder question: “What could I have done

differently?“ And when things go well, Give credit freely. Put the spotlight on your team.

That mindset doesn’t just build goodwill-it creates momentum and a sense of

psychological safety. People feel trusted, and trust is what sparks real innovation.

Adapting in the Age of AI

As we discussed the future, Mohan reminded us that change is inevitable . He stated

the fact that businesses like Databricks are investing millions in training their

employees in AI and data, which is an obvious indication of what direction the

workplace is heading. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, nearly 40% of

today’s job skills could become extinct in just five years—a statistic that undoubtedly

causes you to pause and think .

However, Mohan encourages everyone to view adapting to change as a step forward in

the fast evolving world and people should embrace change without being afraid. We all

should continue to learn, adapt, and try new things.

“Change,” he said, “is not a threat…“

It’s a promise.” A promise of new ways to grow, to work smarter, and to deliver more

value.

One of the moments most resonant in this session came when Mohan mentioned

something: the Verifitech Pledge is our commitment to invest in people who, in turn,

invest in the company. Every employee, in some fashion, is in HR. Whether you onboard

a teammate, help someone through a difficult time, or build culture in your own pocket

of the office, that is considered HR work too.

He even joked-with a bit of pride, actually-that one day, he wants to look back and say to

a future CEO, “I helped build that. I made a difference you’d recognize.”

At the end of the day, don’t we all just want to look back and know we’ve made a

positive contribution to the growth of the organisation?

Conculsion

What really stands out in Mohan’s message is that growth is about being purposeful in

what we want, showing up every day to add value to whatever we do, and remaining

open to new possibilities even if they feel strange rather than about the title or the next

promotion.How people grow with the change and make them and the world better

Whether your work is small or large, always find ways to make it matter.

Share your victories, take responsibility for your mistakes, and adapt to the growing

changes. There has already been change. The question is, “how will you grow to adapt

with it?”