During my role as the Cultural Secretary at my engineering college, I realized the immense potential

of teamwork and the need for team cohesion. Overseeing the student’s council brimming with
varied ideas for the college's annual cultural festival influenced my interaction with my colleagues
and the teams I led professionally.

I realized the potential of teamwork during my time as the Cultural secretary in the student council.
Leading over 40 students for the college's annual cultural festival influenced my interaction with
colleagues at work and teams I led professionally.

I began my professional journey at Siemens as a Planning Engineer for the International Airport,
Mumbai. Daily workoperations included operational operational overview and maintenance of
teams handling the baggage system consisting of 220+ technicians and 30 engineers working around
the clock.

On a busy day in June 2015, the technician's union went on a strike for higher pay, leaving the whole
team perplexed and in utter pandemonium. As a part of the Rapid Response team, I assessed the
situation –factoring in both the technical aspects and the workforce required to keep the system
moving. To mitigate thise crisisase, we mobilized the limited what few resources we had by carefully
deploying a few engineers who were working at different operational hours. Initially, uUnion leaders
refused negotiation attempts, insisting on meeting all their demands at first Considering my
comfortable rapport with the aggrieved technicians, I attempted a reasonable mediation after
seeking requisite permissions from the upper management. . In this situation, I took permission for
the management to speak to the technicians, considering the rapport I shared with them. I quickly
learned that the overlaying demands hid a relatively nuanced need for specific amenities and
coverage with regards tothe team felt most needed, mainly for food & travel. For the next few
hours, I liaised between senior management and the technician's union. Given the existing
budgeting constraints, an overall pay hike was not feasible.The administration had their hands tied
due to budget constraints that didn't permit an overall pay hike. I suggested meeting their basic
needs through reimbursements that covered essential requirements. We fixedestablished the
maximum reimbursement amount by considering each employee's average expenditure and
ensuring we stayed within budget. We presented this alternative during our negotiations, This
alternative was and acceptable to both the management and the union which eventually led to
accepted, ensuing a truce since we adequately addressed their grievances.

This incident helped me learn that organizational values can be achieved through an inclusive,
pragmatic approach by tactfully balancing the limitations of the management while also respecting
the needs of the employees. I believe the essential marker of a principled leader is the ability to
build relationships with diverse groups of people in order to overcome barriers arising in the
business world. With this understanding, I am positive that I will be able to evolve into a business
leader who can improve lives around the world.

My contributions to this situation made me think about an organizational aspect and ensure the
technician's lives could be made a tad better in a way I could. To this day, the managers understand
the need to maintain a rapport with the employees irrespective of our rank.

To be a developed, principled future leader, I believe the first stepping quality one must have is to
build relations within the group we are and have a diverse perspective that will help us overcome
barriers in the business world. I would continue to bring this quality I possess and eventually
improve lives better around the world.