Giving back to the communities and institutions that helped us achieve success is a value we share and a privilege we embrace.
— Dinesh Paliwal
The big deal for me has always been innovation.
What we're looking at is a future where cars will be comfortable and safe and offer the luxuries of both home and office. That means lots of sensors and software, as well as the critical safety systems to protect the car's information from hackers.
With every new social network, smartphone feature, and digital diversion, innovation-driven consumer companies must constantly redefine their categories and, in some cases, redefine themselves to ensure they remain both relevant and differentiated in the minds of consumers.
A strong working relationship requires every participant to be on the same page.
I know firsthand that the characteristics of a great engineer - problem-solving skills, a deep understanding of technology, and a results-driven mindset - are the exact same things that any executive, in any industry, must have in order to succeed.
I know that my day wouldn't be nearly as streamlined or productive if it weren't for my team - a team that begins with my Executive Assistant.
Ironically, the more deliberate we are in our work - cranking through our inboxes, clearing our to-do lists - the more myopic we become.
Technology has enabled an environment where information is constantly fed to us on a real-time basis. You can't slow the feed of information, nor would you want to, but you can control and organize your consumption.
Every quarter, we give an award for a breakthrough idea even if it doesn't make it to market.
To most people, paranoia carries a negative connotation. I believe it is one of the most valuable attributes a leader can have. It is about self-reflection and having the courage, humility, and discipline to constantly ask uncomfortable questions that can potentially poke holes in your strategy and challenge your conventional thinking.
Leaders of companies of any size, at any stage of development spend a lot of time focused on growing the business. We develop our game plan and ensure that we are optimally executing on our objectives. We concentrate on looking forward.
I love what I do, and I work intensely.
The global 'currency wars' are likely here to stay due to the fine line between legitimate monetary balancing and sometimes self-serving trade manipulation. But these artificial mechanisms lack tangible or lasting value.
I'm not someone who wants to be second-guessed at all.
At the end of the day, I am a Marwari. So I will always think of business like a Marwari!
I did go to Beijing, with a two-year assignment. I stayed four years. And those four years were the most formative four years in my life. What I learned was more than I would have learned in 10 years in America or Europe, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
To realize the incredible potential of connected cars and autonomous driving, we must continue to forge innovative global partnerships that engage everyone from automakers and Internet of Things players to government and educational institutions.
Uncertainty is bad for business.
All leading brands started with and still possess the DNA of innovation and creativity, but it is often limited to one or two areas such as design or engineering. For a company to prosper, it must inject this innovative spirit into every aspect of the business.
As devices become more portable and content is increasingly digital, connectivity is fast becoming a fundamental expectation and lifestyle requirement.
A 'first meeting' is, by definition, a one-time opportunity, and there's no going back. Over the course of my career, I've been on both sides of inspiring first meetings that energized me for the next stage of a partnership and disappointing first meetings that left me uncertain about next steps.
Civil engineers build bridges. Electrical engineers, power grids. Software engineers, apps. From the engineers who created the Great Pyramids to the engineers who are designing and developing tomorrow's autonomous vehicles, these visionaries and their tangible creations are inextricably linked.
I love what I do, and I find personal joy through my work at Harman. My identity is who I am and what I do.
I don't like to get too caught up in habits because too much structure can stifle creativity. But there are a few habits that make us more productive and are healthy to work into every workweek, if not every day. I love to start the day with a workout - even just a run on the treadmill while catching up on the morning headlines.
It's well documented that stop-and-go traffic wears more on a vehicle than consistent-speed highway driving. No matter our driving habits, we all know we must regularly maintain our car's vitals - oil, tires, brakes, etc. Similarly, our brains and bodies perform best with a mindful focus on tasks and a routine maintenance of healthy habits.
Humans get distracted when we see and touch something.
Leaders have to be intensely aware and be bold and flexible enough to adjust course ahead of impending changes.
On the professional side, I derive great happiness and energy by solving tough business and organisational problems - even taking on tough meetings with customers.
At home, I relax by catching up with friends.
Many Western nations have made significant gains through automation and operational excellence, while emerging markets rely on ever-increasing numbers of workers. Each will improve their competitive position only by examining every element of operations to make existing resources more efficient and to deliver real value at lower cost.
At Harman, we had to reinvent ourselves so that we can compete on a global playing field. We did it by instituting a culture where teams can take calculated risks. But to inspire such a shift in mindset requires meaningful rewards across the ranks and freedom to experiment and innovate. I like to think of it as our courage culture.
I am still close to India personally.
I have a clear bias for international, global experience. On my management team, everybody has two or three countries they've lived and worked in.
Connected vehicle technologies are revolutionizing and democratizing transportation for safer, smarter, more responsible, and more accessible driving.
In the future, we'll be working and relaxing in cars.
Oftentimes, successful brands can lose discipline or become complacent over time, applying less rigor to the cost control and returns on investment.
Relationships are personal, even in business, so sharing some of yourself and taking an interest in others helps to build trust and break down walls.
Problem-solving is essential to engineering. Engineers are constantly on the lookout for a better way to do things.
Engineers are often defined by their output.
When our schedules are busy, and we are working hard on the tasks immediately at hand, it can be difficult to see that big, potential breakthrough idea right in front of us, much less act on it.
I feel burnout comes as a result of consistent over-simulation.
We should be biased toward action. We are trying to be a nimble and cohesive culture where people can be heard and there is openness and innovation.
After I finished my degree in India in 1980, I came to the U.S. to get a master's, and I was teaching quantum physics to freshmen. As I got my bearings as to what goes on in labs, I understood that to teach, you have to learn.
Whether you lead an early-stage startup or a well-established company, it is critical to challenge yourself and your team to prepare for the next disruptive force - be it a shift in the market, a new consumer trend, or a competing innovation.
I seldom watch TV, but I often get caught up in cricket no matter what time they are on.
The real competitive advantage will come to countries and companies who differentiate their offerings through education, innovation, and productivity.
I am baffled by many Western politicians who continually blame low-cost imported goods for their own economic challenges.
Every good business story has a conflict and triumph at the core and a turning point where a transformation takes place.
I was known for being quite... ruthless at ABB. I drove hard targets, pushed my people. But I was always fair. Once I was convinced of someone, I let them handle things themselves. But if you kept doing badly, there was no place for you.
