When People Start Depending on You

In 2006–2007, while managing my first team of around 10 people in Chennai, I believed leadership was about ensuring delivery.

As long as the work was getting done, I assumed I was doing my job well.

But reality slowly challenged that belief. People started coming to me—not just for answers, but for reassurance.

I remember one particular instance during that time. A team member was consistently missing deadlines. My first instinct was to tighten control and increase reviews.

But one afternoon, instead of reviewing his work, I asked him to sit down. We spoke about what was really going on.

He spoke about his lack of confidence and the pressure he was feeling. That conversation changed everything.

Over the next few weeks, his performance improved—but more importantly, my understanding of leadership changed.

I realized that leadership was not about managing work. It was about understanding people.

After that, I started making small changes: appreciating effort, recognizing small wins, and creating a sense of belonging.

These were not big initiatives. But they created trust. And once trust was built, performance followed.

People don't perform because you are their manager. They perform because they feel supported.