Women's Day Week - Kamini Talwar, Director, Iris Global Services

We are entering into the week preceding the International Women's Day. We are interviewing some women leaders in the IT sector to understand their achievements and challenges. Kamini Talwar, Director, Iris Global talks to us about her work in this interview.

Tell us about your role in Iris Global, especially in the decision-making process

Kamini Talwar - I am a Founder Member & Director of Iris since 1996, spear heading the business strategies of the Company to attain its goals and I am responsible for successfully growing the company’s business. I supervise all company’s operations and its ventures to grow sales.  My responsibility is to build long term, trusting relationships with the IT Vendors and Business Partners. I also supervise the work of executives providing guidance and motivation to drive maximum performance.  As it is said  “People don’t do what you expect, people only do what you inspect”.  I analyse problematic situations and take decisions to ensure company survival and growth.

When it comes to decision making, women have a natural gift of instincts and I as a woman have overcome my fear of failure while taking decisions. Over a period of time, most of the time the decisions I take are right.  It is always an 80/20 ratio in life; if you are right 80% of the time you and your company are on the right track.  I make decisions fast even though sometimes I do go wrong but then I have something to learn from a wrong decision.

In decision making two things come to play. First, in depth research into the reason, then how to use the information to choose from options.  Second, how fast you take decisions. I call myself a maximiser - can’t rest until I find the very best answer. The result of that is a well informed decision.

I have built a diverse team under me and I honed a process where research, information & perspective is key that helps me to make bold decisions. In retrospect, these decisions have always been the result of best ideas of every one together as a collaborative team and over the years I have realized that my process has chiseled me into a person identifying & unifying the best ideas.

 What kind of challenges did you face in your journey to this position in your specific industry segment ?

Kamini Talwar - While the world is evolving, women are still lagging behind when it comes to leadership roles in business. Being a professional woman, I could not spend time with my children, though I took care of them against all odds. My two daughters have turned out to be two good people who are beautifully managing their own households and running their own businesses.  I have sacrificed my sleep, could not spend time with friends after working for 15 hours a day, I have read books to get better and was never left with time for self-grooming. Therefore, I came last for myself in life.  “I was my last priority”.  I made personal sacrifices  and did not let this imbalance affect my work and my advancement. I prioritise the uniqueness in me that made me an invisible magnet in my business as well as in the IT Industry.  I am so grateful to this industry to make me a brand and to give me so much fame and respect.  On the whole,I feel women leaders can add greater value to their organisations.

How easy or difficult is it for women to manage a senior level position in your specific industry segment ?

Kamini Talwar - Like any other woman who made it to the top, I also went through the difficulties in a man’s world. However, I dealt with each and every challenge in a bold way, perfecting the art of dealing with top brass people of the IT Industry, who were super intelligent.  Picked the best points about them and evolved myself. For me, learning never stopped which has made me get the title of  “The Iron Lady of IT Industry”.  Therefore I feel,  at present I am most productive, most alert and wanting to strive.  I feel so much more sorted, enabled and empower others.

How are you planning to further expand your work ?

Kamini Talwar - My expansion plan is to broaden the base of my pyramid.  I made big for myself, now I would like to give opportunities to my team and IT Partners to make big.  I lend my had every hour of my day to the young talent in my company to grow to the next level, encourage women to break the ceiling and bring equity in the Industry.  In my time, expansion had different perspective but now you have to learn from the new millienials how to work in the digital scenario and shift things to a technology driven world.

Every day I have new breed of IT resellers who are walking in to meet me with purchase orders in crores while their own Company’s turnover is less than a crore.  This gives me a real high and I lend my hand, my judgement, my efforts in showing them the way and structuring their orders keeping in mind payment security.  The opportunities they are bringing is big & win-win for both, the Partner and for Iris.  As a result of these orders for new type of IT requirements we are fast tying up with many new Make in India vendors, who are mushrooming very fast and in the process, we are creating a Value Added Distribution Company.

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