When diving into Leadership & Management, I came across a powerful story about Tata executive Sumant Moolgaokar, often called the “architect of Tata Motors.”
Every day, while other leaders lunched in executive dining rooms, Moolgaokar would quietly slip away—only to be found at a roadside dhaba, sharing meals with truck drivers. He didn’t just talk shop; he actively listened to their real-world challenges and took those insights straight back to the design and R&D teams.
In humility and action, he embodied servant leadership—immersing himself in customer experience so deeply that in 1994, Tata named its rugged SUV “Sumo” in his honor.
Leadership lessons from Sumo’s journey:
Go and see: Get out of the boardroom and into the field.
Listen and learn: Real empathy starts with genuine conversations.
Build products rooted in reality: Let user insights shape outcomes.
Lead with humility: Influence shines brighter when rooted in service.








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