CEO Insights Magazine

Given the evolution across developing nations in economies and businesses, change is significant amidst industries and organizations today, and that calls for advanced and industry relevant learning by individuals to be industry ready. Leadership in education has never been more important nor more urgently tested. To help understand what leadership in today’s economy requires, CEO Insights magazine has interviewed Yateesh Srivastava(CEO,USCHOOL)for his acknowledge able contribution to the education space through USCHOOL(an initiative of Education Services). This portal allows access to all manner of learning for selfimprovement for people from India and the world. Let’s hear from him.

Throw some light on your professional background and experience. What drives you today as an industry leader?
I have been fortunate to acquire rich and varied experience during my three-decade career. My initial experience in the MR industry gave me insights into consumer behavior. As a strategic planner in advertising, I learned to use consumer insights to create stronger brand connections. As a marketer, I managed some of India’s leading financial services brands and later in my career, I was blessed to gain exposure to HR, L&D, and Technology. This led me to my role as Chief Digital Officer at a leading global broking firm. What drives me even today is continuous learning. It has been my driving force and has allowed me to adapt to new challenges.

You possess over three decades of experience. How has your path to success been and what is your success mantra?
My success mantra has been and is ‘Learn to adapt and adapt to learn’. This mantra has always served me well and has made me flexible and open to taking up new challenges. In the year 2000, I left a leading

advertising agency to start up a hyper local internet venture. It sustained until the first Internet bubble burst but left me with an abiding interest in opportunities at the inter section of life & technology. Similarly in addition to a marketing role, I also took up the role of CHRO at a life insurance firm, it was daunting & enriching, and led me further to the path of being COO of the same firm. Some people find the unfamiliar frightening I find it exhilarating.

How would you define USCHOOL as an organization and its current position in the market? Do tell us about the programs you offer to the clients.
We are a newbie in the market, but I have a very clear vision of what I would like USCHOOL to be. USCHOOL stands for A Better You. It is a holistic approach that covers professional excellence, personal development, and overall well-being. In a short span of time, we have conducted almost 40 programs across various subjects across multiple formats. We want to be the destination for young Indians to learn from Indian mentors and grow along all dimensions.

We offer programs across professional excellence CV Building, Interview Skills, and Email Etiquette personal growth Better Parenting, Intimacy & Sexuality, and Personal Finance and well-being dealing with anxiety, addiction, and more. We are constantly increasing the depth and width of our offerings and the mentors we work with.

Could you tell us about your leadership approach? What are the guidelines or methodologies you follow to lead your team?
Like a lot in my life, my leadership approach has evolved. I was a transactional leader focused on outcomes and performance over everything else. Then about a decade ago, I read about the concept of Servant Leadership. Here the theory implies- instead of employees serving the leader, the leader serves the employees. This had a profound impact on me, but it took me a little time to transition from being a transactional leader to a servant leader. Hence, when I started USCHOOL, I was determined

to build a culture that was open and empathetic. The four pillars we use to assess performance & delivery are initiative (do you show ownership and take initiatives on your own), responsibility (be responsible for the decisions you make and your actions), delivery(do deliver what you promise), and teamwork (do work with and for your colleagues). These principles apply to all employees, including me. As CEO of a company, small or large, you must encourage feedback. Without feedback, leaders tend to become isolated, and their perspective becomes narrower with time. As feedback serves as a great early warning system for approaching headwinds, it is important to create a culture where feedback & accountability applies to all and free & open discussions are encouraged. I have seen a lot of leaders who, on the face of it, appear to listen rather than actually listen. If you genuinely listen, you will act on that listening, and it soon becomes clear to the team that they have a ‘voice’.

Going forward, what are the changes in market behavior that you anticipate and what are the opportunities that you foresee?
Despite some public headwinds, the e-Learning market will not shrink anytime soon. However, brands in this space will have to tailor their offerings to the need of the market. I firmly believe that the personal development space is currently quite disorganized. An India-specific offering such as USCHOOL has the potential to cater to this market in a structured and organized manner. This is where the opportunity lies for us.

Yateesh Srivastava, CEO, USCHOOL
A continuous education leader striving to make a positive change by using technology most ethically and transparently, possibly to ensure a better way of life & communication leveraging effective leadership and education programs.

Hobbies: Cooking, Reading, Writing, Music, Travel and Cycling
Favorite Cuisine: Chinese and Indian it’s a tie.
Favorite Book: Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
Favorite Travel Destination: Thailand. (Reasonable, is beautiful, has excellent food, great hotels, tourist friendly. What more can one ask for?)

Awards & Recognition:
•Certificate in Digital Business Columbia University.
•Top 50 CMOs in India