Kolkata, India – Sanjiv Goenka, the influential Founder and Chairman of the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (RPSG Group), recently shared a pivotal piece of advice for business owners: abandon the ego of ownership and cultivate a manager's mindset.
Goenka, whose multinational conglomerate is valued at approximately $10 billion and spans diverse sectors including power, retail, FMCG, IT, media, and sports, stressed the importance of humility and hard work in leadership. "Don't pay heed to the vanity or the ego of being an owner. Think of yourself as a manager. The moment you do that, you'll be alright... Work hard to earn yourself both position and respect," he stated in a recent interview.
The Manager's Advantage
According to Goenka, adopting a manager's perspective is crucial for sustained success and avoiding complacency. Managers are typically judged by concrete metrics, performance outcomes, and their treatment of people. By internalizing this approach, owners can maintain discipline, remain accountable to the business's actual needs, and foster a culture of meritocracy.
He further elaborated that while a title can be bestowed or acquired, genuine respect must be earned through consistent effort and a supportive approach to one's team. True authority, he believes, stems from a strong work ethic and how one empowers others, rather than from wealth or rank.
About Sanjiv Goenka
Sanjiv Goenka is a prominent Indian billionaire businessman and investor. His RPSG Group is headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal, and is a significant player in the Indian economy. Consistently ranked among India's wealthiest individuals, Goenka also holds several prestigious positions, including Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) and the International Management Institute (IMI).
His leadership journey includes serving as the youngest-ever President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and a former head of the All India Management Association (AIMA). Goenka has been recognized with accolades such as the Banga Bibhushan, West Bengal's highest civilian award, and AIMA's Business Leader of the Year.