(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Corporate and business leaders should lead their team by example while helping employees build on their skills through continuous training and empowerment, a leading industrialist told aspiring entrepreneurs.
Faizal Kottikollon, founder-chairman of the UAE-based KEF Holdings, told a gathering of The Indus Entrepreneurs, or TiE, that as a leader, one's job is not to go deep into the daily work routine but to ensure continuous training to his workforce to enable them to reinvent and retool.
"You also must have a clear road map for your employees' career as well as a genuine interest in their holistic development," Faizal said while addressing members of TiE at the Knowledge Village Auditorium.
Kottikollon said business success would have little relevance if corporates fail to give back to the society. "To be an effective leader, you must appreciate the value of the people you work with."
Speaking at the event entitled "My Journey" and organised by TiE Dubai, Kottikollon recounted the challenges and hardships he had undergone as a budding entrepreneur in building his scrap metal and foundry business from scratch. Today, KEF has emerged as a world-class hi-tech industrial valve manufacturing plant.
Through interesting anecdotes and candid recounting of his high aspirations, apprehensions, disappointments and failings in the early stages of his career, Faizal sketched out his inspiring saga of growing from a scrap business with an investment of 5,000 to a Dh2 billion group boasting one of the world's best foundries and valve manufacturing plants.
He shared his vision about giving back to the society and outlined the philanthropic projects undertaken by Shabana and Faizal Foundation across the world.
Kottikollon, who has launched a major diversification programme that would see his foray into education and healthcare sector, also stressed the advantages of work and home life balance.
Deepak Padmanabhan, president of TiE Dubai and chief executive of EIT, described the session as "exceptional and truly motivational. Faizal's projects today truly foster entrepreneurship and exemplify what TIE stands for," he said.
TiE, which came to existence in 1992 in Silicon Valley, is a leading non-profit entrepreneurial organisation that encourages entrepreneurship through its three main platforms of education, networking and mentorship. TiE's focus is on generating and nurturing next generation of entrepreneurs. TiE Dubai is the Middle East Chapter of TiE based in Dubai Internet City. The event was hosted by TiE Dubai director of marketing Sajith Ansar, the CEO of Spice Holdings.
