Vinoth Amirtharaj

Systems don’t respond to intent. They respond to incentives. Leaders often assume clarity of purpose or passion can steer performance. But organisations don’t move because we want them to. They move because structures, rewards, measures and consequences pull them in a direction. 🧭 If your outcomes don’t match your aspirations…don’t start with intent. Start with the incentive design. Great systems: ✔ Reward the right behaviours ✔ Make it easier to do the right thing than the wrong thing ✔ Align recognition with what truly matters ✔ Remove friction that slows execution Intent is inspiration. Incentives are architecture. If you want change, redesign what the system responds to. Mohit Batta

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When I look back at the last 5 years of my career, one of the most fulfilling journeys I’ve had was being part of the FASTag revolution in India. I still remember how, in the early days, there was skepticism around whether people would adopt RFID-based tolling. Long queues, cash handling, and frustration at toll plazas were everyday realities. Being on the issuer side of FASTag, I got to see first-hand how the ecosystem slowly built trust, scaled rapidly, and eventually made RFID tags a part of millions of vehicles across the country. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that mobility never stands still. While FASTag solved a major problem, the journey of tolling is far from over. We’re now stepping into an exciting phase where technologies like ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) are beginning to shape the future: 🔹 ANPR could reduce dependency on physical tags by using cameras to read license plates, bringing in convenience and smarter compliance. 🔹 GNSS takes it a step further, where tolling becomes truly barrier-free. No plazas, no stoppages, just seamless payments based on distance travelled. For me, having witnessed the FASTag journey up close, it’s fascinating to imagine how ANPR and GNSS can redefine mobility payments and create a future where our roads are faster, cleaner, and more connected. From RFID lanes to camera-based tolling to GPS-based road pricing, it feels like we’re on the cusp of another big leap. What do you think ? Will India move directly into GNSS-based tolling or will ANPR play the bridging role first ? #ANPR #GNSS #FASTag #MobilityPayments #ElectronicTollCollection

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A Thoughtful Review by Prof. Kalyan Shankar Ray. I am honored to share a wonderful review of my book, "Beyond Degrees," provided by my esteemed Mentor and Guide: "A friend of mine completed his BVSc. degree a long time back. The day the result was declared, he and his friends removed the notice from the university’s notice board, took it to the Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services of the state government, and came back happily with appointment letters. And today ? Educated, yet unemployed – these three words, with which this book begins, summarise the situation in the present-day job market. And that precisely has been my experience, having conducted hundreds of interviews over the years for different jobs. We now have millions of educated youth seeking employment, and yet there are very many vacant positions at every organisation. That is because the job aspirers lack certain specific skills that the recruiter wants, though they are qualified otherwise – over-qualified many a time, I may add. This book discusses elaborately the steps that one should take, the skills that one should learn, and the nuances that one should master to win in the job market. It starts with the very basics of mapping the skill gap by making the job seekers understand what skills the job requires, what skills they have, and how to bridge the gap. It talks of soft skills, and of what the book calls ‘the changing face of work’ – automation, AI, and other digital skills that are indispensable now for a successful career. It tells the students how to measure their success and build confidence, and guides them step by step, including resume writing and preparing for the interview. It also brings to the table the employers’ perspective to make the learning comprehensive. The appendix contains several action plans and exercises for self-learning. And all this in the form of a captivating story with many real-life examples that make the learning process interesting – not drab like many self-help books available in the market today. The book, therefore, proves to be an effective and handy guide for our youth. The author – Yatindra Nadkarni – is a practising banker with more than three decades of work experience. He has interacted with hundreds of educated unemployed, who try to become entrepreneurs – albeit unwillingly, but under compulsion – having failed in the rat race for employment. He has counselled and successfully guided many of them to secure a satisfactory and fruitful job. He also conducts seminars regularly on the theme Educated to Employable to benefit the students. He is a conscientious worker, has a gift of the gab and a way with words, and is passionate about whatever he does. This book is the result of his passion to help the educated secure a satisfactory job. Hence, it has turned out extremely well. I am sure it will prove to be a boon for our youth. – Prof. Kalyan Shankar Ray Former Vice-Chancellor, ASBM University Bhubaneswar"

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"Real transformation starts with those behind the screen—not just what’s on it." On the train this beautiful monday morning, "Soldier of Fortune" slow rock humming through my TWS as the city blurred by, a headline popped up on my screen: “Citigroup launches Citi AI in Hong Kong.” I leaned in. Finally, a bank doing something different—not another chatbot for customers, but real AI tools for employees. It made me wonder: why aren’t more banks following this path? Why do internal teams still rely on outdated systems while external digital experiences steal all the spotlight? Isn’t true transformation about enabling your people first—those who run the bank behind the scenes every single day? Citi AI is a game-changer—not because it’s flashy, but because it’s functional. This new suite of artificial intelligence tools is being used internally across 11 countries, supporting 150,000 employees with tasks like retrieving policy data, summarizing documents, and drafting messages. That’s not just productivity—it’s institutional intelligence at scale. As highlighted by Aveline San, Citi’s CEO of Hong Kong and Macau, this move also aligns perfectly with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s commitment to responsible AI. While many firms chase AI for marketing headlines, Citi quietly empowers its people. It’s not just smart—it’s strategic. And as the tools roll out further, they’ll likely deepen Citi’s global consistency, governance, and risk control, especially as they insource tech talent to replace 200 contractors in China. If I were leading an AI rollout like this, here’s what I’d do: first, create standardized templates for each AI use case—be it content generation, analytics, or process automation—so teams don’t reinvent the wheel every time. These templates should include clear fields for the model used, purpose, feedback, and approval status. Then, I’d establish a strong metadata framework to make everything searchable and governable: version history, ownership, confidence level—tag it all. Because let’s face it, AI without structure is like karaoke without lyrics: chaotic, loud, and usually off-key. And yes, even the smartest AI still needs a roadmap (and a human with decent taste in metadata). When digital strategy forgets the internal customer, it’s just noise. But when technology makes our people stronger, that’s when transformation gets real. Citi’s rollout of Citi AI across key markets shows that AI can be operational, not just aspirational. And if you’re a CIO or digital leader still wondering where to start—maybe the answer isn’t outside. Maybe it's sitting right inside your teams, just waiting to be amplified. #ArtificialIntelligence #BankingInnovation #DigitalTransformation

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Annual appraisal anxiety? Index on building skills, winning trust and working in high growth areas. Generating impact is baseline. Given the macros, growth either compensation or vertical/horizontal is an output to the efforts that you put doing the above. Analyse what is working and what is not to know when to play long term vs many medium terms accumulating to a successful long term. Grow your super powers.

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With time I have realised that personal growth is not a straight line. It is a collection of small insights that quietly reshape the way we think decide and respond. Sharing three insights that have helped me more than any book or strategy session. One Clarity is a superpower. I have observed that most problems are not because of lack of effort but because of lack of clarity. When we pause reflect and define what truly matters the right direction appears on its own. Clarity reduces stress improves the quality of decisions and increases our pace without forcing it. Two Consistency is underrated but life changing. We admire big achievements but we forget that they are built by small habits done every day. Even ten minutes of disciplined action daily creates a long term compounding effect. What looks ordinary today becomes extraordinary over time. Three Respect creates opportunities that skills alone cannot. People remember how we treat them especially during difficult moments. I have seen teams perform beyond expectations when they feel valued and heard. Respect builds trust and trust builds results. What I am learning now • Silence teaches more than noise • Observation tells more truth than assumptions • Patience protects better than aggression • Listening is a bigger contribution than speaking Every year I try to unlearn something and learn something new. Growth becomes easier when we let go of old patterns that no longer serve us. Those who walk with purpose do not need to walk fast. Even their silence creates direction for others.

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I recently read “My Fixation on Time Management Almost Broke Me,” and it made me pause. For many of us in leadership roles, discipline often shows up as packed calendars, back-to-back meetings, and a constant push to optimise time. On the surface, it looks like effectiveness. But the article highlights something uncomfortable: when productivity becomes an obsession, we may manage time well while quietly mismanaging energy, judgment, and priorities. Not everything that fills the calendar creates value. And not all value comes from doing more. In complex, high-pressure roles, sustainable performance comes from being intentional — protecting time for thinking, reflection, and recovery, not just delivery. A timely reminder that effectiveness is less about how full our schedules are, and more about how aligned our time is with what truly matters. Article Link: https://lnkd.in/danjXKMg

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Article published in The Indian Banker; January ,2026 issue on Future Leadership: Managing the Multigenerational workforce in a Hybrid Environment.

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🧭 Mentoring Reflection: Inclusive Growth Through Mentorship Mentoring a differently abled individual has been a transformative journey that broadened my perspective and deepened my leadership capabilities. Here are the key reflections from this experience: 🏹 Empathy in Action: I developed a stronger sense of empathy by understanding the unique challenges my mentee faced. This helped me become more emotionally attuned and supportive in my interactions. 🏹 Adaptive Communication: I learned to tailor my communication style to be more inclusive and effective, which improved my coaching and feedback skills across the board. 🏹 Inclusive Leadership: The experience reinforced the importance of creating accessible and welcoming environments. I now actively advocate for inclusion in team practices and decision-making. 🏹 Expanded Network and Recognition: Through the mentorship program, I connected with other mentors and inclusion advocates, gaining visibility and appreciation for contributing to a more equitable workplace. 🏹 Resilience and Advocacy: Witnessing my mentee’s determination inspired me to be more resilient and proactive in championing accessibility and inclusive policies. This mentorship has not only enriched my professional skills but also reaffirmed the value of diversity and inclusion in building stronger, more empathetic teams. #InclusiveLeadership #MentorshipMatters #EmpathyInAction #DisabilityInclusion #LeadershipGrowth #CoachingSkills #AccessibilityAdvocate #DiversityAndInclusion #MentorReflection #ProfessionalDevelopment #cbaindia #commbankindia #commbanklife

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Execution gets celebrated. Ownership is expected. But trust — the real performance multiplier — rarely gets discussed. In my experience, when trust is missing, execution turns into pressure — and pressure eventually breaks performance. Numbers may appear in the short term, but culture erodes, capability weakens, and learning stops. Leaders don’t force results. They design environments where results become inevitable — and sustainable. We see this everywhere. When we trust children with unconventional dreams, we create champions — from women’s cricket to icons like Viswanathan Anand, Gukesh D, and Sachin Tendulkar. Had they been pushed only toward “safe” careers, the country would have missed greatness. The same principle applies to organizations. When frontline teams are trusted with space, clear decision rights, and the confidence to question processes when context demands, something powerful happens. Data becomes judgment. Ownership deepens. Innovation appears quietly — then scales. Control-heavy models create compliance. Trust-driven models create growth engines. Across sales and distribution, I’ve seen turnarounds happen — not because budgets increased, but because teams were trusted to redesign workflows, challenge assumptions, and truly own outcomes. The impact shows up where it matters: higher productivity, healthier margins, more consistent conversion, and stronger customer relationships. Trust isn’t soft. It’s a strategic lever that protects profitability, accelerates transformation, and compounds capability across branches, channels, and markets. In the long run, organizations that institutionalize trust don’t just hit numbers — they build systems that keep producing them. # Trust leadership#SalesTransformation# Distribution Excellence# Scaling performance #

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I first realised how important small rituals for work can be at the very start of COVID. We saw downtime for our systems rise, the time to fix become elongated, and not for any well identified reason.   Searching for a solution, we started a ritual we carry on this day.   The “morning call”.   Every single workday all of my direct reports, and I get on a 15 minute call. Nothing fancy – we don’t try for root cause analysis or deep dive identification of what went wrong the day before. We acknowledge the issue, identify an owner, and report on progress on yesterday’s items.   Simple, short and sweet.   As if by magic our stability numbers started to improve and are now at a point where I look at them with some pride.   This is where the interesting past happened though – we stopped the meeting. Thinking its job was done. No sooner did we halt than the issues returned – like Whack-a-Mole, two new popping up whenever we closed one.   We swiftly put the meeting back in place and saw the issues go back away almost straight away.   Now it has become part of our culture, a daily ritual we all rely on.   It’s great then to see this HBR article about the importance of rituals at work. I would encourage all of you in leadership roles, whether small or large to put in place some small ritual of your own, it can have really beneficial effects   https://lnkd.in/gitgM-J7

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Corporate Godfather mindset and its impact on people and growth One common leadership pattern I have noticed across organisations, especially within the middle management layer, is how well-intentioned protection can sometimes turn into control. In the name of safeguarding teams and the organisation, career growth gets unintentionally restricted, and people are retained through dependency rather than enabled through development. Most of the time, this does not come from bad intentions. It comes from fear. Fear of instability, loss of control, or fear of losing personal relevance. From an employee’s perspective, growth is natural. People seek new roles, broader exposure, or sometimes opportunities outside the organisation. When such aspirations are met with emotional pressure instead of support, growth quietly slows down. Statements like “the team depends on you” or “now is not the right time” may sound caring, but they often create guilt around ambition. People stay longer, but they stop evolving. Over time, this affects confidence, momentum, and long-term career progress. From an organisation’s perspective, emotionally retaining talent is not strength. Sustainable organisations grow only when their people grow. When leaders hold on to team members for personal or positional safety, succession pipelines weaken, innovation slows, and dependency replaces resilience. Ironically, leaders who say they stand for the team or the organisation may unintentionally stand in the way of both. A healthier leadership approach encourages open career conversations, builds successors early, and measures success by the number of leaders created, not by control. Growth should be normal, even if it sometimes leads people elsewhere. When people grow, organisations grow. When people feel trapped, organisations stagnate. Leadership should never become an obstacle to growth. #Leadership #PeopleDevelopment #EmployeeGrowth #WorkplaceCulture #HealthyLeadership #OrganisationalCulture #CareerGrowth #TalentDevelopment

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💼 Proud moment for all of us at GIFT City 🇮🇳 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the Foreign Currency Settlement System (FCSS) — enabling real-time settlement of foreign currency transactions within IFSC. A remarkable step that places GIFT IFSC among leading global financial hubs and strengthens India’s role in international trade and finance. Truly exciting to witness such transformative progress right here in our ecosystem. 🌍 🔗 Read more #GiftCity #IFSC #Finance #Innovation#Indusindbank#IndiaOnTheMove

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Will AI become your CEO? Lessons from Kalidasa and the Hogwarts staff room A certain Sundar thinks his role will soon be ripe for the taking. And a certain Sam will be 'nothing but enthusiastic' when AI takes his job. I step away from the news / hype cycle and ponder: Will even leading a company be outside the human remit in future? What does it take to lead, and to be at the forefront of a worthy endeavour? In Malavikagnimitra, a delightful palace intrigue involving a princess in hiding, a besotted king and a dance-off between two dancing gurus, poet-playwright Kalidasa tells us of two dimensions of the best teachers. These dimensions carry well to leaders too. - Shlishta Kriya or mastery in "doing": Skill at an individual level in your domain - Sankranti or mastery in "transmitting" : Ability to inspire, thereby kindling mastery in others. In the world of Hogwarts, Severus Snape is competent but does not inspire. Gilderoy Lockhart, for all his charisma, is nothing more than a consummate pretender. One or the other will not do. It's only when a person has both, says Kalidasa, can they be placed at the forefront, in a position of high esteem. This position, which is not just about expertise, but also empathy. Which is not just about dazzling performance, but also being the guiding light in which others can shine. Which is both ability and enablement. When someone says that artificial intelligence will find it easy to be a CEO, I wonder: Do they have both these dimensions of leadership in mind? ‐-‐-----‐‐---------------------------------------------------------- This is drawn from an article in my Substack publication Lines from a Logophile. As I navigate the puzzles that the world presents to me, it is poetry that gives wind to my sails. To join me in this voyage, please subscribe by following the link in the first comment.

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🎵 What Music Taught Me About Leadership !! People often ask me how music influences my work in banking. Is it a bane or a boon for me? The truth is—music has shaped my leadership style more than any management book ever has. Here are a few lessons that stayed with me: 1. 🎸Rhythm = Consistency A song only sounds good when the rhythm holds steady. Teams are no different. Consistency in communication, feedback, and expectations creates trust—the rhythm of leadership. 2. 👂🏻Listening Matters More Than Playing Great musicians don’t just play… they listen. To each other. To the space between notes. To what’s not being said. Leaders who listen deeply build teams that feel valued and understood. 3. 🤘🏻Improvisation Builds Confidence On stage, not everything goes as planned. You learn to adapt, innovate, and keep the performance alive. In business, too—when plans shift, improvisation is not chaos; it’s creativity under pressure. 4. 🎹Harmony Over Volume The loudest instrument doesn’t make the best music. The most aligned one does. Leadership is not about overpowering—it’s about bringing the best out of every part in the ensemble. 5. 🏋🏻‍♂️Practice Isn’t Glamorous, But It’s Everything Rehearsals are repetitive and unglamorous… but that’s where mastery is built. Similarly, great leaders grow through daily habits, not occasional inspiration. 💫In banking, in life, and in leadership— I’ve learned that we’re all conducting our own orchestra. And when each person plays to their strength, the result is powerful. 🎼 What has a hobby taught you about leadership? Do share !! #Leadership #Banking #Insights #Teamwork #Listening #Consistency #Improvisation #Harmony #Practice #Hobby #Music

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Some journeys in business are not defined by the first step, but by the moment of belief — the moment when someone says “Yes, you can grow.” For many women entrepreneurs, access to credit has historically come with additional conditions, questions, and barriers. Initiatives like Aarohi are an important step toward changing that narrative by enabling more independent access to finance. Our Women’s Day film “Do Se Teen” beautifully captures a very real milestone in an entrepreneur’s journey — the courage to move from two stores to three, from stability to growth. What makes this initiative meaningful is not just the message, but the intent to address structural gaps in lending and create pathways for more women to scale their ambitions. Grateful to be part of a team that is working towards making credit more accessible and inclusive. Looking forward to seeing many more such journeys unfold. #WomensDay #DoSeTeen #FinancialInclusion

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Somewhere along my journey, a wise leader said something that stuck with me. Maybe not in these exact words but the lessons remains - 'Learn the beauty of leading the orchestra and letting them play'! At the time, I didn’t fully get it. I thought I had to stay on top of everything—every dependency, every blocker, every moving part. But over time, I am learning differently. I’ve come to see that my role isn’t to control the work, but to create the space where teams can deliver at their best. For me, that looks like: - Aligning without micromanaging - Surfacing risks early without becoming the bottleneck - Trusting teams to take ownership When you get that balance right, things just flow better. Teams collaborate more, move with clarity, and deliver real value. Now in a world that’s becoming increasingly data-driven and AI-enabled, this lesson matters even more. So as RTE, remember this as you go into planning: - You’re not the one making the sound - You’re enabling something bigger than you. I am still learning, but this lesson stays with me: 'Lead the orchestra and let them play'. #AgileLeadership #RTE #SAFe #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement

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It’s 2026, and while the tech world moves at lightspeed, the lessons from a 1992 cycling race in Dehradun are still surprisingly relevant to the boardroom. Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar isn't just a nostalgic masterpiece; it’s a masterclass in corporate strategy, resilience, and personal branding. Here are 10 corporate lessons we can take from Sanju, Ratan, and the Model College crew: 1. The Underdog Advantage Being a "Model College" in a world of "Rajput Schools" isn't a weakness—it’s an opportunity. Startups and smaller teams can be more agile, take bigger risks, and disrupt established giants because they have nothing to lose and everything to prove. 2. Character Over Pedigree Ratan (the "gold medalist" brother) showed us that excellence is a habit. However, Sanju showed us that potential is often hidden behind a lack of focus. In hiring, look for the "spark" and the ability to pivot, not just the fancy degree. 3. Resource Management While the rivals had state-of-the-art carbon-fiber bikes, Sanju won on a refurbished machine. In business, innovation isn't about having the biggest budget; it’s about extracting maximum value from the tools you have. 4. Beware of "Short-Cut" Networking Sanju’s attempt to "fake it" to fit in with the elite crowd led to a loss of identity and trust. Authenticity is your best currency. Trying to pivot your brand to please a segment you don’t understand usually ends in a crash. 5. The Power of Mentorship Ramlal wasn't just a father; he was a coach who understood that psychological readiness is as important as physical training. A great manager knows when to push and when to provide the "safety net." 6. Resilience After a Crisis The mid-movie tragedy (Ratan’s accident) is a classic corporate "pivot or perish" moment. Success belongs to those who can process a setback, take over the mantle, and keep the wheels turning. 7. Competitive Intelligence Knowing your rival's tactics is key, but obsessing over them is a distraction. The Rajput team focused on intimidation; the Model team focused on their own pace. Focus on your lane. 8. The "Last Lap" Sprint In any project, 90% of the work takes 10% of the time, and the last 10% takes the other 90%. Success is determined by who has the stamina to finish the "final mile" when everyone else is gasping for air. 9. Team Synergy Sanju didn't win alone. He had a support crew that believed in him, fixed his bike, and cheered from the sidelines. Behind every "star performer" is a team that handles the logistics. 10. Timing is Everything As the title suggests, the winner is the one who crosses the line first, not the one who led for the first 20 miles. In product launches and market entry, execution and timing beat "being busy" every time. "Woh sikandar hi doston kehlata hai, haari baazi ko jeetna jise aata hai." (The true winner is the one who knows how to turn a losing hand into a victory.) (Views are Strictly Personal)

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