Maneesh Tripathi Delteq: Exemplary Leadership, flawless executions

Selected as Global Inspirational Leader 2022-2023, Maneesh Tripathi, Chief Executive Officer, Delteq Pte Singapore is an exemplary business leader who has scaled huge success with his goals and it’s perfect execution.

WCRCLEADERS in conversation with Maneesh Tripathi, Chief Executive Officer, Delteq

What makes a strong leader? What are your key leadership strengths are make the strongest attributes of success.

Leadership is about living your own dream and making others a part of your dream in its execution and achievement. It is about harnessing the strength of all team members and aligning it towards ONE goal. The leadership strengths I have developed are :

1. Always avoid NO as an answer and always looks for options to say YES. There is always a way, without being unreal or unreasonable.
2. Doing the “right thing” always, come what may and be consistent in treatment
3. Unwavering commitment to the Goals once decided, pursue them amidst all adversities
4. Take tough decisions and not waver when things look adverse
5. Believe in family values- they are the backbone of our value system and they are the biggest emotional insurance we have.

An accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career? What challenges did you face to reach to the success.

I have been at the helm of a Singapore (SGX) listed companies (SEVAK LTD. and DIGILIFE LTD) since 2010 as Group CEO and/or Director. Due to a crash in mobile phone Industry WW in 2015/16 our company made a massive loss. The shareholders at the AGM were very unhappy and were gunning for the Management/ Board. I declared publicly that I will go on $1 Salary per annum and will not take any salary till the company returns to profitability. I was the FIRST ever CEO of an ASEAN listed company to create such a gesture and own responsibility.

The shareholders were placated and the Board was saved of unruly scenes after this announcement at the AGM.

My team supported me and all senior managers chipped in. I was very moved to see that my suppliers and vendors also chipped in with what they could do to help the company as they had empathy after such an announcement.

I am proud and happy to note that after just 12 months I returned the company to profitability.

What is a role of leader in these challenging times.

(The list below is assuming we are referencing to Leaders who are Leaders today already)

1. Change and change fast with the times post covid. Keep calm and do not take rash actions and destabilize the team
2. Hold the team together and not go on role/salary cuts to demoralize team. Your team is your company’s savior, now, and was in the past!
3. Innovate with these new normal times, move to new areas, watch which industries are dying and which will flourish
4. Act quickly – in days not in weeks and months- have a date wise plan handy. 
5. Be strong, do the right thing, and be humane.
6. What is your vision and how do you share that with your shareholders, employees and others? 

• My Vision is always a jointly shared Vision- but a DREAM I visualize.
• We have a core team who discusses the strategy around the Vision.
• Then we ask the Team leaders to socialize the strategy and Vision with their reportees
• And then it goes down in a waterfall to the last member in the chain.
• Finally I do quarterly Town Hall meetings where I share my “Dream” and make ALL realize they are a PART of that DREAM and all will benefit as stakeholders.

How do you drive active business renovations and how does that impact your subordinates?

• We do not change very often. We give stability to a structure decided for at least 2 years.
• Post that I will drive change through a Quality Circle /TQM method and a Water fall method so that there is a BUY -IN from every member of the company as far as it is possible.
• Those not 100% on board get converted in the process of execution.
• Having a BUY-IN from my inner core of team members is a MUST for me to start.

How do you integrate corporate philanthropy or corporate social responsibility as a part of your business strategies?

We encourage all our team members to join social organisations and do social give back and do philanthropy.

We generously donate in various events and charity organised by Singapore TACs and other associations who ned help

We delink business and philanthropy and treat it as the company’s responsibility as a good corporate citizen of Singapore

What has been your driving force or philosophy in life?

Only one force which inspires and drives me (other than the almighty as the force) – my wife; who is a childhood friend since my kindergarten days and always with me and standing unwavering in all we do. In good or bad, we are in it together. “We came in with noting so we can’t lose anything “she says. The only difference of opinion is “who is luckier to have the other!” (on a lighter note)

How do you plan to drive your business at a global level?

• Already driving a Business at a Global Level for 20 years.
• Now just innovated and started a Fund/Private Equity for the first time, investing in startups and other Innovations.
• The only way to drive a company Globally is through a Global talent/team.
• Connections, Connections, Connections! that is all.
• Relationships and good ones with emotional equity is KEY.

How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?

• Success is relative. A person who was not privileged to be born in an ecosystem or family with all means and support- for him/her feeding the family daily is success!. And a billionaire may have a completely different meaning of success.
• I attribute success to “Complete achievement of set goals,100% in planned time, with the same planned cost and resources”
• As the definition of success gets enhanced, I change the definition of Success to suit the Goal. It is a moving target as we can see.

In your opinion what is the most significant aspect of leadership?

Humility and empathy. 

Only people with power can make a difference. Good or bad.

Give power to an inhuman person and you will create a dictator.

1. Your perception of an empowered society. How far your industry has/can contribute for the same?

• Society can be empowered unit by unit or at an individual level by corporates. People spend max hours at work. 
• Delegation and responsibilities make people realise what difference they can make. Our company does that and empowers people.
• Society seeks power as needed or when deprived through social engineering. If deprived, man as a social animal will finally take empowerment for the right reasons and righteousness.

Esprit de corps: How do bring fairies and equality to all?

We strongly believe in keeping a tight team and cohesion. In fact, we have a group which constantly does survey and takes informal feedback too. Cohesion in the organisation and between employees is a very important concept for us to keep an organisation and employees loyal to each other. We do various team bonding and other family/social activities to make this happen.