Post by Mahindra University - School Of Management

Pinnacle Perspectives was privileged to host Mr. Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of the Automotive Division at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited [Automotive and Farm Equipment Business] , for a deeply introspective and thought-provoking session on building careers with clarity, courage, and continuous learning.   With experience spanning global organizations like GE Healthcare, Cisco, and McKinsey, and now leading one of India’s most dynamic automotive businesses, he brought a rare blend of strategic depth and personal honesty to the conversation.   Here are the ideas that stood out: 📌 Learning never stops and neither should mentorship. Great professionals actively seek mentors at every stage of their careers, even if it means learning from those younger than them. Growth demands humility and openness to new perspectives.   📌 Have strong views but hold them lightly. Conviction is important, but so is the willingness to change your mind when proven wrong or when listening to different perspectives. The ability to evolve your thinking is a leadership differentiator.   📌 Step into rooms where you don’t belong. Real growth happens outside comfort zones. Exposure to unfamiliar environments builds perspective, encourages risk-taking, and accelerates learning. 📌 Focus on learning, not titles. Careers are built through incremental learning and meaningful responsibility, not by chasing designations. Titles and careers follow value creation, not the other way around.   📌 Ego is the enemy of growth. As careers progress, the fear of looking uninformed increases. The best leaders stay curious, ask questions, and remain comfortable being vulnerable to their teams.   📌 Initiative and persistence set people apart. Those who grow are often the ones who go beyond their defined roles, take risks, consistently take initiative and show a willingness to learn.   💡” People who go up the career ladder are often those people who do things differently from what they were originally hired for.” This session was a powerful reminder that careers are not linear paths, but a series of choices shaped by curiosity, courage, and reflection. It was an honour to host Mr. Nalinikanth Gollagunta at Mahindra University for yet another impactful edition of Pinnacle Perspectives by Mahindra University - School of Management.   Picture Credits: prithviraj kalathia  | Sai Thanay Anadi Pande | Pradeep Racherla | Dr. Debopam Chakarabarti | Vishwanath S R | Rajesh Gaurav | Akshin Byapari | Arav mittal | Aishwarya Gadhiraju | Chanakya Naidu | Medha Challa | Snigdha Devata | Sreeram Vavilala | Reni T | Guna Ratnam Pasupuleti | Neel Pasupuleti | Maha Lakshmi Bekkem | Bindu Tummala | Chirag Arora   #PinnaclePerspectives #MahindraUniversity #Leadership #CareerGrowth #Learning #FutureOfWork #Mahindra #Leadership