‘TO MANAGE A TEAM YOU NEED TO BE POSITIVE’
LEENA PARWANI, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LPH INSURANCE BROKERS
I’ve always loved... numbers. I never thought of accountancy as boring. So I found the perfect mix of numbers and creativity and a sense of care – insurance. cherish… the fact that I started work in a firm so I could gain experience for setting up a company. It helps you learn what kind of staff to look for and helps you set goals because you’ve done work from scratch. You know how to fix mistakes. But at one point you feel you need the freedom to work for yourself, to help people. If I was in a firm I’d just be following rules. To make a difference, you do want to sell a product, but you also want to offer the right product to the client.
I was fired 3 times… despite being a workaholic and a top performer due to management changes. It was painful and depressing and it took me some time to recover. That’s when I decided to do something where no one could fire me again. Now, I’m earning my own salary, writing my own cheques. What I was always doing for others, I started doing for myself. Today I realise if I didn’t get that ‘push’ I wouldn’t be living this lifestyle now with complete control.
I’m very positive… and optimistic. To manage a team you have to be positive so you can spread the right vibe. I’m a very happy person and like to be surrounded by happy people. I think of being the best version of myself, and not being like somebody. I borrow influences, pick up good habits from those around me and from those who’ve succeeded in the industry.
I couldn’t dream big… back in my home in India. I come from a conservative family. My goal from childhood was to work hard, be an entrepreneur and make a mark for myself. At the start of my career in 2004, it was very difficult. My daughter is a special needs child and needed extra care. It was also very tough to prove myself every single day, especially when you are a woman, a newcomer and in a male-dominated sector. But overcoming all those challenges make you stronger and soon you don’t care about what people think about you. I knew I had to keep on going. Keep making a difference, and being above others. Now there are more women in the industry. It’s an open market, a place of opportunities. When your company is new and you’re a newcomer, it is difficult to build trust. Nothing comes easy, you have to pursue and be determined to succeed.
I invest… in personal development, updating my knowledge with business studies, new ways of doing things, keeping up with what’s happening internationally. I sharpen my skills every day. My busy days help me be happier.
I miss out on... socialising, but this is the price you pay for being different. Those are small sacrifices which don’t really matter. I want to give my kids a lifestyle that I didn’t have.
My happiest moment was… when my son was born. My daughter was born early in my marriage, when I wasn’t prepared to be a mum. So I had to face a lot of challenges. I didn’t even feel like a mother. But now seeing my daughter independent makes me feel happy. All the invested good time in raising her was not for nothing.
It’s a huge challenge… finding the right talent for your company. You don’t want people to come in just for an 8-5 job. They’ve to have a can-do attitude, you want them to be enthusiastic. I look for lots of energy, the right vibe and the skills to be a team player. We do a test when we hire them, and I give them a job based on their personality. If an employee is very outgoing, it’ll be a waste of time and skills to make them sit inside the office.
What upsets me... is if someone lies to me. I like transparency. I want honest employees; if you can’t do something, seek help.
My biggest strengths are… the capacity to care for people, and make things happen. I’ve always been resourceful. I’ve never said no to anything. And I let go of things very fast, I don’t crave, think or mourn. I just want to move onto something else.
My weakness is… I’m an emotional and caring businesswoman, but you have to keep your emotions under control when you’re running a company. My fellow businesswomen advise me to do that. I’m getting better at it.
What I dislike the most… is excuses and negativity. My employees know there’s no room in Leena’s office for excuses. If you don’t have a burning reason to do things, there’ll only be excuses. I tell my staff, be transparent to clients too, and don’t overcommit.
What drives me… is the desire to make every day the best day, meaningful day, in my life. If I can get out of bed and meet one person whom I can help, that one person will make my day. If I just sit in the office all day it’s my poorest day ever. I want to add value every day to someone so as not to have a meaningless life.
I don’t have short-term goals… Isee5or10 years down the line. Time passes so fast.
The most important lesson I’ve learnt… is that life is an amazing ride and to make it exhilarating you have to do something different from others, above and beyond others. You jump in the pool and you’ll learn to swim. If you wait for the right day it never comes. Even now I just dive, I don’t wait for perfect conditions to do so.
I make sure to… divide my time very well with a window for everything – business, personal, spiritual and fitness goals. When I started I was doing anything and everything at every time, and I realised it was not going to work that way. I travel a lot, but I’ve seen so many places it doesn’t excite me anymore. I enjoy it but I’m happy to be in Dubai. Now I meditate, I’ll sit with my kids, I’ll exercise, pamper myself, recharge. I have focus days, free days. This is my lifestyle now, and I make sure all the pieces fit in well.
What drives me… is the desire to make every day the best day, a meaningful day, in my life. If I can get out of bed and meet one person whom I can help, that one person will make my day.