Ex: Leadership quotes that you live by
Sameer: “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung “You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people cannot do something themselves, they’re gonna tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” – Will Smith (from the movie – The Pursuit of Happyness) “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali
Ex: What has been your biggest learning in the pandemic?
Sameer: That wealth can also be measured as an ‘attitude of gratitude’, with which we remind ourselves every day to count our blessings.
Ex: Some productivity apps and technologies you use in your daily life?
Sameer: Zoom for meetings, calendar for scheduling, unified communication hardware like Jabra and Poly headsets, speakerphones and smartwatch with inbuilt GPS to track sports activities – integrated with the phone for calendaring and Zoom chat notifications.
Ex: What is your technology detox like?
Sameer: Focusing on my fitness is a detox time for me. I usually go for a run in the evening for 5-10 km. On the days when I don’t have early morning meetings, I cycle around Mumbai city and try to cover nearly 50 km before the city wakes up.
Ex: What are your views on the unanticipated boom for Zoom?
Sameer: Zoom saw huge adoption because of the simplicity and reliability of the platform. We are helping governments, schools, corporates, large businesses, and standalone users around the world to connect during these trying times. I am glad to be part of an organization that is helping humanity in this hour of crisis and will continue to do so.
Ex: How does Zoom plan to introduce AI in its software?
Sameer: At Zoom, the privacy and security of our users are of utmost importance and we will never compromise on this. We will continue to build and innovate on our platform, and announce the right features at the right time.
Ex: What is the one truth you believe in, that most people disagree with you on?
Sameer: It is all about the focus. No goal or dream is too big. If you set your mind, you can overcome any hurdle, achieve any target that may seem impossible at first.
Ex: What is the one subject you think aspiring leaders should learn/focus on? Sameer: Establish a culture of caring from the beginning – caring for your customers and your partners. Most importantly, caring for your employees who feel proud to contribute to building great customer experiences. A grumpy employee cannot make a customer happy, so make sure you are taking care of your employees really well.
Ex: One book you keep coming back to?
Sameer: The book that inspires me the most is Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. This is for people who pursue their passions, push their limits, and strive to do better every day.