In this episode of TechDogs Discover Dialogues, Vikramsinh Ghatge sits down with Sachin Khurana, Chief People Officer and Senior Vice President - People Practice at Happiest Minds Technologies, for an in-depth conversation on how people leadership has evolved-and what it truly means to lead in today’s constantly shifting workplace.
The discussion begins with Sachin’s professional journey, which spans IT services, infrastructure, real estate, consulting, and technology-led organizations. Rather than following a conventional HR path, Sachin reflects on how his cross-industry exposure shaped his understanding of people, speed, decision-making, and culture. sharpened his perspective on what makes organizations work-and what causes them to struggle.
Key Themes Discussed:
• Culture as lived behavior, not policies or slogans
• Psychological safety and vulnerability in leadership
• Self-awareness as a leadership capability
• Aligning people strategy with business performance
• Leading across generations, uncertainty, and scale
Timestamp:
00:00 Introduction
02:25 Professional Journey
08:57 CX, AI & Employee Experience
27:34 Strategy & Leadership
46:38 Rapid Fire
As the conversation unfolds, Vikram and Sachin move into the evolution of the HR function itself. What was once largely seen as an administrative or support role has now become a strategic boardroom conversation. Sachin explains that in an era where technology advantages are short-lived, people and culture have become the only sustainable differentiators.
The conversation also dives into how organizations can measure cultural health beyond traditional engagement scores. Sachin highlights indicators such as alumni advocacy, boomerang employees, internal mobility, leadership pipelines, and external recognition. When people leave an organization but continue to speak positively about it, refer talent, or even return later in their careers, it signals that the culture has created lasting impact.
Another major focus is the role of people leaders in navigating change, uncertainty, and scale. Sachin outlines three core challenges facing leaders today: managing generational diversity, operating amid constant uncertainty, and scaling leadership from smaller teams to large, complex organizations.
The episode features a thoughtful exploration of psychological safety, where Sachin shares insights gained through reverse mentoring and working closely with younger generations in the workforce. He explains that psychological safety is built when leaders allow themselves to be human-admitting uncertainty, acknowledging mistakes, sharing stress, and showing vulnerability without losing decisiveness.
This episode offers a grounded, experience-led perspective on people leadership-one that goes beyond trends and focuses on what truly works in practice. Whether you’re a people leader, an aspiring executive, or someone navigating leadership in times of change, this conversation provides valuable insights into building trust, culture, and capability at scale.
Why This Conversation Matters:
As organizations navigate AI, shifting workforce expectations, and constant change, people leadership plays a defining role in long-term success. This episode offers a grounded, experience-led perspective on what effective leadership looks like today.
Who Should Watch / Read:
This episode is relevant for HR leaders, people managers, founders, and business leaders who are building teams, shaping culture, or leading through transformation.
About the guest:
Sachin Khurana is the Chief People Officer and Senior Vice President – People Practice at Happiest Minds Technologies, bringing a rare cross-industry perspective shaped by experience across IT services, infrastructure, real estate, consulting, and technology-led organizations. Over the years, he has led people strategy through high-growth phases, acquisitions, and organizational scale, with a strong focus on culture as lived behavior rather than policy. Known for his grounded, business-aligned approach, Sachin works at the intersection of leadership development, psychological safety, and capability building, helping organizations align people decisions directly with long-term business outcomes.
🔔 Subscribe to our channel now: https://tinyurl.com/TDYTSub
🔔 Subscribe to stay ahead of enterprise tech trends: https://www.techdogs.com/newsletter
🌐 Visit us at: https://www.techdogs.com
----------------------------------------------
Stay connected with TechDogs:
LinkedIn: / techdogs-inc
Facebook: / techdogsinc
Instagram: / techdogs_inc
Twitter: https://x.com/TechDogs_Inc
Pinterest: / techdogs_inc
Информация по комментариям в разработке