Ajaj Kazi

Ajaj Kazi is a Project Director working with Voltas Limited for past 23 plus years. He has experience in handling MEP projects across Maharashtra, Goa & MP for various applications like Offices, Hotels, Hospitals, Malls, Airports, Power, Refinery, Pharmaceuticals and many more. Mechanical Engineer and Project Management Professional (PMP).

Has served as President for ISHRAE Mumbai Chapter and Vice- President for ASHRAE Mumbai Chapter. Currently serving as National Chair for Research Promotion for ISHRAE.

Author of Published books “ The Person of Your Dream” & “Focus is Money, Play 100%”
ISHRAE : Indian Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers
ASHRAE : American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Our Exclusive Interview:

1. What does Leadership mean to you?

Leadership is all about inspiring and motivating team to give their best to achieve excellence. It is all about creating a conducive environment and infusing energy in team to achieve the best. Its all about walking the talk. It is all about creating a bench of leaders so that the journey of excellence never stops. It is all about lifelong learning and sharing the knowledge. It is all about giving credit to team in case of success and taking the ownership in case of failure. Leadership must demonstrate integrity, inclusiveness and transparency in all aspects of areas in life.

2. How do you keep your team motivated?

Create an environment for teams to give their best. Always available for them in case of any assistance required. Allow team members to take decisions and always communicate them to fail fast, learn and move on. Try to play a role of a mentor or coach and ask team members to act. Believe in open door policy culture.

3. It is said that a leader is as good or as bad as his/ her team. Do you agree? Why?

Absolutely. No one can do everything. Team Performance is critical at the end. There is no Leader without a Team. Hence, Team Performance is reflection of a good or bad leader.

4. How do you delegate responsibility? What is your mantra for making your team accountable?

Yes delegation is an important characteristics of a leader. Trust is my Mantra for Delegation. It is important to find the right team member for a particular task and allow him/her add his/her ideas to get the best. When the task importance is linked to goal and communicated accordingly the accountability comes automatically.

5. Have you struggled with work-life balance? How did you handle it? How do you handle it even now?

In early days yes. However, with the help of right delegation, I tired to focus on what I am supposed to do and delegated the task to ones who are qualified to do it. Maintaining a monthly, weekly and daily list of TO DO helps in focusing important activities and can avoid distractions.
Keeping things simple and a better planning helps to manage both personal and professional goals in life.

6. Do you admire any leader? If yes, who? How has he/she influenced your life?

Yes. Ratan Tata is my Role Model. I have tried to inculcate some of his qualities like Simplicity, Integrity and Transparency in my life. I think these qualities have played an important role in my personal as well as professional life.

7. How do you define your vision for your organisation? clients?

Loyalty is an omnidirectional virtue. You’ve got to be loyal to the Company. Loyalty to employees or customers will automatically fall in line. Whenever in doubt, you have to ask yourself if the action is for the greater good of the organization or not.

8. How important is intellectual exchange for you? How do you seek it, and where?

Reading, interactions, and networking with people gives a lot of insights and valuable knowledge. Taking risks , analysing the lessons learnt also is area where a lot of inputs are gathered.

 

Know the Person

  1. Money to you is the by product of what we do.
  2. Your favourite film is Dil Chahta Hai.
  3. Your favourite food is Indian Food. { Dal Chawla kind of stuff)
  4. Your favourite film star (male) is Aamir Khan
  5. Your favourite film star (female) is Kajol
  6. Your favourite holiday destination is Goa
  7. Friendship to you is lifeline
  8. The person you admire the most is Mr Ratan Tata
  9. Your dream is to bring smile on at least 1 million people directly or indirectly
  10. Your best-kept secret is nothing.