November 8 was National STEM Day, a time to appreciate the value of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To celebrate the day, we talked to women at Ericsson to learn more about their experiences in the field and the paths they took to the roles they have today. From advice to women entering the field to creative leadership strategies, we’re sharing a look at what goes on behind-the-scenes at Ericsson. This week, we speak with Divya Kirar, director of transformation and performance on the power of efficiency and lessons she’s learned about leadership.
Director of Transformation is a pretty unique title. What does that mean to you and how do you describe your role?
It’s a jack-of-all trades role, which makes it very exciting. It calls for a lot of diversity and agility. My unit is a team of high performing managers that leads strategic initiatives. We consult and advise Ericsson’s executive leaders throughout North America in three primary areas of transformation: customer experience, employee experience & finance.
Can you tell us about any of the projects you’re working on now?
My unit owns Ericsson’s innovation hub named “xLab,” where we provide mentoring, funding, and resources to test ideas that help improve employee experience in the company. Employees are a core strength of any big company and taking care of people is one of the top priorities for me.
Another thing we’re working on is consolidating all transformation journeys across Ericsson. As a company, we always need to evolve. I like to think of the saying: it’s not the strongest that survives, it’s the ones that can adapt. Every employee needs to think about transformation within their own role – but the leadership team also needs to know how to invest to improve both employee and customer experiences.
How did you end up in this role?
I started my Ericsson journey in Europe. I was getting my masters in a small town where Ericsson is the major employer. People called the office the Ericsson Factory, because phones used to actually be built there, and it’s a pretty prestigious company to work for.
At the time, we were delivering products every six months, which is a slow pace. The idea of agility as a priority was only introduced into the industry a few years ago. Everyone was reluctant about it at first. The idea of shipping a telecom product to a customer in two to three weeks was such an innovative idea. I was not leading the journey at the time – I was just out of college – but that idea stuck with me. The futuristic technologies we were talking about could only happen if we transformed and kept evolving our business and recreating ourselves. And that’s why we’re still here. That’s how you become a leader in the industry.
Our major customers were in the US, which is how I got here. Before taking on current role, my title was transformation leader, which took me on a global journey visiting Ericsson offices and seeing how efficient we are on a day-to-day basis for different jobs, and how we can enable people to work more efficiently.
How would you describe yourself as a leader?
I’m a very situational leader. Working at a global company, you learn there’s no one-size fits all approach to leadership. For example, sometimes people may need a lot more direct support, and at other times, they may need to be challenged. My job is to understand the need and provide the relevant kind of leadership.
I try to empower people. I think humans have a lot of potential that can only be reached when you empower them and give them full autonomy to make decisions. Everyone has different ways of solving problems, and I want them to feel supported to pursue their own approach.
Is there anything in your personal life that informs your work?
A few months ago, we did a team building exercise where we asked people to write down 10 words that they consider to be their values. Of the words we came up with, the one that stuck out to me most was efficiency. I never realized how much that matters to me, whether it’s in my work or just in doing the dishes. I’m constantly trying to find the most efficient way to do things. I’ve realized that with my kids as well. I’m patient with them, but the way my home is structured is very efficient. I am drawn to the job I have because of the person I am, not the other way around.
Do you have any advice for women entering the field?
Make connections. I didn’t learn that until late in my career. Find people who will speak up for you when you’re not in the room. Proactively go out, make connections, make yourself visible. It’s much more efficient than assuming your good work alone will get you a seat at the table.
I used to assume if you do a good job, the job will speak for you. The moment I became a leader, I started to understand that it’s harder for people to accept a woman in that role. Then it hit me that we all need to work towards making a difference, whether that means raising your voice or supporting the women coming into the company.
My advice to leaders is to make sure you’re interviewing diverse candidates and mentoring your teammates. That way, you can be the voice that speaks up for someone else.
