Meher Mirchandani, the Managing Director at Palmon Group, assumes the responsibility of ensuring the company’s profitability in alignment with their goals while fostering a positive work environment. Her role encompasses various tasks such as training, coaching, and intrinsically motivating the team. Meher strives to be the best version of herself and approaches each day with a charged and connected mindset, dedicated to serving her team.
Interacting, engaging, and coaching her team members bring Meher the greatest joy as she encourages them to lead from the heart and make progress. Leading with the heart involves demonstrating empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence. It means making decisions and taking actions based on genuine concern for the well-being and emotions of others. Meher prioritizes the human aspect of leadership, acknowledging the impact of her choices on individuals and cultivating a supportive and inclusive environment.
A heart-centered leadership approach requires actively listening to others, understanding their perspectives, and being receptive to their needs and concerns. Meher values the emotions and experiences of those she leads, responding with kindness, understanding, and respect. By building strong relationships, fostering trust, and promoting a sense of belonging within the team or organization, Meher creates an environment where everyone can thrive.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and Meher Mirchandani:
Describe who you are as a person, inside and outside of the workplace.
I am a leader that leads with her heart on all fronts of her life, as a mother, enterprenuer, author and coach. When we lead with our hearts, we inspire and motivate others by tapping into their emotions and connecting with them on a deeper level. They encourage collaboration, empower their team members, and create a safe space for open communication and expression. This approach to leadership and life often leads to higher employee engagement, increased loyalty, and improved overall performance at work and deeper relationships and better understanding of life.
Describe your background and what did you do before you started/joined the company?
Before joining Palmon Group, I had Launched my fashion brand called Meher & Riddhima with my best friend Riddhima Whabi
“I was always interested in fashion. Growing up, I was exposed to my father, Manohar Lahori’s apparel manufacturing business, which at that time was one of the largest garments businesses in the country, making a million clothing pieces a month at five factories in Jebel Ali and Fujairah free zones. We supplied to international chains such as Bhs, C&A, Gap and Debenhams. I learnt much about fabrics, pattern-making and tailoring, how to bring a garment to life from an abstract sketch.
Tell us about the inception of the company. How did it all start?
My father, Manohar Lahori, founded his first company, Palmon Exports, a garment factory, in Mumbai, India, more than 40 years ago. Ten years later, in 1985, Palmon relocated its business to Dubai as a result of a meeting with HE Sultan Bin Suleyem. My father stopped in the UAE while traveling from India to the UK to explore what was being developed as a free zone.
Mr Lahori was persuaded to start the first garment manufacturing production facility in JAFZA after witnessing His Excellency’s enthusiasm and vision. HE Sultan bin Suleyem and his team made the process of launching the company extremely simple. We were all in the process of learning something new. With the demand from our customers and support of Jafza, we were soon able to expand into three facilities. Needless to say, they were as pleased with our accomplishments and growth as were we.
We were the first to introduce the ‘Made in UAE’ label to the world’s largest retailers. I recall His Highness Sheik Mohammed visiting our factory and praising us for promoting the UAE as a manufacturing base in Europe and the United States. The demand for a product increased rapidly. We needed to increase production at a faster rate, which we accomplished through organic growth and acquisitions. Over time, the business employed over 4000 people and produced garments in over 30 factories in the Gulf
Give us your opinion on; do organizations rely heavily on individual heroics or team processes?
Team processes are crucial in business for several reasons. Here are some key reasons why team processes are important:
- Collaboration and Communication: Effective team processes ensure smooth collaboration and communication among team members. Clear processes for sharing information, providing updates, and discussing ideas foster better teamwork, reduce misunderstandings, and enhance overall productivity.
- Efficiency and Productivity: Well-defined team processes help streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and improve efficiency. When everyone understands their roles, responsibilities, and how tasks should be executed, it minimizes duplication of efforts, reduces errors, and maximizes productivity.
- Consistency and Quality: Standardized team processes establish consistent practices and quality standards within the organization. They ensure that tasks are executed consistently, leading to reliable outcomes, and maintaining the quality of deliverables. This is particularly important in areas such as customer service, production, and project management.
- Accountability and Ownership: Team processes create a framework for accountability and individual ownership. When processes clearly outline who is responsible for what and how progress is tracked, team members become more accountable for their actions, deadlines, and the overall success of the team.
- Conflict Resolution: Clearly defined team processes can help prevent and resolve conflicts within the team. Processes for addressing disagreements, providing feedback, and resolving issues create a structured approach to manage conflicts, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
- Decision-Making: Team processes can support effective decision-making by providing a framework for gathering information, analyzing alternatives, and reaching consensus. Clearly defined processes help teams make informed decisions efficiently, reducing indecisiveness and potential conflicts.
- team processes establish a structured framework that promotes collaboration, efficiency, consistency, accountability, and learning within an organization. They contribute to the overall success of a business by enhancing productivity, quality, and adaptability in a dynamic and competitive environment.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
Lead with your heart as that’s when you are most powerful and authentic. Leadership is about becoming the leader who leads with example on all fronts of their life and hence it is important to keep growing yourself and becoming a better version of yourself everyday.
