wanted to implement.” Continues Paavan, “One of the important changes that I made was hiring people from outside the industry which helped in bringing in new ideas and adopt better ways of doing things. We are on a journey of continuous development.”
GETTING TO KNOW HIS PEOPLE Paavan employs 700 people and doesn’t get to meet each one of them often. However he makes it a point, whenever possible, to talk to people at all levels in the business, show interest in their affairs and get to know their achievements. “Most importantly, I greet them with a smile,” says Paavan.
HANDLING DOWNTURNS
Lord Dolar Popat
FROM CONSTRUCTION TO CARE Paavan’s background is in the construction industry where he worked as a consultant for the global conglomerate Rider Levett Bucknall for three years. With a passion for constructing buildings the transition to care, especially in an SME, was a challenge for Paavan. He says, “It was interesting and challenging at the same time. Coming from a corporate into a SME, whether it is a family business or not, is always challenging. There was a huge change in working practices. I had to learn to be patient, keep both feet on the ground and get to know individuals. The atmosphere at TLC Group was different but it was a highly successful business and my challenge was to take it forward.”
TAKING ON THE MANTLE Donning his father’s illustrious mantle was a huge task for young Paavan and there was the generational gap to bridge too. Luckily for him the transition was a smooth one. Says Paavan, “It was a smooth and quick transition and we didn’t work together for more than a few months
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because my father was working hard on government and community projects. I was also very fortunate because he was very accommodating and trusting and he empowered me.” Did they have any disagreements? He says, “Not really. We had many debates and discussions around where we were going and how we’re going about things. Perhaps things might have been different had we worked together for a longer period of time. But hats off to my father because he made a big sacrifice and walked away from what was essentially his creation. It was not an easy path for him. He did it gracefully. His is perhaps a unique case.”
Like most businesses, TLC Group felt the bite of the economic crisis in 2009 and 2010. For Paavan this was a steep learning curve but there were several lessons to be learnt. He says, “Working with the funding world at a time when the banks were crumbling was a great lesson and it was tough. I think that has probably been my lowest point because I had no prior experience working in a recession. It was also during that time that I learned the importance of nurturing and strengthening relationships.”
LEARNING FROM FAILURES For Paavan, failure is a great teacher and can lead to strengthening of character. Says Paavan, “I do not encourage a culture of ‘blame’ in our organisation. Instead I encourage a culture of learning from mistakes and improving from them. It’s about identifying where we are going wrong and making sure it doesn’t happen again.”
WORKING WITH SENIOR COLLEAGUES Says Paavan, “With change comes discomfort. When young blood is infused into a leadership role it can be disconcerting for older employees who have been in the organisation for a few years. So I had to exercise patience, lead by example, win them over individually and not give up. It was important for me to communicate tactfully the changes that I
Left to right: Brothers Rupeen Popat, Shivaan Popat, Paavan Popat