Weaving stories through HR

Vishal Thakur, Vice President - Human Resources, Tata Capital, is a seasoned corporate professional. Among the many hats he wears, it is his genuine human approach that shapes his remarkable corporate persona. His storytelling and ability to share anecdotes as an HR leader are truly outstanding. Vishal shares his journey with Corporate Citizen

"Over the years, I’ve evolved into a seasoned Human Resources professional with a demonstrated history in the financial services industry"

-Vishal Thakur

Corporate Citizen: Tell us a bit about yourself.

Vishal Thakur: I was born in Barghat, a small town in Madhya Pradesh, into a humble family where education was of utmost importance. I completed my schooling in a boarding school in Bhopal and graduated from Indore before moving to Delhi for my MBA. My career began as a salesman with ICICI Bank, and since then, I haven't looked back. I steadily climbed the corporate ladder, eventually joining Tata Capital as an Area Sales Manager. It was here that my ability to train and lead a sales team was recognised. This recognition led to a pivotal moment in my career when I transitioned from sales to a full-time role as a sales trainer-one of the highlights of my journey. Since then, I've continued to explore the various avenues the corporate world has to offer. Looking back, I feel proud of my growth and achievements.

CC: Do you believe that the city you are born in shapes your potential for achieving maximum success?

I don't believe this entirely. I feel that a person's success is a combination of many factors. Right from your place of birth, your upbringing, your family, education, friends, and hard work—everything contributes to your success. While your dreams and ambitions might originate in the city of your birth, these elements collectively shape the journey that lies ahead.

CC: Walk us through your corporate journey so far. What have been your key learnings and challenges?

I welcome challenges with open arms because, for me, they are opportunities. Although I specialised in HR during my MBA, my first employer placed me in a sales role. Instead of avoiding it, I embraced the challenge, took a leap of faith, and worked hard to become a top salesperson. This experience helped me develop qualities like leadership and resilience, which resulted in the high performance of my sales team. This success led me to a sales trainer role, opening the doors to HR. I’ve continually pushed myself out of my comfort zone, taking on new portfolios and working with diverse employees on a wide range of assignments.

Over the years, I’ve evolved into a seasoned Human Resources professional with a demonstrated history in the financial services industry. Creativity has been my driving force, propelling me toward success. I dedicate my time to Training Delivery, Performance Management Systems (PMS), and Business Relationship Management. I’m an engaging speaker and an emerging coach. The key learnings have indeed helped me excel in my career.

"HR serves as a gateway for me to continue educating and inspiring the next generation. It’s more of a personal calling than simply an aspect of my HR role"

CC: Did you always want to get into HR?

Come to think of it—no, never. In fact, teaching, grooming young minds, motivating, and coaching them has always been my passion. However, I’ve realised that HR serves as a gateway for me to continue educating and inspiring the next generation. It’s more of a personal calling than simply an aspect of my HR role, although HR does provide plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with diverse people.

CC: How can data be used to improve employee health and wellness?

Data can provide early warning signals about an employee's health. It allows us to take preventive measures and address issues before they become irreversible.

CC: What is your approach for creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace?

The best way to approach diversity is never to discriminate and rather focus on inclusion. The more you are open to inclusion, the more diversity will naturally follow.

CC: Apart from being a seasoned HR professional, you are also an engaging speaker and a budding coach. Tell us about your process and how you incorporate that at work.

My ability in public speaking stems from my observations and storytelling is my preferred style of delivery. I weave my thoughts into relatable stories and maintain a collection of anecdotes as building blocks, much like Lego. Whenever I have a speaking opportunity, I construct my message using these building blocks. My work involves a lot of discussions, presentations, and negotiations, and I leverage my storytelling style to effectively communicate and deliver messages. This approach proves to be extremely beneficial in my professional interactions.

CC: When not working, what do you like doing?

I write extensively—posts on LinkedIn, stories, and poetry. Occasionally, I get the opportunity to perform my stories on stage and engage with a live audience. For me, work and life are seamlessly integrated; I am either fully immersed in my work or completely relaxed, but I don’t perceive an imbalance between the two.

CC: What is your philosophy in life?

I believe in karma and see life as a vast canvas. It offers numerous chances to correct our mistakes and transform failures into successes.