Navigating Success in the Construction Industry- Chandrashekhar Barve’s EMBA Journey
A UAE-based luminary, Chandrashekhar Barve’s journey personifies excellence in engineering and leadership. His fascination with speed, machinery, and revolving objects since childhood led him to become a Mechanical Engineer. With an innate drive to explore, Chandrashekhar garnered over a decade of experience executing projects for offshore crude extraction facilities. He went on to join SP Jain Global’s EMBA program in the post-pandemic landscape. In the hesitant nature of the construction industry towards adopting operational changes, the Executive MBA program proved to be transformative for him.
How did Chandrashekhar leverage his EMBA learnings to make a mark in his field? Let’s find out his incredible story.
What inspired you to pursue an Executive MBA from SP Jain Global, and how has it impacted your career in the construction industry?
Being surrounded by the three-dimensional aspects, social, environmental and financial, in the oil & gas business, I realised having a balanced equation of techno-commercials in professional life will pave the way for meaningful career growth.
When the opportunity to join SP Jain Global’s Executive MBA program tailored for working executives emerged, I saw it as a perfect fit, especially in the post-pandemic landscape. What intrigued me the most was the interactive learning environment through the ELO platform, which enabled critical thinking, robust business analysis, and fruitful exchange of ideas among peers.
In the hesitant nature of the construction industry towards adopting operational changes, the Executive MBA program has been transformative for me. It provided me with the level of confidence to learn and unlearn innovative ideas that helped me shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.
How do you see the construction industry evolving in the next decade? What emerging trends or technologies do you anticipate will have the most significant impact?
The construction industry, once perceived as daunting, has evolved with the emergence of digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence with varied sophistication.
These advancements enable data-driven decision-making, placing a primary focus on business intelligence and delivery with optimised operations. Among other emerging technologies, D-Twin has eased constructability and optimised commissioning and start-up activities on capital projects.
What are the key leadership skills required to succeed in the construction industry, and how can executives in this field continue to develop these skills?
In the construction industry, there are two stand-out leadership skills that I’m a staunch follower of to achieve success. Firstly, the ability to communicate effectively plays a crucial role in keeping people informed, involved, interested, and inspired. Secondly, building trust and displaying influential character help foster a value-driven environment.
Executives in the construction field can further develop these skills by portraying their authentic selves by doing things right with the right words and at the right time. It is important to go beyond solely highlighting past achievements and focus on cultivating new and innovative approaches that drive growth and progress.
What are the unique opportunities you encountered that helped you during your EMBA program?
Real business case simulations, exchanging ideas, and negotiations in an engaged classroom platform challenged me to think beyond basics and analyse scenarios.
SP Jain Global’s EMBA program provided me with an opportunity to build a sustainable competitive advantage amongst industry players and the ability to navigate in a complex yet rapidly changing business environment.
Could you share an example of the challenges you faced at work and how you overcame them?
While assigned to one of the critical project delivery, I observed a major gap in contractual scope, which required urgent attention in clarifying the interface timeline and its impact on the contractor’s offshore installation schedule. Before gathering various stakeholders for clarification, I reviewed and verified all previous correspondences to bring clarity to the execution sequence.
What advice would you offer to professionals in the construction industry considering pursuing an Executive MBA? How can they make the most of this opportunity?
In today’s rapidly evolving corporate landscape, the mantra is to embrace change, expand our skillset, and embrace diversity.
SP Jain Global’s Executive MBA program provides a unique combination of business knowledge and industry experience. Balancing this journey with existing commitments, professionals not only enhance their business acumen but also become adept at serving as intrapreneurial consultants, addressing strategic challenges within their organisations.
