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 Table of contents
Table of contents 2

Part A 3
A.1. Introduction 3
A.1.1 Report Structure 3
A.1.2 Personal Effectiveness meaning and definition 3
A.1.3 Importance of Personal Effectiveness 5

Part B 6
B.1 Sundar Pichai: Critical evaluation 6
B.1.2 Overview 6
B.1.3 Innovations and advancements 6
B.1.4 Effective time management 7
B.1.5 Help others succeed 7
B.1.6 Keep on learning 8
B.1.7 A range of comprehension skills 8
B.1.8 Resilience and stress management 9

Part C 10
C.1 Self-assessment development needs for personal effectiveness 10
C.1.2 Personal SWOT analysis 10
C.2 Skill and Behaviour Gaps: The Importance of Bridging The Gaps 12
C.2.1 Enhancing communication skills 12
C.2.2 Building up self-confidence 13
C.2.3 Dealing with emotions 14
C.2.4 Have a clear vision 14
C.2.5 Set achievable deadlines 15
C.2.6 Peer Learning 15

Conclusion 16

References 17

Appendix 18
Part A

A.1. Introduction

A.1.1 Report Structure

The report is split into three sections in total. The first section covers the notion of personal

effectiveness and the role it plays in professional and corporate settings. The second section

of the paper evaluates Sundar Pichai, Alphabet's current CEO, for his competencies and

behaviour, illustrating how these characteristics lead to personal effectiveness. This research

will look at Sundar Pichai's past, with a focus on his work experience, current employment,

educational level, and, most significantly, his personal effectiveness approach. By analysing

and evaluating his personal effectiveness approaches, the research will demonstrate his

leadership qualities in coping with his problems along the way. In addition, this research will

look at the six leadership paradigms and principles that define a leader's success, including

personality, behaviour, transformational, transactional, and charismatic leadership theories.

These ideas apply to Sundar Pichai and may be used to examine his talents and behaviours, as

well as how he utilised them to become a global symbol. Finally, in section C, I discuss my

thoughts on the activities and strategies I would use to improve my own effectiveness.

A.1.2 Personal Effectiveness meaning and definition

Personal Effectiveness sprang from the self-help culture, which centred on achieving

success, creating objectives, and other related notions (Botelho, et al., 2017). Although it

varies from the New Thought Movement in general, personal effectiveness combines certain

elements from "the power of positive thinking" and positive psychology. Personal

effectiveness has grown more empirical, and it is now based on a rigorous approach that

considers a number of factors that influence it. Personal effectiveness aficionados, for
example, use a more thorough approach that incorporates a range of factors in addition to

positive thinking. Some proponents employ techniques similar to those employed in business

process management. Others may take a holistic approach to spiritual and physical health.

Day after day, we devote our focus and effort to attaining our objectives. However,

various persons can achieve the same aim at different costs. It occurs because every one of us

has a distinct level of personal effectiveness. Our effectiveness is determined by our intrinsic

qualities, which include skill and experience gained through personal growth. Knowledge and

abilities that we gain via cognitive and practical actions are referred to as experience. Setting

goals, creating an action plan to attain them, and assessing risks all require knowledge. Skills

also determine if actual activities are carried out according to the plan. When a skill is utilised

repeatedly in the same circumstance, it becomes a habit.

As a result, people who are personally effective are far more than those who get what they

want. They have two main characteristics: they make efficient use of their strengths and are

skilled at achieving their goals. Whether you want to be a great salesperson or a successful

athlete, being effective requires a combination of efficiency and excellent application.

Individuals are individually productive in a variety of ways because they all have different

goals, beliefs, and priorities. Great speakers, for example, may be effective in a number of

ways depending on their goals. Ones with a good sense of humour are those who like

entertaining others. If they want to impress large audiences, they must have exceptional

presentation skills.

A.1.3 Importance of Personal Effectiveness

Personal effectiveness encourages a person in optimizing his or her productivity depending

on his or her aptitude and skills. Therefore, Personal effectiveness is connected to

linked to happiness and is a necessary component of living a productive and fulfilling life. It

is a desirable workplace quality since it indicates that you will be more productive, driven,

and able to meet and exceed goals on a regular basis, regardless of your position.

Personal effectiveness is important to include into your life since it helps you feel more

fulfilled and productive, which is good for your mental health. People who have a better

awareness of themselves and their abilities are more fulfilled in life and have more faith and

confidence in themselves, all of which are important factors in achieving success and

pleasure. Focusing on personal effectiveness is also valuable because it helps you to pause

and think over what it is you want to accomplish in daily life, at the workplace, and in your

connections. Individuals who develop thorough objectives and have a clear notion of where

they are heading are more inclined to achieve their goals and make significant progress.

Finally, personal effectiveness is an important attribute to have if one wishes to stand out in

the company and create an impression on coworkers. Personal effectiveness experts are

simpler to work with because they are motivated, devoted, disciplined, and always follow

through on their promises. Personal effectiveness skills will have a substantial impact on a

person's ability to succeed in the job.

B.1 Sundar Pichai: Critical evaluation

B.1.2 Overview

In 2015, Sundar Pichai was appointed the CEO of Google, following a reorganisation of

the company's organizational structure. Pichai has become one of the world's most effective

leaders, and his skills as a leader, such as emotional maturity and dedication to the success of

others, have helped Google find greatness (Lebowitz, 2016). Pichai's rapid rise to the top of

Google was ascribed to his ability to build new products and lead within a decade of joining

the company as an executive. He has been a successful leader because of his focus on

motivating and appreciating individuals, as well as working via collaborative cultures

(Ghoshal, 2017). He also encourages friendly competition among staff, and his management

style has been described as fair and energetic. His humility pours through in his remarks, and

his attitude toward failure, which he sees as an opportunity for future growth, makes him an

excellent leader (Shivani, 2018).

B.1.3 Innovations and advancements

In today's environment of cutthroat competition, inventions or developments that focus on

corner enhancements and reinvention have a lot more to gain. Pichai encourages CEOs to

think big and come up with novel ways to handle these problems in order to provide an out-

of-the-box answer. Pichai holds the same beliefs as the rest of the world, which is bursting at

the seams with new ideas. He believes that in order to have a bright future, we must always

think creatively. He says that new entrepreneurs must think about their next best move in the

most obvious way possible.

Perhaps one of Pichai's most valuable abilities was his meticulous planning and

organisation, which allowed him to better manage his time. He was able to obtain this

position by effectively utilising his time management and project management abilities. He

understands the concept of prioritisation and is quite observant, and the capacity to prioritise

is critical to achieving the objectives. As a person's ability to deal with issues increases, so

does their productivity. Industry management, as well as everything else, is influenced by

successful experience. Sundar Pichai is regarded as a market leader, and his management

skills have helped him achieve high levels of productivity.

B.1.5 Help others succeed

Sundar is more concerned with the success of others than with his own. Sundar

emphasises that as a leader, you should spend the majority of your efforts on assisting others

in succeeding. It's less about achieving success (for yourself) and more about supporting

others in overcoming their challenges so that they might achieve success as well. A leader's

job is to build on and assist others in achieving their goals in the most efficient way possible.

Sundar has established collaborative settings across Google to efficiently adopt this

leadership style.
B.1.6 Keep on learning

Moreover, Pichai believes in being humble about his knowledge and keeps learning. After

getting an MBA from Wharton University and helping to construct various Google products,

Pichai ascended through the ranks of Google. Larry Page and Sergey Brin were encouraged

to design their browser by Sundar. In 2008, he was also instrumental in the launch of Google

Chrome. He put in long hours till he was promoted to Product Chief. Sundar Pichai has been

chosen as the next CEO of Alphabet Inc, a Google subsidiary that was founded in 2015. In

this role, he has retained his humble demeanour and commitment to lifelong learning and

progress. Sundar recognises that in order to stay ahead of the competition, Google cannot rely

on what worked last year. They must continue to develop and innovate.

B.1.7 A range of comprehension skills

Sundar Pichai has also developed a range of comprehension skills that have helped him

have a better understanding of the challenges that Google's staff and employees face. Pichai

also provides a range of incentives to his employees, with Google placing first on Fortune's

Best Places to Work list. It might be said that he knew how to attentively listen to the various

challenges that employees and technicians experienced in order for the organisation to

quickly handle them. On the other hand, positive abilities in coping with a tough scenario or

incident at work are regarded as one of the most important characteristics of a good leader.

As a result, every CEO must be able to shoulder a greater share of the company's massive

revenues.
B.1.8 Resilience and stress management

Another important personal effectiveness skill that Sundar Pichai embraces is resilience

and stress management. Managing software, product roadmaps, revenue, and employees is a

herculean effort in any business; it is Himalayan at Google. Sundar's ability to bear pressure

and stress is beyond comprehension. In 2017, an anti-diversity memo was circulated in the

Google corporation by a male engineer. It created an internal outburst in the company by the

employees. Sundar came back earlier from vacation to deal with the issue. The management

team decided to hold a meeting in the hall but due to threats, it was cancelled. The

cancellation of the meeting shows that Sundar cares about his employees’ mental health.

Moreover, the author of the memo was fired because what he wrote was against all genders

except men. This further shows that Sundar accepts diversity and believes in each of his

employees fairly and equally. After the firing, some of the employees sided with the author of

the memo but Sundar stayed firm with his decision.

A harassment complaint was reported at the company in 2019. More than 20,000 Google

employees protested the company's sexual harassment policy and the incompetent handling

of sexual harassment charges involving senior executives throughout the world. Following

the demonstration, Google CEO Sundar Pichai indicated that the business will be more

transparent in how it processes complaints and that people who raise the issue will receive

more support and attention. In a crisis, leaders must be as transparent as possible with their

workers about what they recognise. In an organization, nothing breeds fear and uncertainty

like gossip and rumours. Preventing the spread of disinformation requires analysing the

circumstance and responding with your facts. Transparent communication entails including

all important stakeholders who may be affected by the decision. Pichai hinted that he would

do so by convening an all-hands meeting to address questions and concerns.

C.1 Self-assessment development needs for personal effectiveness

Almost everyone in the workplace desires to reach their full potential in both their careers

and their personal life. We strive to do our jobs to the best of our ability, in a timely and

efficient way, every day. You'll need to employ all of your skills to do this. To perform at

your best, you must improve your own efficiency. While this may seem self-evident, many

individuals, both at work and in their personal life, fail to recognise and capitalise on their

abilities. We might spend so much time working on our defects that we forget about our

strengths. Investing all of your talents, energy, and ability into something that plays to your

strengths rather than putting in countless hours on something that plays to your deficiencies is

a lot better use of your time.

C.1.2 Personal SWOT analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

● Strong writing skills ● Fear of public speaking

● Hard-working ● Fear of failing at tasks

● Time management ● Low self-esteem

● Good listener ● Socially awkward/ Introvert

● Strong academic background ● Weak interpersonal communication

● Ability to work under stress skills

● Online marketing skills ● Passive

● Positive attitude despite setbacks ● Self-doubts

● Determined/Focused

● Teamwork

Opportunities Threats

● Internships ● Cutthroat competition

● Career Fairs ● Competitors with superior skills

● Graduate school abroad ● Competitors who went to schools

● Contacts with PR agencies and with a better reputation

newspapers ● Might miss opportunities due to self-

● Online courses to improve my doubts

writing skills ● The market is getting saturated

● Can work in writing, editing, and ● Low pay/ stipend

marketing roles

● Wide range of career opportunities

Fig. 1 - Personal SWOT Analysis

I've identified areas where I have significant shortcomings that I need to address to increase

my personal effectiveness based on my SWOT analysis and personal opinions. I believe I am

limited in both ability and behaviour, both of which are necessary for high personal

effectiveness.
C.2 Skill and Behaviour Gaps: The Importance of Bridging The Gaps

Constantly studying and improving your talents is a vital part of developing your own

effectiveness. Attending seminars, participating in corporate training, or simply reading

books should all be part of your daily routine. This will raise my efficacy by increasing the

magnitude of my talents, capacities, and energy. Just as Pichai is always learning and

inventing new ideas, taking measures to improve my performance benefits both me and the

people around me.

C.2.1 Enhancing communication skills

Getting out of your comfort zone is the first step towards success. It means challenging

your abilities to perform at your best. For me, I have a fear of public speaking, it hinders

many opportunities. The skill of speaking in public is used in a variety of situations,

including corporate presentations, team meetings, and motivational speaking, in addition to

conferences and public lectures. Moreover, good speakers get their message across to their

team members effectively. I need to work on my social anxiety and public speaking to

effectively work in groups and teams. It will not only enable me to improve my teamwork but

also my presentation skills to pitch my ideas to people. This will further enhance my ability

to build connections and leave a good impression on people in a social setting.

Moreover, when I first started writing about Mr Pichai, communication was the last thing

on my mind. After analysing his traits, I came to this conclusion. As we move farther into the

digital era, when strong emotional relationships are rare, this trait makes him a great model of

the sort of leader that every business will require. Emotional intelligence is reflected in the

capacity to communicate. Emotional intelligence isn't widely regarded as the most important
characteristic in science or engineering (or many other fields if we are honest). Mr Pichai

possesses this trait in his leadership style, and it has motivated me to develop my

communication abilities to advance in my industry. The communication skill would further

help make better deals with the stakeholders. Making deals is all about developing

connections, and the greatest dealmakers prioritise meeting the needs of their partners and

clients above obtaining an advantage.

C.2.2 Building up self-confidence

There are several advantages to having more confidence at work. You have the authority

to hold effective meetings; you can decide what kind of work you want to undertake and how

you want to do it. If you're confident in your work ethic, you'll be able to gain more

autonomy and easily persuade your boss to do anything. Leaving behind self-doubt and

embracing self-confidence is the key to better mental health and quality work. Work, time,

and devotion are required for self-confidence. It's a leap toward self-actualization, which is at

the pinnacle of Maslow's pyramid and something that some of us would never accomplish

entirely. To build this skill, I would take small steps such as not focusing on what others

think and defining success on your terms.

C.2.3 Dealing with emotions

Moreover, I refer to my sensitivity and emotions as a hurdle in my professional life. But

now, I have realised in the office, emotional depth is not something to be avoided. It's a

quality that gives you a lot of power. Emotions are a natural part of being human. But it's
how you choose to behave and express when those emotional emotions do occur that

distinguishes you as a great leader. When you accept responsibility for your feelings and

behaviours, you project confidence and strength that others will admire.

C.2.4 Have a clear vision

In an era of fierce competition and information overload, having a clear vision of the

company roadmap and plans to reach the goals is essential. Sundar stood on the shoulders of

titans at Google and was able to define the path better than the others, propelling him to

Larry's second-in-command position. To be successful in a competitive market, I will

continuously consider the micro and macro goals and plan one step to Sundar prove his

ability to swim against the tide by successfully directing large initiatives. During the process,

he gained the right to manage more tasks, greater duties, and, as a result, authority and status.

‘I followed the route less travelled, and that has made all the difference,' wrote Robert Frost. I

would get out of my comfort zone and be eager to contribute to the business and huge ideas

by taking one step at a time. I would aim my energies in a favourable direction to produce

positive results. By reflecting on what I say, what I do, and how I act. What effect do these

things have on the people surrounding you? The more positive energy we send out, the more

positive energy we will get.

C.2.5 Set achievable deadlines

We are not superhuman, we must plan and remind ourselves to do critical chores, whether

we like it or not. I'll start by making a list of everything I need to accomplish every morning

or evening, depending on what works best. This will result in increased attention and fewer
neglected chores. I'll always make deadlines since deadlines enhance productivity, save

wasted time, and prevent work from being delayed. If you establish hard deadlines for all of

your projects, you will be able to employ all of your resources to accomplish the job as

quickly as possible. Along with all of this, I will always remember to look for your health,

mind, and spirit. How we present ourselves to others is heavily influenced by our mental,

physical, and emotional capabilities. To have a good impact on your mind and body, make

sure you take care of all elements of your life.

C.2.6 Peer Learning

In the process of learning, I would take advantage of everyone around me and never stop

learning because you can never know enough. I'll take advice from bosses, peers, and even

those lower on the corporate ladder than me. As a result, we are faced with a decision.

Sticking with what we know, what we've done, and how we've done it is one choice. It entails

figuring out what works and then doing it over and over again. Another alternative is to

venture outside our comfort zones, into situations where we are unsure of ourselves, where

we don't know what we're doing, and where we may fail. When we pick the second choice as

adults, we are reminded of how difficult and uncomfortable it is to learn anything new. A few

years ago, I was having trouble learning a new computer application. I kept hitting

roadblocks and had to seek assistance from a much younger, just-here-for-the-summer

working student. Over and over again It was both a frustrating and humiliating experience.

But along the journey, I figured out that it is okay to ask for help and keep on learning even if

it means from a much younger person in the corporate hierarchy.

You must continue to study and enhance your abilities, regardless of your industry. You

must work on soft skills in addition to the technical abilities necessary for your profession.

Leadership talents, problem-solving strategies, emotional intelligence abilities, and creative

thinking are among them. Any effort you make to improve these abilities will pay dividends

in the workplace. We manage our time efficiently, communicate clearly, and have a positive

mindset when we are genuinely productive at work. Effective employees are frequently the

most well-liked and productive in their workplaces, and they are frequently the first to be

considered for advancement. So putting in the effort to improve your abilities here is well

worth it. By utilizing personal effectiveness, you can manage the task better since it is more

suitable for you. This helps to avoid overwork and stress. It can be learned from the success

of Sundar Pichai that it is important to brush up on your skills and characteristics. More than

that, it is important to recognise what you have within you and work on your strengths.
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Appendix