Drijesh Patel: Champion Influencer Future Leader Accelerating Customer Success

Drijesh Patel
Drijesh Patel

Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Only leaders keep constantly working on their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses. All the weaknesses arise from the force of negative emotions in humans. Emotions like sadness, anger, disgust, and fearthe most powerful of all emotions.

According to Drijesh Patel, there’s a reason why fear is one of the most powerful emotions in the world. He adds, “It can keep us from doing things we want or achieving our goals. But what if I told you that everything you’ve ever wanted was on the other side of fear?

It’s true. All the success, happiness, and fulfilment you could ever imagine is waiting for you. But you must be willing to take a chance and face your fears head-on.

Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is part of the journey, and it’s how we learn and grow. So don’t let fear hold you back any longer. Step up to the challenge, and see what you’re capable of achieving.

Volunteer Influencer Awardee – 2022 and the Champion Learner – Gold – 2022, both for IBM, Drijesh is an expert Program Manager in Product Development, a problem solver providing value as a service to help accelerate customer success. He launched multi-million dollar programs while working in the US.

A Multi-Million Dollar Problem Solver

He assures, “If you want to get something done, you come to me — everyone knows that!”

Drijesh likes to solve problems. Whether it’s finding a technological integration for an unknown product or finding team members for a product team, he has been able to quickly uncover a customer’s pain point and identify a strategic solution.

He has committed himself to learning new things each year, be it technology/language/ functional/lifesaving skills, to help him stay relevant in the ever-changing business landscape; this has also helped him earn his Executive MBA recently and numerous other certifications.

Drijesh was handed over Project Management responsibilities for a large Investment banking client just after six years into his professional career (he started as a trainee), making him the youngest Project Manager in the 35+ years of the company’s history (not bragging here).

Have managed and delivered projects encompassing BFSI, Healthcare, and Insurance clients across technologies consisting of ETL, Data Warehousing, AI/ML, Cloud Technologies, and Custom Reporting Frameworks.

Drijesh’s Professional Skills include Program Management, Strategic Planning, Agile Development, Customer, Partner and Client Relations, Process Improvement, and Risk Management.

A Leader of Greatest Achievements

His most recent successes include

▪️ Increasing support ticket resolution by 25% via conducting a gap analysis to fine-tune and build a standardized process leveraging process improvement techniques.

▪️Leading a cross-functional team of 14 members to determine process improvement measures to improve collaboration between in-house and 3rd party applications, reducing the bugs by 35%.

▪️ Developing mechanisms to monitor risks, issues, dependencies, contingency plans & resources to remove roadblocks, leading to SLA adherence of 92%.

▪️ Mentored and coached 50+ consultants through interactive and immersive Agile development / Technology upskilling workshops to understand their key skills and career mapping, helping better alignment with their progress further.

Drijesh’s biggest strength is quickly and easily seeing skills, gifts, and talents that people don’t even realize they have. “I’ll bend over backward to help others’ dreams come true, but I also understand the importance of standing your ground and holding your own,” he promises.

Outside of work, you’ll see him cooking in his kitchen, listening to Hindi classics music, or roaming around the city with a camera and capturing moments to create memories. When he’s not at work or in denial about having a social life, Drijesh is at home mentoring his favourite little five-year-old son and cooking his most liked delicacies.

He says you’re not alone if you’re feeling stuck and not seeing the growth you desire in your career or business.

Many of us hit roadblocks that can be difficult to overcome. But before you can move forward, it’s important to understand why you’re not growing.”

Crossing the Roadblocks

Here are a few reasons why you might not be seeing the progress you want:

Lack of focus: Are you trying to do too many things simultaneously? It’s important to identify your priorities and focus on them.

Limited network: Your network is a valuable asset. Without a strong network, you may miss opportunities and valuable connections.

Lack of skills: Are there skills you need to acquire to advance? Identify what skills you need to develop and take steps to acquire them.

Fear of failure: Fear can hold us from taking risks and trying new things. It’s important to push past this fear and embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Not taking action: Sometimes, it’s as simple as not taking enough action. Even small steps can make a big difference.

Identifying why you’re not growing is the first step in overcoming those roadblocks.

Take a step back, evaluate your situation, and take action to move forward.

Remember, growth takes time and effort, but it’s ultimately worth it.

When revamping legacy systems, client objections are not an anomaly!

From understandable apprehensions regarding fees and disruptions to misgivings about change itself—it’s easy for clients to feel uneasy.

Facing these issues head-on is key to ensuring a successful modernization process while satisfying your business’s and its customers’ needs.

A Path to Success

By following the finest practices when tackling legacy modernizing efforts, you can guarantee everyone will be more than satisfied with the final results!

He asks, are you ready to succeed in 2023?

In answer, he says, here’s a roadmap to help you get there:

  • Stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends.
  • Set clear, measurable goals for the year.
  • Develop a strong personal brand.
  • Network, network, network.
  • Prioritize self-care.

With these steps, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals in 2023.

Let’s make this year our best yet! As we enter a new year, it’s important to reflect on past mistakes and learn from them to be more successful.”

Mistakes to Avoid

Here are some mistakes to avoid in 2023:

  • Failing to adapt to new technologies: With the rapid pace of technological advancement, it’s essential to stay up-to-date and be willing to embrace new tools and platforms.
  • Neglecting personal and professional development: Investing in yourself is key to staying relevant and competitive in today’s job market.
  • Ignoring the importance of networking: Building a strong professional network can open doors to new opportunities and provide valuable support throughout your career.
  • Underestimating the importance of work-life balance: It’s important to prioritize your mental and physical well-being to succeed in both your personal and professional life.
  • Being too afraid to take risks: Taking calculated risks can lead to big rewards, but weighing the potential risks and benefits before deciding is important.

He says 2023 is a new year, an opportunity to learn from our past mistakes and make better choices. Let’s make it a great one!

A Testament to the Power of the Team Leader

Drijesh is thrilled to announce that he has been honoured with the Volunteer Influencer award by IBM for 2022. “I am truly humbled and grateful for this recognition,” he says.

He would like to take this opportunity to thank IBM for their unwavering support and for providing him with the platform to make a difference in his community. The company’s commitment to volunteerism and giving back to the community is truly inspiring, and he’s proud to be a part of such an impactful organization.

He would also like to thank his colleagues, friends, and family for their support and encouragement throughout this journey.

This award is a testament to the power of teamwork and collaboration.

He is honoured to receive this award, and he looks forward to continuing to positively impact the community through volunteering and giving back. “Thank you, IBM, for this incredible opportunityI am thrilled to share that I am a Champion Learner – Gold – 2022 at IBM. My curiosity and consistency define my growth, and I contribute to the growth of IBM,” he concludes.

Drijesh is also listed as one of the ‘Future Leaders 2023’ By Glantor X.