Bindi Dharia, a Harvard MBA and impact sector veteran who discusses her experience with an exceptional hire, Pramit Banerjee. The conversation explores how Pramit's work significantly contributed to the development of India's Social Stock Exchange and transformed Bindi's team at Ashoka University's Center for Social Impact and Philanthropy.
Key Quotes
"When you're picking rock stars out there, it's not about what they can do. It's about what you can give them and why they should join." - Bindi Dharia
"I used to say Pramit is like gold." - Bindi Dharia
"If I would have taken another person who was not a super performer, they would have done only one at a time... This person needed three, four different things simultaneously." - Bindi Dharia
Key Moments
Pramit joining during a critical period when the team faced high attrition and an important government project deadline
His research report becoming the foundation for India's Social Stock Exchange
How Pramit introduced systematic reflection practices that improved the entire team's effectiveness
Bindi's discussion about challenging top performers rather than limiting their growth
Takeaways
Look for personality traits like entrepreneurial spirit and ownership rather than just specific skills when hiring
High performers need to be challenged with multiple projects to prevent boredom
Facilitate rather than manage exceptional talent by connecting them to resources and opportunities
Invest in people's growth even if it means they may eventually leave your organization
Implement structured reflection processes to improve team performance
Exceptional hires often bridge gaps between research and actionable implementation
Top performers can raise standards for the entire team
Understanding your boss's pain points and addressing them without being asked is key to becoming indispensable
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to My Best Hire
00:56 Bindi Intro
01:21 Bindi Dharia's Career Journey
02:05 Identifying Exceptional Talent: Pramit Banerjee
03:09 Pramit's Impactful Contributions
06:38 The Social Stock Exchange: A Game Changer
10:34 Skills and Attributes of High Performers
14:07 Fostering Team Growth and Reflection
19:44 Building a Strong Professional Relationship
22:36 Facilitating Growth and Opportunities
26:29 Lessons Learned from Pramit's Performance
27:25 Recruiting Rock Stars: Key Strategies
28:59 Managing High-Ownership Individuals
31:59 Becoming an Indispensable Professional
Links & Resources
List of organizations, institutions and initiatives mentioned in the podcast:
🔗Ashoka University: https://www.ashoka.edu.in/
🔗Goonj: https://goonj.org/
🔗Gandhi Fellowship: https://gandhifellowship.org/
🔗Social Stock Exchange: https://www.nseindia.com/sse
🎙 Podcast Homepage: https://www.effectv.ai/mybesthire
🔗 Follow Rajeev Soni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajsoni/
🔗 Follow Bindi Dharia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bindidharia/
🔗 Follow Pramit Banerjee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pramit-banerjee-33021a39/
📄 Read the Blog Post on Effectv: https://www.effectv.ai/mybesthire/episode/25e574e1/e03-challenge-connect-empower-managing-exceptional-talent-or-bindi-dharia
📲 Follow My Best Hire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mybesthire/
