An exclusive interview with Mr. Francis, a distinguished professional with extensive cross-industry experience. Mr. Francis shares insights on navigating economic and technological shifts, essential career principles, and valuable advice for young professionals.
(i) Across the industries you've worked in, what are some core principles or skills that have remained constant throughout your career?
The basic principles that have remained constant throughout my career are reading, writing, and quantitative skills. These fundamental skills are essential and beneficial across various industries.
(ii) What are some of the biggest economic and technological disruptions you've witnessed in your career?
My career began in 1978, a time when mainframes were giving way to microcomputers. I started at HCL, where we were among the first to introduce microprocessor-based computers to Indian businesses. In the mid-90s, PCs started becoming popular, with companies like Microsoft gaining prominence. Around the same time, the movement of software work to Bangalore began, with companies like Motorola and Infosys setting up operations. Interestingly, I worked on AI and neural networks in the late 80s and early 90s, which seemed to fizzle out but have now come back strongly. For me, it's a bit of déjà vu seeing the same concepts gain traction again.
(iii) What are some of the most valuable life lessons you've learned throughout your career?
Having worked in many different companies, I've learned that people are fundamentally different, and it's crucial to be flexible in dealing with them. Early in my career, I worked on a project with Japanese colleagues and thought all Japanese people were exceptionally good. Later, I realized that it wasn't so with others, and it's not right to generalize. Flexibility is the most valuable life lesson I've learned.
(iv) Looking back, what skills or experiences from your early career proved most valuable in your later endeavors?
(v) If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering a career in the tech industry, what would it be?
(vi) What foundational skills or knowledge do you believe are essential for success in today's job market?
(vii) Looking back, what advice would you give to your younger self?
(viii) Can you recommend any books or resources that have influenced your professional life?
For those in the tech industry, I recommend books by Douglas Crockford, Brendan Eich, and Ryan Dahl. For the new generation that is addicted to the social media, "In-distractable" by Nir Eyal is an excellent book on maintaining focus in a world full of distractions. While Nir Eyal's book - "Hooked," provides insights on how to develop products that keep users engaged, and he also gave a notable Google Talk on this topic. In his next book, ironically he speaks on how to not get distracted.Francis concluded with: