At Sysco LABS Sri Lanka, Kushani Kalpage is responsible for culture, a key advantage in the intensely competitive global tech industry
Culture is a powerful competitive advantage because competitors cannot easily replicate it. Kushani Kalpage, Head of Marketing at Sysco LABS Sri Lanka, a tech company that drives the global food industry, and a catalyst for culture discusses how to build a great culture, and why it is important.
How does one become an emotionally intelligent leader?
There are two key attributes – holding deep empathy and constantly exercising self-awareness. The more aware you are of your own strengths and limitations, the more respect, space and empathy you hold for other people and what they bring to the table.
Always trust in your team’s abilities, but also listen and step in to offer guidance and feedback if needed. I have a natural tendency to get along well with people and this has helped me build a good rapport with my team and other colleagues.
Building rapport is more than just being on good terms with your teammates; it also involves accepting that the people you manage are beyond just a specific skill-set – they are real people with their own personal challenges and not robots on autopilot.
I also believe that as a leader, cultivating a strong inner drive and exhibiting judgement and control in the way that you express your emotions is an essential aspect of emotionally intelligent leadership.
How do you lead a team with a continuous focus on success?
The best teams thrive when given full autonomy and the space to be creative. Know your team well, provide the necessary guidance when required, but step out of the way and let them do their thing.
Collaboration is also key for our team’s success and as a result, I focus more on what we can achieve as a collective and discourage unhealthy competition.
We are also a learning organization and place a lot of emphasis on knowledge sharing and continuously working on building and expanding our skill sets.
As a result, the team is encouraged to focus on their professional and personal growth, and we support this by providing resources and necessary training they might need to be successful in their roles.
Another key aspect of our culture that we also practice at a team level, and is key to our success, is the fostering of transparency and celebrating team successes.
You have played a key role in fostering the company culture which Sysco LABS is known for. How does one become a culture catalyst and ensure that culture is enriched with time?
Culture is one of the most powerful sources of competitive advantage because it is hard for competitors to replicate; it sends strong messages about your character which attracts and retains employees.
Leaders are key in shaping employee perception and engagement because people tend to focus on leaders and draw conclusions about company culture based on their position and their choices.
As a culture catalyst, you don’t really manage culture, instead you manage the behaviors that shape it—encouraging, discouraging and fostering behaviors that demonstrate the values and norms you want to reinforce.
Culture has always been one of the most powerful differentiators for us, but the need to manage culture intentionally is especially critical now.
It’s important to be open about your company’s values and create a strong fabric of information and connections. The pandemic may significantly shift how a company responds, but it is surely an opportunity to strengthen the culture more.
Can you share any advice for women leaders on opportunities for growth and advancement in the tech space?
Look out for emerging technologies such as AI, ML, Robotics and Big Data; they will all require new talent, not only at a technical level but in the field of business as well and provide opportunities to grow and lead in some of the most exciting and newly emerging industry areas.
There are endless initiatives you can engage in that will allow you to learn and expand your network. Involvement in industry bodies like SLASSCOM and Diversity Lanka Collective (DCLK) not only allowed me to give back to society, but also helped me grow professionally and personally.
That said, cultivating a support system is equally as important as cultivating your network. I have been lucky to encounter and be mentored by some inspiring and wonderful individuals throughout my 10-year tenure at Sysco LABS.
Their guidance has provided me with better perspective which has helped me immensely in my work, shaping the culture of the company and playing a key role in rebranding and positioning Sysco LABS as one of the best tech companies in Sri Lanka.
Now as Head of Marketing, I try to give back by mentoring others and providing the guidance they need. As a leader, there is always someone who can benefit from your knowledge and expertise. Consider mentoring yourself, and inspiring other women in tech to blaze their own trail.
Finally, find out what your values are, your purpose is, and where your talents lie. Life in the tech field is incredibly rewarding but can also be very challenging, pushing you to show up as your best and most creative self every day. Give yourself the space and time to re-charge in whatever way that works for you, and always, always show up as yourself.
About Kushani
Leading the charge in marketing and branding for Sysco LABS, Kushani has more than 10 years of experience in the IT industry; playing a key role in rebranding Sysco LABS and positioning it as one of the best tech companies in Sri Lanka. Kushani is currently a board member of Diversity Collective Lanka.
She has also been closely working with SLASSCOM on key pro[1]jects over the past several years. Kushani has a BSc in Information Systems with Business Management from the University of Westminster – UK, and an MBA from the Cardiff Metropolitan University – UK.