Almost everyone faces burnout and gets demotivated at some point in life. Unfortunately, a majority of such people continue living in that depressed state and spreading negativism within themselves and across the world outside.

Raja Jamalamadaka went through a similar dismal state. But he gathered himself and gave his life a new direction. Today, Mr Jamalamadaka is managing director of Roche Information Solutions India. He has nearly 25 years of experience in the technology industry as an executive and entrepreneur.

The mid-course correction that Mr Jamalamadaka did in his personal life has turned him into a well-established neuroscience researcher, avid speaker and industry thought leader on the subject. A graduate from the Government College of Engineering, Pune, with a management degree from Harvard Business School, Boston, the Roche Solutions MD has spoken at several Fortune 500 organisations and industry events, including TedX. He blogs on LinkedIn and has been featured in the Top 25 LinkedIn Top Voices from India in 2018 for generating the platform’s most engaging and insightful content.

Mr Jamalamadaka is also the recipient of the highly-coveted Marshall Goldsmith Award in Coaching Excellence and a top CSR award. He has been a mentor to many early-stage startup founders and boards and been a regular member of corporate boards for nearly a decade.

In an engaging chat with Sharmila Chand, Mr Jamalamadaka opens up about his personal and professional lives, his sources of inspiration and the transformation that has helped him succeed in life and be equally contented and at peace with himself.

Would you share with us the turning point in your career life?

This is when I was working at my second startup. Despite a wonderful idea and a thriving ecosystem, I found myself mysteriously demotivated, uninspired and unenergetic. A health check showed nothing. I found myself unable to switch off nor was I able to stay calm and focused. Over time, I stopped enjoying my own idea and business.

As time progressed, I realised that I was coasting towards burnout. I continued on the startup for some more months. Unable to take it, I finally took the hard decision and exited the very promising startup at a very early stage. I took a break and studied in the US. The sheer desire to understand burnout got me to study neurosciences – the science of the human brain.

This was the best decision of my life. It helped me slow down, pick up Yoga, focus on family time, look at work-life balance, cultivate alternative interests like writing, reading and speaking, and this taught me the importance of sustainability over speed. I still take breaks to unwind, look at sustainability.

As a collateral benefit, the understanding of neurosciences helped me become a speaker, writer and a recognised thought leader in this field, with LinkedIn recognising me as a global influencer. This has been the most rewarding turning point in my career so far.

What is your philosophy of work?

My philosophy of work revolves around a few key principles:

Alignment of purpose: I am a firm believer in the importance of alignment of personal purpose with that of the project or organisation. Without such an alignment, work could easily translate to drudgery on bad days, damaging peace of mind. With a purpose alignment, work is fun and absorbing.

Learning and unlearning go hand in hand: I strongly believe that to hold some hands, you have to leave some hands. Likewise, to learn something new almost always involves unlearning old ways. Co-existence of both involves circular learning – one step forward, two steps back

Adaptability and resilience: In today’s VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world, adaptability and resilience are vital life skills. Being open to new ideas and an innate ability to bounce back from career and life curve balls are vital skills for navigating life.

Heath is wealth: I firmly believe almost everything lost can be re-gained, except for health. 

Is there any particular person that you admire who has inspired you?

Simon Sinek inspires me a lot. Open conversations, no-nonsense comments, authenticity and an unwavering focus to change the world define Mr Sinek. These are the values that I personally seek to imbibe in myself through my own neuroscience talks. These values and the talks have helped me get 50,000 followers on LinkedIn, a LinkedIn influencer tag and global speaking assignments.

What is the best advice you have got?

I am a firm believer in Steve Jobs’ quote: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” This advice emphasises the importance of passion and purpose in one’s work – something that I strongly believe in. When you are genuinely passionate about what you do, work turns to passion, excellence to a way of life, fun becomes second nature and inspiration shows up in every aspect of life.

Your favourite books

Behave, in which Stanford researcher Robert Sapolsky explains how nature (genetics) blends with nurture (upbringing) to shape our behaviour. People must understand the root cause of their actions to become ethical and authentic leaders, and Behave provides that base.

Your fitness regime

Morning walks, Yoga twice a week, a strict vegetarian diet and habits like non-smoking and being a teetotaller add to the benefit.

Your five business mantras for success

Adapting to internal and external changes, but not compromising on your values: Trends, people, jobs and even careers change. But values remain the same and define you. Without values, there is no foundation.

Learn from the past, prepare for the future, but stay in the present: The only reality is present where everything is experienced. Without the present, the value of the past and future is lost altogether.

Learn new things while selectively unlearning the past. There is no learning without selective unlearning.

Don’t criticise, condemn or complain: It won’t take you anywhere in life. No successful person made it to the top by criticising complaining and condemning his or her way to the top.

Family, friends, faith and fun matter for a reason: After a hard day’s work, you need to return to something. Without family, friends, faith and fun, you will return to nothingness. 

If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to go far, walk together: Your attitude decides whether you walk fast or far, and that eventually decides your altitude.

What message on management would you like to give to youngsters?

Manage purpose, and passion will follow.

Manage “means”, and the “end” goal will follow.

Manage work, and career will follow.

Manage others’ success, and your success will follow.

Manage friends and family, and enjoyment will follow.

Manager yourself, and others will follow you.

How would you like to define yourself?
I am an intense, perseverant, passionate neuroscience researcher at heart, driven by family values and powered by the path of mentoring and coaching others as the path for my personal success.