Hanif Lalani is a reputable executive with over 30 years of telecommunications experience. Having worked when the industry underwent numerous changes, his success and leadership have seen him recognized by different organizations and individuals globally.
Although he has held numerous positions in the past, his current focus is on building high-speed internet across developing countries. He started his career at BT Group as a graduate recruit. After a decade of working through several promotions, he got another position as a finance director, his first high-level leadership position.
While excited about the position, he was scared because he had to relocate to Northern Ireland. It reminded him of his first move from Uganda, but he said it opened up many career opportunities and exposed him to a new culture he fell in love with.
Having held numerous leadership positions now, Hanif believes the key to good communication in leaders is understanding themselves first. That helps them know how and why they communicate, making it easier to adapt their communication styles to fit different people and situations.
According to him, this is especially important after the pandemic because people have moved from face-to-face communications to more digital ones like video calls and emails. He once was in an altercation because of poor communication, which made his employees misunderstand a project. While it did not affect the company’s overall performance, it delayed the project.
He also believes leaders must develop emotional intelligence to help create a healthy work environment and culture. Hanif Lalani advises leaders always to check their actions and ensure they lead by example. That makes it easier to pass certain messages that are challenging to pass using verbal or written communication.
About Hanif Lalani
In an article on PrincipalPost.com, entitled “In Brief: Hanif Lalani”, Lalani explains how he solves difficulties by stressing the value of efficiency and the significance of decomposing difficult issues into more digestible chunks. He also highlights the need for teamwork and open dialogue in problem-solving. He further emphasized that he aims to bring innovation and prosperity to new areas of the globe.
Born in Uganda, Lalani and his family moved to the UK because of political unrest when he was ten. He held different positions at BT Group, like CEO and board member, as finance director. He was also the finance director at the Confederation of British Industry and is a current British finance ambassador to Northern Ireland.
More about Lalani on https://www.pinterest.co.uk/haniflalani/