Leadership as a Responsibility: Establishing Credibility and the Pull of New Opportunities with Srikanth Bollavaram (2/2)

Looking back on one’s career, it might be easy to connect the dots between job roles you held in the past, but what can we really do to influence where the dots are placed in the future? Srikanth Bollavaram took an approach that pulled opportunities in his direction. What if you could do the same?

This week in episode 336, we continue the discussion with Srikanth and focus on his consistent openness to taking different roles across various areas, many of which came to him at the suggestion of leaders who knew his reputation, skills, and capabilities. In the cases where a new role pushed Srikanth out of his comfort zone, personal growth and more opportunities always followed. It suited his desire to keep learning. Srikanth found over time that leadership isn’t a specific title or role. It’s a responsibility you have that could be an aspect of many roles. Srikanth also stresses the importance of defining your non-negotiables like self-care and family as a leader to help manage time constraints.

Original Recording Date: 03-30-2025

Srikanth Bollavaram is a product development leader with experience spanning the financial, railroad, and consumer packaged goods industries. If you missed part 1 of our discussion with Srikanth, check out Episode 335.

Topics – Gaining Experience along the Path Less Traveled, Connecting the Dots Backwards, Leadership as a Responsibility, Time Constraints and Non-negotiables

• Before we begin, did you do the homework we assigned last week? If not, we highly recommend you go back and listen to this episode before listening to part 2 of Srikanth’s story – Episode 325 – Overwhelmed by Ambiguity: DevOps, Innovation, and the Search for Clarity with Daniel Lemire (3/4).

3:18 – Gaining Experience along the Path Less Traveled

• Was it normal for people who were brought in for roles like the one Srikanth had to have or be very interested in both business and technology operations and the marrying of the two? We would probably classify this type of role as operational technology today.
  • When Srikanth first started working for the railroad, he began working on the digitization of the customer interactions. He did not go directly to the operational side.
  • “First, you have to gain some credibility in whatever you do. It doesn’t matter what that work is.” – Srikanth Bollavaram
  • In those days, customers might call, fax, or e-mail the railroad. Srikanth’s role was to digitize all customer interactions end-to-end. This included building, tracking, tracing, payments, and more.
  • After working on the digitization for a couple of years, Srikanth started noticing several other interesting projects. The work on control systems he mentioned earlier was the result of the opportunities given to him over time.
  • “A lot of times it’s not me seeking. This is actually a very repeated pattern in my career. People identified me as a potential candidate…and then pulled me into those roles, whether it’s an architect role or even a principal engineer role…. The leaders in the company identified me as a potential candidate and just started giving me those opportunities.” – Srikanth Bollavaram
  • The control systems were part of a project for the railroad’s dispatch center, which orchestrated all switches, signals, and communication to locomotives. At the time Srikanth was selected for this project, it was not going very well, and it was not considered a good move to take on the role.
  • Srikanth tells us he likes to choose the “path less traveled” to see what happens.
  • “If it is interesting enough and challenging enough, you just go and try it, give your best, and see what happens. That always, at least to me…worked out well. I gained an experience which I wouldn’t have if I thought what would have been best for me rather than looking at my superiors…. They’re telling me, ‘hey, maybe you should do this.’ I probably would have chosen something in my comfort zone as an extension to my comfort zone. All these things actually pushed me completely out of my comfort zone…. Especially if you have been asked to do it, and if your seniors trust you enough so that you could do it, just do it. You may not like it initially, but that would add a very valuable experience for you.” – Srikanth Bollavaram, on considering opportunities

6:37 – Connecting the Dots Backwards

• Did Srikanth’s move into the railroad industry also involve shifting from individual co