What does it mean to give forward?
In this deeply reflective episode of xMonks Drive, Govind Iyer—Independent Director at Infosys, Chairperson of Social Venture Partners India, and board member at Give India and Karmayogi Bharat—joins Gaurav Arora for a conversation that bridges corporate clarity with soulful leadership.
Govind shares the philosophy that guides his life today: don’t give back… give forward. Together, they explore the culture of leadership without hierarchy, the power of authentic relationships, and what it truly means to lead with love.
From his early days at Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, to 23 years at Egon Zehnder, to pledging half his wealth toward social impact, Govind opens up about the choices, mentors, and moments that have shaped him.
This episode is an invitation—to slow down, reflect, and reimagine the relationship between success and service.
⏱️ Episode Chapters
00:00 – Introduction
02:10 – Govind’s farewell story
04:20 – Early family influences
06:00 – A turning point at Mobius
07:45 – “Give forward” vs. “give back”
09:00 – Staying 23 years at Egon Zehnder
12:30 – A firm with no bosses or competition
15:45 – Fulfillment vs. performance
20:00 – Leadership culture at Unilever, McKinsey, and Teach For India
21:15 – What fulfilled leaders have in common
23:00 – Learning calmness from Nithya Shanti
24:45 – Why CEOs fail: EQ over IQ
26:30 – Shrinking CEO tenures
29:30 – Integration in work and life
30:30 – Shifting from corporate to social sector
33:00 – The discipline of deep listening
35:30 – Lessons from early philanthropic mistakes
40:30 – What Govind is learning from Gen Z
41:30 – Why SVP India feels different
43:00 – Philanthropy as leadership development
45:00 – Capacity vs. capability in NGOs
47:00 – The value of time over money
48:20 – Final reflections on presence and love
🔗 Connect with us:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravaroragrv
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirewithgrv
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vdhTjZlhltIt4e9YiBgMF?si=92853a15e3584866
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-xmonks-drive/id1549886334
Website: https://xmonks.com
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