Global Leader in the 3 Ps of Management – Project, Program, and Portfolio
A Global Leader in the 3 Ps of Management – Project, Program, and Portfolio, KC Lakshminarasimham’s career trajectory has been a testament to adaptability; transitioning seamlessly across industries, technologies, and geographies.
Born in India, KC’s familial environment was instrumental in shaping his worldview as well as the principle of equality and respect for all. His father, a PhD in Political Science, and MA, M.Phil from JNU, dedicated over four decades to education in Sikkim, rising from Lecturer to Principal. His mother, a gazetted officer in the Indian Audit and Accounts Services, pursued an MA in Shaiva Siddhanthantham (Philosophy of Siva) post-retirement. And his wife, an MBA and DDS, practices dentistry in America. His extended family too has a consistent record in academics.
KC’s passion for computers began at the tender age of six when he first wrote a line of code in BASIC. Although his fascination with core engineering led him to pursue Mechanical Engineering at Jabalpur Engineering College, his professional journey commenced as a Software Engineer at Infosys. Therein followed stints at Cognizant, Salesforce, and Yohana across Bangalore, Shanghai, and various cities of the US.
He found his niche in Portfolio, Program, and Project Management, a role that harmoniously integrates diverse elements. “I have always been passionate about building relationships, particularly in stakeholder alignment and communication. As a coder, I often questioned the end goal of our work. Clear requirements are essential for the diverse team members involved in development. This is where the principles of waterfall and agile methodologies in program management captivated me. Understanding the interconnection between Projects, Programs, and Portfolios was a gradual journey. By compartmentalizing these elements, learning through practice, and experimenting with a risk-aware approach, I successfully delivered numerous projects.”
KC is currently based in San Francisco, where he’s Director, Program Management at Expedia-Group Inc. “My goals are centered around creating a lasting impact through leadership, innovation, and empathy. I aspire to become a Thought Leader in my domain, leveraging my skills and knowledge to inspire and mentor others.”
Leading teams across different cultures and managing complex projects over two decades have allowed KC to harness the industrious spirit of the rat while also embracing the tiger’s prowess in making impactful decisions and leading with vision. By maintaining this equilibrium, he has achieved not only professional success but also personal fulfillment, staying true to his values and long-term goals.
How did he overcome the challenges, we wonder? One of KC’s earliest and most profound obstacles was navigating the cultural disparities between his heritage and the various environments he inhabited. While steadfastly holding onto his core beliefs, he embraced the customs and traditions of diverse locales. This adaptability is akin to the insights shared by Trevor Noah in ‘Born a Crime’, where he elucidates how language can dissolve barriers.
Speaking the native tongue was often KC’s bridge to acceptance and inclusion. His affinity for languages has led him to speak around nine languages. In a notable professional scenario, he encountered colleagues with limited proficiency in English. Understanding the intrinsic difficulty of acquiring new languages, he innovatively introduced ‘Toastmasters’, a public speaking forum, which significantly hastened their linguistic acclimation and bolstered their confidence.
Another recurrent challenge lay in mastering new technologies, tools, business domains, and functional areas. With an optimistic outlook, he prioritized learning elements with the highest impact, leveraging the Pareto 80-20 principle.
“While fortune may favor the bold, I am a staunch advocate for the primacy of hard work and strategic foresight. The ability to discern when to halt, decline, or pivot, is crucial to working intelligently.”
KC draws inspiration from a blend of personal growth, professional excellence, and community impact, deeply rooted in his management experiences. Following are a few of his achievements:
● Conferred Honorary PhD in Project Management by Azteca University, Mexico.
● Fellow of The American Academy of Project Management; Association for Project Management, UK; Honorary Fellow at Threws; and Senior Member of IEEE among many others.
● Public Speaker at various conferences – Best-in-class Project Management; Smartsheet in Project Management; Hack for Good, etc.
● Covered by his alma-mater as part of their 75th year celebrations.
● Written various articles for leading publications.
● Peer Reviewer and Editorial Member of leading journals.
● Eminent judge of over 20 international awards.
● Winner of multiple elocutions, quizzes, and paper presentations at school, college, and state level.
● Won multiple awards across workplaces.
● Certified Scrum Master; Certified SAFe 5 Agilist; and Prosci Certified Practitioner.
● Currently pursuing MBA from Gies School of Business – University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
● Spent close to two decades with Toastmasters, and won competitions in India, China, and the US. Achieved the highest status of Distinguished Toastmaster. Contributed to and uplifted multiple clubs across the globe.
Skilled, sharp, and suave, KC makes an ideal role model for the next generation. “In my view, a leader is someone who stands as an integral part of the team but also represents it — this is the essence of leadership. One of the most profound lessons I have learned comes from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography, ‘Wings of Fire’. In the SLV-3 project, he exemplifies leadership by taking personal responsibility for failures while crediting his team for successes. This principle of owning failures and sharing successes has become a cornerstone of my management philosophy,” says KC Lakshminarasimham.