About Prasad

Director, TiE (2004): An international organization with 46 chapters in 12 countries created by south Asian business leaders. Co-founded TiE Institute that had over 3000 participants in its 40 offerings in 24 months.
Member, Boards of Trustees/Directors for Society for Organizational Learning (created around Peter Senge’s learning organization concepts), Aankhen Inc., Intertec Communications, The Hindu University of North America and Spirit of India.com.
Ph.D., Physics, the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India Adjunct professor at the Saybrook Graduate School. Research focuses on learning and thinking processes that lead to innovation and transformation.
Former Research Fellow, Senior Manager (international marketing), and Technical Advisor at Apple Computer
Former assistant Director of a research laboratory at the University of Utah Author, Discontinuous Learning: Reflections on Aligning Life and Work, (to be published in 2005) and over 30 articles, reviews, and book chapters on entrepreneurship, leadership,
e-learning, and organizational development

I quit Apple in early 1990 because it was clear that innovation and breakthrough learning take place in "soft" domains like Leadership than in hard sciences (like Physics) or hard business skills (like managing resources). When I started working with companies doing executive development programs or design of leadership development, I realized that knowledge is easy to give or receive. Many schools do that quite well. If an executive needs a brush up of general management knowledge, he should go to one of the executive development courses in a reputable school for a few days/months.

On the other hand, skill building takes place on the job. Schools do not build skills but one does it in practicing what one learned in school in a real life setting. But both knowledge and skills are necessary for one to be successful and grow in their job. When they integrate their skills and knowledge with their own ‘feel’ of the job and ‘feel’ confident about themselves, they become competent workers and managers. Many companies focus on leadership competencies and do the gap analysis through 360 reviews and help people to develop required competencies to make them and organizations successful. Considering that many leadership development programs don’t give high return on the investment, I began to think about the missing factors in leadership development.

On reflection, I learned the value of capacity that one has. It is different from potential as we know in human potential. Capacity shows up in action and it is not a reservoir of potential to be tapped into. Capacity is unlocked when mindsets are changed or when people make discontinuous leaps — in other words when cognitive reframing takes place. This process is not dependent on the instructor or coach or facilitator but it is on the individual. Why? Because it is about the individual discovering ones own natural genius based on the environment, mirroring and the provocation provided by others. This is the source of passion, creativity and leadership. I got excited and hence started working on understanding this ‘igniting genius within’ concept. I brought my spiritual education, scientific knowledge and research and business awareness together to serve me in helping others to ignite their genius. That is what I still do in working with executives.