It was another non-descript building in a sprawling University. Little did I realise that the person I was poised to meet would be the future President of India, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam.

Here I was a freshly minted Industry Manager for Education trying my hardest to make this University a prestigious customer. Dr.Kalam’s room was simplicity itself – a table, a couple of chairs and a sofa. He invited me to sit in the sofa beside him and we started talking. After a few pleasantries, I started talking about Microsoft in education and all the wonderful initiatives and programs that we had for students and teachers and Universities to become better. He heard me out for a few minutes and then smilingly said, “Venkat, let us keep all the official talk aside. Tell me what you could do for our country”.

I stopped dead in my tracks, with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, wondering how I could respond to that question. The rest of the hour was spent solely talking about how the nation could become better and how changes could be brought about at scale.

Fast forward a few decades, that conversation is still fresh in my memory. Nowadays, every Coaching Conversation is always about building that stretch and staying true to the principles of a greater possibility. It is amazing how simple human beings can dream and achieve lofty goals. That reframe in my thinking that Dr. Kalam inspired is still within #LittleMeInspiringMe