Kavya Patnaik

Background

About Kavya Patnaik

I love solving problems, some visible, many invisible. Growing up, I loved to experiment and learn things. Whether it is learning to julienne an onion or booting my dad's computer (which I eventually pulled apart!), my world was full of interesting problems to solve. Raising funds for a school drama or replacing a fried circuit breaker in the garage, I would find a way! As a teenager, I learned that building varied skills helps you spot patterns and understand people's motivations. Spotting the unobvious - became my key focus as I grew older. Finding solutions whether they involve people, systems, change, or other unknown factors, I believe my intuitive nature allowed me to dig strategically to understand the depth and width of any problem. I would very quickly spot the path of least resistance and lead by the vision. At the beginning of my career, I was often called the team's 'wild card'. I was open to any type of challenge that came my way - AR, VR, IoT, Embedded Electronics, UI/UX, Product Ownership, Product Support, and more importantly people and team challenges! Such an open and flexible learning approach solidified my capability to shoulder greater and wider responsibilities very early in my career. Rising to meet an organizational crisis, introduced me to the subtle art of leadership."People", the crux of any successful organization became my key focus. Finding the right balance between people's professional ambitions and the organization's goals helped me chart novel growth paths for individuals. Combined with my love for technology and innovation, the capability to build self-driving teams became my signature. I build teams from scratch - hiring, mentoring, and coaching across organizations, functions, and geographies. Building leaders at all levels is my approach. The drive to understand people and their motivations, combined with wide technical and domain expertise has contributed to my success as a people and product leader. As I started influencing product portfolios and designing product lines, I took a highly human-centered design approach. Empathy for the customer and her needs drives my product design and development. Today, I enjoy creating innovative products that have the 'human' at the center. You will find me keenly observing the evolution of 'human need' in the world and analyzing models to create disruptive solutions that benefit people, organizations, and the planet at large.