What if the best way to lead people isn’t to hold them close, but to help them shine?

Decades ago, I was an intern at Citi in Hong Kong. I knew very little about institutional banking. On my first day, I told the Managing Director, Kamal, that I wanted to learn and do my best.

Instead of brushing me off, he did something unexpected. He told me to book an hour with him every single week. I thought, “Really, he will spend time with me?”

He kept his word. Kamal walked me through the complex world of finance week after week. When I finished my assignments early, he asked what I wanted to learn next. I told him I wanted to be a trader and be on the trading floor.

He made a quick phone call to his friend, the Head Trader. The next day, I sat next to the traders, a move that launched my own career as a trader later on. 

He did not try to keep me in his department. He supported my passion and my dream completely.

We stayed in touch for years. Last year, Kamal invited me to his birthday, saying he only invited people who had an impact on his life. I felt deeply humbled.

He is the one who shaped how I lead today. 

I am incredibly grateful for Kamal—my mentor, my friend, and a human I deeply respect. Thank you for showing me what real leadership looks like.

True leaders do not collect followers; they build paths for others. 

When we invest our time selflessly and support people to chase their dreams, we plant seeds that grow for a lifetime.

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