Mentorship is a privilege and a responsibility, believes Arjun Nohwar

Mint

9 hours ago

Travel and sports have been constant guides for Arjun Nohwar. His father's posting with the Indian Air Force took him across the country from Pathankot to Ooty and Jamnagar to Tezpur, handing him the opportunity to soak in the diversity and culture along the way. As captain of the college basketball and tennis teams, he learned to overcome the fear of losing and the importance of team work in winning.
'Perhaps my professional journey is a reflection of my growing years, with consistent shifts and dealing with the unfamiliar. I have gained an appreciation to understand the fundamentals and pressure points of businesses relatively quickly, having strong convictions but holding on to them lightly. And most importantly, building teams and culture that drive success," says Mumbai-based Nohwar, 42, Managing Director, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Content is at the heart of what Nohwar does these days. He believes that audiences are drawn to compelling, bold and authentic narratives, and in terms of depth of stories, character development and world building, Indian content is rapidly gaining ground to be on par with the best in the world. He's observed preference for credible narrators like Manoj Bajpayee and Amish Tripathi, who relive epic tales and thrilling adventures, while kids too have taken to homegrown heroes like Chhota Bheem and Little Singham.
'Indians yearn to learn more and consume stories about our vibrant and rich legacy, which we try to embody into our characters and narratives. In the future, AI could turbocharge content ideation, generation and personalisation at scale. It would also collapse timelines of bringing new ideas to screen and could contextualise stories across cultures with locally relevant renditions. The heart of great storytelling though will always remain human," he says.
Nohwar talks to Lounge about delegating work and why mentorship is both a privilege and a responsibility.
Who do you consider your mentor?
I have had the good fortune of having four strong mentors – my parents, Arun Maira and the late Cyrus Mistry. They have helped shape my perspective, self-belief and convictions.
One major insight you worked on with your mentor's guidance.
Delegation. Done right, it is delightful; done wrong, it's dreadful. Having played several team sports, I was always comfortable sharing the ball with the team, but to hand it over to them and not being on-court myself felt unnerving and had its own learning curve. This was a necessary skill set I learnt in-part by being thrust into a professional setting that necessitated delegation, but also through meaningful conversations with mentors and a willingness to seek and apply feedback. It is a skill I have grown into and one that continues to evolve.
What does being a mentor mean to you? How do you mentor your colleagues at work?
It is both a privilege and a responsibility, and it means committing time. It broadly involves providing consistent guidance on a specific issue or on work-life in general. I set aside time specifically for this and set up a cadence of check-ins. Outside of structured company mentorship programs, these evolve organically even if we move on to separate organisations.
What is your morning schedule like?
I am an early riser and typically start my day at 5.30am with a workout at the gym. It is a great way to energise for the day ahead. I then enjoy breakfast with my daughter before she heads off to school, a special part of my morning routine. I am off to the office thereafter. On weekends, I swap the desk for the fairway and spend the morning on the golf course.
What are some of the productivity principles you follow that have made your professional and personal life much easier?
Professionally, effective delegation with empowerment is the biggest productivity unlock. Also, controlling where to spend your time during a workday is paramount as one tends to get pulled into various meetings, many of which might be important, but not necessary. Funnily enough, this works well for my personal life as well!
What is the one positive work routine you have developed during the pandemic?
Start early and wind up early. Except for a few must-take late night calls with the US, I have become more disciplined with my work hours. This has helped optimise my meeting selections, focussing 80% of my time on needle-moving tasks and 20% on the procedural, and has definitely helped me get more efficient and productive.
Any book or podcast you would recommend about mentorship and growth?
There are several but the one I enjoy the most are Lex Friedman's podcasts where he spends hours in conversation with a wide array of experts, thinkers and leaders on fascinating topics.
How do you unwind? Do you pursue any serious hobbies?
When I am not at work or with family I am usually at the golf course. The sport is my primary passion and a reliable release. It really helps me unwind, except when I am playing it competitively!
'Monday Motivation' is a series in which business leaders discuss their mentors and their work ethics.