The finalists for this year’s Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards were announced in September and WashingtonExec is bringing you its annual series with the nominees.
The winners will be unveiled on November 7th at The Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (FCCC), the Professional Services Council (PSC) and Washington Technology magazine. With over 900 business and public sector leaders attending the event, our series will keep you up-to-date about all the finalists for this year–who they are, what they do, and why they are worthy of winning.
Today’s interview is with Mehul Sanghani, president and CEO of Octo Consulting Group, Inc. (Octo). Sanghani is nominated for “Executive of the Year” and Octo is nominated for “Contractor of the Year” in the $25 to $75 million category. Octo Consulting won the 2012 GovCon Awards in the “Contractor of the Year”, less than $25 million category.
WashingtonExec: What would you say was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
Mehul Sanghani: The wake-up call for me was when I got passed over for promotions at two different times. I have always been entrepreneurial because of my family roots and always knew that I wanted to have my own company. Everywhere that I have worked, I was always evaluating on how I would do things differently, improve evaluations and compensation or encourage a different culture and workplace environment. Eventually these evaluations allowed me to define what type of company I wanted and what sort of culture I would promote when I started Octo – essentially a place of meritocracy. I believe what we have created is not only a company that I’m extremely proud of, but is one that every single one of my employees can be proud to be a part of.
“I’m a firm believer in surrounding yourself with the most exceptional and capable talent you can and then getting out of the way. It’s even more important to create an environment of empowerment and trust to facilitate this too.”
WashingtonExec: What book did you read this summer?
Mehul Sanghani: Let Me Be Frank by Frank Beamer, head football coach at my alma mater Virginia Tech. Not only do I bleed orange and maroon, but Blacksburg, VA is my hometown. Frank’s book expounds on his management style in running a large program that in some respects is similar to a mid-size business, but most importantly his ways of evaluating talent are lessons that have had an impact on me. He talks about finding the right player to fit Virginia Tech’s unique system. His overall style and understanding of people taught me important lessons on how loyalty is built and how to identify which employees are going to fit in Octo’s unique culture and environment. I have modeled a lot of my leadership style and approach off of Frank Beamer’s approach at Virginia Tech – as strange as that may sound.
“It takes courage and a modicum of conviction to make difficult decisions that may not always be the most popular and it certainly takes real courage to take the real risks (both personal and professional) that are necessary to be successful.”
WashingtonExec: What makes a good leader? How would you describe your leadership style?
Mehul Sanghani: I think great leadership is defined by tremendous courage. It takes courage and a modicum of conviction to make difficult decisions that may not always be the most popular and it certainly takes real courage to take the real risks (both personal and professional) that are necessary to be successful. I would describe my leadership style as one that’s tailored towards the folks around me. Specifically, I can confidently state that I’m fortunate enough to be surrounded by an extremely capable management team. Accordingly, my leadership style is one that places a tremendous amount of faith and trust in those around me to make effective decisions. I’m a firm believer in surrounding yourself with the most exceptional and capable talent you can and then getting out of the way. It’s even more important to create an environment of empowerment and trust to facilitate this too.
WashingtonExec: What three pieces of advice would you give your kids?
Mehul Sanghani:
- What other people think of you is none of your business. Don’t worry about what others think about you, be who you are and never compromise.
- No one is in charge of your happiness except you. Surround yourself with positive people and commit yourself to working hard and empower your ownership of happiness.
- Seize opportunity. This country has given me and countless others so many opportunities. It’s up to you to seize these opportunities and take advantage of what is in front of you.
