WashingtonExec: Tell me about a time in your life when you had to really stretch yourself in order to learn and grow.
Hathiramani: Effective leadership is about learning and growing. Leadership is an art formed under pressure and intensity. Throughout my career, there were several instances where I was required to step outside my comfort zone and learn and grow. The one instance that comes to mind is during the early 2000s when the business was imploding, requiring us to constantly recalibrate and realign the company to ensure survivability. During this difficult time, I learned a couple of very important lessons — the importance of standing by your core values, the importance of working the right people, and the importance of following your passion in spite of the curve balls life throws at you.