FORGING A WORLD-CLASS WORKFORCE
Sri Lankan Leaders Champion a New Era of Self-Leadership, Inclusion, and Bold Vision
As Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal juncture, striving to redefine its economic landscape and cement its position as a global competitor, a chorus of influential voices is calling for a fundamental revolution in leadership. At the 2025 International HR Conference, experts convened to argue that building a world-class workforce is not a matter of incremental adjustments but requires a profound cultural shift, a courageous commitment to gender inclusion, and a vision bold enough to disrupt the status quo.
The panel discussion, aptly titled “Transformative Leadership for a World-Class Workforce,” served as the intellectual epicentre of the conference. Held at the Monarch Imperial in Kotte and impeccably organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) Sri Lanka, the session brought together a formidable assembly of corporate titans. Moderated by the esteemed Senior Professor Ajantha Dharmasiri, former CIPM President and Chair of the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM), the panel featured Andrew Bryant, an Executive Leadership Coach and Founder of Self Leadership International; Sashi Kandambi, the dynamic Chief Executive Officer of National Savings Bank; Pradip Pandey, Managing Director at Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka; and Ravi Jayawardena, the visionary Group CEO of Maliban Group. Together, they deconstructed the modern challenges of leadership and offered a compelling blueprint for the future.
Leadership Starts From Within: The Power of Self-Mastery
The dialogue opened with a foundational truth from Andrew Bryant, an internationally renowned leadership coach whose message was both simple and profound: effective leadership is an inside-out process. “You can’t lead others unless you first lead yourself,” he stated, cutting through the corporate jargon that often obscures this essential principle. He argued that leadership is not defined by mission statements etched on boardroom walls or titles on business cards, but by the consistent, observable behaviour of leaders—especially in moments of pressure and when no one is watching.
Bryant delivered a stark and memorable definition of corporate culture, positing that it is not an aspirational document but a reflection of a leader’s tolerance. “Culture,” he explained, “is the worst behaviour that the leader will tolerate. If leaders let meetings start late, tolerate gossip, or turn a blind eye to dishonesty, that becomes the real culture—not what’s written in the HR manual.” This powerful assertion placed the onus of cultural health squarely on the shoulders of leadership.
Using a compelling metaphor, Bryant urged leaders to practice self-care not as an indulgence, but as a prerequisite for guiding others. “People think self-leadership is selfish. It’s not. You cannot pour from an empty cup,” he insisted, likening it to the airline safety instruction to put on one’s own oxygen mask before assisting others. He challenged Sri Lanka’s corporate leaders to build their own emotional resilience, cultivate a healthy and stable ego, and become the living embodiment of the values they wish to instill in their teams.
The Unmistakable Value of Women in Leadership
Adding a critical and powerful dimension to the conversation, Sashi Kandambi, the sole woman on the panel, spoke with candour about the systemic hurdles and unique strengths women bring to the leadership table. “Women bring diversity of thought, emotional intelligence, and higher risk awareness,” she explained. “These qualities add real, tangible value to decision-making and de-risk the organisation.”
Bolstering her argument with data from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Kandambi highlighted the direct correlation between increased female representation in senior management and improved corporate profitability. “Despite this clear business case,” she lamented, “many women struggle to be heard. Ideas presented by women are often co-opted by male colleagues or dismissed, only to be applauded when a man presents the same concept later.”
She called for a deliberate and strategic, gender-responsive approach to talent development. This includes robust mentorship and sponsorship programs, as well as life-stage sensitive career planning that acknowledges the dual responsibilities many women navigate. “Organisations need to recognise these realities and build emotionally and physically safe environments where women can thrive without apology,” she urged. Recounting her own journey, Kandambi underscored the necessity of resilience and strategic agility. “It’s not enough to work hard—you must also be smart about how you grow. Sometimes that means changing your tone, your timing, or your approach—but never your core values.”
Her most potent example came when addressing workplace toxicity. When an outsourced staffer filed a harassment complaint against an influential figure, Kandambi’sorganisation took a decisive stand. “We suspended him. It was not easy—but it sent an unequivocal message that no one is untouchable.” This single act of courage demonstrated a commitment to values over convenience, a hallmark of transformative leadership.
Fusing Global Standards with a Local Soul
Representing the multinational perspective, Pradip Pandey of Coca-Cola Beverages Sri Lanka articulated how a global giant can foster transformative leadership by being deeply rooted in its local context. “We energise the world, but we act locally. We celebrate Avurudu, Vesak, and other cultural moments because we belong here,” he stated, outlining a philosophy of genuine integration over superficial adaptation.
Pandey distilled his leadership framework into three core pillars: Agility, Ownership, and Human-Centricity. “Decisions must be made fast. We avoid endless PowerPoint meetings and instead focus on action,” he said of agility. On ownership, he was clear: “Each employee is expected to act like an owner, not just a worker. Empowerment is key to unlocking this mindset.”
He placed special emphasis on human-centricity, introducing the CLARA framework for communication: Clarity, Listening, Asking, Responding, Acting. “It’s not what you say, it’s what is understood,” he explained, encouraging managers to listen more than they speak. He praised the Sri Lankan workforce for their “discipline, dedication, and diligence,” asserting that with the right exposure and empowerment, they can compete with the world’s best. Pandey also championed the idea of embracing “cultural outliers,” noting, “If someone says, ‘I’m playing devil’s advocate,’ open your ears. There’s value in their discomfort.”
The Audacity to Reinvent: A Story of Bold Risk-Taking
Ravi Jayawardena, the marketing maestro behind Maliban Group’s stunning brand transformation, offered a gripping narrative of reinvention born from crisis. “COVID and product issues forced us to change. We moved from a rigid, top-down structure to an idea-driven company,” he revealed. This pivot was enabled by fostering radical transparency through ‘Let’s Talk’ town halls, creating a space for open dialogue and collective energy.
However, the most dramatic shift was in vision. Jayawardena detailed Maliban’s audacious goal of exporting 20,000 metric tonnes of biscuits to India monthly—a volume that would double their entire Sri Lankan sales. “The venture is risky,” he admitted, “but if it works, we secure the company for generations.” He stressed the importance of creating a “bit of electric shock” within an organisation to jolt teams out of complacency and into a state of innovation.
This philosophy extended to creating an error-friendly culture, where failure is treated as a data point for learning, not a reason for punishment. “We took a gamble by sponsoring the New Zealand rugby team. It worked—we generated over five million impressions. You have to be willing to take the shot,” he declared. This risk-taking ethos is complemented by a renewed focus on talent. Jayawardena shared that the two most critical traits they now seek are attitude and teamwork, citing a candidate with only A-Levels who outperformed degree holders because of a relentless ‘can-do’ spirit. “You can have a team of champions and still lose,” he said, quoting a famous rugby coach. “But if you build a champion team, the collective will win every time.”
A Blueprint for a Future-Ready Nation
As the panel drew to a close, Professor Dharmasiri challenged each speaker to offer one sentence of game-changing advice, resulting in a masterclass in distilled wisdom.
Sashi Kandambi powerfully asserted that leadership should be chosen for “vision and resilience—not gender.” Adding to this, Pradip Pandey urged leaders to “be original; don’t be a duplicate,” a call for authentic leadership. Ravi Jayawardena captured the spirit of his own transformation story by emphasizing, “It’s not how many times you fall—but how fast you get up and keep playing.” Finally, Andrew Bryant delivered a practical and urgent call to action, concluding that “if you don’t have a coach, get one—human or AI—because coaching is the only thing that transforms behaviour.”
