In this ValueMatrix.TV conversation, host Pooja Monga speaks with Shashank Mishra, VP HR at Affinity Global, about a 20-year career that spans Mumbai to Australia and beyond.
Shashank started in 2005 and became the first employee at what is now a multi-billion-dollar company. Culture shocks in Perth, Shenzhen, and Tokyo taught him to appreciate idea diversity, let people finish speaking, and allow safe failures so teams develop true cognitive learning.
“Over time nothing really surprises you,” he says. “You become battle-hardened, but you still let people evolve through experience.”
In the age of ChatGPT and AI tools, Shashank still cultivates cognitive agility the old-fashioned way. These tried and tested reports cover cognitive ability (logic, numbers, complex problem-solving, communication), personality profile, and three EQ elements: reading faces, understanding hidden emotions in text, and managing one’s own reactions.
“Skills get you in, EQ keeps you,” Shashank notes.
He also addresses Gen Z realities without stereotypes: backgrounds matter more than labels. Situational questions in interviews quickly reveal resilience.
Final advice to fellow CHROs: Push AI thoughtfully, but never forget human reassurance. “AI solves numbers and logic; it cannot make someone feel better when things get tough.”
A rich, practical discussion every people leader will benefit from.
