In today’s fast-paced corporate world, giving back is often measured in donations, CSR spends, or philanthropic gestures. But Richa Singh—CFO of Pernod Ricard India, and author of Powering Success: Shaping Leaders – The Mentor Advantage—believes the most transformative form of giving is far more personal: mentorship. A former CEO with over two decades of leadership roles at global giants like P&G, Coca-Cola, J&J, and Philips, and academic credentials from IIM Bangalore and the Wharton School, Singh brings deep insight into what true leadership entails.
In this thoughtful piece, she draws on her rich experience and time spent with Youth Dreamers Foundation to highlight how guidance, belief, and storytelling can shape lives more powerfully than financial aid ever could. Singh outlines five actionable ways leaders at all levels can create lasting impact—by mentoring, role modelling, and sharing their own journeys. More than a call to action, this article is a heartfelt reminder that the real legacy of leadership lies in the lives we help uplift along the way.
Beyond Financial Aid: How Leaders Can Truly Pay It Forward
When we talk about contributions to society, we often restrict ourselves to financial aid, CSR budgets, donations, scholarships, and philanthropy. While these play a vital role in uplifting communities, I've come to realize that the best contributionleaders can give isn’t always monetary. It's their time, their voice, and their stories.
Over the last few years, especially while writing my book Powering Success: Shaping Leaders – The Mentor Advantage, I found myself reflecting deeply on the role mentors have played in my own journey—from the classrooms of IIM Bangalore to corporate boardrooms and startup war rooms. They had all left a mark and helped me reach where I am. This became clearer as I spent some time with Youth Dreamers Foundation, an NGO that works with ambitious young minds from underserved backgrounds to help them achieve their dreams.
As I spent time with these dreamers, it became vividly clear: what they yearn for the most isn't money. It’s clarity. It’s guidance. It’s someone who believes in them and helps them understand how they can climb and what resources they can use, with limited means. Showing them the path to their dream or career. Everyone needs a sounding board, a guide and a mentor who can say, “Your dream can be a reality, follow your path, or let's correct your path, so you can reach your dream”.
Leadership isn’t just about driving results or delivering shareholder value. It’s about creating a ripple effect—where your presence empowers others long after you're gone. That impact doesn’t come from the size of your P&L. It comes from the size of your heart, your willingness to share, and the culture you choose to build.
Many young professionals, even those just starting their careers, believe they need to "arrive" before they can give back.Absolutely not! Young professionals are in the best place to guide and inspire the younger generation. They can just walk that path and are well placed to open up, share their challenges and the resources available, and uplift those behind them.
No matter where we are on our journey, each of us has a unique set of experiences, mistakes, and lessons that someone else is waiting to learn from. Imagine the impact of every young leader mentoring just one person—to say, “Let me show you how I made it through.”
Sharing, Mentoring, and Modelling the Way
There are five ways I believe leaders, at every stage, can truly pay it forward:
1. Share Your Journey Openly
Talk about the challenges, failures, and lessons. Vulnerability builds connection; in your story, someone may find the courage to keep going.
2. Mentor Actively and Regularly
Don’t wait for formal programs. Seek out talent in your teams, networks, or even through platforms like Youth Dreamers. Offer your time. Often, just one conversation can change a young person’s life trajectory.
3. Create a Culture of Growth
In the corporate world, foster environments where learning is celebrated, feedback is constructive, and people are encouraged to support each other rather than compete in isolation.
4. Be a Role Model for Social Leadership
Show others that leadership includes compassion and community engagement. Advocate for causes, support employee volunteering, and build businesses that give back meaningfully.
5. Leave a Living Legacy
Instead of thinking about what you’ll leave behind, focus on who you liftalongside. True leadership reflects how many others rise because you reach out your hand.
The Mentor Advantage
The subtitle of my book, The Mentor Advantage, was born from this insight: Guidance is often the most underserved resource in the lives of young dreamers. When someone believes in you and gives you a roadmap, your odds of success change drastically.
I’ve seen this firsthand at Youth Dreamers Foundation. A student unsure of her next step finds confidence after one mentoring session. A young entrepreneur reframes his business idea after a brief coaching call. A passionate artist decides to pursue design school because someone told her, “You absolutely can.”
That’s what mentorship does. It ignites. It affirms. It transforms.
Every Leader, A Lighthouse
As leaders, we hold immense influence—not just within our companies but far beyond. What we say, how we show up, and who we choose to uplift determines the kind of world we leave behind.
So, I urge every leader reading this, regardless of where you are in your journey, to ask yourself: Who am I mentoring? Whose dream am I helping to shape? How am I paying it forward—not just in rupees, but in real relationships?
Because one day, someone will say, “I am here because you once guided me.” And that, more than any bonus or title, will be the real measure of our legacy.
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