Devraj Sanyal Shares 10 Lessons That Shaped His Leadership After 30+ Years In The Industry

Devraj Sanyal, Chairman & CEO – India & South Asia, and SVP – Strategy, Africa, Middle East and South Asia, Universal Music Group, has reflected on more than three decades of his professional journey, sharing 10 lessons that have shaped his approach to leadership and work.

In a LinkedIn post titled “30 (plus 5) Years of Work: Ten Lessons That Changed How I Lead,” Sanyal said careers are not defined by a single major decision but are built through small habits repeated over the years.

Among his key lessons, Sanyal highlighted the importance of curiosity over intelligence, encouraging professionals to look beyond their briefs and ask questions others may not be asking. He also stressed the value of overdelivering, noting that exceeding expectations can become an individual’s professional signature.

Sanyal also emphasised listening beyond spoken words, saying that hesitation, body language, timing and omissions can often reveal valuable information.

Another key takeaway was reliability over brilliance. According to Sanyal, while talent gets noticed, reliability earns trust, particularly when people can consistently deliver under pressure.

He further urged professionals to protect their reputation over their job titles, build genuine long-term relationships and understand the wider business rather than focusing only on their individual functions.

Sanyal’s remaining lessons focused on making difficult decisions early, staying teachable and recognising that success requires continuous effort.

“Success is rented. The rent is due every day,” he wrote, underlining the importance of continuing to earn trust, create value and remain relevant.

Reflecting on his own journey, Sanyal concluded that even after more than 30 years of work, he remains committed to learning and has “no intention of stopping.”