Leadership Lessons for Scaling Global Capability Centers

By: Utkalika Badu, Managing Vice President, Gartner

Utkalika Badu, Managing Vice President at Gartner, is a seasoned business leader with nearly two decades of experience in building high-performing teams and scaling global capability centers across India. An alumna of IIM Calcutta, she brings deep expertise in analytics, research, sales operations, procurement, and operational strategy, honed across leading organizations including Evalueserve, Oracle, CEB, and Gartner. Known for driving innovation while sustaining operational excellence, she has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s strategic footprint in the global enterprise ecosystem.

In an insightful conversation with Women Entrepreneurs Review, Utkalika shares her perspectives on leading through today’s VUCA world, where volatility and uncertainty demand both emotional steadiness and decisive action. She discusses how India’s talent and innovation landscape enables global capability centers to thrive, why agility and consistency must coexist, and how “fail fast, learn faster” remains central to solving complex challenges.

To explore Utkalika’s perspectives on leadership, transformation, and future-ready teams, read the full interview below.

You have led large teams through dynamic business environments. How do you define leadership in today's VUCA world, where change is the only constant?

When I speak about leadership today, I always begin with the reality of our VUCA environment. Yes, volatility and uncertainty are high, but they are not entirely new. What has changed is the speed and intensity of that change. Interestingly, I find that the new generation entering the workforce is far more adaptable and comfortable navigating this landscape.

As a leader, my role is to help my teams understand that VUCA is not a temporary phase; it’s the world in which we operate. The moment we expect things to get stable; our preparedness drops. So, I focus on helping them decode volatility, embrace uncertainty, and make decisions even when they don't have perfect information. That, to me, is the essence of leading through VUCA.

When you experience uncertainty, as a leader, do you rely first on data-driven insights or first on instincts around people, to stabilize the ship and move forward?

When uncertainty hits, the first responsibility of a leader is to stabilize the ship, and that begins with people, not processes. Stabilizing is largely an emotional process: helping the team manage their thoughts, acknowledging their anxieties, and grounding your own. The first step is to slow down, connect with your team, and understand where everyone is coming from.

Decisions must be made quickly, even when data is incomplete. In uncertain situations, you rarely have historical trends or perfect insights, so you balance what’s known, what’s a reasonable bet, and what assumptions you can safely make. You lean on available data, seek input from experts, and take thoughtful, informed steps forward. That balance of empathy, clarity, and decisive action is how I approach every project and challenging situation.

Building and scaling global operations often requires structure amid chaos. How do you balance agility with consistency when setting up global capability centers or CoEs?

When global capability centers are set up in India, it’s not just because of the strong talent pool; it’s because India offers strategic thinking, innovation, and the ability to scale. When launching these operations, it is essential to incorporate certain global best practices and proven processes to ensure consistency. You repeat what’s already working well internationally. But there’s also a reason these centers are being built here: India’s growth engine, agility, and innovative mindset. The real challenge is balancing both maintaining consistency and continuously innovating.

In some cases, you are setting up entirely new operations, such as establishing an R&D center for a new pharmaceutical line or scaling a fresh quality function. In those situations, innovation leads the way. You may keep global learnings in mind, but you start from scratch and rethink what the model should look like. Ultimately, both consistency and innovation matter, and which one takes priority depends entirely on the context and the opportunity in front of you.

Can you share a time when your team turned a major challenge into an opportunity for innovation and growth?

In my career, whether at Gartner, CEB, or Oracle, I have repeatedly encountered situations that force you to pause, reassess, and rethink your approach. Launching a product that you expect will resonate with let’s say a BFI client, only to discover that it doesn’t address the real challenges clients are facing or prototyping something with a vendor but running into compliance challenges just a few weeks prior to launch, or public sector spending cuts, etc. are all examples of real challenges. These experiences teach you that failure or challenges are a part of the process. That’s why I strongly believe in a pilot-first mindset: start small, test quickly, work closely with clients, and gather honest feedback. If it works, you scale; if it doesn’t, you pivot without wasting time or resources.

This iterative, “fail fast, learn faster” approach applies beyond products, whether it’s CSR initiatives, employee engagement programs, or operational changes. Sometimes you invest with certain expectations, and the response is different from anticipated, which is fine.

How do you embed continuous learning and upskilling into the culture so teams remain future-ready?

Presently,learning is more critical than ever, and the pace of change will only accelerate. Keeping up with technology and industry shifts is no longer optional. I encourage my leaders to first understand what kind of learners they are: some will go deep and become subject-matter experts, while others will stay broad as generalists. Either way, you must stay closely aligned with what’s happening in your field. If you are a software developer, understand how AI is reshaping your craft; if you are a content creator, researcher, or R&D professional, stay tuned to trends influencing your work.

For senior leaders, it’s equally important to build leadership competencies by coaching, inspiring, and guiding teams with intention. I often ask them to reflect on how they spent their week. I also invest heavily in reading, whether it’s books that sharpen skills or articles that help me understand shifting economics, client needs, and consumer behavior. Continuous learning is the only way to stay relevant and lead effectively.

LAST WORD: Advice for Women Leading Transformations Globally

When you begin as a new manager, you often mimic what you have seen, and it takes time to understand your own leadership style. Strong individual contributors also struggle with delegation, which is part of the journey. But moving from managing teams to leading on a global stage is a step change. First, you must recognize the visibility gap that India-based leaders often face and consciously close it through stronger expertise, innovation, and leadership presence. Second, you need to make your work and your team’s impact visible instead of assuming it will speak for itself. And third, remember your responsibility to uplift your next-line leaders so your entire team shows up confidently on the global platform.