Thoughtworker Spotlight: Jagbir Lehl Singh

Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Some may know him as Canada’s Head of Delivery, but Jagbir Lehl Singh is also a writer (check out some of his articles!), a foodie and a runner. His team would add aspiring rapper to the many hats he wears – you’ll have to join the team to see why! As a builder of high performance teams, he is laser-focused on driving his teams to deliver impact to clients by achieving their business goals.

When it comes to scaling agility in organizations and creating structures where teams thrive, Jagbir uses his 18+ years of experience to support the growth of Thoughtworkers, developing them into leaders through his mentorship. 

If he’s not exploring Toronto’s latest gems for unique cuisine and beverages, you can find him outdoors, taking long weekend walks with his family. As a continuous learner who enjoys staying on his toes, can you guess what his favourite product is? Hint: It has been a constant companion of his for the last five years.

Tell us about what you do in 50 words or less.

I see myself as the builder of high performance teams. In my role as Head of Delivery for Canada, I am tasked with creating structures where high performing teams thrive and are laser focussed towards helping our clients achieve their business goals.

What’s the most interesting challenge you’re working on?

The challenge that keeps me most interested is scaling agility in organizations. Typically, this means that we need to make cultural and structural changes in the ways of working. It also means working closely with people in this journey of change and helping develop them into leaders in their own right.

I have also penned my lessons from this experience in a two part blog series on managing agility at scale as Thoughtworks Insights. You can read more on the eight lessons for managing at scale on delivery operations and culture.

What inspired you to have the career you have today?

When I was starting off my career, I was really keen on building it in finance. IT consulting was just a leap of faith, given I had no formal education in software engineering. The prospect of working on tough problems and seeing the impact you can make with a simplified user journey or process really hooked me, and here I am 18 years later, loving every bit of it.

What achievement are you most proud of in your career to date?

I draw immense pleasure and a sense of achievement every time I work closely with a colleague and can help them in any way in their journey of professional growth. I feel as though I have contributed to the goal of building another awesome Thoughtworker.

If you could go back in time and give yourself career advice, what would it be?

I would say, never look back, life has beautiful plans for you, so keep your chin up and never stop learning.

What do you love to do outside of work?

I am a foodie and love to try different cuisines and beverages. That’s the only passion I can support, along with bringing up a 9 year old who demands constant attention and care. 

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what album, movie, and book would you take with you?

Album – Parachutes by Coldplay

Movie – Life is Beautiful, starring Roberto Benigni and Nicoletta Braschi

Book – Surviving on a deserted island for dummies 🙂. On a more serious note, it would be The Lord of The Rings, so I can re-live the fantasy world.

And finally, what’s your favourite product and why? 

The one product I really use often and have derived a lot of value from is Audible. I use it on my long weekend walks and runs to catch up on my reading, and it has been a constant companion for the last 5 years.