“It’s not just about learning – it’s about doing”

Manisha Mistry CMgr FCMI FIC is a business innovator and coach who co-founded Cerestrial in 2023. Prior to that, she spent 11 years at Rolls-Royce, including as COO of its R2 Factory, and seven years at Fujitsu. Manisha is also a former Chartered Manager of the Year. 

Having caught up with her at CMI’s recent event with Kate Dearden MP, we later sat down for a chat about her career in management.

Give us an overview of your current role

Manisha: I’m one of two co-founders of Cerestrial, which is about individual development and personal growth. We support anyone who feels like they are a minority. This isn’t about serving an underrepresented group necessarily – it is about helping you to really harness who you are, when everything around you and the things that you are trying to do feel so unnatural to who you are. Our focus is about making a difference with your difference and enabling people to feel confident in who they are. 

When did you first encounter CMI?

Manisha: When I left university, I took up a graduate position with Fujitsu Services. They had classes on ‘What does it mean to lead?’, ‘How do you communicate?’, ‘Dealing with ambiguity’, and so on. So, I started to engage through CMI with those types of one-off, one-hour webinar resources. It then built to being able to do a Level 3 qualification, which then, when I moved job, went to a Level 5, and then I did my Level 7 as part of a Dual Accredited master’s degree. Prior to that, I also achieved Chartered Manager status.

Did you always have a clear sense of what direction you wanted to take in management, or were you more of an “accidental manager”?

Manisha: I started off accidental, definitely. When I first started to lead a team, I wanted to do a good job, but I didn’t feel comfortable or knowledgeable enough to do that. I’d observed both good managers and bad managers, so I knew what I didn’t want to do, but I didn’t want to fall into the habit of doing some of that accidentally. I spoke to a few of the managers around me, who supported me, and that’s when those more formal routes became visible to me. But it’s not just about learning; it’s about doing. 

I think Fujitsu also provided a good environment to allow me to explore what my leadership style is. How do I lead? How do I manage? And what do I need through regular mentorship and support to help me grow? It’s about having a framework of support around you.