Current Roles and Responsibilities:
I lead talent acquisition for critical service lines and corporate function for the organization. Additionally, also dabble with key strategic projects.
Imprints from Former Years:
It was around being an introvert or an ambivert, while some might argue it's not a limitation. However in a role like talent acquisition , most of time one is required to be the first one to start a conversation , to network, to stay connected and to check up on people generally. It certainly did overwhelm me many a times.
Breaking the Barriers:
I’d tie challenges back to limitations. The efforts to overcome were an amalgamation of conscious and unconscious ones. Conscious efforts revolved around changing small things, which would enable me to come out of my comfort zone everyday and hence probably become my habits ; for instance not holding back to ask questions or to share thoughts in a formal forum .These small aspects overtime made me feel relaxed while being the first one to kick start conversations. Unconscious efforts were I think the best. I am lucky to have had peers who are now my best friends and are eager to point out the worst and best of me. I think it is extremely important to have a circle which is honest to tell you right and wrong and to motivate you in tough times. Furthermore my inherent passion for making a visible, positive & qualitative difference to my work drove me to make these changes.
Defining D&I – Why is it important in the workplace:
I see D&I as a huge prospect for all of us to become more human, more emphatic, more accepting, more appreciative & more aware. D&I should not stop at women or women in leadership roles. It has to travel a distance of celebrating differences, celebrating choices and celebrating meritocracy. I’d also like to draw attention on importance of execution here. It is extremely crucial to translate D&I as an agenda to small actions and tasks and monitor its completion. If the agenda is not broken into actionable steps, then it remains mere rhetoric.
Artificial Intelligence Surpassing Human Intelligence:
Last 5 years have been very disruptive for all of us. World economic forum calls it the fourth industrial revolution, but what it means is that change has always been inevitable. I don’t believe that it will surpass human intelligence; however it will force us to evolve. Demand of new skills will
emerge, for e.g. - There will be jobs like climate specialist, environment consultants, bio – organic researchers, coaches, mentors, neurodiversity specialists etc ... Hence the scope will increase for us to take new paths and look beyond what exists currently.
Defining Moments of Life:
Honestly I am not a believer of the concept of a ‘defining moment’ of life per say. I believe that small things, every day contribute to better and bigger things in future. For instance, I consider it as a defining moment when few years back, my son learned in school that we must switch off lights when no one is in the room. He said it with a spark in his eyes. I have tried to abide by his suggestion since that day whether at office or at home. Similarly another example is around some recent conversations in my firm to define purpose for self to contribute to your organization and also community at large. And defining purpose doesn’t happen in a day but it is a process that you start day by day.
Powerful Lessons from Mentors:
Well it might sound like a cliché, but I consider my mother as an inspiration. She has suffered a whole lot of health & other personal issues, but has always come out of it owing to her positive outlook. 3 years back, my mother suffered a traumatic eye injury which could have meant the worst outcome, however it’s her positive attitude, emotional endurance which paved way for recovery. In times when most people would break down, she didn’t leave her strong belief in “something better “ and this belief made her come out of the ordeal. Her positivity, “can do” attitude, ability to find & create happiness and overall emotional endurance has been very influential on me. I am very motivated by her to look at the brighter side and find opportunities to do better every day.
Finding your Passion amid Work Life Balance:
I feel very strongly about nature, sustainability & coaching. Regarding nature, my home garden keeps me occupied. It also happens to be my Zen time. There is a level of contentment that I get to see things grow. In terms of sustainability; trying to make my house as a strict “no single use plastic zone”. It’s a big ask that I have from myself and my immediate family, hoping to get there by midyear. The second one is about coaching & mentoring. I have always felt responsible for people who are associated with me personally or professionally and coaching provides a chance to help individuals become their better versions and in turn also gives me a chance to reflect on myself and the way I look at things ,life & status quo.
Words of Wisdom:
I believe every moment presents lessons; learning's and at times these simple moments shift our paradigm. The sources vary - it can be nature, family (my pet included), friends, team, peers and mentors. Everyone has so much to offer which makes you either learn or unlearn or think differently. If I have to share something which can be categorized as wisdom and has helped me navigate through testing times or situations, I can probably sum it up by a quote from Robert Frost “The best way out is always through”. Not only what I know today is because of my family, my mentors but also by facing people/situations and hence in the process picking up new ideas and experiences.
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