Building a New Horizon

I had an opportunity to be part of a panel discussion titled “Building a New Horizon” hosted by Google’s Women Techmakers in Bangalore. Most of the topics that came up as part of the discussion and the audience questions are often repeated at different forums and informal interactions again and again. That prompted me to think about how could we open the avenues for discussion and share these thoughts with a broader audience.

What it takes to be successful in the tech industry is gender agnostic — men and women alike need to work on those aspects. but, there are a few challenges that are unique to women and that’s where some of tips on how to achieve work-life integration, navigate through the maternity breaks, child care and coping with the pressure of being a successful professional and a super mom, wife, daughter are required.

I am summarizing the key takeaways from these discussions for a broader audience.

Disclaimer: These are the thoughts shared by the panellists on what has worked for them and it may vary from a person to person.

Everyone has a story — share it

Each individual is unique and has a story — of struggles and achievements and the lessons learnt on the way. By sharing the stories, talking about the experiences, you can help others to learn from you, draw inspiration. Share your learnings as well as learn from others. It’s important for women to hear the success stories of other women and believe they can do it too.

Know thyself

Knowing oneself is important for leveraging the strength and compensating for the weakness. Also, it’s important to have a goal and know where you are heading to navigate through the corporate maze. Those who are sure of themselves and have a high self-esteem tend to succeed more often.

Networking is a good word

Making an effort to connect with people and building a strong network is not a bad thing. Use this network to learn and share new things, learn about new opportunities. Also, don’t hesitate to help others and give back to your community.

Advocate for yourself and others as well

Speak up for yourself and don’t hesitate to ask for what you deserve — be it the promotion, a raise or a new opportunity. Present the data and make a case for yourself and be confident of your skill set and the value you bring to the table. Also, whenever you have an opportunity, advocate for others as well.

Be open to learning

As mentioned in the famous book “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith, for someone who has achieved a level of success to grow to next level, a different set of skills would be required. The mantra for growth is to keep learning and reinvent oneself constantly. Also, be open to learning irrespective of the source — be it mentors, peers, juniors, online courses, blogs or social media. Leverage all the tools and resources that are available to you and keep learning.

Ask for help

Sometimes, even Superwoman needs help. Having a support system and asking for help at the times of need is essential to find work-life balance and cope with women-specific challenges of maternity, childcare, coming back to work after a break, etc. Organizations also have policies that could be leveraged. Also, it helps to talk to co-workers and managers to have flexible work arrangements that work for all.

Don’t have a mental barrier

While there may be biases and the proverbial glass ceiling in the industry to some extent, it should not limit the way women go about doing their job and being professional. Sometimes these mental barriers and inhibitions stop women from achieving their true potential. I have always believed that there are equal opportunities out there and have made a case for myself backed by data.

Finally, there is no alternative to hard work and determination to succeed.

PS: This blog was written in 2018 and originally posted here