A leader must conquer self before conquering the world: Tuhina Pandey

Celebrating the contributions of women in the PR sector, exchange4media PR & Corp Comm is running a 'Women Achievers Series'. It features the journey, success and achievements of some of the top women leaders from the Public Relations and Corporate Communications fraternity.

Today’s series features Tuhina Pandey, Communications Leader – IBM, India and South Asia. She is primarily a ‘presenter’ and a ‘story teller’ and her professional experience includes TV and business journalism, media training, executive and leadership communication, marketing and corporate communication and digital communication among others.

Excerpts from the interview

Now that the industry is opening up workplaces and resuming operations from the office, what are the initiatives, measures and precautions that should be adapted/ taken to ensure a smooth transition?

It’s great to see people back in the office; the ability to connect in person is priceless. However, we are not out of the woods yet and we have to exercise caution. Masks and social distancing are still drills we must follow. 

There is also an opportunity to be creative, innovative and reimagine our workplace. Today, workplaces are more about co-creation, collaboration and teaming than just getting an individual task done. We are also bound to be in a hybrid model for a while and navigating experiences through this hybrid construct will need new ways of thinking. The world will not be the same again and we must keep pace with it. 

Most importantly, the next wave will be far more severe if we are caught off-guard. 

The last 20 months have been trying for every professional, especially with the hybrid working model. How did you strike a balance between office work and household duties?

I experienced many firsts in the last two years, especially what it means to live out of a suitcase for months altogether with most of my belongings stranded on the road. Joining IBM in the midst of the lockdown and visiting the office for the first time after a year that too for the vaccination – I called it ‘induction by vaccination’. There was the challenge of building relationships through virtual screens as well.

All boundaries were shattered; working from home and for home constantly,  the personal and professional space merged far too often. It took me some time but what worked eventually for me was an overhaul of how I approached my life. I learnt to identify priorities on both fronts and organise my day to achieve it — some of my personal work needed to be marked on the calendar to find space in a hyper-connected virtual globetrotting environment at work. 

Finally, we have to draw our boundaries and the people around us understand as long as we orchestrate outcomes. It's ultimately about the value we deliver. 

Women have been carving a niche for themselves and paving the way in the communications industry for the next generation of women leaders to follow. Tell us about your achievements and your contribution to the fraternity.

One thing that I have done with deep commitment and consistency for many years now is to mentor women in my circle of influence, and help them grow and realise their full potential. I don’t see it as a job but a life commitment. I lacked that support and guidance in my early years and I want to ensure women around me have that from me. 

I also mentor women, entrepreneurs and startup founders. We need more women creating businesses of the future and that ecosystem has a multiplier effect. I also spend much time educating and raising awareness amongst men and women groups about the values and advantages of having diverse teams. I have an open-door policy for students and young professionals seeking my advice or help; I always prioritise responding to them and supporting their needs. 

It’s a long road, but what we do every day stacks up into something bigger when it reaches an inflection point. The toil must continue. 

What are the roadblocks that you have had to overcome to reach where you are today? What, according to you, are the makings of a leader?

I would have probably given a different answer a few years back, but with time I have wondered if at all I have been my own roadblock. Yes, life has thrown many curve balls at me, like I imagine it does at others. My limiting belief in myself, the need to fit in and fear of consequences have held me back in the past. Each time I have challenged myself and stepped out of my comfort zone, I have grown. I am still a work in progress, learning each day and aiming to be the best version of myself. 

A leader must conquer self before conquering the world. 

 What would be your advice to the young generation?

You must never forget that you are unique and that is your biggest differentiator. You must strive for excellence, ask many questions, be bold and ambitious, embrace yourself, make mistakes, fail fast and learn from them. There is just one life – make it count.