Be confident & unapologetic about your decisions: Mukta Kumar's message to women

“I strongly believe that PR and communication defines the character of an organisation and it can act as a catalyst to change the way people respond to your brand and ideas,” says Mukta Kumar, Director Communication Konnections Integrated. Kumar won the 'Enterpreneur of the Year' award at the recently held 'e4m PR and Corp Comm Women Achiervers Awards 2020'.
After a successful stint with leading agencies across locations, Kumar decided to take the bull by the horn and began her entrepreneurial journey by starting Konnections. With more than a decade in the entrepreneurial space, she boasts of clients ranging from infrastructure, retail and hospitality to healthcare and startups.
In today’s feature, we speak to Kumar about her win, women leadership, role of women in restructuring the industry, her future goals and more.

Edited Excerpts

How do you feel being the winner of the Women Achievers Award? 
It’s an absolute honour to receive the 'Entrepreneur of the year' Award during these challenging COVID times. The awards offer a unique platform for women to understand their ecosystems better and work towards a more collaborative environment. Women Achievers Award is a great step to identify the talent in this industry and give women the recognition they deserve. I would like to thank the organizers for their commitment to encourage female entrepreneurship in the communication industry.  

What are the attributes/qualities required to be a leader in the communication industry?
Conduct and ethics are the only two virtues which determine your altitude and depth. As communication professionals, we have to establish trust with the partners & stakeholders and we need to be always conscious of our actions and behaviour. I strongly believe that a well-rooted value system combined with vision and an empathetic attitude helps a person establish their leadership in this industry.  

What role have women played in the restructuring of the industry and how has the communications industry changed over the years for the women workforce?
Women have been instrumental in shaping up the communication industry and are an integral part of the success story. We have witnessed the most sparkling and dynamic women lead the sector in the past. The industry is evolving and has seen tremendous growth over the last few years, but the role of the women workforce has been a bit lopsided.  Steps need to be taken to improve, stabilize, and recognize the women workforce at each level. As women, we are on crossroads more often than others and are compelled to make difficult choices. Many of my colleagues had to leave the industry as they were not able to create a work-home balance. We must create a dialogue for women executives to instil a sense of pride in the work they do and support them in carrying on both personal and professional commitments. The industry needs to offer more safety, flexibility, and inclusiveness for the women workforce which will create more confidence women leaders in the future. 

Why do we need to have more leaders at the helm of organizations in today's scenario and what value women bring to the table?
Leaders define the objectives and provide strategic directions to the organizations and hence are catalysts for the growth of organizations. Women are better equipped to handle situations emphatically and give the necessary impetus. But in India, there exists a large gender gap which makes it difficult for women leaders to sustain their journey. We should encourage higher participation of women across the business hierarchy, nurture them, create forums to not only celebrate but also discuss real-time problems that women face. A collaborative environment will break glass ceilings & open doors to board rooms and leadership positions for women. 

What are your future goals? What initiative would you like to take as a woman leader for the industry/society?
I would like Konnections IMAG to grow and to establish it as one of the leading agencies in the country and further expand our horizon . We would like to focus on business diversification and introduce specialized modules for better management of our external and internal communications programmes for clients and stakeholders.
The biggest challenge that I have faced is that the industry offers no support or infrastructure for entrepreneurs and regional players. As a responsible women leader, I would like to support entry-level entrepreneurs/ agencies in their business journey and be a mentor in their growth. Another area that needs attention is the gender gap and perceptions in the communication industry. We need to be more supportive of women in our sector and create  synergies . I would also like to teach young women and try to help them achieve their goals and stand up for their rights and choices.
As they say that for a good yield you need the entire countryside to be healthy, few prosperous farms only lead to feudalism. We need to make the sector more democratic and accessible for all. Vocal for local is something we all should advocate and practice.

How do you see the PR and the corporate communication industry shaping up in the years to come and your message to the future women leaders?
Companies are acknowledging and accepting the importance of PR & Corporate Communication. The role of the Indian marketing communication industry is evolving and the sector has been witnessing tremendous growth over the last few years. Reputation management and stakeholder communication are becoming an integral part of the marketing spends and the corporate sector is looking up to agencies as agents of change. 
My message to all future women leaders is that they should always remember their struggles as they celebrate their achievements and help the next generation of women leaders take on the journey. Be confident and unapologetic about your decisions and choices.