'Both genders are equally capable, but they have to work alongside rather than against'

A professional with over 17 years of experience in the industries such as consumer durables, auto motives and healthcare, Geetika Bangia Lead, PR & Corporate Communications at Philips India, has every reason to celebrate her win as the “Communicator Of the Year” at the recently-held e4m PR and Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards. She has passionately and relentlessly contributed towards building compelling brand imagery through communication and has vast expertise in the realm of Public Relations, Corporate Communications, CRM and mitigation of Crisis Management.

In today’s feature, we speak to her about her win, her thoughts about female leadership, her future goals and more.

Edited Excerpts:

How do you feel being the winner of the Women Achievers initiative?

I want to thank Exchange4media for coming up with the PR and Corporate Communication Women Achievers Awards 2020 that celebrates the work of women across the communication industry. This award is a true testimony of all the hard work and perseverance which has gone in creating wonderful communicators. To have been selected as the Communicator of the Year in Corp Comm, it is a fabulous honour and motivation for me to keep working towards my upcoming endeavours and contribute my bit to this industry. 

What are the attributes/ qualities required to be a leader in the communication industry?

 The answer is in the question itself. In order to succeed in the communication industry, we need to try our best to communicate. This may be with the media or your customers/clients, conveying information in the right manner and at the right moment is the key. To become an ideal communicator, in my opinion, we must assess and possess knowledge about what is to be conveyed; to who are we communicating; when we need to send that information; and how to communicate.

Piecing these four points together would not seem that tricky if we back them with careful observation and experience. Above all, I feel that leadership is all about expertise, accountability and empathy. 

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? 

Over the last few decades, women have been breaking the traditional glass ceilings in their professional space across the various industries. However, in the PR world, there is still a lot to be done. If you look back at the stats, not too long ago, in 2014, as per the World PR Report, women secured 60-85 per cent of all PR jobs globally which is relatively high, but managed only 30 per cent of all global PR agencies. Hence, we still have a long way to go. But yes, with events like these and the exceptional work of so many emerging women leaders, we will definitely achieve even more favourable outcomes. 

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?

Women are born multi-taskers, natural crisis-managers, compassionate and strong communicators. The more they rise the ladder of professional success, the more they will be encouraged to take a step ahead to join the workforce. In today's scenario, greater participation is essential to bring gender diversity. When women secure powerful positions and men and women work together as a team, we eliminate one of the long-existing social problems of gender discrimination. Both the groups are equally capable, but all this can be highlighted only when they work alongside rather against. 

 What are your future goals? What initiative would you like to take as a responsible woman leader for the industry/society? 

I want to contribute more to this space of communications, but for now, I want to continue to give my best to every assignment. As a leader, I would want to be motivated enough to encourage others with my efforts towards my work. I also wish that women come up and showcase the ocean of talents that they possess, and industries welcome them to do so. I await a day when we no longer have to use women before mentioning the word leader. 

How do you see the PR and the corp comm industry shaping up in the years to come? What is your message to future women leaders? 

I think in these times; effective communication has become even more critical than before. Digitization is the best boon for this sector, as it reduces the need for physical reaching out. As businesses are resuming, communication and its tools will help companies to get back in the game by conveying information about their initiatives to the masses.

My message to women leaders will be to keep working and leading the way. Channelize your energies in upgrading your skill-sets, as in the end; it is the hard work that matters. So, just be yourself, keep your dreams free from biases and soar high!