Focussing on solution instead of problem is the mark of a true leader: Manisha Chaudhary

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 Manisha Chaudhary, Founder and Director of Value 360 Communications.

A postgraduate in Development Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi, Chaudhury was a reporter with a leading English daily before co-founding Value 360 Communications. A film-student-turned-journalist-turned-PR professional, Manisha is a postgraduate in Development Communication from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. Prior to co-founding Value 360 Communications, she was the Director at Precision PR and has also been a journalist with Hindustan Times.

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?

We are thrilled to resume operations physically and our entire team is equally excited to come back to the office and work alongside their peers. The switch from online to offline must be a gradual process and we are making sure that employee safety continues to be our priority.

We are motivating the entire workforce to stay in masks as much as possible, both inside the office and elsewhere. We are also continuing to offer the flexible work culture that we built during the pandemic period. We are offering a long-term work-from-home policy to our team so they have ample number of work-from-home days to balance work remotely and from the office as per their convenience.

We are also actively encouraging our team leaders to remain sensitive and provide as much support required by their teams. In some cases, we have deferred working from office for specific employees who are facing challenges to transition to work from office due to their family situations or other challenges.

Overall, we are maintaining a flexible, employee-centric approach to ensure that the transition is smooth and favourable for all. We will continue to stay safe and follow all the required protocols to continue being a safe space and a conducive work environment for our team.

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?

The last few months presented us with a learning curve – we had to learn how to strike a balance between our personal and professional lives. Initially, it was difficult to find this balance but slowly we all found the required rhythm to stay productive while at home amid family. The same happened in my case as well. I understood where to draw the line, switch off my laptop and shift my focus from professional to personal work.

This period also highlighted the unequal division of household chores between men and women. Most of the household duties, child care and elderly care became the woman’s responsibility when offices were shut down overnight and companies had to operate remotely for an extended period. For many women professionals, this became a point of contention and discussion at home.

Many women found the support needed but there were a lot of women who had to give up their jobs to focus on the household. At the end of the day, while this period was difficult, it also sparked new conversations about the division of work at home and yielded positive results in many cases – which is a great start. Now, there are plenty of discussions happening around the greater need for support for women from families and workplaces, and this will lead to a better work-life balance for women in the long run.

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.

I am the Founder Director of Value 360 Communications, one of the most-awarded comms tech firm in India. I started out with journalism and then pivoted into the communications industry. Over the past two decades, I have been spearheading strategic communications for key clients like Walt Disney, JioSaavn, OLX, Paytm, Urban Company, Droom.in and JioSaavn, among many others.

Starting our business with a borrowed laptop to become the leading firm in our sector, it has been an exhilarating journey and an absolute dream come true. I have also seen professionals who have trained under me go on to become successful entrepreneurs – an achievement I am immensely proud of. A mentor always feels good when their mentees go on to do great things.

All said and done, Value 360 Communications will always remain the greatest accomplishment of my life.

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?

Starting young: I started off young, at the age of 22 years. This is where I was faced with my very first hurdle – to gain confidence on clients who wanted experienced professionals to handle their mandate. Turning my weakness into my strength, I hustled and we did better than many senior professionals.

Learning on the job: Another impediment was starting young without a mentor or senior to guide me. In such a case, it’s easy for someone to start feeling directionless. So, I had to learn while I earn. I accelerated my learning and expanded my knowledge horizons to better counsel my clients.

Managing rapid growth: Value 360 Communications grew by 500 percent between 2012 and 2019. As Head of Operations, I had to align myself to the organization’s lightning-fast growth, attract the right talent, set up the right processes and retain the clients. Plus, as a mother of a two-year-old daughter, I was working double-time to sustain Value’s growth momentum while building a culturally rich organisation.

Handling competition: The PR industry was cluttered with large, mid-sized and boutique firms when we first started out. We approached this challenge by focussing on young start-ups, a hitherto underserved segment in terms of PR. Simply put, we grew alongside our clients, built unicorns and witnessed explosive growth ourselves.

At every stage, I decided to focus on the solution instead of the problem, and this, I feel, is the mark of a true leader. I always envisioned myself as a progressive leader who imparts knowledge, nurtures new talent, and contributes to building a sustainable environment – and ended up achieving all my goals, and then some.

What would be your advice to the young generation?

I would advise the young generation to be patient. You must give yourself some time to find your rhythm at work – and work to grow your skill sets and expertise. Growth is important but don’t just chase monetary progress. Focus on your holistic advancement as a professional and a domain expert.

As you continue to work towards holistic professional development, the industry will give you innumerable opportunities once you find your strength. And when you realise where your goal lies, give your 100 percent and forge your path towards success.

Finally, keep learning throughout your career. The business landscape is evolving at a faster pace than you can imagine. What you see and know now may not be relevant in the next five years. Focus on upskilling, embrace skill-based learning and remain relevant at every stage of the industry’s evolution.