‘Purpose, passion & persistence key for an individual to transform into a leader’

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

Today’s series features Pooja Pathak, Managing Director, Media Mantra. A keen believer of "contributing and giving back to the society" in whichever way possible, she actively participates in panel discussions and delivers keynote addresses in various education institutes, industry-led forums and entrepreneurship/ women-based platforms, 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 is indeed a relief to see the situation resuming normalcy. Offices are reopening and working full time once again. In such a scenario, following Covid guidelines is of paramount importance. Hence, these protocols are being followed stringently. However, the pandemic has also played a major role in bringing forth the relevance of mental health. This is pushing the workplaces to prioritise employee health and mental well-being. Such initiatives as music jam sessions, yoga and meditation sessions, managers meet, fun Fridays, recreational activities, etc. are being planned and implemented to ensure the workforce has a nurturing and positive work culture.

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?

Striking the right chord between professional duties and personal responsibilities was immensely challenging, especially during the first wave. However, as time progressed, everyone kind of realised that a well-identified priority bucket list needs to be followed in order to avoid overlaps between professional and personal routines. I strongly feel that setting realistic expectations with the family members and especially the children helps strike a balance between office work and household duties.

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?

Being a leader takes time and patience. You need to be open, agile and flexible to gather expertise in managing the team, handling sudden events, especially crisis, along with acquiring skills like problem-solving, decision-making, analytical thinking, innovative approach, managerial, etc. To transform from an individual into a leader, imbibing the 3 Ps - purpose, passion and persistence - are essential. You need to attach yourself to a goal or a purpose. This helps steer you on the right path and work with authenticity. Adding to it, you also need to pursue this goal with passion. It acts as a fuel that will give birth to a sense of engagement and enjoyment for the hard work that you will put into reaching the objective. This passion will be your motivation to keep treading on the path and reach one step closer to your goal. The third required attribute is persistence. Working persistently towards your goal is imperative as consistent and persistent efforts are the key to success.

What would be your advice to the young generation?

I am of the view that the youth have access to a plethora of opportunities in abundance. However, they tend to multitask and wave around in an attempt to try out everything at once. I strongly feel that they need a sense of direction to set up a goal and work hard to achieve it seamlessly.

Hence, my advice to the younger generation would be to be passionate about what you do. Associate yourself with a goal and pursue it wholeheartedly. However, hard work is equally important as passion. Hence, you need to make concerted efforts as well so as to reach closer to your goal.