Understand, learn and perform: Nidhi Sidhana’s tips to future PR professionals

To recognise and honour the contribution of women leaders’ relentless pursuit of excellence in the field of public relations and corporate communication, exchange4media PR & Corp Comm launched the Women Achievers Awards in 2020. At the third edition in 2022, e4m acknowledged and felicitated the women leaders who are shaping the industry through their incredible work. The awards recognized not only the women who have touched major milestones in their career, but also the emerging trailblazers who have the capability to bring a dynamic change in the PR and corporate communications industry.

In this series, we feature some of the women leaders who were felicitated at the event. Today, we speak to Nidhi Sidhana, director, PRtainment Media & Communications Pvt. Ltd. She was honoured in the category 'Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year'.

Excerpts:

Congratulations on your win at the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards 2022. How do you feel?

It feels great. Awards definitely make you feel happy, overwhelmed, delighted and proud too. These awards are the epitome of acknowledgement of a job done well, rendering us with validation and justifying the agony and the hard work that went into achieving them. The e4m Women Achievers Awards 2022 is an absolute mesmeric moment for me and has boosted our confidence to the other level.

What inspires you on your journey and endeavours?

For me, 'inspiration' cannot be personified nor limited to anything particular. Instead, I draw inspiration from all sources of life, things and actions around me. I always try to inculcate the values or something good that crosses my path. And this has chiselled the personality I am today all through my journey.

In what ways have you witnessed the PR and corporate communications industry change and evolved over the years? What global practices would you see implemented in India?

When I started my professional journey, it was all about getting the job done. Let me walk you through: the old school PR defined only coverages as PR's work. And people used to chase it blindfolded.

But the new age PR has changed the connotation widely, bringing western influence into the industry. The work of PR establishments is not merely limited to the number of coverages it can harness but the way we engage with the stakeholders, organisations and market.

A PR entity or a PR personnel work shoulder to shoulder with the marketing segments of the business firms to create awareness, recognition and development of the brand.

Social media PR, online PR, and crisis management are the new components of the new age PR.

Tell us about your most valuable learning from the industry. Where do you foresee the PR and comms industry in the coming days?

Change is inevitable. The goalposts keep shifting, so keeping up with the trend is vital. And in this due course, you learn a lot and unlearn a few. Every day is new learning.

I unlearnt to chase coverage and learnt to embrace the storm as well as the calmness of the sea as it comes.

Whether it's failure or success, it is essential that you do examine your strengths and weakness and pick up from there and move on.

When you miss out on an opportunity, you analyse your setbacks, pick up your pieces, and strive back with a bang.

Even when you are successful, pat your back and look over what more could have been added to your efforts to make your success story even bigger than the star.

So, for me, I learn from whatever it is, failure or success.

What would be your message to the future generation of professionals?

My advice to future professionals is to stop running aimlessly like a wild horse.

Understand, learn and perform. Devote your time and energy to knowing and studying your goal, and then choose your path, as the journey to your goals will carve the person you will become.