Anchit and myself had started an internal podcast in udaan where we had chai time conversations with senior employees about their career stories.
The idea was to have some unfiltered conversations about life and careers for all employees to listen to and interact.
1/ One common thread across all conversations was: Networking compounds and pays immense dividends. Make efforts to stay in touch with your managers/colleagues etc. And be genuine about it.
Ask yourself, what can I do so everyone desperately wants me on their team?
2/ Hustle shamelessly and chase a variety of perspectives. One of the Business heads we interviewed would rent his laptop, use the money to buy people coffee at Starbucks and later on in ISB and have a conversation, in his 20s.
3/ Read, absorb and actively narrate. Last one is important. Most leaders we interacted were expert storytellers. It’s a life skill.
4/ No one really has ( or had ) a 10/20 year plan.
Do what you love to do, become great at it and things eventually fall into place.
5/ Break ceiling consistently: One of the Finance heads we spoke to, said this:
“If a Marwari woman can have male roommates in London in 2005, do household chores for them, and simultaneously work 100-h weeks at an investment bank, what’s stopping you?”
6/ If your curiosity curve is not steeper than your learning curve, you’re going to move one very soon.
7/ Play sports. That is one way you learn how to work in teams, share the highs and lows in a risk free manner.
While its been quite a few months, I still seem to go back to some of those conversations, when in doubt!
