A persistent learner, mother, a great employee and a thorough professional. Sheeba Samuel, Head, Client Relations is all these and more.
Let’s hear it from her as she shares the ups and downs of her professional journey.
Take our reader through your professional journey?
My Corporate Journey—Transforming Dreams into Action
I started my first job 15 years back in Kolkata as a PR executive with a salary of just 3,000 /-Rupees.
Today I am Responsible for all strategic planning, account management, and for the overall success of Company’s relationship with 1000+ assigned client accounts in all operation Centers.
There is no real formula for success, and life never comes with a 100 percent guarantee card. I have won many accolades in these years. I have also made mistakes and learnt from them. Failures, quite inevitably, are always a part of everyone’s life at some point. Every failure gives you the chance to grow both personally and professionally. There is no better way to know what works than knowing what doesn’t.
Not only have I grown as a professional but also as an individual. I’ve had a lot of bosses over the years. Although they were all very different, they had one thing in common: They all taught me something that I’ve kept with me.
What were the roadblocks or challenges you faced throughout your career? And how did you overcome them?
My biggest challenge was going back to work after my maternity break of two years. It’s always tough for a mother to leave her children behind to pursue her career dreams.
My advice to other professional women starting their career journey is to define what success looks like to you and go for it! It’s different for everybody. For me, it’s about doing what I love but maintaining the equilibrium between my work and personal life. Sure, it’s a tough balance, but I’ve found that, with a little bit of time management and organization, it’s more than possible!
What is your philosophy of efficient leadership?
Leadership is about inspiring and encouraging others every step of the way. It’s about building a positive environment where employees can thrive and use the skills to the best of their ability. Leadership is about motivating others and providing them with the confidence they need to see their full potential. As a leader, it’s important to be considerate of others’ feelings and use everyone’s passion for good. I value the opinion of others, respect their beliefs and listen to their concerns with an open mind. I care about leading with heart and using my leadership platform to cultivate a positive place for growth. Ultimately, leadership is about being a strong leader that others can depend on.
All leaders encounter challenges. This is true in all industries. The way in which you think about these challenges will play a major role in your potential for continued success. We need to feel enthusiastic about challenges and focus on challenges as new opportunities to develop unique solutions.
Do you think organizations must have a balanced gender ratio in leadership positions? Why?
Essentially, for any organization to be successful you must have the right balance of men and women in leadership roles to cover all the characteristics that drive success.
There are a number of characteristics that, when combined, constitute a winning leadership team. These characteristics include decisiveness, collaboration, analytical thinking, empathy, risk-taking, and inclusiveness. Some of these characteristics are considered masculine, such as risk-taking, while others are considered feminine, such as empathy for others. The most important element in winning leadership teams is to effectively blend winning characteristics to achieve better collective decision-making. The easiest way to do that is to make sure there is a balanced number of men and women on the team.
What is your company/profession all about?
Drafts, implements, and executes policies and procedures to facilitate a quality customer service experience.
• Establishes performance metrics for customer service representatives.
• Establishes service levels and requirements for the department.
• Develops and implements methods to record, assess, and analyze customer feedback.
What is your vision for your company/yourself and your core values (for company)?
My personal vision is to use myself as an example to impact positive attitudes and share my can do and never die attitude with whoever comes crosses my path in life. I wish that I can inspire and motivate them to discover and develop their potential and live life to fullness.
What are your future endeavors/objectives and where do you see yourself in the near future?
I want to keep growing my skills and adding value to the company in new ways. I would also want to take the company to greater heights. There should be constant learning and improvement not only for myself, but that also create an atmosphere of learning and improvement for others.
