The concept of gender equality begins at home
Published on : Tuesday 08-03-2022
Pooja Patil, Marketing & Corporate Communication in B&R India.
What was the inspiration that prompted you to pursue this career path?
The person that inspired me to be in this career is my former Manager, Mr PV Sivaram. I joined B&R in 2012, with no prior knowledge about industrial automation. But Mr Sivaram gave me a chance to understand and learn about the industry as well as the market. Even today, I still look up to him and look at him as a mentor.
Can you recall your early days – say the first few days at work – and anything you would like to mention about that?
It's been more than twelve years in corporate, out of which the last five years I have been handling corporate communication for my current company. Meanwhile, I've been asked questions from people about how exactly one goes about doing this role innumerable times. My answer to such questions is always: 'Perfect timing, skills, hard work, and luck'. I will not lie, in the beginning, it was indeed a little terrifying. My first few steps were reading, attending technology conferences, visiting customers to understand installations, product architecture, and never-ending talks with anyone I even slightly knew in the industry. It didn't matter whether they were engineers, editors, publishers, salespeople – it didn't matter! Reading is a great way to improve your content generation and understanding of where the world or market is moving towards. I recommend that one must read as much as one can about the company, vision, mission, products, market situation, technology, and trends. It helps a lot to be fluent with terminology. On the contrary, being a non-technical person, what helps me while writing is my reading and thorough understanding of technical language and framework. I am most proud of being a non-technical person standing strong in the automation world full of engineers and making a mark as a technical content generator, media and public relations and corporate communication expert in the company. Moreover, engineers and technical enthusiasts appreciating my work is a compliment in itself.
For a woman, it is a matter of finding the right balance between the jobs and managing home – how do you manage this?
Being a working woman is like any other gender. What sometimes sets us apart is our roles and circumstances in life. I am a working mother and it brings me a diverse and influential set of experiences that can contribute to a successful team at my workplace. My days are busy, but planning them allows me to multitask. I picture my mind as a desktop, where I can only have so many windows and tabs open at once. I layer and compartmentalise things I need to do in order of importance or priorities. I try not to take care of more than four things at a time; otherwise, it gets complicated. I always imagine myself on one of those balance boards where you don't simply achieve a balanced condition and stay tranquil. It's a constant process of adjustments — a little more here, a little less there. Work-life balance is not different.
What challenges (or privileges) do women stereotypically face, based on their gender?
On a personal level, I believe in gender equality. I am grateful to my father, who has been a role model to me throughout my life and has supported me in my development as a human being. He made me understand the corporate world, which is traditionally considered a male-dominated industry. The concept of gender equality begins at home, and families are at the front of change. I am thankful for the backing I received from my family and for the people who trusted me in my career till date. All over my life and career, I am lucky enough to have been supported by amazing mentors, both men and women who inspired me to take on new challenges far beyond my imagination. For that, I am eternally grateful.
I feel that I am blessed to be part of an organisation that is committed to gender diversity. Ours is maybe one of the very few teams with as many women as there are men. Saying this I feel, the challenges any woman faces are mainly personal. What is the right time to get married? When would it be right to expand the family? Am I being fair with my family? Nevertheless, at the end, it all boils down to your will to make things happen. It's never a choice between one over the other, it's just the ability to make both co-exist. With some meticulous planning and a can-do, it's very much possible to overcome these challenges. Of course, an understanding husband and team at the workplace helps.
Have you ever missed a career opportunity or promotion due to gender?
In my case, it would be a lie to say that gender has held me back from achieving my career opportunities or promotions. Having the confidence to ignore prejudgments is the key. I strongly believe in my own abilities and capabilities and I thank my solid upbringing for this.
Are workplaces today more sensitive to gender issues than say, a decade ago?
I have been fortunate enough throughout my career to work with people who value my talent regardless of my gender. Over the last decade, many women have embarked on a pathway of self-realisation to benefit our society. Some are famous, some are not, but each has contributed to the world's progress, whether by promoting peace, human rights, forging ahead in science, or serving on the front lines to save lives and protect health. The casual stereotypes related to gender, which was common a decade ago, are not being entertained by organisations that are aware of their rights and duties. We have achieved much on the path to gender equality, but we have a long way to go.
Which women's 'cause' needs to be challenged and changed, first?
A woman is always known as a caregiver, for sure. But I feel she is more than a caregiver. Beyond all, she is a human being who has a mind of her own. The set social values and mind-set need to be changed. There should be a paradigm shift in how we raise our children, irrespective of their gender. Equality needs to be taught in early childhood and every household. The mind-set that a female child is a liability and a male child is an asset has to vanish because that is the starting point of all evils plaguing women today.
Are there areas at work that still restrict women when it comes to leadership roles?
I feel that nothing can hold a woman back from achieving what she desires. If you are talented, skilled, then you should put them to good use; otherwise, it gets wasted. Every woman should take time to create a plan to grow her influence at work. Whether your strength is your technical expertise or your communication skills, cultivate the assets and use it to get a seat at the table. Every woman should be courageous, take risks, and have a progressive mind-set.
Do you have a mentor or a role model? If yes, you may state briefly how it inspired you.
In my earlier days, my father has always been one of my biggest mentors; he introduced the value of hard work. When I joined B&R, Mr Sivaram taught me the importance of collaboration, which is a lifelong learning. For the last two years, I have been undergoing a mentorship program within the company and I got an opportunity to learn from my current mentor, which has made a substantial change in my career. When we first began working together, I never imagined I would be able to make as much progress as I have.
What would be your message to the youth who are just starting their career?
My advice to youth who are just starting their career is to work hard and become a master at their work. The more you know, the more powerful you are. It's good to have in-depth knowledge. Try to be that person usually people count on. If you're resourceful and let your wisdom speak for itself, the woman thing or any other thing will fall to the wayside. It's about how much you know and how well you sell it.
Describe yourself or your aspirations, dreams in 3 words.
Hardworking. Tenacious. Zesty.
I aspire to look back at my career, feel satisfied with my work, and be proud that I tried everything.
Pooja Patil possesses excellent knowledge in marketing services & corporate communications to reflect new strengths and expanded ambitions of brands in a fast-paced environment, offering more than 12 years of cross-functional experience in industries like Pharmaceutical and Industrial Automation. Currently responsible for Corporate Communication in B&R India. The role involves building communication strategies for the organisation to ensure that unified, consistent, and positive messages define and promote the company brand and products.
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