Snigda - The Inspirer

As it is I was late. (as usual) As I entered the room, she gave me an understanding smile but with a question on her face like a professional and looked at the co-ordinator if I can be allowed to get into the class or not. Mathew (a friend – we are all in the same team) nodded his head approvingly with a smile. I pulled a chair quietly and sat with that sheepish grin - like always. By then the other team members had introduced themselves. And she, I was making my own assessments of her. I told myself, that she would win 10/10 in toastmasters club. She had good presentation skills, has good command over her language and most importantly she does not look a day older than 30. That’s all and I started concentrating on what was going on in the class.

In a little while I got to know the Trainer’s name is Snigda and she is a trained RJ. With a raised eyebrow I told myself no wonder she is modulating her voice so well. In the lunch break, we all got talking. Luckily it was “girls only” and we were free to express all that we felt. Snigda got talking like she would do with her friends if she met them for casual lunch. A very unusual sight for me considering she is visiting us, our campus for the first time. There was no need to break ice. What stunned me was she is not 30 and is nowhere closer to that number but has gone past that for quiet sometime now. Unlike other women, she was not a bit hesitant of sharing any of that info. She was not in the preaching mode but so friendly as if she knows this bunch of 4 girls from ages.

I was so impressed and inspired. Snigda has it all. Like most of us, she has worked her way up but she stands out because she did not allow anything stand her way. An early marriage (around the age of 21), Husband - an army officer who was getting tranferred every 5 years, 2 kids and other usual things to attend to. Her priority even today is family. However, career too plays a great role in shaping her life. That’s when she worked around to make things work for her. A veteran, who has 12+ years of work experience in her kitty, is a certified RJ, ex sales manager with Taj Hotels and comperes shows or events and is a softskills trainer. She is so passionate about all the above and it just shows in her eyes. She radiates positive energy.

I’m a big fan of soft skills and keep attending trainings, seminars or anything of that sort whenever I get an opportunity. Most of them would last untill I leave the hall. But the “planning and organising” methodologies that Snigda shared were so simple, practical and realistic I have put a lot of tips to use. She just leads by example. Some of the tips that she shared in the class, the way she was motivating each one of us and also handling a crowd of such diversity (we were from different business units doing various activities right from sales to HR to development to support) She did it all with ease.

In my research “women @ work”, I’ve been talking to a lot of women professionals from different walks of life. One of the key result that was derived from a random sample survey that I did, a lot of women give up/quit their careers the moment they enter their family way. And here, what do I see? Somebody who began her career life after having two kids!! She broke the myth, which is doing rounds that one can’t have both in your life – a great personal life and equally successful career life as a woman. If you don’t agree, meet Snigda once and you will know.