Traditional industries still grappling with lower female representation: Jigyasa Kishore

We, at Adgully, have always saluted and honoured women managers and leaders across diverse fields. W-SUITE is a special initiative from Adgully that has been turning the spotlight on some of the most remarkable women achievers in the M&E, Advertising, Marketing, PR and Communications industry. In the refurbished series, we seek to find out how women leaders have been managing their teams and work as well as how they have been navigating through the toughest and most challenging times brought about by the global pandemic.

In conversation with Adgully, Jigyasa Kishore, Vice President, TAAS and Marketing, Moglix, stresses on leadership being a gender-agnostic concept, the belief in work-life continuum than work-life balance, and more.

How do you think the role and scope of women leaders have widened in the current market ecosystem?

Not much. On the surface, we see plethora of figurative changes, but the ground level reality is grim. Traditional industries such as manufacturing are still grappling with low level of female representation in the workforce. Also, at an individual level, I think the role and scope of one’s journey largely relies on the environment and industry one is part of. Leadership is a gender-agnostic concept and thus, a good leader thrives, irrespective of gender when they are part of a progressive and positive workplace setting.

What has been your major learning from the pandemic period?

If I could summarise my experience of the pandemic in one phrase, that would be: What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger! The period of around 2 years let us all realise our maximum potential – both on personal and professional front. We, as an organisation, achieved 2x productivity mainly because we were wrestling with uncertainties that fuelled our creativity and strategic instincts to make innovative decisions. At the end, I came out stronger and better leader.

What is your mantra for maintaining a successful work-life balance in the new normal? According to you, what makes women the best in crisis management?

We, at Moglix, believe in work-life continuum than work-life balance. As professionals, we all have this innate capability to prioritise different aspect of our being – work, personal commitments, health, and relationships. This understanding makes easier for each one of us to avoid burnout and always bring our whole-self to work.

Women’s ability to multitask and their natural competence to remain calm under pressure make them particularly well-suited to handling crises in the workplace. They strive to keep things in perspective and find a middle ground rather than resorting to extreme measures that won’t last for a long time.

What are the five most effective leadership lessons that you have learned?

  • Roll-up your sleeves and do it yourself when necessary.
  • Delegate, trust, and review.
  • Initiate productive conversations by asking the correct questions.
  • Zoom-in and zoom-out periodically.
  • Have fun at work.

Gender sensitivity and inclusion in the new normal – how can organisations effectively encourage and groom women leaders in challenging times?

It’s high time we acknowledged that although fundamentally equal, women go through different life stages and experiences than their male counterparts, owing to societal and cultural expectations, which impact their professional journey and achievements to a great extent. In view of this, organisations can invest in driving female representation at all levels and roles. At Moglix, we have female-friendly recruitment policies, programs to groom women leaders to drive gender sensitivity and inclusion.

Our company culture at Moglix is gender-neutral, therefore, we hire women for all positions, including those that have traditionally gone to men, for instance, roles in warehouses and logistics, etc.

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