Women have led major social & cultural movements world over: Prerna Tiku

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, Prerna Tiku, General Manager - Marketing, MTR Foods, shares her 5Ps of effective leadership, making leadership traits more gender neutral, the conflict between the biological clock and the career clock for women, and more.

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

I believe that a leader’s role is gender agnostic. As more women assume leadership roles, we will undoubtedly see gender equality at all levels, and this includes organisational, individual, and societal spheres. This is bound to make leadership traits more gender neutral and will successfully normalise women’s contributions to critical thinking and decision making. 

What has been your major learning from the pandemic period?

The pandemic has undoubtedly been a learning experience for everyone. On a personal level, it was learning to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty with a positive attitude. As a marketeer, it meant to keep the short-term business continuity at the centre without risking the long-term strategy.

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?

The first step is accepting that the balance doesn’t necessarily mean all aspects of life are always equal. There are times when we need to focus more on one over the other. What works in such situations is a high degree of collaboration, either at home or at work, and that’s exactly how I have worked throughout my career.

As regards crisis management, nature has endowed women with mental fortitude to face any challenge. Women have historically multi-tasked; managing finances, caring for their families and creating social impact. In fact, women have led major social and cultural movements world over that have truly transformed the world for the better. So, decision-making, resilience and agility are inherent strengths. This is exactly what’s needed in crisis situations.

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

As a marketeer, I am tempted to sum it up in 5Ps:

• Passion: You’ve got to love what you do. I have always believed that a job is never just a job. Since we spend a significant part of our lives working, it better be something incredible, right? So, being aware of the impact you create or can create in your sphere of work, regardless of the kind of job, is a non-negotiable for me.
• Planning: No surprises here. This applies to both home and work. Planning gives you peace of mind, optimises your day, and helps you make time for everything you want to do. Whether it’s work time, your child’s homework, or spending time on your hobbies.
• Partnership: Building trusting relationships – both at home and at work – is the most critical part of building a long-term career. Sometimes it’s important to drop the superhero cape and ask for help. Whether it’s your spouse, team at work, or extended partners, strong partnerships are a key ingredient to success.
• Patience: Sometimes a false sense of crisis sets in and it becomes difficult to function. In times like this, it is important to sift out real crisis from panic. Pause, think, and act – this goes a long way.
• Principles: In today’s complex world, where the lines between right and wrong are sometimes blurred, I think it is important to have more agency, know when things don’t seem right, and raise your voice.

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

As conversations around gender equality become more mainstream, there are still fewer than 20% of working women. This number drops to a single digit if we concentrate on leadership positions. There can be multiple reasons for this, but the conflict between the biological clock and the career clock is, in my opinion, the main one. Therefore, the first step is to implement policies that account for these nuances.

Additionally, we should create a conducive environment for growth. A positive shift will be brought about by starting with equal opportunities, developing a gender-neutral culture, and supporting capability building. I am proud to say that at MTR, we are working on each of these measures. For example, 50% of our recent hires in key leadership positions have all been women. Strong female representation in senior leadership positions is a global strategic priority for Orkla and MTR, and proactive measures are being taken in this direction.