Women have much higher EQ and hence, can manage teams better: Nisha Singhania

We, at Adgully, have always saluted and honoured women managers and leaders across diverse fields. Last year, we launched our unique and distinct program, called WOMEN DISRUPTORS, which drew a lot of attention and was highly appreciated by the industry. W-Suite is a special initiative from Adgully that has been turning the spotlight on some of the most remarkable women achievers in M&E, Advertising & Marketing, PR & Communication industry. In the refurbished series, we will 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, Nisha Singhania, Co-Founder and Director Infectious Advertising, speaks about her mantras to become an efficient leader, how COVID has widened the role and scope of women entrepreneurs, mastering work-life balance during pandemic times and much more.

How do you think the role and scope of women leaders has widened in the post-pandemic world?

The biggest change that has happened post the pandemic is that work from home is not just acceptable anymore, it is desirable. This opens up a lot of potential and job opportunities for women who needed to be home because of young children. Because of this, we will surely see more women in leadership roles…they always had the potential, now they will get the opportunities.

The rapid transition to digital, an uncertain economic landscape, charting unknown waters, working from home with no modes of the usual contacts. How have you been navigating during the COVID-19 times? What were the challenges that you faced and how did you tackle them?

In March last year, we were one of the first agencies who decided to move to working from home, even before the lockdown was announced. We anticipated the situation and put in place systems which would enable us to work seamlessly from home. Of course, one misses the physical interactions, but technology today makes it amply possible for you to work smoothly. Digital being the future, we are investing heavily in both technology and resources. The biggest challenge however, remains retaining and maintaining the agency culture. For that, we try and ensure that we have maximum online interactions, innovative ways of brainstorming and online workshops. We’ve tried to retain the fun elements as well, in fact, the team invented a new way for us to have a virtual Secret Santa as well!

How challenging has it been for you to maintain a balance between managing the team & office work on the one hand and family responsibilities on the other as boundaries blurred while working from home? What is your mantra to maintain that balance?

I honestly haven’t found that difficult at all. In fact, since one is working from home, one finds time to do a lot more. I’ve used that extra time to go back to being a student and do several online courses. My mantra for work-life balance has always been that both are important and need their time and one should not be compromised for the other.

Multiple studies have shown how women leaders performed better during the COVID-19 crisis. According to you, what makes women the best in crisis management?

Women are fantastic at multitasking. They’ve done it all their lives. It’s now thanks to COVID that the conversation around work-life balance and blurring boundaries are coming to fore. Suddenly everyone is realising that it’s not easy. However, it’s natural for women and hence, most of them have taken it in their stride. I also believe women have a much higher EQ and hence, can manage teams better, especially when there are no physical interactions.

What are the five most effective lessons that you have learned as a woman leader?

These are the 5 mantras that I have learnt over the years:

1. You are not a woman in a man’s world… it is your world – keep that attitude and not one can stop you
2. You are human, don’t try and be a super woman – you don’t need to prove anything to anyone
3. Don’t put career over family – you will regret it
4. If you love what you do, no one can stop you from succeeding – turn your passion into your carer
5. Help other women as you move up – they don’t have to go through the same problems you did