Neha Kothari - Raise Your Hand, Be the First Volunteer to Take Up Tough Tasks as Problems Are Opportunities in Disguise (Director - BYJU’S)

I do believe that formal education instills discipline and sets you up for all life challenges. But, the content and style in which it’s being taught are debatable. Lack of one-to-one attention, overpopulated classrooms, teachers not having enough time to understand the needs of each student, is a bummer. 

Tell us about your background, journey, and upbringing.

I am a true blue Bangalorean! I was a starry-eyed kid and wanted to do something good and consequential with my life. During the entire course of my childhood, people from my community constantly told me that women are meant only for household tasks and that I should have limited/practical dreams. 

So, that became a starting point and streaks of rebellion took birth in me. I took up the challenge to bring about a change, even if it was a small one. Cut to many years later - I became the first person in my family to have completed my Master and I started working as a television correspondent with one of India’s leading English News Channels.

From there, I went on to don the hat of an entrepreneur for a few years and late took on a corporate role. I’m now with India’s most valued Ed-Tech and life couldn’t have been more awesome. This journey of mine gave courage to my cousins and the women in my community to push themselves and do something they loved irrespective of what the world told them.

My parents have been my biggest source of inspiration who always pushed me to follow my heart. It wasn’t easy for them to break the shackles around but they did their best. What also works in my favor is to have a partner who pushes me to give in my best each day!

How did you rise to the highest echelons and what are your future plans?

I am light-years away from that! We’re all digital natives and we’ve seen the world transform at an eclectic pace, especially over the last few years. There is no stopping point as you’ve got to keep learning something new each day. The day you stop learning, you stagnate. 

We’ve got to keep asking ourselves - when was the last time we did something for the first time. I strive to learn something new each day, I take up online courses, learn from my team members, read and try to keep myself updated. No matter how high you go, have your ground on your feet otherwise gravity will have different plans for you.

Future plans - If this question came to me in the Pre-COVIDian era, I might have given you an elaborate answer, with stretched plans. But over the last year, my outlook towards life has changed. 

I’ve been more mindful of my actions, I work like it could be my last project and live like it’s my last day. I’m taking each day as it comes and one thing I’ve realized is that we need to carve out work and life boundaries. 

We should strive to do our best at work, but work even harder to ensure we spend quality time with our family. Work hard and smart, party hard and safe!

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What does your typical workday look like?

I start my day with a fixed ritual of having tea with my husband and discuss the plans for the day. I then make mental notes of priority items at work and also focus on what kind of workout should I try for the day. 

I check my emails, prioritize important tasks, have stand-up calls with the team, and ensure to have fun throughout. The day you stop having fun, is the day you stop putting in your best.

I also try and take time out to listen to some music as it peps me up when I don’t have the ‘oh-so-awesome' days! Just before I hit the bed, I do a quick recall of how I need to plan the upcoming day, as it eases out the stress once you’ve made a mental checklist for the next day. I also ensure to be grateful for what I have and what I have achieved and promise to work hard for where I want to get.

Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this?

I do believe that formal education instills discipline and sets you up for all life challenges. But, the content and style in which it’s being taught are debatable. Lack of one-to-one attention, overpopulated classrooms, teachers not having enough time to understand the needs of each student, is a bummer. 

Unfortunately, the education system still follows the one-size-fits-all approach while teaching critical concepts. We’ve got to acknowledge cognitive diversity and redesign our formal education structure. 

This is also where BYJU'S comes into the picture as it understands the needs of each and every student and makes learning fun. I have always acknowledged the importance of education and have never taken it for granted. 

That was also one of the reasons for my association with BYJU’S. The belief in first principles thinking and the courage to encourage failure is what I love about this place.

How do you handle someone who has lied on their resume?

I have never faced this as the companies I have worked with, have very strong background checks in place. Hypothetically, if I do come across this, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions immediately. 

I would like to analyze this further and treat it on a case basis. I do believe that people deserve a chance to explain themselves.

How has covid changed things at your workplace & which of these changes do you intend to make permanently?

COVID has disrupted the world and the way we used to work! On the plus side, employees are getting to work from their home towns, eat great food, avoid traffic (especially in bigger cities) and spend more time with family. 

Productivity is also at an all-time high as some of these factors play a crucial role in an employee's life cycle. But on the flip side, while we’ve multiple collaboration and communication tools, nothing beats face-to-face interaction and water cooler conversations. 

As someone who manages Communications, it is very crucial for us to measure the on-ground pulse of employees. It can be done via various online applications, but the real deal is in-person conversations or observations. 

It’s also tough to gauge what your team members or peers might be going through as video calls give you limited insights only.

Hybrid is an extensively used word to redefine workplaces but I’d say flexibility will be the key to the future. Listening to our employees and aligning this to our business strategy will be a game-changer.

                           

What advice do you have for those starting their career and those who are eyeing the top job?

One thumb rule for those starting out - never turns down opportunities. Raise your hand, be the first volunteer to take up tough tasks as problems are opportunities in disguise

• Start by asking yourself - ‘why not’ instead of ‘why’
• Be credible, genuine, and honest as it reflects on your work
• A role is rarely what it is, it is what you make of it
• Build your network – networking is everything
• Don’t ever ‘fake it till you make it, it doesn’t last long
• Have fun, lots of fun!

Which is your favorite book/show and why?

I am a sucker for non-fiction crime novels as I used to be a crime/political reporter. Hussain Zaidi’s books keep me on the edge as they speak to my inner journalist. To bust stress away or just invoke light-hearted laughs, I watch re-runs of Friends, Big Bang Theory, and The Office.

Bio:

Neha Kothari, Director – Internal Communications, BYJU’S

I have over a decade of experience cutting across industries like news, media, PR, entrepreneurship, IT, and Ed-Tech. 

I am a sports enthusiast, a Bollywood buff, a hopeless dreamer, a compulsive organizer, and a DIY artist.