OYP Episode 08: Nidhi Chaturvedi

Nidhi, Senior Associate of Learning & Talent Development at Publicis Sapient, talks about setting measurable goals and quantifying your impact.

Interview

Peter Szczerba - Welcome to the Own Your Potential Podcast, where you'll hear stories from leaders across the globe about how they've taken control of their career growth and lessons on how you can too. I'm Peter Szczerba. And this is episode eight, with Nidhi Chaturvedi, walking the walk one step at a time.

Nidhi, what strategies for self advocacy have worked well for you?

Nidhi Chaturvedi - So they've been many Peter. But one of the most important one that I learned a bit later in my career Is that how you present yourself matters. I ensure it's less of talking in the air and more of impact, which is articulate factual and measurable in front of my leadership, I ensure I advocate myself and my work in a more tangible way to help them see a bigger picture. For example, in my context, as a learning professional, whether it is about time saved, cost saved, learning, hours spent or feedback received, I present that because it adds more value. And how I do it is I have been a true fan of elevator pitch. So I ensure that it isn't a one time effort, but a consistent practice. So I always keep besides some time, in my one on one conversation with leadership to quickly talk about my work and achievements, because if I won't, who else will?

Peter Szczerba - Nidhi, in what ways have you embraced continuous learning and your career development?

Nidhi Chaturvedi - So coming from a learning background myself, continuous learning is because of which what I'm doing what I'm doing. There has been two things that has been consistent, which one is inquisitiveness, and the second one is being brave. Unless one doesn't have these to your growth, I feel is going to be stagnant. But considering the times we are living in my way has been very, very simple. How I have done it is whatever learning initiatives I have created for my participants, I have enrolled myself to for that, more than a provider, I act as a participant where I to go through the learning plan that I myself have carved out for them. To this, I ensure I'm learning along the way and practicing what I preach. So that's really my ideology of walking the walk and not just talking the talk.

Peter Szczerba - What role has bravery played in your career growth Nidhi?

Nidhi Chaturvedi - A big role, I would say, you have to take a chance you have to take a risk. And being brave enough to embrace it is what has helped me in my career, I've always been put into situation where it's either being brave enough or to stand behind and regret. I didn't want to do the latter, because that's what I fear the most. So whether it was changing my role recently, which was totally out of my comfort zone, or given to manage a team of three people in just two years of my whole career, or say, my volleyball match where I knew we've lost the first two sets with a huge margin. It's always been bring it on without the intent of giving up because if nothing happens, you will at least learn and nothing will substitute that. That's what being brave has been for my career growth. It has been about being fearless and doing the unknown.

Peter Szczerba - Nidhi, how do you want people to remember you?

Nidhi Chaturvedi - A girl who did not settle for less. That's what I want people to remember me. I don't want to settle for less in my life because that's just too ordinary.