StartupTalky

Tag: Sonica Aron

  • How to Network Effectively as an Intern: Building Connections and Expanding Opportunities

    This article has been contributed by Sonica Aron, Founder, Marching Sheep.

    Internships are a very special time in any young professional’s life. Not only do they as act as a passage from them being carefree students to responsible and accountable contributors, but for many aspiring professionals this is when they find financial independence, start to take pride in their achievements and contributions and most importantly, find older professional to learn from.

    Beyond the daily grind of long task lists lies a hidden treasure- the opportunity to build a powerful network that can evolve into a support system for life. The batchmates with whom you are interning, learning together, making mistakes together, burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines become friends for life. The mentors and guides who seem to give very harsh feedback and keep sending you back to redo things, are actually polishing and refining you into better professionals. The more time and effort we spend in authentically connecting with peers and seniors in these early years, the richer will be our network.

    A Rich Network Offers Numerous Benefits
    Networking Beyond the Office Walls

    A Rich Network Offers Numerous Benefits

    Access to Industry Insights: Internships can feel siloed, focusing on specific tasks. Networking with professionals who work in different areas of your field broadens your perspective. Ask questions, learn about their career paths, and gain invaluable insights into the industry’s current trends and future outlook. This knowledge is gold when making informed decisions about your own career trajectory.

    Find Hidden Opportunities: A lot of jobs aren’t publicly announced. By building relationships with professionals around, you might learn about interesting openings and opportunities. Your network might even connect you with hiring managers within their connections. This knowledge can give you a significant advantage in the competitive job market.

    Find Mentors and Champions: Veteran professionals can be invaluable sources of continuous learning. Seek out those who inspire you and whose career path aligns with your aspirations. Approach them for coffee or a quick chat, expressing your interest in learning from their experience. These mentors can provide guidance, support, and even write you a stellar recommendation letter.

    Boost Your Confidence: Meeting successful professionals and learning their stories can be incredibly inspiring and confidence-building. It allows you to see the possibilities within your chosen field and provides a roadmap for your own success.

    Yet, for many young professionals, networking or making new connections can seem like a daunting task. It might stem from a sense of awe that one feels towards others who are more senior and therefore perceived as more successful. Sometimes, many individuals are inherently introverts and find it difficult to make the first move. Or simply the tasks at hand might seem too much to handle. So here are some thought starters that can help young professionals leverage the art and science of networking from their very first internship-

    Everyone started as an intern– Remember, however senior, accomplished, successful the person might be in front of you, this person too started as an intern and learnt from someone. Every one has to go through this journey. A few years down the line you would switch seats and there would be an intern sitting in front of you. So approach with confidence.

    Be a Go-Getter and ask for more: Don’t just stick to your assigned tasks. Take initiative! Proactively seek opportunities to interact with colleagues from different departments. Attend team meetings even if not directly required. Offer help on projects outside your scope (with your supervisor’s approval, of course).

    Participate in company events, mixers, or volunteer initiatives. This proactive approach demonstrates your eagerness to learn and allows you to connect with a wider range of professionals. The more you do, more visible you are, more people you interact with, and you build more credibility. There is nothing more attractive than credibility while building a network.

    Embrace Small Talk: This is particularly relevant for the shy ones, or the introverts. People like it when someone is genuinely interested in them. Ask colleagues thoughtful questions and listen attentively. Questions could be about their weekends, or their roles within the company, what do they like the most in their role, upcoming industry events or even hobbies. Strike up conversations in the lunchroom or break area. These seemingly insignificant interactions can lead to genuine connections and open doors to further conversations. This will help you get to know people and make you more comfortable around them. Also, your interest and empathetic outlook will attract others to connect with you.

    Seek Out Mentorship: Identify someone in your company who inspires you, because of the work they have done, or their career trajectory, or their leadership style. Approach them with authenticity and humility ask to be involved in a project and express an interest to learn. Be specific in your asks. Don’t be intimidated – most professionals are happy to help motivated interns. Approach them for coffee or a quick chat, expressing your interest in learning from their experience.

    Deliver Value: Mentorship is a two-way street. Don’t just show up expecting free advice. Do your research beforehand. Come prepared with specific questions about their career journey or the industry in general. Be genuinely interested in their insights and demonstrate your eagerness to learn.

    Internship Trends
    Internship Trends

    Networking Beyond the Office Walls

    Your networking potential is not limited to your organisation. The professional world extends far beyond the walls of your company. Explore these additional avenues to expand your network:

    Industry Events: Attend workshops, conferences, or webinars related to your field. These events offer a chance to meet professionals from various companies, industry experts, learn new things, and showcase your knowledge during Q&A sessions. Actively participate in discussions and ask insightful questions to demonstrate your expertise.

    Professional Associations: Join industry-specific associations. Many host events and offer online forums where you can connect with peers and established professionals. Engage in discussions, participate in committees, or volunteer for projects – this allows you to contribute and build a strong reputation within your field.

    Social Media: LinkedIn is your professional playground. Connect with colleagues, supervisors, industry influencers, and alumni from your school. But don’t just collect connections – engage in relevant discussions, share insightful articles, and showcase your accomplishments. Publish short posts about projects you’re working on at your internship, demonstrating your skills and knowledge.

    Networking is not a one-time activity but a lifetime investment. Connections need to be nurtured and maintained.

    Stay Connected: There is always a need to nurture these connections so that they don’t fade away. Send occasional emails with updates about your progress, industry news, or even birthday wishes. However, avoid spamming. Aim for quality over quantity.

    Informational Interviews: Reach out to professionals in your field for informational interviews. These casual conversations are a goldmine for career advice and insights. Prepare a list of questions beforehand and express your gratitude for their time.

    Leverage Travel to Catch up: if and when you travel for work, do catch up with old friend, colleagues and mentors. It is not just when we need their help that we should connect with them. It is when we don’t need their help that we should stay connected.

    Building a strong network takes time and effort and yet, it is an undeniable truth that well networked people get better opportunities faster and more. They have better access to information. All these are ingredients of a successful career. So, however busy you are, integrate networking into your day, Today.

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  • Strategies for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Workplace – By Ms. Sonica Aron, Founder of Marching Sheep

    This article has been contributed by Ms. Sonica Aron, Managing Partner and founder of Marching Sheep

    Over the last decade, the business landscape has seen a remarkable transformation. Global economic growth, technological advancements, talent dynamics, and evolving macroeconomic conditions contribute to this transition.

    Due to this, businesses have found themselves operating in extremely challenging, and ever-evolving conditions. And to cope with this, organizations have had to evolve with the changing times to remain relevant and competitive.

    Today’s diverse talent dynamic has been a driving force, which has compelled organizations across geographies, sectors, and life stages to broaden their narrative around diversity, equity and inclusion.

    As today’s workforce is multi-generational and multicultural, from diverse life phases with evolving expectations for where and how they want to work as well as grow. Thus, it is not only about recruiting diverse talent, it is also about creating inclusive, transparent, and empathetic cultures where everyone can bring their authentic selves.

    In the scenario, DEI—diversity, equality, and inclusion—has become a watchword in recent years. Despite the fact that there is yet much work to be done, several businesses have taken measures to address DEI in the workplace by embracing it. But, before we get started, let us first grasp why it is critical to implement DEI strategies.

    DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    DEI Strategies to Adopt at the Workplace

    DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    DEI comprises of interventions, programs, and policies that enhance diverse group representation and participation authentically. Persons of all genders, races and ethnicities, abilities, beliefs, cultures, ages, and sexual orientations are included, as well as people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, talents, and expertise.

    The objective is not just to hire a diverse workforce, but also to put in place structures and procedures that allow all employees to participate in company decisions and have their voices heard.

    DEI is not simply a moral necessity, but also a commercial imperative. While many businesses view DEI through the lens of compliance and reputation management, they also acknowledge that diversity benefits both individual employees and the financial performance of the business.

    The ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion are mutually reinforcing for an organization. Because an employee’s sense of belonging (inclusion) and sense of justice (equity) is so crucial, focusing alone on diversity is insufficient.

    Thus, in this current day, when individuals are trying to learn everything and keep up with the trends, it has become critical for organizations to comprehend the importance of DEI and promote it throughout the company by implementing various DEI initiatives.

    DEI Strategies to Adopt at the Workplace

    Increasing Awareness

    In today’s world, every organization comprises diverse people, and when we talk about DEI strategies, the first thing that comes to mind is women employees, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities as they face both societal and workplace bias and challenges.

    However, diversity among people is much broader. The workforce today represents people from all walks of life. Different socioeconomic strata, geographies, language preferences, educational backgrounds, generations, and whatnot. Diversity is a fact however, inclusion is a choice.

    It is key to creating sensitization and awareness among all layers of the organization that every individual, irrespective of their differences, needs to be valued and included.

    Building managerial capability in driving inclusive teams, building awareness around appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, and inclusive and non-inclusive language should be an ongoing effort in all organizations.

    Building courage in people to drive bystander inclusion, calling in, and calling out instances of non-inclusion should be encouraged.

    Beginning at the Top

    Organizations with diverse leadership are more successful and have higher market value. With DEI embedded not just in the HR strategy but in the business strategy, in Leadership speak, and in values and culture, there will be increased organization-wide commitment, clear expectations, and collaborative dedication.

    A leader’s visibility and active engagement in DEI activities speak loudly in the workplace. Putting firm beliefs into action act as a role model for employees and helps to keep the momentum going. Employees observe leaders’ actions, words, and conduct to determine their genuineness.

    Leaders may demonstrate their commitment to their people through proactive communication and collaborative allyship actions. Consistent leadership efforts will reinforce the organization’s mission and values while fostering a common commitment to the movement.

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    Responsibility and Understanding

    Many executives regard diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) as the HR responsibility and are not fully involved in the initiatives in letter and spirit. Such organizations are unlikely to benefit significantly from the DEI strategy.

    However, it is not simply an HR job; it is the responsibility of everyone who works in the organization. Because DEI is linked to innovation, creativity, productivity, and profitability. According to Sonica Aron, a key role for HR is to have a continued performance while simultaneously encouraging employees.

    Every management and employee must understand what inclusive and non-inclusive actions are, that they, too, may become victims of inequality and that an overarching culture of respect and inclusion is required.

    360° Approach

    It is a fact that nothing changes in business until everyone is held accountable for it. As a result, firms may improve their DEI strategy by using a 360-degree approach that tackles infrastructure, policies, HR practices, communication, and attitudes and involves people to drive diverse initiatives and hold them accountable. The 360 strategies, on the other hand, will give the organization a DEI plan that includes solutions for every dimension and stage of diversity.

    Conclusion

    With the benefits of a diverse workforce in view, organizations must adjust DEI policies and nurture their diverse employees at every stage.

    Whether you are an MNC, an established conglomerate, a mid-sized firm, or a startup, at the end of the day, every person has to feel valued for their contributions irrespective of their differences and uniqueness, which is why incorporating DEI into the culture from day one is vital.

    FAQs

    Why is DEI important in the workplace?

    There are ample reasons why DEI is important in the workplace. Some of them are DEI brings work-life balance for the employees, improves employee retention rate, it also promotes a healthy working environment that indirectly improves the creativity level of employees.

    What is the full form of DEI?

    The word DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

    How do you bring DEI to the workplace?

    DEI can be brought to the workplace by implementing a number of practices. Implementing practices like empowering people of all levels to the sensitive issues, focusing on the norms, practices, and policies in the organization that create a better internal environment, creating a leadership plan, etc.

  • How Startup Founders can Keep themselves Distraction-Free?

    The article is contributed By Sonica Aron, Founder and managing Partner, Marching Sheep.

    Laying the foundation stone of your business, running it well, and ensuring that it succeeds requires hard work, patience, and perseverance. Being a Founder, it becomes imperative and a prerequisite that you possess have a variety of skills, including leadership, managerial, financial planning, creativity, innovation, as well as resilience. However, you would often come across a lot of distractions in today’s digital-driven and unpredictable times in the form of social media or the disruptions induced by the pandemic. This is what your real test is- staying distraction-free and focusing on your work! Cutting through the clutter and steering your firm through crises to a brighter tomorrow is indeed possible if you have tenacity, well-defined goals, and a vision for the future. Let’s take a closer look at a few tips on how to avoid distractions and stay focused.

    Tips to Avoid Distraction and Stay Focused

    Training Your Brain
    Prioritizing Self-Care
    Staying Focused on The Core Values
    Taking on More Complex Tasks
    Monitoring Your Distractions

    Training Your Brain

    Distractions are goal-killers, and they sneak into your working hours unknowingly. Smartphones, social media, and continuous notifications disrupt your workflow and divert your focus away from the important tasks at hand. When you throw in a situation like COVID-19, these distractions multiply. For instance, the sudden transition to work from home was accompanied with a slew of unexpected distractions, including children, dogs, spouses, OTT platforms, and so on. Eliminating the external distractions isn’t possible. But you can focus on the ones that you can control. One easy way could be turning off email notifications and checking your inbox at fixed times every day. Keeping your phone on mute, putting it away for a while, or even setting a timer for taking breaks could also help you maintain distance from the distractions. The best approach however is to concentrate completely on your work when you’re performing office tasks. Focusing on developing your time management skills and practicing mindfulness will definitely reap benefits not only during crisis but in the long run as well.

    Prioritizing Self-Care

    According to many recent pieces of research, a majority of corporate executives struggled with mental health issues during the pandemic. Yet several of those who needed treatment did not seek it. What needs to be understood is that neglecting your physical and mental health can lead to a cascade of additional issues, such as medical visits, insomnia, poor nutrition, and unstable relations, to mention a few. These are all attention-getters and can further become distractions in the long run. The bottom line is that you cannot afford to overlook your physical or emotional health. Prioritizing yourself and incorporating self-love and self-care activities in your routine will rejuvenate you and empower you to divert all your attention to your work.

    Staying Focused on The Core Values

    It goes without saying that you would have set clear values to drive your actions and establish exactly what your firm stands for when you were just starting out. These core values help build the strong foundation of your business and contribute in its success as well. In such unprecedented times, it’s easy to lose sight of your guiding values, especially when your company’s survival is on the line. However, you need to stay firm on your beliefs as they will guide you on the right path ahead.

    Taking on More Complex Tasks

    If you’re facing difficulty while concentrating, then it’s likely that your work isn’t engaging or challenging enough. For instance, routine data input for long hours can lead to boredom and tend to make us feel unproductive. You may end up feeling as if you’ve been working hard all day, but it’s possible that your mind is combating monotony and searching for ways to kill time. This is your clue to step out of your comfort zone and try your hand at something new or complex!

    Our brains are wired in such a way that we tend to pay attention to anything new, enjoyable, or alarming. This is the reason why we should take up complicated projects as they require attention and make use of our cognitive memory, leaving us with minimal or no time to be lured by distractions. When our skills are tested, we are more prone to reach a state of total job immersion. We become captivated and hyper-focused on the job when we take on sophisticated tasks that test our ability and cerebral limits. Completing these responsibilities eventually makes us feel accomplished and worthy of having contributed our best!

    Monitoring Your Distractions

    According to one of the studies by Harvard, we spend over half of our waking time thinking about something other than what we’re meant to be doing. We are on autopilot, and our minds are drifting, partly to avoid having to concentrate. The key to efficient working is to recognize when your mind starts wandering and redirect your focus to the activity at hand. Being aware of your thoughts will help you control them and divert your mind in the right direction. The idea is that you consciously put the brakes on the distractions rather than allowing yourself to continue strolling over to social media to check out your newsfeed. When you’re tempted to give in to a distraction, take a deep breath, and choose not to engage.

    It’s more difficult to refocus and restore your attention to the task at hand once you’ve fallen into the trap and have permitted yourself to emphasize something else. In simple words, instead of letting yourself jumping from one project to another, be attentive to your thoughts.

    Conclusion

    Being the Founder, you would often face to various challenges and they would usually end up distracting you from your goals. But you have to make sure that you stay focused, so that your business attains success. With just minor modifications in your style of working and dealing with challenges along with being mindful, you can easily surpass the roadblocks and mental blocks. The idea is to free yourself from the cage of distractions and focus on strengthening your concentration. Doing so will help you in spearheading your business efficiently and will ensure that it reaches the zenith!