You need to get down and dirty with mundane tasks

I’ve discovered that I’m openminded to learning new things and have grit. This has helped me manoeuvre the storage landscape from my enterprise application background. Nothing comes easy; you need to get down and dirty with the mundane tasks – Periodic Field interlocks to hear the voice of the customer, follow up with account teams for those 1000s of customers to be able to identify patterns and trends in customer behaviour, rummage through Excel sheets to gauge where you are in business, and then be able to forecast and provide a consistent message for your product. Patience and critical thinking have helped me wade through the complexities of enterprise applications , data protection solutions, and product management , shaping both my career and personal growth. You need to be curious and ask the right questions to ensure you are not solving the wrong problem.

Support and mentorship | In my journey spanning nearly two decades in the IT industry, I’m grateful for the multitude of mentors who aided my professional development with their tacit knowledge. Mentors who saw my potential, believed in me more than I did sometimes, essentially nurturing me through the process of selfdiscovery and self-awareness, developed S.M.A.R.T goals, inculcated leadership skills and expanded my network which opened doors to new opportunities.

Empowering others | As an “accidental techie”, I still have my moments of self-doubt, uncertainty, and imposter syndrome. The only difference is that I’ve developed mindful practices and coping techniques to acknowledge them as they occur and invest in myself every day. Be it exercising, reading, meditation and self-leadership. These help me better manage myself to be able to redirect my energy and better guide and nurture emerging young talent who may be experiencing the same doubts I once did.

Recognising diversity | Right from the hiring to mentoring to thriving, I’m the mere facilitator to help others identify for themselves that anything is possible. Women especially bring diverse strengths to the tech table, from effective time management, prioritisation to empathy and innovation. I only guide them to the light. It’s time to ask for your seat at the table in the corporate world.

Advocating for equality | Actively listen to what needs to be heard, in every conversation, every meeting. Always reassess your conscious and unconscious biases and question the status quo. Be curious, identify what works, what doesn’t and why and be adaptable to change.

Cheryl George is senior product manager at NetApp India