Leaders

There are many barriers that women must cross every day to keep their employment, but to get to the top, they must walk on a river of challenging scenarios. They must battle for their position and work twice as hard as any male. The problems that women face are exacerbated by the prevalence of gender prejudice and stereotypes, and even today the industries lack female executives.

When it comes to India, the country that regards women as goddesses, at the same time people want to keep them behind the walls they've built. Sheena Rajan is an example of a woman who has overcome all these obstacles in her life with a strong mindset and genuineness.Sheena is a Global Leader with excellent people management skills. With great work ethics, she is known as a Change Management Expert in the HR fraternity in India.

Her personality and age are a perfect blend to fit groups of young, middle, and senior levels. She is a highly motivated and results-driven Human Resource Professional offering 27 years of business acumen& creating a legacy.Engaging in an exclusive interaction with the Women Entrepreneur magazine, Sheena spoke about her professional journey and the challenges she overcame to ascend the ladder of success.

Take Us Through The Early Years Of Your Life. What Were Some Early Influences That Shaped Your Life’s Growth Trajectory?

My journey began at the age of 18, married a man who never believed in education, because of which I had to pull myself out of college.After 12th grade did distance education. I would stay up late after the entire household work to study my coursework. At the time, I was responsible for taking care of my ailing father-in-law, had two unmarried sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, who relied on me financially. My first child was born before I could complete 18 years.

My studies never faltered despite all of this, and I graduated from college in time to begin my professional career. Earning income was the sole reason for me to work, but I always wanted to improve my attributes and skills. It was thus necessary for me to take courses wherever I worked so that my education, personal responsibilities, and professional career all progressed together.

Tell Us About The Vast And Diverse Professional Experience That You Bring To The Table. What Were Some Key Milestones Throughout This Journey?

Because I'm never confrontational or loud, I may seem timid, easygoing, and weak, but I'm a situational leader. My father always told me, “Lesser you utilize your powers, the stronger you become." I never focus on winning discussions or proving others incorrect. I've always concentrated on making a difference, whether as a receptionist, secretary, or HR professional.Put your passion and energy into everything you do.In 2002/03, our office building was on fire and all key personnel was standing out looking helpless and juniors were asked to leave for home, but I still stood along with others.

I suddenly remembered that I have 8/10 passports in my drawer, thunderstruck, and I just jumpedin from the window and removed all important documents and passports. Looking at me many other men in the group got in and all started removing the files. It was a sight to see the group working together to retrieve key documents and spend days together gathering important files. I received accolades from the organization for providing the finest assistance that year.

"I'm not a leader who genuinely believes in sitting in the cabin and delivering commands; rather, i'm known for being with the public and working together with them"

In one company when I joined, they had no basic infrastructure, the entire HR was in a mess around 400 full and finals were pendingI worked day and night and cleared 400 final settlements in 3 months. In the same group, I continued earning honors for things that appeared implausible and not HR-related. The corporation saw HR's worth and I became their Group HR Head. The attrition rate has decreased from 60% to 7%. Resolving Union concerns and tensions came naturally to me.

Another firm I joined went bankrupt. The MD trusted my people skills to engage with suppliers when business executives laid down their guns. I fixed supplier difficulties and retrenched employees without a problem. That year, I won the Chairman's Award.Furthermore, I'm not a leader who genuinely believes in sitting in the cabin and delivering commands; rather, I'm known for being with the public and working together with them. In other words, that's how I made a difference.

What Are Some Of The Most Pressing Business Challenges That You Face In Terms Of Leading The HR Initiatives At The Company And How Do You Mitigate These Challenges?

Coping with egos!!This is the toughest challenge. At times, I am bullied, taken for granted, or told I am too timid to be a leader. I don’t believe in arguing or pointing fingers at people, for me they are my customers. You don’t need IQ to resolve people's issues, it’s the EQ. What I do, doesn’t need a big fat brain, all you need is good intention and humanness.

In Your Opinion What Has Been The Driving Force Behind Your Success As A Business Leader? What Are Some Guiding Leadership Philosophies That You Leverage?

I enjoy freedom called‘Honesty’, and integrity brings convictionnaturally. Intelligence, maturity, and in-depth moral character area few driving forces for my success. I was blessed with good mentors at the initial stages of my career. The companies that I worked for had trust in my style of leadership and have given me an edge to understand family-driven setups and multinational exposures. Moreover, as a result of having seen the worst that life has to offer, I always stay grounded. It's benefited and blessed me that I'm honest with myself in all I do.

What Advice Would You Give Young Women And Girls Who Want To Be Business Leaders And Entrepreneurs?

You're not a woman or a man, but rather a professional. Also, there are a lot of ideas and formulas you'll learn in schools and colleges but don't burden yourself with them. When you join any organization, go with a clean slate, keep it simple, and expect the unexpected, the actual world is very different from what you read about or learn in theory, therefore, open your mind and be adaptable.

Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.My personal mantra is “Build a Strong Foundation with the bricks that others throw on you”.

Sheena Rajan, Group Chro

Sheena has an mba in hr, a master's degree in leadership science, and a pg in psychological counselling, and is a certified practitioner in neuro-linguistic programs. In addition to her strong experience in hotels, oil and gas, manufacturing, and pharma, sheena is a pioneer and seasoned hr specialist.