06 Jun

Self-confidence, a Mirage!

Let us start to share our views differently. So, this time I’ve turn-up with a different motive. The very first one is with this article. As we all are sailing in the same boat, to achieve stability in both our personal and professional life. Whether it’s late or at the initial stage of life, we all face similar challenges to contribute our part. To prove oneself professionally, one embarks their lives with formal-informal required education towards there aspired career opportunities with loads of enthusiasm.

In ideal work environment, one is placed to prove oneself now. On very first day one gets in, with confidence of ‘I have enough knowledge to work on the profile I’m hired for!’ here after one experiences the magic of confidence what leads off towards reality!

What type of reality is this? To understand it, let’s walk through the story of a young lady. She beautifully established herself in the early days of her aspiration!

After completion of all the paper work, she met with her team with a mixed feeling of getting settled in a new environment with a positive attitude. In a week of her joining by her verbal communications in and around, she found team is very cooperative and management is supportive without knowing how to figure out her contribution. As days passed in trying to understand she could deliver, she realised in her team each individual is highly qualified and experienced. She was gripped by a growing sense of self doubt to survive in her organisation with her accomplishments. Slowly her enthusiasm and self-confidence vaporized. She faced lot of challenges, like there was no clue about which part of profile she could work on, tools-accessibility, and team-sensitization, how to work with PWD’s, etc….

With the work-around she was able to manage some work. Direct client interaction was part of her profile. Slowly she began on her deliverables with the weaken self-confidence. Gradually her work was recognised and appreciated by her colleagues in the team; with this she regained her confidence in less time and picked-up her profile in no time. She was honoured by her top management as “I’ve given her a chance to prove herself and hired her on my own risk, she didn’t let me down and I’m proud to have her in my team!” while introducing her with the people at leadership level. But with this her challenges weren’t end-up here, with the time she started delivering as her counter-parts do. At every next level with a smile, her feelings are filled with a single thought “Yet I’ve to prove the proven”
So, ‘SHE’ in the story is the ‘Neha Agarwal’. This is my journey to establish myself in a very supportive team. But friends however supportive is the environment, one has their own set of challenges to get settled and make their own identities. Here I leave the article on you to think over it, guys you can write to me on [email protected] To know more about how I have come up despite many challenging circumstances.

05 Feb

Project Management

I am Neha Agarwal a graduate currently working in IBM India. I am armed with a multi faceted array of academic and technical skills. Currently, I hold a bachelors degree in psychology, diploma in textile and fashion designing and a certified web developer. Initially I desired my career to be a psychologist with holding degree majoring in the same. Later on, a year and half back I was interviewed by IBM on diverse profiles with the skill set of good interpersonal skills, communication skills, and advance excel with basic domain knowledge. I cleared the interview and offered with the role of ‘project coordinator’. I grabbed this opportunity as a promising career path without giving any second thought to accept. My profile has a significant role in ‘project management competency’. Part of my role I coordinate with project managers to finish the project within the committed time frame followed with the project life cycle.
After working for a year as a coordinator, I find loads of opportunities with a growing career like project manager, program manager etc… with the required skill set for the profile. Compeered for a year I see my next level of career path as a project manager.
For in depth understanding about the project management as your career path please check the link:

http://www.pmi.org.in/

In interaction with lots of individuals around me to accomplish their aspirations and their curiosity to understand the basic skill set for my role opens a bridge to work on the intensified demand for effective outturn. To my experience in a year, the basic skill set for any profile is the effective communication and ability to explore the assigned till success is yours. Apart from the above 2 looking at the opportunities stepping in, it’s time to upgrade the skills sets to the advanced level.

10 Oct

मेरे अपने शब्दों में थके हुए लेकिन हारे नही

- नेहा अग्रवाल

एक परंपरागत भारतीय परिवार में सबसे बड़ा बच्चा होने के फायदे भी हैं और नकुसान भी। प्राकृतिक रूप से उत्साह, ऊर्जा और उमंग से भरा मेरा महात्वाकांक्षी जीवन 19 वर्ष की आयु में हमेशा के लिए बदल गया। स्टीवेन-जानसन सिन्डरोम (वायरल बुखार के दौरान दवा के कारण हुई प्रतिक्रिया) की जाच ने एक तगड़ा झटका दिया और मैं 95 प्रतिशत दृष्टिहीन हो गई। दृढ़निश्चयी, मजबूत और स्थिति के अनुरूप अपने आप को बना लेने की क्षमता के कारण ही मेरे संघर्ष की शुरूआत हो सकी। मैंने अपनी भीतरी और बाहरी परेशानियों से लड़ते हुए लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने हेतु अपने आप को तैयार किया। मेरे परिवार ने एक ऐसी स्थिति जिसकी कल्पना भी नहीं की जा सकती थी से निपटने में मेरा साथ दिया और जीवन की समानता जो कि खत्म हो चुकी थी को लाने में भी मेरे साथ संघर्ष किया। डर और प्रतिरोध ने मेरे वातावरण को अधिक चुनौतीपूर्ण और रास्तों को कठिन बनाया।
जब मैं पीछे की तरफ देखती हूं तो, 2003 में, जी हां 2003 में मुङो ऐसा महसूस हुआ था जैसे किसी तूफान ने बहुत जोर की टक्कर मारी हो। जीवन बरबादी के शिखर पर था, अंतहीन निराशा का भाव, ऐसा महसूस होता था जैसे फिर दोबारा से कभी जीवन पहले जैसा नहीं होगा। इस अस्पष्टता से निपटना मेरे लिए बहुत चुनौतीपूर्ण था।
मैं यह स्वीकार ही नहीं कर पा रही थी किं मुङो दृष्टिहीनों का जीवन जीना होगा। मैं अपने मां-पिता और अपने आस-पास लोगों को कभी भी देख नहीं पाउंगी। मैं नहीं जानती थी, मैं कहा हूं, क्या छू रही हूं। अपने आस-पास को छूकर ही महसूस करना मेरे लिए बचा था। यह मेरे जीवन का सबसे कठिन दौर था। मैं लड़ रही थी निराशा से, आत्मघृणा से साथ ही साथ अनुभव कर रही थी समाज से मिल रहे बहिष्कार का। तभी किसी ने सुझाया कि मै आर्ट आफ लिविंग के कोर्स में अपना दाखिला ले लूं। बहुत सारी चुनौतियों, बिहष्कार, सहमति, और उतार – चढ़ाव के साथ मैंने अपने जीवन में छाये अंधकार के बीच एक रोशनी की किरण देखनी शुरू की।
मेरे सामान्य जीवन की शुरूआत हो चुकी थी। मैं हैदराबाद में पायल कपूर से मिली, जो कि स्वयं भी दृष्टिहीन हैं और उन्होंने न सिर्फ मुङो सन्तावना दी बल्कि मुङो पढ़ाई जारी रखने के साथ-साथ कम्प्यूटर सीखने के लिए भी प्रेरित किया। पायल कपूर से मिलने के बाद मैंने अपने आप को संभाला और मनोविज्ञान में स्नातक की पढ़ाई पूरी की। साथ ही साथ मेरी सूचना और प्रोद्योगिकी में रूचि बढ़ना शुरू हुई और मैंने कम्प्यूटर के साथ ज्यादा से ज्यादा समय बिताना शुरू किया।
18 जुलाई 2011 का दिन मेरे जीवन में एक बड़ा बदलाव लाया। यह वह दिन था जिसने मुङो स्वयं को साबित करने का मौका दिया। मैनें आई.बी.एम. के सहयोग से इनेबल-इंडिया बैंगलौर द्वारा संचालित 3 महीने का सेवा प्रबंधन प्रशिक्षण सफलतापूर्वक सम्पन्न किया। मुङो इंटरनशिप करने का भी मौका मिला। ईनेबल-इंडिया के उम्मीदवार डाटाबेस पर मैनें तीन महीने तक नौसिखिऐ की तरह काम किया, इस दौरान मुङो अपने आप को काम के माहौल के अनुरूप ढालने और अपनी क्षमताओं का बढ़ाने का मौका मिला।
मार्च 2012 में मैं वापस हैदराबाद अपने घर आ गई जहां मैंने अपने जीवन के 9 साल दृष्टिहीनता के साथ बिताए थे। आज मैं आत्मविश्वास से भरी हुई हूं, सफेद छड़ी की सहायता से मैं चल-फिर सकती हूं, अपने सारे काम कर लेती हूं। बिना अपना समय बरबाद किए अब मैं अपना जीवन गरिमा और विश्वास के साथ स्वंतत्नता पूर्वक जी रही हूं। मैं लगातार आई.बी.एम. हैदराबाद में अलग-अलग प्रकार की नौकरी के लिए साक्षात्कार देती रही। 22 अक्टूबर 2012 को वह घड़ी आई जिसका मुङो बेसब्री से इंतजार था। मुङो आई.बी.एम. में परियोजना समन्वयक के पद पर काम करने की पेशकश आई जिसे मैंने खुशी-खुशी स्वीकार कर लिया। अब मैं एक ख्याति प्राप्त संस्था आई.बी.एम. में काम कर रही हूं।
मेरे माता-पिता मेरी इस यात्ना के बारे में कहते हैं कि तुम बहुत बदल गई हों, तुमने ऐसा कौशल हासिल किया जिससे तुम न सिर्फ अपने साथियों के साथ ठीक तरह से व्यवहार कर सकोगी बल्कि अपने आपको जीवन में आगे बढ़ने के लिए एक अच्छी स्थिति में भी पाओगी। पहले छोटे कदम ने अब गति पकड़ ली है और तेजी के साथ आगे की ओर बढ़ रहा है। हमें तुम पर गर्व है।

10 Oct

In my own words… “Down, but never out”!

Being the eldest child in a conventional Indian family has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Bestow by nature with loads of anxious energy, ambition, enthusiasm, the age of 19 saw my life changing forever. Abolt from the blue brought for her the diagnosis of Stevens–Johnson syndrome [A drug induced reaction during a viral fever] with leaving me with a 95% vision impairment.

Being strong, resilient and determined, my struggle had only just begun. Fighting odds both internally and externally I set out to achieve my goals. My family struggled along with me to regain the equilibrium that was snatched from our lives and coping with a condition so far unimagined.

At my flash back, “In 2003, I felt like I was hit by an avalanche. Life was at the peak of destruction, Left with endless despondency, with feeling like life will never be the same hereafter. It was extremely challenging for me to cope with this ambiguity”.

“I couldn’t accept, to live the life of a blind person. I would not be able to see my parents anymore and the world around me. left to touch and feel my way around, not knowing where I was or what I was touching. It was the toughest time of my life. I was fighting denial, self loathing, while experiencing varied degrees of rejection from society. I was completely broken from within, Burdened with heavy depression. It was then that someone suggested I should enroll with the course at “Art of Living”. After lots of ups and downs, challenges, acceptance, rejection…, I began to see a faint light at the end of the dark tunnel, and accepted my impairment”.

“My road to recovery had begun. I met Payal Kapoor, also blind, in Hyderabad, who counselled me and suggested to continue my education and learn computers. Thereafter I persevered, and completed my graduation majoring in psychology. Simultaneously my interest in information technology grew and I began to spend many hours at my computer”.

“July 18th 2011, the day the course of immense change in my life. This was the one chance given to proof myself.
I successfully completed a 3 month training for service management in collaboration with IBM by enable-india, Bangalore. There after I was given a chance to complete my internship, working on project with enable-india’s candidate database for around 3 months, being a novice, I had to fit into a work environment and enhance my skills to work on projects.

In march 2012, I have returned to the same house where I have spent 9 years of my life as a blind person, now empowered, confident and happy. Essentially, armed with mobility skills using the white cane, a tool determining the degree of independence and self respect of a blind person. The newly aquired mobility skills added to my new found confidence, and this time around I began moving in the city all on my own. Revisiting some of my favourite haunts, visiting family and friends independently was an unparalleled experience”.

“I am living my life independently, with dignity and confidence.Not wasting any time, I signed up for a course in web development, in Hyderabad. Simultaneously I was being interviewed by IBM Hyderabad for various profiles. Finally my dream to be financially independent is here! On October 22nd 2012, I was offered the position of project coordinator in PMO which I accepted readily. Now I work in an organization of international repute, being called an IBMer! Life has come a full circle; once seeking motivation outside, I am today called upon to be the motivator, not a role to be taken lightly”.

My parents have this to say about my journey, “You have changed immensely, acquired skills to deal with not only your peers, but also those which will stand you in good stead to move on in life. The first baby steps have picked pace and are moving from strides to leaps. We are proud of you!”

- Neha Agarwal / Hyderabad