As more and more women in India prove their worth across educational and professional domains and make themselves indispensable at workplaces, they have realised that ambitions are key to their personal and professional growth. “Ambition is the key ingredient that defines your career graph. While finding your own pace is great, getting comfortable and settling down is not. It is necessary to take risks and getting out of your comfort zone is fundamental to getting ahead,” Rituparna Mandal, General Manager, MediaTek Bangalore, said on Saturday ahead of the International Women’s Day on Sunday.
“It is your responsibility to understand what that zone is and when the right time is to climb that new mountain. And it is completely okay to make mistakes or fail, as long as you don’t let that define who you are,” she said. ‘Ambitious Insights’, a recent report by American Express, in partnership with The New York Women’s Foundation, noted that India ranks first among 10 countries in terms of ambition depicted by working women. The survey stated that 89 per cent of university educated women in India believe that it is important to have ambitions, compared to the global average of 59 per cent.
Commitment to achieving personal ambitions, such as those related to parenting, relationships or personal health, was also highest in India (91 per cent) as compared to the global average of 68 per cent. “The ‘Ambitious Insights’ study throws light on the fact that ambition is not a simple thing. It exists across many dimensions — successful careers, financial independence and skills, while also being healthy, being great parents and having strong personal relationships,” said Manoj Adlakha, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), American Express Banking Corp India.
“I feel that women in India have always been driven, and the report attests that given a chance, they have the confidence to nurture their ambitions and lead the world in setting an example,” he added.
Shormishtha Ghosh, Director (business advisory), BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry, believes that ambition is a driving force, almost like a necessary evil. “My ambition is always to thrive for excellence. So whether in personal or professional aspects, it remains the same. Ambition is that fire in the pit of the stomach which drives an individual forward. It makes them take chances, think out of the box and take responsibility. All this is very important for a successful career,” she said.
Ambition is also a key trait that HR managers look for in prospective employees. It is said that ambition is more important than talent when it comes to achieving one’s career goals. An ambitious attitude and the will to succeed have helped people weather the toughest of challenges and can enable everyone to chart their career paths successfully. “They say, where there is a will, there is a way. I still remember how my mother kept instilling the seed of ambition in me and how she nurtured this through a dedicated time period. There are many women colleagues at work who face several tough situations on the personal front, but they never give up — all with the will to succeed and the ambition to reach out for the stars and support from peers,” said Jayati Roy, Director, HR, at Barco India.
IANS
