I am a Chartered Accountant and a senior member of the Tax & Regulatory Division of EY and based out of Bangalore. Within this division I have led the initiative for setting up a dedicated corprate secretarial practice with dedicated specialists in this field.
What has been your biggest challenge in achieving your success?
Challenges rarely seem big once you have overcome them and you look back on them. My view is that challenges more often than not are metal road blocks that are artificially stopping us from doing what we should. There might be setbacks and one might make mistakes along the way, but we should learn from them and adapt and make course corrections. I therefore make a conscious effort not to overrate challenges.
What has been your greatest achievement personally?
Personally one of my greatest achievements has been maintaining a balance between home and the office. I have three kids so maintaining this balance is something I am constantly grappling with, but, at the same time, also gives me the greatest sense of achievement.
We are often lectured on maintaining a healthy work life balance, and some people make it seem so easy; as if there are just two parts to it “work” and “life”. But when you deal with it on a day to day basis, you realise that “work” has employees, clients, deadlines, travel etc. all rolled into it and similarly “life” has husband, kids, dogs, dying pet fish, maids, school meetings etc. Though credit must go to EY and to my family for being very accommodating, I believe I am like a conductor of a great orchestra – it is I who make them sound good.
How do you manage all this?
I think being a mother gives you a sense of fairness and personal discipline and teaches you to sacrifice (giving without an expectation of a return) and the art of setting boundaries both for oneself and for others. I believe that these are key in the art of balancing.
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?
Doing what I do at EY has become so much a part of me that, at this time, I cannot think of doing anything else or being anywhere else. Also, I believe the firm (partners and peers included) have been very obliging where it comes to the needs of a working mother and so it is going to be very difficult to find a similar environment.
However, if I was not doing this, I most definitely would be doing something that involved a lot of meeting people and finding solutions to their problems.
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
I am inspired by people around me as I find it very difficult to be inspired by people who I do not know well enough or meet regularly. I find those who are either very good at what they do or those who are very happy at doing what they do very inspiring. Also, people who have overcome personal difficulties and continue to smile inspire me.
What does the future hold for you?
I have been at EY for 14 years now and I am as excited to go to work every morning as I was 14 years ago. I believe I am learning new things every day and enjoying it too. With the knowledge I have gained and with the experience that I have I see myself using this to help others within the firm and outside expand and maintain their own careers.
This article was provided by WeAreTheCity Mumbai Committee Member, Sheena Thompson.
