TRAILBLAZERS
An Insight Into The Changemakers In Action
It was 3:55 PM, glued to my laptop screen, I was waiting for my interviewer to join the video call (well, we were in the middle of the pandemic). Usually, I do not get intimidated by interviews but for some reason, I felt restless. I decided to read up a little more about the organization and a second later, I saw my interviewer smiling through the screen. I was already feeling slightly nervous. Plastering a confident smile, I introduced myself. She was polite and seemed more interested in knowing me as a person. It was 4:35 PM and oh boy, am I at ease! It was not because the interview was over but because of the way my interviewer, Sharanya, now reporting manager, made me feel. Fast forward to this day, after getting a chance to work with her and getting to know her, quoting John Maxwell, I can confidently say, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”~Kartik Kulshrestha, Intern — Human Resources
The success of any team trickles down to how well it was managed and run. This new era is seeing leaders from different walks of life, spearheading teams in the way they think is most efficient. Even through this pandemic and chaos, Ketto has seen some bright and fierce leaders emerge. They have not only boosted performance but have also reshaped the cultural landscape of our organization. Get acquainted with Ketto’s trailblazers and their diverse takes on leadership!
Arif Kazi,
“I would describe myself as a passionate and curious learner. At Ketto, I take active interest in departments I don’t directly contribute to. Other than gaining knowledge, it also helps me catch up with my colleagues and learn a lot from them. A great team is built on mutual trust and decentralised responsibilities. You’re not going to do all the things you want to do, so stick to your priorities. Pick your battles wisely! Understanding and encouraging your fellow mates to excel in their professional field and personal life is something that will make you a great leader.”
“The first time I interacted with Arif was when he took my job interview. He was very polite and humble. At work, he creates a positive environment and goes out of his way to help others. Whenever I am dealing with an issue, I always reach out to him knowing he has a solution for everything. I enjoy working with him because he is very creative and confident about his work.”~Neha Tomar, Communication Designer
“I still remember my first interview with Arif. He seemed very calm and that helped me calm my nerves. He is a great leader because he is always open to suggestions, work or otherwise. He prioritises the growth of the team and is very empathetic to everyone. He encourages strategic and creative thinking and has a very ethical approach to design.”~Sahil Sawant, UX Designer
Ajeet Mishra,
“Being a proactive team player is something that comes to me naturally. I have frequent one-on-ones with my team and I try my best to offer motivation and reassurance, especially during these difficult times. I believe well-defined roles, transparency, and trust are key to creating an awesome team. This helps my team help our clients in the best manner possible. Taking care of people is paramount, business growth follows. As a leader, it is pivotal to show your team the bigger picture and their role in it. You should create a great learning and development environment for the team and recognize and reward them for their hard work.”
“Ajeet is amazing! He loves to talk and has immense knowledge of his field. He takes different approaches to handle complex problems which makes working with him fun. Other than being exceptionally skilled in communication and process learning, he is humble and helpful to everyone.”~Rohini Samadhiya, Senior Executive- Business Development
“The first time I interacted with Ajeet, we ended up talking for more than an hour. That’s how friendly and amazing he is. He brings the team together effortlessly. He is someone who religiously follows his set of goals rather than abandoning them when convenient. Even with 14 years of experience in his hat, he is the most humble and approachable.”~Fatema Khozema Ezzi- Business Development Executive
Devanshi Motla,
“I consider myself to be a hardworking, seasoned risk-taker. In my field, versatility and innovation should be second nature. Playing along with the team to reach a common goal with mutual understanding and respect is canon to me. I like to build on open conversations with empathy and delegate responsibilities for optimum efficiency. My drive is fueled by my passion for my work and the help I can provide to those in need. To lead, one should be an adept task delegator and communicator. Maintaining a self-initiative based work culture can transform the performance of the team greatly.”
“Devanshi is incredibly sweet and humble. I talked to her for the first time when she took my interview. She is understanding and helps all the team members whenever there is a problem. At times, when I was confused concerning some decisions about career or life in general but she has given me good advice. She is not only an exceptional manager but also a great friend to me.”~Himani Gera, Executive- Online Community
“I remember admiring Devanshi’s passion for social media when she was part of the Business Development team. She’s reliable and willing to give every assignment her everything. She even ensured work went on seamlessly when I was away recently. She is a curious learner, proactive, resourceful, approachable and a good listener. We share a common goal and she always amazes me with her out-of-the-box ideas.”~Kumar Vishal, Senior Manager- Social Media
Pravin Maskara,
“I am ambitious and goal-oriented. One day, I wish to be the best in my field. Confidence and kindness have always kept me grounded and I always approach every task with 100% dedication. Your team makes you a leader. It is when they know that coming to you will have their problems solved that makes you a better leader. A team needs to be honest and faithful, knowing we can count on each other. I believe a great leader communicates clearly and encourages feedback and criticism. It is important to create an environment of continuous learning and development.”
“After having around 20 interviews for this post in the first interaction I got the vibes that I found the right person. You just have to hand over the task to him and he will get it done. He once handled the whole accounting software implementation independently. Pravin is result-oriented, dependable, trustworthy, dedicated and flexible. He has all the good qualities I needed in a colleague and is fun to work with.”~Neha Chauhan, Vice President — Finance
“Pravin is a wonderful person. He is very helpful and supportive. I remember when preparing an individual ITR he helped me a lot. He is sincere, understanding, trustworthy and highly intelligent. He helps his colleagues when required and uses their initiative to take things forward. He is a valuable contributor to our team.”~Pramod Khedekar, Manager — Accounts & Finance
Sana Shah,
“Thankfully, I thoroughly enjoy my job and working with my colleagues. On many occasions, I have been called reliable, curious and friendly. One thing I do uniquely is to begin every task with the end in mind. The success of any team is in it’s shared goals, mutual respect and open communication. There’s nothing an optimistic attitude and clear conscience cannot solve. Always stay learning and upskilling. You cannot and do not know it all! Share your successes and take your team upwards along with you. Take accountability for all your failures and strive to do great work head on.”
“Sana is a warm person who puts everyone at ease. She always follows up about issues anyone in the team might be facing personally or professionally. She’s a driven manager and a very compassionate person. Working with her is a charm. Apart from being talented and hardworking, she’s also very creative, focused and quite approachable as a team leader.”~Aditi Sinha, Senior Executive — Content Marketing
“My first interaction with Sana was when I interviewed her. We ended up discussing Ketto and its great work, how content and storytelling is going to play a key role in driving performance and growth. She believes in making things happen. We have been working to ease content writers from the brunt of saturation and repetitiveness. Sana is creative, confident and agile. She listens with empathy and exudes positivity around her. She understands and acts smartly with the requirements of project owners. She is really good at what she does.”~Shivam Porwal, Assistant Vice President- Digital Marketing
Author: Kartik Kulshrestha
Editor: Vindy Dias
