Redefining Success in Tech, Skilling & Leadership | Kirti Seth | TEDxIBS Pune Women

Kirti Seth's Career Journey

• Kirti Seth has been working for over 3 decades, 35 years to be exact. (25s)
• Seth quit her job and moved to London to follow her husband when he got a job opportunity there. (6m30s)

Defining Success on One's Own Terms

• Seth believes people should define success on their own terms, not by the standards of others. (2m15s)
• There are many decisions that women have to make, and sometimes it's necessary to step back and decide what is enough. (8m4s)

Challenges and Resilience

• Kirti Seth moved back to India after spending four years traveling and working in the UK and Sri Lanka, and found that her diverse work experience made her "unhirable" in the eyes of a friend who worked in recruitment. (9m38s)
• While working internationally and going through cancer treatment, Kirti Seth chose to continue working as a distraction, maintaining a positive attitude that positively impacted those around her. (20m3s)

Leadership and Adaptability

• Kirti Seth believes that continuous learning and adaptation are essential for success, especially in the face of rapid technological advancements and changing job markets. (13m36s)
• Leaders need to understand the principles behind technology, even if they don't write code themselves, in order to effectively guide their teams and ask the right questions. (14m36s)

Leading Through Change

• Kirti Seth became CEO of a joint venture that had accumulated losses and a flawed business strategy, requiring her to restructure the organization, revise the strategy, and manage a emotionally charged workforce. (16m39s)

Retirement and New Beginnings

• Kirti Seth decided to quit her job in 2016 at the age of 50, even though it was a career-limiting move and she was at the peak of her career. (21m39s)
• After a chance encounter with an ex-colleague, Seth started working at NASSCOM on a project focused on skills required for digital technologies. (22m32s)

Embracing Personal Victories and Retirement

• (27m20s) Embracing personal victories can alleviate anxiety caused by uncertainty.
• (27m31s) After three decades, a decision has been made to retire.
• (27m40s) Despite the success of a platform with 2 million learners and widespread respect, including recognition from ministers and the prime minister, the decision to retire stands.

The Importance of Skilling and Upskilling

• (27m55s) The current focus in boardrooms and policy discussions is on skilling and upskilling for the digital future to maintain India's competitive position.

Reflecting on the Journey

• (28m8s) The past six years have involved total immersion, leading to sacrifices such as missing special occasions, holidays, and time with family and parents.
• (28m21s) On the last day, September 16th, the plan is to start saying "yes" to new opportunities.