In 2012 famed Indian airline Kingfisher Airlines had to suspend all operations. What followed was a harrowing experience for a vast majority of its employees of the airline who were left in a lurch with no support from their organization. The incident was a life altering experience for Pooja Tak. Employed at the airline as an Airhostess and Inflight Leader, Pooja learnt the importance of ethics and values in the corporate world.

Drawing valuable lessons from the unsavory experience, Pooja is a transformational leader today who is more concerned with the team's success than her own. Currently leading as Director- Sales at Datum Solutions, she is committed to enriching the lives of her team members, building a better and stronger organization, and ultimately creating a caring world for the associates and consumers in the markets.

Pooja comes armed with over 15 years of experience in business development and client service in the IT and hospitality industries. In her current position at Datum Solutions, she is responsible for all aspects of P&L including project management, sales and operations, customer success and employee satisfaction. She has a strong understanding of the IT industry and a proven track record as ansales leader and project manager, which allows her to expertly advise businesses on how to optimize their business processes and achieve cost-effective results by leveraging innovative technology.

Pooja discusses her leadership philosophy and her role at Datum Solutions in a candid interview with the Women Entrepreneur Magazine team.

Introduce Us To Datum Solutions.

Datum Consulting Group is US based global organization that helps customers to be successful in Industry4.0 by deploying intelligent automation solutions. We have built our own IP which enables us to deploy next gen technologies like Intelligent Process Automation, Intelligent Document Capture, Enterprise Content Management, Mailroom Automation and Application Modernization for our customers across various industries. We invest heavily in developing AI and ML based FinTech, InsurTech and GovTech solutions. We are working with some of the leading Fortune500 organizations across the globe, helping them automate their processes and modernize their applications.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience. What Were The Business Lessons That You Picked Up Through Your Journey?

I started my career as an Airhostess and Inflight Leader with Kingfisher Airlines where I understood the value of customer centricity and hard work.

The financial debacle of the company, and pain it inflicted on various stakeholders was a life changing moment as I realized that the real satisfaction is in working for company which will have a strong ethical compass, will prioritize employee happiness and customer satisfaction over profits and greed.

After my MBA and few short stints, I got an opportunity to come on-board Datum where we empower employees with a start-up culture but have mature models for delivery and overall governance. Additionally, the promoters have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility and are focused in giving back to local communities.

I have learnt to focus on the existing customer base, `The customer is always right,' is the mantra that we follow. Provide value to the customers because it's all about healthy relationships with customers. A leader must also ensure that the team works for the love of the job rather than money.

“I care more about the success of my team rather than my own. If my team succeeds, i succeed too”

Tell Us About The Various Roles And Responsibilities At Datum Solutions? How Do You Drive Growth Within The Organization?

I am a Director at Datum Consulting Group Australia Pvt Ltd. I head the Project management and Sales offices for Datum. Growth is the most challenging aspect of my job but I thoroughly enjoy driving Datum's growth in the ANZ region. We grow through the "word of the mouth marketing.

"My roles and responsibilities include: Developing and implementing plans and objectives for the business; ensuring the Key Account Management for the existing accounts; acquiring new customers; project Management for all the acquired business; Align sales with marketing; Maintain compliance with external regulations and internal policies; assess and report progress in meeting department objectives; See to department staffing needs; Participate in budget development; Oversee events and conferences; Generate necessary reports for the executive team; Read subordinates' reports and Marketing activities in the ANZ region.

Leading from the front, truth and transparency, my philosophy of let the best Idea win, empathy, listening to my employees make me a successful business leader.

How Do You Update Yourself With The Periodic Evolutions Occurring In Your Respective Industry And The Tech World In General?

Change always excites me as this means new avenues of learning and new challenges. I read articles and latest industry trends from leading research & advisory firms and websites. I also watch a lot of YouTube videos on technology.

My biggest learning comes from being on the ground job. I pass on new learning to my teams and always encourage them to impart knowledge to me as well. I spend an hour every Monday with my team to discuss the latest trends and technologies. I take a clarity break on the last Saturday of every month to look back upon the month. This helps to realize the mistakes and improve ourselves.

How Do You Balance Your Work And Home Life? What Activities You Like To Give Time To? What Would You Advice Women Aspiring To Become Business Leaders?

At Datum, work life balance is given the most importance. My CEO reminds me to take it easy and experience life beyond work. Work home balance is the least of the issues for me as I am good at time management.

In my free time, I read articles and watch technical videos and listen to music. Travel and long drives are truly a passion. Meditation for 30 minutes followed by a 45 minute walk every morning, keeps me energized through the day. I have also started to cook exotic dishes. During the weekends, I love to catch up on Netflix.

All women aspiring to be successful in business are already successful leaders in life; we run the house, manage the finances, take care of emotional and spiritual well-being of our families. Women are already the CEOs and have all the life skills. We have what it takes to be a well-balanced leader. So just apply yourself in the corporate world with 100% conviction.