Prerna Singh from IIM Calcutta is one of India's Most Promising Incoming MBA Students 2021!
About Prerna Singh: "I passed civil engineering from Jadavpur University(2016) and for the next 4.5 years I worked in business development. I am a survivor and a fighter who never gives up even when the situation turns ugly. Born in an intellectually backward society but to a set of fiercely feminist parents have shaped me into a person who never gives to bullying and knows how to fight back. I love to read books and to engage with people for knowledge exchange. That is why I have joined Toastmaster's Club also."
The following is Prerna Singh's set of responses to a questionnaire floated amongst incoming MBA graduates to determine the top-50 Most Promising Incoming MBA students of 2021. Amongst the massive number of entries and responses being evaluated, Prerna's story and profile stood out. Here's her story in her words.
Tell us about a time when you messed up, and what you learnt from the experience?
When I first entered college, I became very complacent. I started considering college as a place to have fun and bunk classes. I was no more the sincere student that I used to be. Then the first semester came and in a few subjects, I somehow managed to pass due. This was kind of a moment of truth for me. I realised that I had lost my sincerity and was no more the diligent student that I used to be. Then I decided that I will keep a balance of indulging in fun and also staying focus on my studies and after that day I never looked back.
Tell us something about yourself that others may be surprised to know about you.
- I am a 4 am person which people find extremely rare nowadays.
- I am clinically depressed and on medication. However, people are surprised to know that because I remain very cheerful and proactive all the time and they can't believe that I am suffering from any mental illness.
What have been your two biggest successes in life? What did you learn from them?
1. Getting admission in IIM-C. I regard it as a success because when I started preparing for CAT I was already under-reeling the pressure of a very demanding job. Yet I managed to convert it and at the same time, I was also nominated as employee of the year at my company.
2. Fighting back depression and not succumbing to it.
Professionally, what is your ideal image of yourself five years from now? Where do you see yourself?
Five years from now I want to see myself working in a consulting organization or a public policy body working on projects which can promote sustainability and work in the direction of generating welfare of the society.
What is the one skill or characteristic you possess that you are most proud of, and why?
I am very proud of my time management skills because I person who can manage time well is able to strike a balance between her professional & personal life. I am able to juggle between all the tasks and yet find time for myself and my closed ones because of my time management skills.
In your opinion, what skills or qualities does a successful manager possess?
A successful manager should be able to understand the dynamics of her team. She should be aware of the weakness & strengths of her team members and utilise them accordingly. Her vision about achieving the goal should be clear and she should be able to communicate it effectively to her team members. She should promote exchange of ideas within her team. She does hand-holding for her members whenever required but also makes sure that eventually, her team becomes self-sustainable & self-motivated which can do not need micromanagement.
Tell us about an ethical dilemma that you may have faced, and how you resolved it.
In my previous company, the sales team tried to cheat the customer by providing them with an inferior quality of product instead of what was mentioned in the purchase order. I was handling the client from the business development team and was pivotal in winning that order. When I came to know about it from the client, I was surprised. However, I told them that there must be some confusion or a logistic error. But after going back to the office I confronted the salesperson and his team leader in front of my team leader and told them that if they don't mend their way I will have to report it to the higher management. They had no option but to fall back.
If you were the CEO of any company of your choosing, which company would you choose and what would your first action be as CEO?
I would like to be the CEO of a company that deals with farm products and are in corporate farming. My first action as a CEO will be to go through our extent of associations with the farmers and understand how deeply are we involved in improving productivity. I aim at developing a symbiotic relationship with the farmers to provide them with the best technology and facilities and gain as much productivity and profitability I can gain for the company as a whole in the long run.
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For the Class Of 2022, we are back with the 8th season of InsideIIM's Best 50 - India's Most Employable MBA Graduates - Class Of 2022! If you're graduating from a B-School in 2022, you're eligible to take part in this competition! Grab the chance to bring out your best side and impress your recruiters and peers. Take the opportunity to show the world why you are special, on your own terms.
If you're using a web browser (Mozilla or Google Chrome), then you can take part through this link. Otherwise, please download the Kampus App (Android | iOS), and head over to Competitions.