Reminiscing the memories of a few months back at MDI Gurgaon, I still vividly remember the moment when I was selected for the coveted Young Leaders Program internship at Airtel. Time flew by really quickly. I had a lot of expectations from my internship, but the experience Airtel provided was much more than that. The primary idea of the Young Leaders Program is to nurture young talent and infuse leadership skills in them. I was really glad and excited about the opportunity and went in with full zeal to make the most of it.

The first phase was the Induction process for which I can vouch that it was the best anybody could ever get. A sweet mixture of learning and fun, the program was perfectly designed to accustom the interns with fast-paced work environment of Airtel. We got exposed to the various divisions at Airtel and learnt about the role they played, the challenges they faced and most importantly, how they synchronized their objectives to ultimately achieve the larger goal of building a stronger company. Additionally, we got an opportunity to connect with the industry stalwarts from different divisions. We learnt about their life experiences, the challenges they faced and how they went about their corporate journey. There were many surprise activities which helped us bond with the co-interns, know more about Airtel office and even win cash rewards. The cherry on the cake was a treasure hunt and a Zumba session which took our energy levels to another high and made us realise the extra effort put in by the HR team to create a great experience for us by having the right balance and ensuring a smoother absorption into the Airtel work culture.

After having broken the ice, now came the real stuff. Though this was my first ever Sales and Marketing stint and after a project briefing, I was sent on a market visit on the very first day. Later I realized that how on-the project learning can accelerate your learning curves by exposing you to the practical challenges being faced at the ground level. I got a chance to be a part of a pilot project from the very conceptualization phase to execution. I got a sense that how every minuscule detail needs to be taken off while planning such projects, also learning how to tackle ad-hoc issues that come your way. In one of the very interesting conversations with my mentor, he told me that the more close you go to the customers, the more problems you are going to understand and would be able to solve it for them successfully. And, I think that’s the essence which we always need to remember even when we are deeply focused on our short-term project goals. It was interesting to observe the customers visiting the Airtel stores and how the executives dealt with the customers by keeping the four key things in mind – Smile, Empathize, Solve and Serve. It was great to see how Airtel executives went about their task of serving all customers with the same enthusiasm, unaffected by the external factors.

The learnings from a real pilot project can be immense. I am glad I got a chance to be a part of the on-ground activities and it was amazing to see how much effort goes into the execution of a project. I had my inhibitions in mind while making recommendations to such senior people who have a vast experience in the telecom industry but they were willing to listen to me with a very open mind. It was also tough to get time from people who are extremely busy with the work. In a way, it was nice that I got more time to think through my entire idea and once I got a few minutes with the senior folks, I ensured that I make the most out of those brief meetings.

Every corporate experience brings its own set of learnings and this one helped me grow personally as well as professionally. The ample opportunities provided by this well-designed internship enhanced my learnings. I have met some really incredible people in these past two months. One of the best learning from an interactive session with a leader that I will remember for sure - Make it a point to travel to different parts of the world and meet people from different cultures. This will give you a lot of insight into understanding and managing people. And you will also appreciate the life you are given within those walls to a much higher degree. I am going to cherish all these memories and the life lessons that I would be taking with me.

After this unparalleled experience of two months, I can definitely witness a young leader in the making. Someone who still has a lot to learn, but is certainly treading in the right direction, full of enthusiasm and determination to succeed!

Surbhi Gupta

A Young Leader In The Making – Summer Internship At Airtel - Surbhi Gupta, MDI Gurgaon