“Which area did you specialize in while pursuing graduation?” – Finance.
“Which specialization would you want to opt for your masters?” – Marketing.
“Which Specialisation did you finally mention in the University form?” – Human Resource Management. The last answer left many people surprised. This was the first time Sonal listened to her instincts and diligently pursued an area of specialization. There was no going back from this point onwards.
“Which function of HR would you want to pursue your live project in?” – Learning and Development.
“What makes you pursue a winter internship out of your curriculum?” “What makes you put your final placement at risk?” – An opportunity to explore the Learning & Development function.
This was the second instance where Sonal chose between the stability of a final placement and pursuing an internship in an area where she wanted to explore her interests and test her capabilities. Again, her conviction towards her interest helped her choose the latter.
The reason to share both of these instances is the reason why she is listed in this esteemed list with her HR colleagues. The conviction for accepting her callings, her inexperience in L&D, and her fear of being able to make it in this role led her on a journey of learning by experimenting with the best mentors she could have asked for. The most valuable learning of her career has been – Context over Concepts, Preferences over Practices, and Tactfulness over Trends. This has been the foundation of all that has been delivered for people. The Corporate Co-operative Library is one such solution which is a badge of honour, which addressed a peer learning issue without making any major investment.
Despite working in the same function for five years, it has been a highly diverse journey. The learning experience ranges from automating the data management and administration process of L&D, to work measurement of the role of an L&D professional to transition it from data to design. To learn the science of Instructional Design and Training Facilitation to address the learning needs of the organization. To be able to develop the L&D strategy to capture the learning priorities of the business. To implement org-wide learning management systems. Supporting change management during people systems implementation. Learning the nuances of knowledge management in a global organization. To understanding the interface of L&D with other functions in HR. Thereby collaborating with her other HR champions.
Sonal is currently leading Learning, Development, and Engagement at Cedar Management Consulting International since September 2022. Her motto is to take all her learnings from her previous experience. And deliver her best in the context of the organization she’s working with. Implementing practices that align with the stakeholder preferences. With utmost tactfulness. Rather than getting carried away by trends.
