The #Jombay Journey

Learning is a continuous journey and could be done in three ways: -

1.      Reading

2.      Connecting virtually and in real time with people

3.      Writing

While the first two activities are mostly about self-learning, the third one is more about sharing one’s learning and in the process contributing to the larger pool. While I have invested in the first two for quite some time now, I have struggled to make writing a regular activity in my life.

Thanks to my mentors who always highlighted the importance of writing and sharing what you learn with others.

Since childhood, participating in various activities/events would always give me an adrenaline rush. Hence, I had a keen interest to be a part of the #40Under40 process by Jombay. When I applied for it, I was not aware of how the journey was going to be.

Round 1 was Virtual Assessment where individuals were assessed on Strategic, People and Performance Leadership parameters. This was my first experience on any virtual assessment platform by Jombay. Anything new feels intimidating in the beginning and I kept delaying it till the last day but while I was doing it I felt charged up and it almost felt like real time situations. The activities are so designed as to keep you on your toes and test all the skills mentioned earlier. I felt a sense of accomplishment once I completed the activity.

Round 2 was Cardinal Leadership Workshop followed by three weeks of 15+ activities on the iDev app. At the workshop Tanvi and Pratik took us through the plan of the development journey and emphasized on introspection and how to make it personalized. In the three weeks that followed, various activities in the form of case studies, scenario-based questions, and situation reaction activities had to be completed. The activities were so designed that I could easily relate it to my professional environment and accordingly process it.

Round 3 was probably completely different and a very personalized experience. It was a Behavioral Event Questionnaire and all the questions pushed me to deep dive and find answers which would be true to me and my journey so far. That night, I sat alone delving deep into my soul and the learning from there shall remain with me for a long time.  

Four days later, I received an email letting me know that I made it to the list. It took few hours to sync in the feeling.

Fast forward to today, the jury experience. As soon as I entered the venue I was welcomed by Mohit and Suruchi. I felt very happy and was moved by their humility. In line with the earlier pattern of the process, the panel asked thought-provoking questions that pushed me into thinking deeper and more analytically.

The entire event was fabulously managed by Mohit, Suruchi and the entire Jombay team. To conduct a program of this scale and complexity is no mean feat but they made the whole process seem like fun not only for them but also for us, participants. It reminded me of What #Confucius said, ‘If you love your work, you don’t have to work a single day.’ The freshness in the pictures (included from Pratik and Mansi too) says it all.