We, as a society, still have a lot more ground to cover in our journey towards becoming an equal, balanced community, says Seema Kadam, Regional Director – India, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.
How important is IWD for you and why?
International Women’s Day is important to me because it is important to women everywhere – both, to those with and without privileges. It brings to the forefront challenges and provides a platform for important conversations and issues that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.
I do not view it as one-day celebration of women, but as an opportunity to empower and recognize achievements. In my view, women win each day with their resilience and steadfast attitude.
Do you really think that women, in a fast-changing technology and modern age, needs empowerment? How did you develop confidence in yourself?
In my opinion, empowerment is not restricted to gender. Every individual – irrespective of gender – benefits from true personal empowerment. It requires a person to set meaningful goals, ask for help when needed, and then take action to achieve those goals and positively impact society.
Personally, I developed confidence by being aware of my dreams, understanding my strengths and weaknesses and working diligently on them over time. I believe I still have a long way to go!
While women constitute 54% of the work force in global travel, tourism and hospitality industry. This percentage is abysmally low at the top level?
I think this is true across industries. As a society, we still have a lot more ground to cover in our journey towards becoming an equal, balanced community.
What sort of challenges do you face at workplace as well as balancing work-family life?
In my opinion, staying organized, investing in time and people management skills and setting the right expectations, go a long way in helping balance commitments. A well-balanced life helps manage stress better, prevents mental burnout and boosts creativity!
One school of thought suggest that women themselves are one of the hindrances in the growth of the women. What is your take on this?
We need to reverse this stereotype that women don’t support other women. I have had many, many wonderful women in my life play unconditionally supportive roles, aiding my personal and professional growth. I firmly believe that women build other women up, because they recognize and face similar sets of challenges. Collaboration over competition, always!
A fine, tangible example would be our team at Los Angeles Tourism & Convection Board – where we, very efficiently collaborate with inspirational women across departments.
What are your suggestions to the younger generation?
Learn from others experiences and mistakes – it will save you a lot of time! Allow yourself the grace to experiment and take calculated risks. Above all, in this world of instant gratification, be patient and persistent – it ultimately pays off.
