Unlocking innate potential is a transformative journey to realise your fullest capabilities and achieve your aspirations. At the core of this process lies the understanding that each person possesses unique talents, abilities, and untapped reservoirs of potential waiting to be harnessed. Unlocking this potential can often require you to confront and overcome the barriers of an internal mindset.
So often people grapple with self-doubt, limiting beliefs, and fears that inhibit their growth. These mental roadblocks can be deeply ingrained, stemming from past experiences or societal conditioning. However, recognising and challenging these negative thought patterns is a crucial step towards unlocking your innate potential.
Externally, societal norms, cultural expectations, and the opinions of others can exert a significant influence on individuals, potentially constraining them to predefined roles or paths. But when those external influences become external empowerment they can help people break the barrier of negative expectation. Encouragement, praise, and rewards create a positive feedback loop that motivates people to strive for excellence. This reinforcement not only boosts confidence but also fosters a growth mindset, where individuals believe in their ability to learn and improve.
In this nurturing environment of positivity, innate talents and abilities are more likely to emerge and flourish, enabling individuals to reach new heights and accomplish their goals, both personally and professionally. Positive external reinforcement acts as a catalyst, unlocking the reservoirs of untapped potential that lie within us all.
The process of unlocking this innate potential is a dynamic amalgamation of internal self-discovery and external empowerment, with individuals striving to break free from the shackles of limiting beliefs and societal norms to realize their true capabilities and make a meaningful impact on the world.
Welcome to our Spotlight on Dhanashree Deshpande – a Global Project Manager in Pune, India.
As we discover the role Dee plays in the Neem family, I hope you enjoy learning a little bit about her role and also about how she is unlocking her potential and breaking barriers to achieve the awesome innate potential within.
So Dee, talk to me about your role…
“Sure, my role is Global Project Manager and I work on the CaaS program for Unilever ANZ markets, and supporting the Indonesian market.”
“CaaS stands for ‘Content as a Service’. I’m responsible for executing a project that creates superior e-commerce content for Unilever products on ANZ e-retailers, ensuring the visuals pass the Accessibility and Visual Clarity tests. The idea is, that once implemented, it helps Unilever products rank higher than its competitors and converts viewers to customers.”
“…does that mean you’re in a more creative space than a techy one?”
“I’m more of a ‘Big Picture’ person, both personally and in my role; looking at creative and interacting with people to ensure our products rank higher on digital retail platforms.”
“My day is spent working internally and with side, agency partner, client market and brand teams to prioritise products based on revenue contribution and focus of the brand. (As well as the obvious factors like selling Ice Cream in summer). Then together we work through each product to redefine visual and written content and getting it up on the eretailer platforms.”
“So Yes, I think I work in the creative space mostly. I do have a creative eye and use it to provide feedback on creatives. Also, I am looking forward to using more of our AI benchmarking tools to rank better than competitors.”
I get the impression that a lot of your job involves managing people?
“Totally agree! I am the facilitator that sits between our market agency and the brand teams on one side, and the client market on the other side. I manage expectations on both sides, having conversations to ensure we are working to achieve better results and bringing everyone on that journey towards the same goal.”
“I think it’s really important to reassure people that, despite disagreements, we are all on the same team, striving for the same goal, that our approach may be different, but our intention is not.
”I am convinced that working together towards the goal, using each other’s strengths and supporting one another, will bring success.”
What’s been the biggest change in this role to your previous roles?
“Previously my roles have been one-dimensional – it was a ‘you and me’ conversation. Now it’s a minimum three-way process. I know that might sound complex, but it’s not. It’s just about people skills. I believe my biggest learning has been understanding that people management is not an umbrella method where “one approach applies to all”. Without a doubt, this new role has unlocked that potential in me and is driving me to do my best.”
“Also always remembering that being optimistic and kind goes a long way.”
“One of the major challenges In making the move to this new role was believing in myself 200%. It is something I have had to work hard on and ensure I didn’t fall into the trap of overthinking. I knew deep down I could make it – I just needed to believe it.”
Where do you think that confidence comes from?
“I would say that the people close to me who have witnessed my journey have always shown support and belief in me… quite passionately at times. They knew I could make it… it was only a matter of time before I too believed I could.”
“Huge shoutout to my parents who have always had a passion to see me succeed, but left me to discover it in my own time and in my own way. I draw my self-belief and self-trust from them.”
Awesome! Thanks Dee!