Sagarika Bagga

The best career advice I've received is being present in the moment. There are so many times you just learn by actively listening to the people around you and not thinking about what the future holds or what we did in the past. Being present when you're talking to people, when you're talking to clients - you get to learn so much from the people around you. As I say, you cannot undo your past, and you cannot control your future. What is in your circle of control is the present, so be 200% there. That's the only area of control that you have.

Ladies, learn to say no. There are so many times how we as women, how we as professionals are - we are kind of mostly people-pleasers and want to do everything rightly. That's how we've been conditioned for the most part of our lives. But I feel women should learn to say no at some point in their life, and just create clear boundaries that there's just so much that I can do. Always ask for help - do not be like 'I got this all, I'll cover this all.' If you need help, ask for help, scream for help. Learn to say no when it's actually needed. That's so important - telling no, hey, that's it, this is just so much that I can do right now.

The biggest challenges in my career right now is definitely AI, and that's also the biggest opportunity. The disruptive artificial intelligence that is coming day in and day out, and the reliance of people on it, is both a challenge and an opportunity. It's a challenge when you're not agile and you're not adaptive - you're like, 'oh my god, this is out there, will I lose my job?' That's the biggest threat or challenge. The biggest opportunity is, well, what part of my work can I get automated or can I get done from AI, so that I really focus on things that really matter and need that human side of intellect or judgment-making. Just being agile, just being adaptive, and having that mindset that AI is not to replace us, it's to supplement us. Humans can never, ever be replaced, no matter what level of AI can ever come.

I feel that your professional life is just a mirror of your personal life, so however and whatever way you are as a person, that definitely reflects in your work, because that's the most part where you spend your time, your energy, your life. I'm not two personalities at work and at home - it's the same person that you'll see at home, and it's the same person that you'll see at work, just a little well-dressed up, not walking around in shorts and sneakers. I feel I bring more energy and value when I'm the same person in both places. People talk a lot about having a separate work life and a separate personal life, but I definitely feel that your professional life is just a mirror of your personal life.