Imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where difference is valued and celebrated. Together, we can forge women's equality. Collectively, we can inspire inclusion, applaud women's accomplishments, raise awareness about discrimination, and take action to drive gender parity.
At Airwalk Reply, we celebrate women’s achievements, and that’s why we will continue to put our Employee Spotlight on many of the incredible women we are so fortunate to be working with.
Meet Senior Consultant Kal Kaur
Why did you join Airwalk Reply?
I joined Airwalk Reply in December 2020 within the Delivery and Change Consulting (DCC) team, covering various Agile Projects. I come from a consultancy background and have been within the IT industry for over 16 years, so the role here was ideal, and I liked the prospect of growth and advancement. I also like that Airwalk Reply does many social value and corporate social responsibility initiatives under our Do the Right Thing value and works with some amazing charities. That really drew me to the company.
Tell us about your previous roles before Airwalk Reply and why you wanted to work in Tech.
After graduation, I worked as a call centre support analyst for a small estate agency software company. I worked up to team manager, but then I felt I had reached my peak and didn’t think there was much else to learn. But it helped me build confidence and realise I wanted to challenge myself. I then moved to a large consultancy firm, where I worked for many years. I enjoyed moving around different accounts and delivering projects; that’s when I knew that this role was what I should be doing. I got so much satisfaction from helping companies achieve change and improve people’s working lives.
How do you use your strengths within the context of your work?
For each of the accounts, companies, and projects I work on, I use my communication skills to make sure that our team members, stakeholders, and clients have a clear understanding of the requirements and that solutions are accepted. I also do this at home on our Family WhatsApp group so it doesn't become a battleground.
My timekeeping and OCD organisation skills keep my projects on time and within scope, and my problem-solving mindset means that I address challenges efficiently. These are my main strengths.
Is there a common challenge you come across?
The main challenges usually occur when a team has multiple dynamics, especially when issues arise. Everyone has their own way of working, experiences, and approaches. Being a good listener and facilitator is essential to reaching a resolution that suits everyone. I am happy to be a mediator as long as there is an output at the end.
What does a typical day include for you?
I wake up, shower, and start my day with porridge and coffee, which is essential. Then, the day begins. A lot of my day consists of meetings, managing people, time, and projects, and then, by the end of the day, I like to de-stress and go to the gym or run when I can.
Who or what motivates you?
A big motivator for me is the appreciation I receive when I have accomplished something or helped others overcome issues or obstacles. I enjoy making others’ lives easier or better, whether installing an app to help people do less manual work or doing charity work to help those in need.
As a cancer survivor, I hold a personal event once a year to gather donations for the charity Cancer Research. Other people’s donations helped save my life, so I would like to save someone else’s life by doing what I can. Being alive today is a big motivator, so I live life to its fullest and help others along the way.
I have my 90-year-old (very stubborn) Gran to contend with at home. I have been changing many things around the house and her day-to-day activities to make things as easy as possible so that she is comfortable. The TV being at eye level for her is a big deal; she can’t miss her soap operas.
Was there a moment when you decided to change paths or pivot?
I have wanted to do project management since I got my IT degree at university. I used to have class members come to my house so I could teach them how to create manual Gantt charts. I immediately knew this was my career path and never looked back.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Don't look back; you’re not going that way.
It's more of a quote than advice, but I use it everywhere and try my best to follow it. I’ve had a lot of hurdles in my life that I look back on and think about how things could have been different for me; I guess getting over them has made me the strong person I am today.
We can always let negative things bring us down, deter us, or eat at us, taking us down a negative route. But I try to always follow this quote and look forward. I think of the person I aspire to be and would want people to look up to, whether in my home life or at work.
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