In today’s fast-paced life, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. Many recent pieces of research have pointed out the fact that nearly 70% of people in given surveys feel stuck in their lives, professionally or personally. Whatever profession we may be in, there’s always a pressure to outperform not just others, but ourselves as well. For leaders, the pressure doubles up as they have to not just forge their own way, but also help those who look up to them.
At times like these, when we can’t seem to find a way out, we often look for someone who can guide us. We seek someone who can help us constantly learn so that we can respond to the changing business environment. Someone who will listen to our needs, is competent and can deal with the messiness of strategy work to streamline our professional life.
With over 10 years of experience in strategic planning and developing leadership qualities in the public service and private sector, Anu Shroff has been helping leaders identify their need and provide strategic and bespoke services to help them meet their desired outcome.
Recognizing her Calling
Before she started offering her services to help leaders explore and re-discover themselves, Anu Shroff started her career in the Singapore Public Service in 2000. In 2016, after sessions with her coach and a soul-searching retreat, she decided to follow her passion and resigned to set up her own company, Anu Shroff Pte Ltd. The services she offers are executive coaching, large and small group leadership facilitation, and strategic planning sessions. She can also be booked for keynote speeches at corporate events.
She absolutely loves the work she does as she gets the opportunity to interact with people and help them make a difference in their lives. It also gives her the flexibility to manage work and her 3 kids better.
Anu considers herself a late bloomer as she didn’t always know what she wanted to do. She wasn’t interested in business initially and so took up a Public Service career. “I think connecting to the higher Public Service values resonated with me as I felt that I was contributing to a larger purpose. Getting a job in the Public Service, I began to understand the bureaucracy.
While there were challenges, I learned a lot about the bigger purpose of serving in the Public Service and the satisfaction of doing that.”
Interestingly she started her career in the Public Service thinking that business was not for her. However, now that she is running her own business she sees that we can still set higher purposeful goals for ourselves even as we run a business. That is why she took a huge risk by resigning from a stable job and setting up her own company.
She also attributes much of who she is today to her husband and his support through the years.
What makes her Different
Anu takes a humanistic approach in her coaching instead of having a fixed methodology. She doesn’t offer answers or a “how-to” guide but offers guidance as people explore a journey of inquiry to discover the answers within themselves. “If you are looking to discover aspects of yourself and your world, then this is for you. I believe this is because of my Gestalt background which trained me to be in the “here and now” rather than have a pre-set idea of what is. Clients often tell me that coaching with me helps them get off the “hamster wheel” and take a breath,” she says.
As a workshop facilitator, she exudes energy and passion as she loves interacting with people. She aims to make her workshops engaging, respectful, and practical. As a company owner, she’s always thinking of how businesses can complement one another rather than compete in the market.
And does SHE ever feel stuck?
“As humans, we are constantly seeking the right answers for ourselves. But if we appreciate the beauty of not knowing and being comfortable in our own confusion, we can allow more of life to emerge. So when I feel confused, I pause and take a breath. Notice what is going on in my body and connect with it without any judgment. I ask myself “what does it feel like right now?” I connect back to my core values of calm, respect, learning, gratitude, and honesty. This helps me to take the next step forward. Pause, connect, and feel.”
LeaderSpeak
According to Anu, the three most important qualities a leader should possess are curiosity, humility, and passion for learning. As a leader herself, she believes in getting a solid team and then leaving it to them to work out the details. “I am always available for discussions and brainstorming but they anchor the work to their motivations. I’m so fortunate to have a wonderful team who are the backbone of my business! Lianne Kenny (Bright Virtual Services), Franzika Grobler (Jadeways Solutions), and Grace Yeo are a force to reckon with when it comes to getting things done,” she says.
Her advice for Budding Entrepreneurs:
I think the key thing I have learned is that it boils down to building a reputation for yourself in anything you do.
Even as an employee, it is important to think about your “brand” and how you project yourself. This is something that I only learned many years after starting my career. It has served me well as many of the projects I got after I resigned were through referrals and word-of-mouth. I think we sometimes tend to underestimate the power of networking and making connections with people. Remember that it is not about selling your services but about building relationships and helping people to solve their problems.
The Road Ahead
Covid-19 has shifted business for many companies – especially with the online and virtual space. Even in the traditionally “human touch” sector like coaching and training, we saw a huge shift to online and virtual events. Anu was part of a research team from the Asia Pacific Alliance of Coaches (APAC) where they looked at the future of coaching in 5 years. And definitely, the impact of technology was an important element.
“For me,” says Anu, “ I see it from a creative lens rather than a competitive lens. So I constantly ask myself how can we blend IT solutions with our coaching and training offerings.”
“It doesn’t need to be too complicated as long as it serves the client and enables learning. And I also keep anchoring myself back to my core values so as not to get too carried away with IT solutions. From a creative lens perspective, it’s having both in a wholesome way,” she concludes
