I can still vividly recall the mix of excitement and nervousness I experienced when I delivered my first public tech talk years ago during my second year of college. It was an opportunity to present a paper on Artificial Intelligence at Oriental College in Bhopal, and I was both thrilled and apprehensive about taking the stage. The experience of standing in front of an audience and sharing my knowledge and insights on such a fascinating topic was incredibly empowering, even with the natural jitters that come with public speaking. That pivotal moment sparked a passion for knowledge-sharing and community engagement that has continued to shape my growth as a tech professional.
Over the years since that fateful first talk, I've had the incredible privilege of taking to stages across India and abroad to share my passion for cutting-edge technologies.
Some key milestones that stand out:
Being selected as a faculty member for Accenture's global mobile academy, training teams in locations like Monterrey, Mexico on the latest mobile app development practices.
Spearheading Accenture's "Lean Architecture Center of Excellence" and advocating for microservices, continuous delivery, and cloud adoption across the firm's global client base through talks, demos, and proofs-of-concept.
Joining Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Technical Account Manager, where I've been able to engage at the highest levels with executives to translate their strategic visions into robust cloud architectures.
During my time at AWS, I've had the privilege of being a speaker at approximately 27 public events and conducting numerous workshops for my customers. This extensive experience in knowledge-sharing has been incredibly rewarding, as it has allowed me to inspire and educate others about the latest technological advancements.
Lessons Learned
Looking back, one of the most important things I've learned is the need to always be a student. Technology is changing so quickly, and to be a good advocate, I have to stay endlessly curious and committed to continuous learning. The best way I've found to keep up is to dive into the latest open source work, research, and expert insights.
Another key lesson that I have learned at AWS has been the power of storytelling. While it's crucial to have deep technical mastery, the true art of advocacy lies in the ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with audiences. In a world dominated by data, metrics, and bottom-line results, the art of storytelling remains a powerful and indispensable tool. As professionals, we can easily get caught up in cold, hard facts - but the most impactful leaders, innovators, and change-makers understand the transformative potential of storytelling.When I share my personal narratives, unique experiences, and insights, I connect with the fundamental elements of the human condition.
As an Amazonian at heart, I have to highlight the importance of Amazon's Leadership Principles and the key lessons that have personally impacted me.
Customer Obsession: Placing the customer at the center of everything we do.
Ownership: Taking full accountability for my work and its outcomes
Invent and Simplify: The willingness to challenge the status quo and find simpler, more effective ways of working
Learn and Be Curious: Embracing a growth mindset and remaining open to feedback and new ideas
I'm thrilled about the future. Technology is advancing quickly, opening up new possibilities in computing, intelligent systems, and business.
At the end of the day, what motivates me as a tech advocate is using my knowledge to inspire innovation, bring people together, and unlock incredible human potential that we can't even foresee right now. It's been an thrilling journey so far, and I have a feeling the best is yet to come.
If you have any questions or thoughts I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to me directly or leave a comment below.
Top comments (1)
Kudos to a true evangelist!!