Significant Career Lesson From an Associate Production Manager at Dreamworks Animation
Priyaa's most significant career lesson is the importance of asking questions, emphasizing that "there's no wrong question," and that this proactive approach prevents missed information and wasted time; this, coupled with embracing mistakes and stepping outside of one's comfort zone ("put myself in the uncomfortable position"), has fostered growth and adaptation in their career journey.
Communication, Project Management, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges, Resilience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Priyaa Kalkura
Associate Production Manager
Dreamworks Animation
MOP Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai
University of Sydney, Film Studies
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Don't be afraid to ask questions: Priyaa emphasizes the importance of asking questions to learn and avoid overlooking crucial details. She highlights the need to be mindful of the context and audience when asking questions.
2. It's okay to make mistakes: Priyaa shares that making mistakes is a crucial part of learning and growth. Stepping outside of one's comfort zone allows for new learning opportunities.
3. Embrace new cultures and experiences: As someone who relocated for work, Priyaa's experience underscores the importance of embracing new cultures and challenges to expand one's horizons and understanding.
Transcript
What is one lesson you've learned that has proven significant in your career?
One lesson that has proven significant in my career is not to be afraid to ask questions. There's no wrong answer or right question, so you should ask.
You should be able to read the room and know when to ask the question. If there's a group of people who are executives, you would ask your immediate supervisor after or before the meeting. If it's a group you're comfortable with or know, you can ask the question directly in the meeting.
Reading the room is super important, but asking questions is how you learn. When I started, I thought I was supposed to be quiet in meetings. But after a few roles, I realized that if I didn't ask questions, many things were missed, and I ended up paying for it later by having to follow up. It was a waste of time for everyone.
So, one lesson I learned and still carry is to ask questions because it will help you learn. Don't be afraid to make mistakes; it's super important. If you don't make mistakes and don't put yourself in uncomfortable positions, you'll never learn something new.
Especially coming from a different country, I wondered how it would be with cultural differences. People opened their arms and welcomed me very warmly, which I didn't expect. All of that happened because I put myself in an uncomfortable position and experimented. It's very important to make mistakes and learn from them because you have to keep growing.