Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Career Podcasts!

“Are you keeping your eyes on what you need to accomplish, or are you looking at what somebody else is accomplishing? It is super important to know what you own, know who you are, and what you want out of life. If you don’t, someone else will write it for you.” - Sumana Rajagopal

If you have been given the opportunity to lead, then you know that every employee offers unique contributions, including yourself. When you start with the good and foster the natural talent in people, you build trust and that trust opens the door to start talking about opportunities to grow. Today’s Finding Brave guest is a role model that all inspiring leaders can look up to, as she’s made a career of practicing these principles every single day.

Sumana Rajagopal recently returned to the place she credits with learning what it means to put people first. She is fortunate to have found her calling in media and advertising and is able to put that passion into purpose at Merck Pharmaceuticals. It was there that she found that fostering her own growth included managing employee development to create sustainable business growth and drive competitive advantage in a corporate environment. Her focus on growing others has allowed her to remain relevant and resilient, creating a cycle of continued development for herself, her family and those that she is privileged to work with.

With over 26 years of marketing experience, working for three Fortune 500 companies, Sumana has found success by fostering an innovation agenda and speed to market through rapid reapplication of best practices from local to global markets. Her true passion lies in working with business teams to develop media strategies using data and insights to create demand, maximize returns and build profitable business.

In this episode, Sumana reveals concrete things you can do and say to accelerate the growth of everyone you interact with in your organization, and she shares the importance of living bravely and passionately, and allowing your mistakes to be visible as a learning tool for others.

To learn more about today's guest, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumanarajagopal/