In our ongoing Employee Spotlight series, we celebrate the achievements of our team members who are making a significant impact. Today, we shine a light on Nidhi Mittal's remarkable journey and her pivotal role in fostering collaboration and implementing agile practices within a client engagement.

With a background as a full-stack developer adept at delivering user-friendly solutions, Nidhi was instrumental in the development of our OKR product, GALE. In early 2023, when Greyamp offered her a consulting opportunity, she embraced the one-of-a-kind transition challenge from being a developer to becoming a consultant, eventually becoming a vital member of our technology and consulting team. 

Here’s a Q&A with Nidhi regarding one of her recent client engagements.

Q: What was the client engagement about?

Nidhi: We engaged with a leading Indonesian bank to drive their digital transformation goals. The primary objective was to streamline governance processes and implement Agile practices, enabling the bank to enhance its business agility and responsiveness.

Q: Can you summarize the issues you worked on & the solutions you implemented to address them?

Nidhi: At the start of the engagement, we identified challenges around misalignment with strategic goals, siloed operations, and lack of agility due to waterfall practices.

I facilitated solutions like initiative planning workshops, agile transformation with sprints, and integration of Azure project management tools.

Through these efforts, we fostered strategic alignment, cross-functional collaboration, adaptability via agile, and heightened stakeholder visibility, enabling the client's successful digital transformation journey.

Q: What were your key learnings from this engagement?

Nidhi: As a developer-turned-consultant, this first engagement was an immensely valuable learning experience.

• I gained a comprehensive understanding of the entire project lifecycle, from idea inception to execution. This involved using a systems-thinking approach, understanding stage dynamics, and navigating project complexities for successful launches.
• I learned to manage stakeholder relationships effectively, ensuring alignment with objectives and facilitating clear communication channels.

Q: What was your biggest challenge? What did you do to overcome it?

Nidhi: Transitioning from a developer to a consultant with no prior consulting experience, my biggest challenge was navigating the unfamiliar territory of client-facing work and delivering value as a consultant.

My senior colleagues helped me overcome this challenge. I shadowed them during client meetings and observed how they effectively engaged with stakeholders, communicated complex ideas, and facilitated productive discussions - and in the process learnt the following:

1. Active listening and understanding: I observed my senior colleagues engage with clients by actively listening and asking insightful questions. Their ability to grasp client needs inspired me to adopt a similar approach.
2. Being flexible: Seeing my seniors quickly adjust plans based on client feedback or unexpected situations taught me the value of flexibility. I aim to remain composed and adaptable in my work.
3. Clear communication: My colleagues excelled at translating complex technical concepts into client-friendly language. I’ve diligently honed my communication skills to bridge that gap, despite the initial challenge coming from a development background.
4. Continuous Improvement: My senior peers always sought feedback and refined their approach based on the feedback - exhibiting a growth mindset. I have tried to adopt that same curious and adaptable attitude throughout the project.

Q: If there is one thing you could do differently, what would it be?

Nidhi: If I could change one thing, I’d apply the “Aggregation of Marginal Gains” concept. It involves making small improvements across all aspects of work, leading to a cumulative positive impact.

Our client teams, facing challenges in Agile adoption, could benefit from this approach. By incrementally enhancing different work areas, they’d experience Agile benefits without feeling overwhelmed. Over time, this would lead to smoother Agile adoption and clearer advantages.

Q: What was the biggest highlight from this experience?

Nidhi: The biggest highlight for me was observing people embrace learning and champion change. Their shift from initial resistance to outcomes-focused thinking extended beyond work, creating a ripple effect of positivity in their personal lives. Making this impact was truly fulfilling.

‍