Navigating Difficult Conversations And Writing Your Own Destiny With Shreedevi Roogi

Shreedevi Roogi is cofounder of Write Your Destiny, the Talent Acquisition Head- India, APAC & EMEA at Epicor Software, the WICCI- Organizational HR President, and much more.

It was at a Women’s Retreat organized by TiE Hubli that I first met Shreedevi Roogi. I was just beginning to explore networking in Hubli-Dharwad after moving from Bengaluru, and connected with Shreedevi instantaneously. Focussed, ambitious, straightforward and free were the first few power words that came to me, while we started interacting.

Shreedevi Roogi is a talented recruiter, a zesty entrepreneur, a Zumba instructor and a mentor who wears many more hats.

There was a great number of insights I drew from her experiences, which helped me grow and be more focussed on my destinations. Here I am, sharing it with all you with a hope that it will inspire you too.

In our everyday lives, at home, work, and everywhere else, we encounter difficult conversations. These could be about our opinions, personalities, working styles, politics etc. These encounters seem hard sometimes, confusing, frustrating, and may even bring out the worst in us. In the end, it’s most often us who are left guilty, frustrated and unsettled pondering on how we could have done better.

Shreedevi Roogi on navigating difficult conversations

One of the first things that will strike you when you meet Shreedevi Roogi, is the way she navigates conversations, interactions and situations to a purpose, never deviating from what she seeks and never in the way of anyone who may seek something else.

Shreedevi Roogi had a childhood wherein there were no restrictions or any gender based differentiation. But post marriage, she faced a hurdle in continuing to work.

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Her mother in law was of the opinion that she didn’t need to. Veeresh, her best friend and husband had her back, but yet as in many Indian households, she had a lot of opposition.

Shreedevi is really passionate about her career, and this difficult conversation seemed more a hurdle than a problem in itself for her. She had a proposal to her mother in law who believed in astrology. She told her mother in law, “Let’s go to the astrologer you believe in. If he says I have a good future at work, you shall not stop it. But if he says otherwise, I shall quit!” The stars sure were on her side and she went to work the next day.

She believes that while it’s easier to be angry, to fight, but in actuality what will you get out of it? It’s not about convincing the other person that you are right or to even change their views, but to look at whether or not you are getting what you are seeking for.

It’s a valuable lesson, pick your battles and focus on getting what you seek.

Writing your own Destiny

WYD- Write Your Destiny is also the name of her recruitment company. An ideology that Shreedevi truly believes in.

While at school, Shreedevi recollects, that she was an introvert, an average student, and someone without an athletic built either, though she was active as a running track athlete. She remembers an incident where her PE teacher said. “You can’t play basketball, as you are not suitable for it!”

For someone who did everything she wanted to, this came as a shock and a statement, she wasn’t ready to accept. Shreedevi trained for days, finally to be chosen by her school team and went on to play tournaments at college. She was eventually invited by the same PE teacher to coach the juniors in her school.

“That’s when I realised that people tell you many things, which need not be true. It’s what you believe that matters!” she says.

There’s another incident, wherein she had gone for her very first job interview after MBA. It was an open call and the company lobby were filled with many freshers who was hoping to land a job. Shreedevi decided she would walk around and noticed a women employee in the nearby conference room. She decided to have a chat. The lady was welcoming and told her about another opportunity that was open at the company, that of a recruiter. Shreedevi asked her what the responsibilities were. and figured it was something she was capable of doing. She did her interviews and was offered an immediate joining the same day.

Finding ways to explore and find opportunities that help you write your destiny is what we can learn from Shreedevi.

Not behind me but with me

Shreedevi’s husband, Veeresh has been a great support system, who has also broken many gender stereotypes. Veeresh feels Shreedevi is meant to achieve and do great things. He always says. “You are meant to do more. Don’t restrict yourself.”

When they had a baby, Shreedevi did not quit her job, and Veeresh took a sabbatical to take care of their daughter and spend time with her growing up. There was no guilt, no disagreements, but they worked as a team to take care of their daughter.

Veeresh, like many other fathers like him now, is moving away from patriarchal thoughts and embracing parenthood. Shreedevi and Veeresh are together, propelling each other towards success in their careers and life.

Shreedevi Roogi has been a confidante and a friend who I root for, go for opinions to, and am inspired by how she does what she does.

She is the cofounder of Write Your Destiny- a recruitment firm focusing on creating an ecosystem of education, employer and employee. She is also the Co-founder and Global HR Director at Himalayan Space Centre, which is the online Asian company providing NASA curriculum.

As someone with over 15 years of experience in talent acquisition, Shreedevi Roogi is also the Talent Acquisition Head- India, APAC & EMEA at Epicor Software. She is the WICCI- Organizational HR President.

An inspiring women, indeed!

Author’s note: This is part of a series I have determined to write to showcase the amazing women in North Karnataka. Having recently shifted to Dharwad, I find it fascinating how these women have shattered glass ceilings and broken stereotypes to grow in Tier II and Tier III cities. I hope with this, many learn stories of the Women of North Karnataka.

Image source: Shreedevi Roogi/ LinkedIn

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