Dr. Shiva Sharma has been working as an Assistant Professor of Marketing Department and Soft Skills Trainer at Poddar Business School, Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has done BBA, MBA and PhD as part of his academics and has 10 years of Training and Teaching experience. In addition to this, he has mesmerizing oratory and presentation skills, excellent administrative, management, and organizational skills and strong interpersonal and leadership qualities. His areas of specialization include Marketing and Human Resource Management. He has published 5 research papers in reputed journals, has 1 patent on his name and presented 4 research papers in various conferences. He has qualified the UGC-NET exam twice in 2017 and has represented India twice in SAUFEST organized by AIU and SAARC. Before joining Poddar Group of Institutions, he was associated with many reputed institutions and has worked as a Freelance MC, Trainer, Creative Writer and Trip Advisor. He has attended various FDPs and workshops and has done numerous MOOC certification courses on brand management, personality development and business writing like domains.

Poddar Business School

Being an Assistant Professor, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

"Teaching students and helping them to grow is my biggest responsibility"

As an Assistant Professor, my prime responsibility is to deliver high-quality lectures and facilitate class discussions to help students understand the course material. And providing feedback and support to students to help them achieve their academic and career goals, mentoring them whenever they get stuck in something, conducting research and staying up-to-date with industry trends to bring the latest knowledge and practices to the classroom, participating in curriculum development and contributing to the overall academic mission of the institution also comes under the scope of my responsibilities.

How do you introduce a practical and industry-oriented approach towards subjects?

"By using case studies as an example, assigning projects and assignments to students and encouraging them to pursue internships"

In order to enforce an industry driven and practical approach towards subjects, I use case studies as an example while teaching students so as to strengthen their concepts. Industry experts are also invited on a regular basis in our college to share their experiences, struggles and expectations with students and provide insight to them about challenges and opportunities they will have to face in their respective fields when they will step out for a job. In addition to this, I conduct role plays and use simulations to help students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills that they can apply in real-world situations and I regularly encourage them to pursue internships and work on industry projects, and other hands-on learning opportunities that expose them to real-world situations. Also, group projects and class assignments are assigned to students to assess their knowledge as and when required.

How do you establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty of your college? 

"By regularly communicating with them, helping them in their issues and working together as a team"

In my opinion, having a good relationship with students and fellow faculty is very crucial for a positive and collaborative learning environment. And to ensure this, I regularly communicate with them through an open and transparent communication channel so that I can explore their interests and their academic and professional goals and I am always available to answer their questions, address their concerns, and provide them feedback. In addition to this, I also show interest in their work and never forget to appreciate and celebrate their accomplishments with them. Apart from all this, I celebrate the diversity of students that we have in our Business School and I motivate my students and fellow faculty to share their unique perspectives and experiences whenever we connect to make sure that everyone's voice is heard. Lastly, I collaborate with my fellow faculty on research projects, joint courses, and other initiatives that advance our shared academic goals. I also encourage students to participate in extracurricular activities and initiatives, and provide support where needed.

What is your philosophy of leadership?

"A true leader is always authentic and transparent in his action and inspire others to grow"

I firmly believe that true leadership is all about inspiring and empowering others to achieve their full potential by being authentic, transparent, honest and approachable in nature. As an assistant professor in a business school, I see myself as a leader in the classroom, helping my students develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to succeed in their academic and professional pursuits. And as leadership is about serving others, I strive to lead by example and put the needs of my students first. And it is not hidden from anyone that best results are achieved when people work together towards a common goal, hence I encourage collaboration in the classroom while teaching students, work closely with my fellow faculty to advance the academic mission of our institution and strive to create a positive, inclusive and intellectually stimulating learning environment that values diversity and promotes equity and fairness and can inspire my students to reach their academic and professional goals regardless of their background or circumstances. Last but not the least, I try to be myself while interacting with my students and colleagues.

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How do you strategize and update the curriculum to make it befitting for the students?

"By involving relevant stakeholders, industry people, students and teachers in its design and review process"

As an Assistant Professor of a Business School, I believe that it is essential to regularly review and update the curriculum to ensure it remains relevant and up-to-date in accordance with best educational and industrial standards. Hence while designing the curriculum, we first identify the outcomes and end result we want our students to achieve and this helps us to determine what content and activities should be included in it. And as and when required, I also take inputs from industry experts, alumni, and other stakeholders to include the latest trends and best practices of industries in the curriculum and to make it evidence based, our fellow faculties regularly review existing research and scholarly literature. Also, since students are the consumers of content present in subject syllabus, hence suggestions are also taken from them and faculty members to identify areas of improvement. Lastly, we try to incorporate the technologies in the curriculum in the best way possible and keep ourselves updated with the latest happenings of the outside world. 

How do you prepare your students to deal with the outside competitive world?

"By motivating them to keep a growth mindset and updating them on a regular basis about outside world happenings"

For the purpose of making my students ready for the outside competitive world, I regularly encourage my students to adopt a growth mindset so that they can develop their intelligence, skills and abilities through hard work, perseverance and dedication. This approach also helps students to view competition as an opportunity for their personal and professional growth. Apart from this, I keep them updated about the possible career options, market job trends and motivate them to make a strong professional network. Last but not the least, I make them confident and competent by developing their communication skills, offering them emotional support during exams time and job search and asking them to attend industry events and join professional associations.

What are some of the unique qualities of your teaching style?

"I customize my teaching pedagogies as per my students needs and that's the best part of it"

I firmly believe that my teaching style is composed of a wide variety of techniques and methodologies. And hence I regularly engage my students in active learning as I believe it is one of the most effective tactics to teach students. I also use real time case studies while teaching any concept to students, organize group discussions, simulations and role plays on a regular basis. Because it’s a natural tendency that when students see real world applications of any theory, they learn it in a better way. And as we all know that each student is unique, hence I personalize my teaching approach as and when required to fulfill academic needs of individual students and also use various other resources like one-on-one meetings, class discussions, and online resources, to make sure they are getting every kind of support they need to succeed. Apart from all this, I believe that we can’t leave behind the incorporation of technologies when it comes to an important sector like education, hence I use multimedia resources and also conduct online discussion forums and interactive quizzes, and multimedia resources to engage and motivate my students. Therefore, I have adopted all these strategies to create a dynamic learning environment to help my students achieve their full potential.

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Which extracurricular activities are organized by your college to enhance the skills of students?

“Business competitions, management festivals and training programs are regularly conducted by us" 

Our college understands the fact that along with theoretical knowledge, co-curricular activities are very crucial for students' skills enhancement and their all around growth and development. And these activities also prepare students for real world challenges by making them more confident and competent. Hence, our college has established 11 clubs to conduct activities and events like industry interaction sessions by inviting corporate experts so that students can gain an in-depth understanding of the business world, management festivals and business competitions to help students apply concepts learned in classrooms to real-world business problems. In addition to this, we provide the best possible internship and job shadowing programs to students to give them hands-on experience in their respective areas and develop their business skills. Last but not the least, we motivate them to take part in volunteering services by collaborating with NGOs, community service groups, and other causes so that their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills could be enhanced on time.

Any precious advice which you would like to give to the students for a prosperous career ahead? 

“Don’t wait for perfect opportunities to learn something and make best use of your time and resources to achieve your goals”

I would like to advise my dear students to be proactive and take initiatives and not to wait for opportunities to come to them but create their own opportunities. The business world is constantly changing, and to stay ahead, you need to continuously learn and grow, so seek out new knowledge, skills and challenges and be open to new ideas and perspectives. Also, develop good relationships with your classmates, professors, alumni, and industry professionals and attend industry events, conferences, seminars and participate in online forums and groups to expand your network. Apart from all this, identify your passion and interests and then pursue a career that is aligned with your passion, make a meaningful impact in society and give a purpose to your life. And always remember that success does not come easy, and it takes hard work and perseverance to achieve your goals, so stay focused, persistent and do not give up in the face of obstacles or setbacks.