Indians have a great track record when it comes to technical skills. However, there’s much to be desired in terms of communication skills in general. Possibly, because the Indian education puts a strong focus on sciences and mathematics, but not on developing essential life skills.
“So, when we enter the workforce, we are hesitant to speak up in meetings, assert ourselves, or feel confident about pitching our ideas,” says Rakesh Godhwani, Founder and CEO of the School of Meaningful Experiences (SoME), a unique educational organisation that offers communication training programmes for young professionals, managers, entrepreneurs and learners of varied age groups.
When SoME was established in November 2018 in Bengaluru, the motive was to change the status quo and leverage the power of technology to create a global classroom. “Our courses are delivered online in a blended model, and we not only have learners from different parts of India, but also from Bahrain, UK, US, and Saudi, among other parts of the world,” informs the entrepreneur, who has done his Ph.D. in business and leadership communication.
“I was keen to give communication its due academic status, powered by scientific research and a practical approach in my programmes. It became my mission to build a venture that produces good communication programmes, empowers learners, and creates the next generation of confident communicators and leaders for India Inc,” he says.
Adopting a holistic approach
SoME’s programmes, based on the organisation’s unique ‘Six Cs’ philosophy, equips learners with key life skills, namely Communication, Confidence, Collaboration, Curiosity, Competence, and Creativity. “SoME compliments the curriculum, by looking at education from a cross-disciplinary human element. We understand that, for most people, the main objective of education is to land a job and keep upskilling and so we empower learners to understand themselves as well as others better and eventually become exemplary leaders and communicators,” explains Godhwani.
As the first and the only organisation in India to cater to the growing demand for honing the soft skills of working professionals and entrepreneurs across sectors, SoME advocates a holistic approach to education and communication. There are no ‘teachers’ or ‘faculty’ at SoME; instead, there are ‘Guides’ who inspire learners to be fearless in their pursuit of excellence.
Currently, SoME offers four Communication programmes – for young professionals, with work experience of up to 5 years; for associates, with work experience 5+ years; for mid-level managers, with work experience of 10+ years; and entrepreneurs. “We are now working on courses for CXOs and the higher management,” informs the IIM Bangalore alumnus and computer engineer. Recently, the organisation in collaboration with Ahemdabad University, successfully completed their maiden management development programme for the employees of BetterPlace, a Bengaluru-based, HR Tech Solutions.
SoME follows the dictum of continued learning for life. “These programmes consider the specific challenges that stem from different phases in one’s career, making the lessons extremely relatable, empowering one to handle issues better at the workplace,” he says.
Redefining success
The organisation’s biggest success, according to Godhwani, has been witnessing Indians become more articulate and confident in their communication. After years of watching Indian colleagues in the corporate set-up being the quietest people in the room, despite being the most technically competent professionals, he considers the evolution to be a heartening experience.
Another important success, he says, is the perceptible shift in mindsets. “People understand that effective communication goes beyond speaking in English. You can have a strong vernacular accent and still be an ace communicator,” he insists.
Envisioned as an ‘Institute of the Future’, SoME operates on business-to-consumer (B2C) as well as business-to-business (B2B) models. It actively partners with corporates, schools, colleges, and various prestigious institutes, such as Ahmedabad University, to widen the reach of its programmes.
The mission is to help learners become more confident, learn persuasive communication skills, and be more collaborative. SoME programmes are designed to aid the learners’ holistic growth – personally, professionally, mentally, and emotionally.
“We have been seeing steady growth over the last four years, despite the pandemic-induced disruption. We started with 22 learners and now have over 2,000 learners who have graduated from SoME,” says Godhwani. The SoME team is also steadily growing, with 24 employees currently based in India, Switzerland, Malaysia, and Australia.
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