A PGDM experience can shape a career most strongly when it builds habits that stay useful long after campus life ends: learning speed, dependability, and the ability to take ownership of outcomes. Deeptie Sethi, CEO of the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), has spoken to management students about exactly these traits, linking them to how professionals become credible leaders over time.
A Career Built On Credibility
PRCAI announced Deeptie Sethi’s appointment as its first CEO in a newly created role, with a mandate to help build the association’s vision for a more professional and ethical public relations industry. That kind of role requires more than communication skills; it demands judgement, stakeholder confidence, and the ability to learn continuously across business, policy, and industry expectations.PRCAI announced Deeptie Sethi’s appointment as its first CEO in a newly created role, with a mandate to help build the association’s vision for a more professional and ethical public relations industry. That kind of role requires more than communication skills; it demands judgement, stakeholder confidence, and the ability to learn continuously across business, policy, and industry expectations.
When students evaluate the best PGDM college for themselves, one practical check is whether the institute consistently creates such exposure - events, competitive platforms, and structured feedback - because those experiences build workplace-ready habits.
Knowledge Plus Attitude, Not Knowledge Alone
Deeptie Sethi’s guidance highlights a simple but underused idea: knowledge creates capability, but attitude determines whether others will rely on that capability. In most workplaces, people notice patterns quickly - how you respond to feedback, whether you meet commitments, and whether you solve problems without creating friction for others. This is where many careers either accelerate or stagnate.
For PGDM students, this is also a reminder to treat every project seriously, even when it looks small. A presentation, a group assignment, or an internship deliverable becomes a training ground for professional reliability. Over time, the habit of finishing work with care becomes a differentiator.
EQ Over IQ: What Leadership Looks Like Now
She also stresses that emotional intelligence (EQ) matters more than IQ in today’s world. For managers, EQ is not a soft concept; it is the ability to read situations accurately, communicate with respect, and handle pressure without making decisions impulsively.
In leadership roles, EQ shows up in clear actions:
- Listening fully before responding, especially when the topic is sensitive or when stakeholders disagree.
- Giving feedback in a way that improves performance instead of damaging trust.
- Managing conflict through facts and fairness, rather than personal preference.
- Staying calm during uncertainty so teams do not lose focus.
Ownership: Writing Your Own Career Story
Another key theme in her message is ownership: taking responsibility for choices and building a personal success story through consistent effort. This is also where students often rethink what they expect from an institute. Rather than asking only “Is this the best PGDM college?”, a stronger question is “Will I use the platform fully, and will the environment push me to perform consistently?” The most balanced profiles are built by individuals who treat their own effort as the main driver.
Continuous Learning: The Habit That Sustains Leadership
Deeptie Sethi emphasises continuous learning through experiential learning, upskilling, and investing in oneself. In leadership roles, learning is not limited to formal training; it includes learning from outcomes, observing stakeholder expectations, and improving execution each quarter. A realistic learning routine for aspiring leaders can be built around three disciplines:
- Maintain a weekly learning plan (one business topic, one industry topic, one skill area) and review progress every month.
- Convert experience into learning by writing short “after-action notes” after projects: what worked, what did not, and what should change next time.
- Invest in communication quality: clarity in writing, clarity in presentations, and the ability to explain trade-offs.
This is the kind of learning that stays relevant even when industries change, because the core skill is not memorising content; it is updating capability.
The JIMS Platform in Her Journey
In her interaction with students, Deeptie Sethi’s message is also a reminder of how institutes contribute: they provide structure, expectations, and a platform where students can practise professional behaviour before they enter high-stakes roles. As a general context, Jagan Institute of Management Studies imparts professional education at post-graduate and graduate levels in the fields of Management and Information Technology, and it positions JIMS Rohini as a top PGDM college in Delhi.
The more useful interpretation for students is not to treat any campus name as a guarantee. Instead, treat the platform as a responsibility: if faculty, projects, and alumni access exist, the student must convert them into skills and credibility.
Conclusion
Deeptie Sethi’s career message is direct: build knowledge, carry the right attitude, develop EQ, take ownership, and keep learning through experience and upskilling. When students follow these principles with consistency, they become the kind of professionals leaders can trust with important work. A strong B-school environment can support that process, but the long-term outcome still depends on how seriously a student uses the platform and improves every cycle.