What does it mean to be a woman in the job role you are in?

We have come a long way from the time I joined the workforce. However, we still have a long way to go before we eliminate workplaces biases.

There is an inherent need to move past deeply rooted subconscious and outdated stereotypes that decide the role of women in society. Being viewed as nurturers and homemakers can get in the way of a woman’s career advancement journey. Apart from this, they also face the additional pressure of ensuring that they stand out by breaking gender stereotypes. In an effort to “prove themselves” continually, women also tend to work twice as much. Over time with the consistent prevalence of gender biases, career prospects get hurt in the process, especially for senior leadership roles. A clear deficit in the representation of women CEOs says a lot about ingrained prejudices that still prevail. For economic purposes, gender parity is imperative. By supporting women in empowering roles, we can collectively drive growth.

What privileges or challenges do you stereotypically and generically face? How did you overcome?

Society is still very slow in changing its view on the role of women. There is an uneven playing field that limits the participation of women in the workforce. The general expectation is that her family should take precedence over work commitments. To move past this societal stubbornness, she must consciously detach herself from these confines. This requires her to demonstrate higher conviction and possess stronger commitment to overcome hurdles. However, a male CEO does not have to go through this validation process.

Even though we are moving forward, some sectors continue to remain male dominated. To this day I find myself in situations with conflicting reactions. People tend to be sophisticated and respectful while expressing their opinions. However, the expectation to be polite due to societal norms leads to inhibition and restraint in expression. You’ve to take things in your stride to balance the good with the bad.

The privilege of being a woman leader is that you stand out. It also means that you’re more likely to be remembered compared to your counterparts. I’ve been fortunate to have women role models and the support of men who have looked beyond gender stereotypes and extended equal opportunity on meritocracy.

If you were to pick up one word to describe your journey so far in your career, what would it be?

It would be determination. In the face of adversity, Determination becomes your greatest ammunition. It makes for an important leadership trait and fuels you to take charge of things.

My determination has enabled me to find creative avenues of achieving goals at a time when women weren’t preferred in the sales industry. My determination to challenge gender norms and status quos has always helped me find my way.

What matters in the end is the will to succeed regardless of the odds.

How hard was it to reach this position and What strengths of yours has helped you achieve this growth?

I think the conviction that insurance is my calling made it easy for me to focus on and achieve growth. Also, I’ve always treated my job as a “person’s job” and not as a gender-specific task. Throughout my career I’ve maintained a “Can do. Will do.” attitude, which has fueled my growth. I believe women need to consider themselves as equal players in the game to establish this reality.

What trade-offs did you have to make and looking back what do you feel about it now?

I believe that every decision I’ve made has shaped my perspective and helped me grow along the way. Purposefully and consciously choosing one trade off over the other is the right way to look at it. Every day we are posed with choices to make. Trade-offs are all about prioritization. We tend to choose the more important task at hand over the other. By navigating the landscape on merit and instinct, we hope to make the most prudent decision with the resources and options available to us at that point in time. The outcomes may or may not always go our way, but we hope for all our trade-offs to be worth it in the end. I believe that it is futile to revisit a decision after having lived with the consequences. You are now looking at the same situation with a different lens and at a different point in time.

Most inspiring book, you ever read

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is one of the most compelling books ever written. Despite being written in 1957, its core philosophy still holds relevance today. Gigantic, relentless, often fantastic, this book is definitely not one to be swallowed whole. Once the reader enters this stark, strange world, s/he will stay with it, be borne along by its story and its eloquent flow of ideas.

The book represents a panorama of human life and begs to ask the question if a man’s refusal to sell his soul will bring him all of life’s joys? It beautifully demonstrates the fall of the privileges and the rising of men that are from the lowest of the low. The book makes you ponder about all the encounters in your life and forces you to hit the reset button on your morality.

Which historical /mythological character influenced you the most?

I’ve always looked to Draupadi as someone who was brave, proud, outspoken, fiery, and enigmatic. Despite the tragedies and hardship, she had to go through, she always persevered to stand tall. Never letting her setbacks of the past dictate her present actions is an admirable quality of hers.

What is the wisdom you want to pass on to your children?

I’ve always encouraged my children to work hard to realise their own potential. With lives increasingly showcased on social media, people have a growing affinity to compare themselves with the world surrounding them. But the real challenge is only with oneself.

Rather than competing with another person, I would want my children to set their own benchmarks and constantly raise the bar to realise their potential. The most important learning is to find yourself and set your own values and growth metrics.

What is the wisdom you want to pass on to other aspiring young women in the insurance industry?

Striking the right balance between passion and processes is the key to success and having a professionally and personally balanced life. A diverse mix of voices leads to healthier deliberations, decisions, and results for everyone. Women in workforce have taken the initiative and the first step by “showing up”. When women lead, everything changes.

As professionals, be focused on delivering above and beyond expectations, without seeking undue favors based on gender. When you are committed, you will earn respect and create your own identity. Staying true to yourself and playing to your strengths is the key to rising above preconceived notions of how women should appear and act at work.

We can expect equitable treatment based on unique challenges and an absence of bias for the challenges not of our own making. However, we need to also be able to accept if there is an adverse impact to the organisation on account of unique situations faced by us (pregnancy, motherhood) and work to balance out the organisational interest.

What is your message to all the men out there?

Women make up 50% of the world’s higher education graduates, but only 25% of them occupy management positions. To turn the current momentum into action and to bridge gender gaps, we need your support. Today majority of the decision-making positions are held by men. There is a need to fight sexism and gender stereotype in every aspect of life and look at the value addition women bring to a workplace. There are many intelligent, capable, and competitive women who can take on roles that men traditionally dominate.

My message to all men out there is – Give an unbiased opportunity to everyone. But most importantly, give yourself a chance to outgrow biases and learn new things that will liberate your thought process. The workforce is full of dynamic, talented women who aspire to make it big. Promote and boost each individual and extend equitable opportunities basis meritocracy.

How do you spend your free time (hobbies, pursuits)?

I feel very passionate about mentoring the next generation of leaders. When I reflect on my own journey, I am reminded of the mentors who played a crucial role in my growth story. It is a personal reminder to extend the same benefits to the future generation of leaders. When you’ve a mentor who supports you and vouches for you, it encourages you to be the best version of yourself.

This is my way of giving back to an industry that has rewarded me with priceless experiences. By honestly sharing my own experiences, roadblocks, and achievements with them, I aim to empower and encourage young leaders.