Dr Deepa Mishra’s Post

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚? I have. After nearly four years in the professional world, one question has persistently troubled me: Why do so many men, especially those in leadership roles, struggle to accept suggestions or criticism from women? My experiences reveal a troubling pattern: feedback from women often triggers defensive reactions rather than constructive engagement. In about 85% of my encounters with male leaders and colleagues, instead of embracing feedback, many resort to counterattacks or dredge up past mistakes to assert their superiority. This behavior is both perplexing and frustrating. Feedback is vital for growth and should be received with an open mind, regardless of gender. Yet, the fragility of some male egos seems to hinder this process. While this observation may be uncomfortable for some, it reflects a reality I've encountered. I advocate for male allyship and strive to overcome this bias, but my experiences continue to reinforce it. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐄𝐠𝐨𝐬 𝐒𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐥𝐞 🔗https://lnkd.in/gAyEcniz Share your thoughts in the comments...💭 Nirupama Subramanian Aparna Mathur Harpreet Kaur Sudarshana Kundu Meghana Rao Kshama Priyadarshini Deepali D. Vandana Kena Shree Pooja Bajpai Maleeha Jameel Growing Leadership of Women #Leadership #GenderEquality #ProfessionalGrowth #Feedback #MaleEgos #CareerDevelopment

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? For leaders committed to empowering their women of culture team members, mastering the art of listening is essential—though it can be challenging when daily demands pull you in a thousand different directions. Here’s how: 1. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: If you rush conversations, they will have less meaning. Allow time for others to speak and for thoughtful responses. 2. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲: Make it clear that there is no judgment and that showing true emotions and letting down one's guard is encouraged. 3. 𝗕𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁: Avoid distractions. The only important thing in that moment is the person in front of you and what they say. 4. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗲𝘀: Pay attention to body language and tone of voice. These cues can reveal insights that words might not express. 5. 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: It can provide richer insights and nurture a deeper connection. 6. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Encourage deeper dialogue by asking questions that invite detailed responses. 7. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Paraphrase what you’ve heard to confirm your understanding and validate their experiences. 8. 𝗔𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Listening is only valuable if it leads to action. Use the insights gained to make informed decisions and address concerns. How have you refined your listening skills? #leadership #empowerment #diversityandinclusion #womenofculture #activelistening

When women doubt their ideas and suggestions at work, it’s tempting to prop them up emotionally. You might tell them not to worry.. That this sounds like Imposter Syndrome… And take the approach of 100% encouragement. I see other women do this and I understand where it comes from. Often women’s confidence levels DONT match their competence. They really DO need help to share their thoughts, ideas and plans with more self-belief. But we risk infantalising them in the process, if we prioritise fleeting feelings over helping them succeed in the long-run. They know you're just trying to be nice. So they don't trust you and they won't keep putting their ideas out. This strips women of their power and potential. Even though you’ve told them not to worry, they still do. Even if you’ve told them to be more confident, they aren’t. So they don’t get outside of their comfort zone And then wonder why they’re so frustrated all the time. Helping my clients achieve their goals is more important than being nice. Growth and success are hard. They might have ideas that don't stack up. But we don’t know until we get it out in the open! That means they need to be emotionally robust enough to put it on the table, stand back, and have a look at it objectively with me. They can’t do this if I'm trying to be "nice" at the expense of their growth. Our ideas aren't "us". They're just an idea. Let’s stop identifying with them so much, so we can explain, review, adjust and use our ideas with greater ease. If you’re a leader who wants my help with building an honest and robust team culture, drop me a DM. #diversity #leaders #womenleaders

Man vs. Bear in the workplace is sometimes more subtle... Imagine this: You're in a high-stakes meeting with your team, discussing the next big project that could define the future of your company. One of your brightest team members, Jessica, starts to outline a revolutionary approach based on her extensive research and experience. Just as she’s about to dive into the critical details, another team member Mike jumps in. He rephrases her ideas, adding nothing new and shifts the team's focus to him, leaving Jessica's original insights barely acknowledged. As the leader, how do you react? It’s important to remember that in these moments you need to slow it down. Oftentimes the hasty solution will only bring further problems later and never address the root cause. Are female colleagues increasingly disengaged? Are male colleagues getting more air time than their female counterparts? Is there a fair representation of male and female leaders? Do the women in your organization feel heard? This isn’t about making anyone wrong, it’s about getting real with ourselves and taking a moment to look inward. Mansplaining has become a hot topic, although not a new one. And, if you find yourself reacting to the term—stop and ponder. Why are you reacting in the way that you are? It boils down to a cultural challenge within your business. A strong culture of inclusion and support of each other will guide the ship. It takes the collective effort of your team, and it depends on whether or not they feel valued as well as heard. A cultural shift is required if you’re looking to grow. And, if you’re unable to shift it for yourself, you will need a coach. A person to provide outside perspective to support you in creating the future you desire. If you’re curious about what this means for your business, DM me for a complementary chemistry session. #humanresources #culture #leadership #smallbusiness #manvsbear

"What happens when people open their hearts? They get better". – Haruki Murakami In a world that often celebrates strength as stoicism, vulnerability is about striping away the mask and being real. It's the courageous act of showing up as we are, imperfections and all. Vulnerability is not a surrender; it's a mighty declaration that we are genuine, imperfect beings navigating the complexities of life. Vulnerability is discomforting, yet it's in these moments of vulnerability that profound connections are forged. When we allow ourselves to be seen – raw and unfiltered – we invite others to do the same. This shared openness becomes the foundation of genuine relationships, creating a space where empathy and understanding can flourish. Vulnerability isn't confined to the moments of our lowest lows; it's equally present in our highest highs. It's the willingness to celebrate success without downplaying our efforts or diminishing our achievements. In acknowledging our victories, we inspire others to embrace their successes wholeheartedly. As leaders, vulnerability becomes a superpower. It's the transparency that builds trust within teams, fostering an environment where collaboration and innovation thrive. A leader's willingness to admit mistakes, share uncertainties, and express genuine emotions not only humanizes them but also empowers those around them to embrace their own vulnerabilities. Vulnerability is a catalyst for personal and collective growth, it's a call to be brave, to be real, and to live with an open heart. So, let's not shy away from our vulnerabilities; let's honor them as the authentic markers of our shared humanity. “We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” - Brene' Brown Celebrating Women's Day this week, let's embrace the strength in vulnerability, recognizing that it's through our shared openness and authentic stories that we continue to uplift and empower one another. Do add your thoughts 👉 #Vulnerability #CourageousLiving #AuthenticityMatters #StrengthInVulnerability #AuthenticLeadership #womensday

Women leaders might be called out to be - A Hitler - Too bossy - Too strict - Emotionless - Cut to throat But, at some point, if we are not -- In a "Work while Work, Play while Play" mindset, we can just be walked over! I have faced this multiple times, in multiple scenarios. And to be honest, I don't mind it. Because at the end of the day - When they look back, they realize that - That push was needed. - That rejection was needed. - That strict talk was needed. - That constructive feedback was needed. That's exactly when one thrives. That's exactly when one grows. If you keep hearing only sweet words, you my friend are in the wrong place. P.s. Labels are only put by people with a bottled mindset. What's bottled mindset, well that's for the next post :) #womenleaders

Do you find it difficult to say NO? Yesterday, I was on a coaching call with a client She is a senior Director in her company, a highly accomplished leader However, she feels that she is not being assertive at workplace “What do you mean?” I asked her She responded “I find it difficult to say NO to people” “And how does it impact you?” I probed “My own works gets pushed back. I take on more than what I can deliver” She said “All this leaves me overwhelmed at times” “Sometimes, I get angry with my own self! Why did I not say NO?” she said and I could sense her frustration as she was speaking This is not uncommon… I know so many professionals who face a similar challenge But this is not just a YES or NO question It’s about a CONSCIOUS CHOICE you make What most people don’t realize is that…. Both YES and NO are simultaneous choices you are making AT THE SAME TIME When you say YES to something, you are also saying NO to something else When you YES to prioritizing someone else’s work over yours, you are saying NO to your own work When you YES to prioritizing someone else’s needs over yours, you are saying NO to your own needs Both YES and NO are simple yet transformative words – infact, both are a form of declaration So, here’s my challenge to you: It’s high time that you stand up for yourself It’s high time that you say YES to yourself, your needs and your worth Summon the courage to say NO with conviction Take control of your choices #iwd #womenleaders #professionalwomen #diversity #womenleadership

Have you ever said or thought: 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 Surprise, surprise, self-promotion is an important part of work and necessary for career advancement. So let's bust some myths: ➡️ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 In fact, your leaders expect you to remind them what you have achieved. Just like you are willing to promote the work you did as a team, you can honor you own effort and values by brining it forward. ➡️ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀 - 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 Most of what will determine your career will happen in rooms when you are not present, so are you making sure the people who will talk about you know about all of your contributions? ➡️ 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 This is self-explanatory. When you don't promote your work but others do (as they should) you seem like you are contributing less. Unfortunately, it's also a perception game. ➡️ 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 Think about all the times you were inspired or motivated by people who have achieved remarkable things and have shown great performance. So why not be the one who inspires your colleagues and your team? ➡️ 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗳 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 (my favorite) We are not talking about shamelessly promoting yourself or claiming unsubstantiated value, but rather about educating people about your skills, naming your specific contributions and acknowledging your value based on facts. Self-promotion should always be an authentic expression of ourselves and never a fake facade. So what stands between you and promoting your work? Typically it's fear of being seen but also cultural stereotypes. Research shows that women are disproportionately less likely than men to promote their hard-earned achievements at work for fear of being perceived as cocky. This leaves women in a double-bind: they will either be seen as confidence, or they will be likeable. But genders aside, when good people doing great work keep quiet, it's a lose lose for everyone. ❓ What is your opinion about self-promotion? Is it difficult or easy for your? What are some strategies you have applied that are impactful? #leadership #mindset #selfpromotion

Can a woman leader exude confidence without looking "bossy"? 👺 . . A confident leader is usually seen as a loud, dominating & chest-thumping personality.. A typical alpha-male stereotype. 💪🏼 But do women also need to become the same to command respect? The answer is- No. True Confidence isnt about dominating a room. It's about exuding a commanding presence right from the moment you walk into the room. A person whom everybody intrinsically turns towards as they being to speak. 😲 Here are a three tips to help women leaders (or those who aspire) to accomplish this gracefully without looking aggressive: 1️⃣ "Speak to convey; not to convince" Joe Navarro Our confidence stems from our competence and surety of ourselves. Often, when are even a little unsure of our knowledge and decision, we begin to say the same thing in 10 different ways to convince people. However, when we are prepared well and have clarity in mind, we speak to convey and not to convince. 2️⃣ Listen, think & then speak! Listen carefully to understand what is being discussed before you feel the impulse to jump in & speak. Before you speak, think what kind of a value will you contribute to the whole discussion. "People around you subconsciously keep your contribution score in their mind." Steven Bartlett. When we speak fluff just for the heck of speaking 🗣 , people start loosing respect for you. 3️⃣ Use the power of non verbal communication: If you want to exude confidence as a leader, your body language, tone and eye contact need to convey this first. Use more space while sitting or standing. Own the room. Make your movements more purposeful and smooth rather than rushed or jittery. . . A woman need not be a testosterone-fired loud-speaker, interrupting everyone to establish herself as a leader. 😄 It's her clarity of mind, competence and panache that can work wonders. 💫 Share this with a woman whom you feel has "all that takes to be a great leader". What else would you like to add to the list? 💬 . . . For more such content, follow Nupur Singh. #womenleaders #womenleadership #womenempowerment #corporatewomen

- Committed to Empowerment - For me, empowerment isn’t just a buzzword. My “About LI section” says “I strongly advocate for Women in Tech and empower them to grow”. I do stand with this statement and am committed as never before to support and help other women to unlock their talents. However, within my leadership journey I keep seeing that anyone might need it (e.g. your team, your boss, your peers, your friends, you yourself). The right feedback, support, encouragement, a fresh angle of thoughts or a gentle push towards an unseen opportunity could be welcomed by everyone regardless of their gender, age or any other human attributes. I have also seen and experienced myself when there is none. It sucks. Professionally and personally empowering means several things for me: * Owing and telling your story, when you empower yourself, you cultivate self-love, resilience, and an unwavering belief in your potential. * New unknown doors of opportunities for you or for someone else that were not seen or even imagined before  * Having someone behind your back or being that someone behind the back * You learn how to help, better lead, better understand the context, support, guide and encourage with those words and steps that will work for that individual Empowerment isn’t a solo journey. It’s about lifting others as you climb, sharing knowledge, and creating a ripple effect of positivity. When we empower each other, we build stronger teams, foster innovation, and create workplaces where everyone thrives. At the end of the day, I think that empowerment is that good fresh air that should be around you. You constantly have it in your lungs and you know you can absolutely do it.   As a Leader, I think I have learnt something here (but definitely not everything), if you know how we can all get better, please share! #empowerment #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #teamdevelopment #empoweringwomen #growthminded