Leadership, Defined in Moments: Insights from the Already Fierce Roundtable

In this power-packed roundtable conversation, senior leaders engage in an honest and insightful conversation on how women leaders advance in the modern corporate ecosystem. This podcast goes beyond theory and into defining moments, which shape leaders much before titles do. What emerges is several real-life inflexion moments that show how leadership is recognized, redefined, and refined over a period.

Participants:

Aparna Nene – OD and Talent Lead NiCE, India
Bageshri Dongre – Senior Manager HR, Bridgenext
Shreyasi Majumdar – Senior HR Manager, Winspire Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Defining Leadership Moment

This is one of the most compelling segments of the podcast where participants were asked about the moment when they felt like leaders. Surprisingly, it was not formal authority or promotion, but the moment when they assumed ownership. It was the time when the participants assumed responsibility amidst uncertainty, decided without awaiting validation, or stood firm even while facing resistance. Leadership at this moment was not about control but more about conviction.

Interestingly, all three participants recall feeling like a leader early in their careers much before formally earning the title. These moments were when they guided teams, influenced results, or stepped up when circumstances needed them to assume charge. These moments show that leadership is shown through actions and not designations. Though the titles came later, the mindset existed earlier.

How They Changed when Promoted to Leadership Roles

A significant discussion was what the participants had to unlearn and relearn as they moved into leadership roles. An important unlearning was their belief that individual excellence was adequate. As the participants transitioned into leaders, their success was more about enabling team members rather than personal performance. They had to learn effective delegation, seek help, trust others, and take a step back as they realized that true leadership is not about doing more; it is about creating an impact by enabling others to deliver their best performances.

Another important thing was the need to have all the answers. Instead, the participants acquired skills to ask relevant questions, listen actively, and make informed decisions. Leadership, according to them, is not certainty, but having clarity amidst ambiguity.

Biases and Challenges

The conversation looked at the biases and challenges they faced as women leaders. While not always explicit, these were often subtle. The participants reflected on how they navigated through these challenges and overcame bias by building credibility over a period, strengthening their voice, and choosing when to challenge and when to rise above. Instead of being intimidated by such bias and challenges, they took deliberate efforts on how they showed up.

Importance of Having Business Sense

Women are often perceived as lacking business sense. During the discussion, the importance of having a basic business sense emerged. Going beyond technical expertise, the participants emphasized the importance of understanding how businesses operate, the impact of decisions, and value creation. According to them, leadership is seeing the larger picture and not just excelling in a single role.

Looking into the Future

When asked about the one thing that must be eliminated in future generations, all participants agreed about removing limiting beliefs and gender stereotypes around leadership. The idea that leaders must sound or look in a particular way must be eliminated. They advocated for a future where outdated norms constraining people are eliminated, and individuals are encouraged to lead in authentic and effective ways.

The roundtable reinforces the idea that leadership is not a milestone but several defining moments. And often, an individual leads much before giving a formal designation.