Always believe in yourself and learn not to say no’, says today's women leaders

Daniel H Pink, the famous American business management author, has said “Satisfaction depends not merely on having goals, but on having the right goals”. And he’s right! Women leaders are contributing new approaches to leadership and transforming power play at work.

Yet the question remains – will this translate into an advantageous situation for all women employees allowing them to make their way higher in the corporate hierarchy? Here’s what some women holding top positions in leading corporates in India have to say about achieving success in a challenging business environment.

Rosita Rabindra, chief people officer, NIIT Technologies, shares her take on pursuing a successful career, “My mantra for motivation to pursue a professional career is to be able to keep evolving and learning new things. I believe in giving my 100%, deriving joy from everything I do, be it professional or personal. The overall work environment, trustworthy leadership and the impact that I am able to have on the organisation are also important factors which keep me going at work.”

Anisha Motwani, director & chief marketing officer, Max Life Insurance, is driven by passion and advises female leaders to follow their instincts to make it big in the corporate world. “Passion is what should energise and propel you to get things done effortlessly. You do not feel burdened or stressed because you are focused in doing things that excite you. That way, you’ll be able to define success in your own terms and create a life you are proud of,” says Motwani.

“My mantra for motivation is powered by three aspects self-belief, touching lives of others around you and being a role model. We women see more inflection points in life than men do and so it becomes necessary for us to prioritise tasks,” says Srimathi Shivashankar – AVP diversity & sustainability, HCL Technologies.

“The question to be asked here is how can you as a woman reasonably accommodate your family into the fabric of decision- making and then prioritise accordingly,” she says. Rachna Mukherjee, chief human resources of ficer, Schneider Electric India advises young female leaders to be strong.

“It’s important for every woman to be self-reliant and emotionally strong. We, as women, manage not only our homes and professions but also a myriad of emotions involved in both spheres. Therefore, it is essential that we have a strong head on our shoulders,” she says.