CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Executive Leadership Coach, Preethi Guruswamy
- What are some of the proven strategies and techniques that you use to help women leaders enhance their emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness?
As an executive leadership coach, I help my clients develop their emotional intelligence (EQ) and leadership effectiveness. I believe that women are great leaders and that we need to lead ourselves within before we can lead others. EQ helps us manage our feelings and align them with our goals, as well as understand and connect with the feelings and emotions of our team. EQ also helps us promote gender equality by enabling us to handle diverse and inclusive teams with empathy and respect. Great leadership is a network and not hierarchy. To enhance our EQ and leadership effectiveness, we need to create a safe environment, a routine, and a transformational mindset. We also need to listen better and be present in the conversation.
These strategies and techniques can help women leaders to enhance their emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness at any level of the organization, including the CXO level. A CXO needs to have self-awareness to understand the needs, expectations, and preferences of their customers and employees. They need to have self-regulation to manage the complexities and challenges of designing and implementing customer and employee experience strategies. They need to have empathy to empathize with the pain points, emotions, and feedback of their customers and employees. To effectively convey their ideas, influence partners and peers, and cultivate a favourable rapport with both clients and staff, they must possess social skills.They need to have motivation to pursue their goals with passion, enthusiasm, and commitment, and to motivate their teams to do the same.
- How do you address the challenges and opportunities that women leaders face in today’s dynamic and diverse environment?
Women leaders may face barriers such as gender bias, imposter syndrome, work-life balance, and lack of mentors. These may hinder their advancement and performance. To overcome them, women leaders need to challenge the barriers and promote fair and equitable treatment, develop their skills and confidence, and express themselves effectively, seek and provide feedback, mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship. Balance their work and life demands, and seek and provide support.
Women leaders may also find opportunities such as leveraging their strengths, leading with influence, creating a personal brand, negotiating offers, transitioning to leadership, and exploring entrepreneurship. These may enhance their growth and impact. To leverage them, women leaders need to define and communicate their vision and strategy, and align their actions with their values and goals. They need to lead with impact and influence, by communicating and inspiring others, create a personal brand and a career plan that reflects their goals, passions, and aspirations. Also, pursue new opportunities, such as entrepreneurship, career transition, or personal development.
- What inspired you to become a women leadership coach and how do women apply in their life?
I am a women leadership coach with 25 years of experience as an engineering leader. I have faced and overcome many challenges and stereotypes as a woman in a male-dominated field, and I have built my personal brand on success and excellence. I have the spark to up the game, and I am motivated to make the shift in the organization to bring equal and equitable systemic change. I coach both men and women to work on inclusive leadership, and enable them to enable the organization to bring the systemic change. I am passionate about helping other women, challenging the status quo, and creating a culture of collaboration and innovation. My vision is to make a positive impact in the world. Women leadership coaching can help you apply these benefits in your life for professional and personal growth. Unleashing your power, Defining your future, Building your brand, Building your network and Creating systemic change in the organization.
- How do you balance your own personal and professional well-being and prevent burnout as a coach?
Balancing one’s own personal and professional well-being and preventing burnout is a challenge, especially in today’s dynamic and diverse environment. To balance my well-being, I set strong boundaries around my time and task. I communicate clearly to my clients and others what are the working hours for me and I say no when necessary. This helps me to manage my workload and expectations, and to avoid overcommitting or taking on more than I can handle. I also personalize my self-care routine through reading, journaling, Ayurvedic diet, and yoga. These activities make me happy and relaxed, and help me to take care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. They also help me to cope with stress, recharge my energy, and maintain my passion and enthusiasm.
- Workplace diversity and inclusion are crucial aspects of modern leadership. How do you assist women leaders in fostering an inclusive culture ?
Workplace diversity and inclusion are crucial aspects of modern leadership, as they can enhance performance, innovation, and satisfaction among employees and customers. Diversity and inclusive leadership is important for both women and men leaders, as it can help them to achieve their goals, to create a positive work environment, and to foster a culture of inclusion and diversity. I think it is important to recognize that fostering an inclusive culture is not only the responsibility of women leaders, but also of men leaders and all employees in an organization. However, women leaders may have a unique role and opportunity to promote diversity and inclusion, especially for other women and marginalized groups who face more barriers and challenges in the workplace.
- As a women leadership coach, what advice do you offer to women on how can they assert themselves without compromising authenticity?
To be assertive and authentic in the workplace, women should be confident in their value and values, and communicate them clearly and respectfully. They should also be open to feedback and learning, and seek them proactively to improve their skills and potential. Moreover, they should build a supportive network of other women leaders, and provide and receive guidance, support, and advocacy. These tips can help women overcome the challenges they face in male-dominated fields, and achieve their goals and aspirations.
