How you present your ideas is just as crucial as the ideas themselves. Because no matter how brilliant your solution or insight, if you can’t get others to see it, believe in it, and act on it, then the idea fizzles out. And so does your opportunity to lead.

Leadership presence isn’t just about how you show up. It’s about how they feel after you’ve left the room.

Not your slides. Not your voice. Not even your decisions.

But your emotional resonance.

For years, Elon Musk was Tesla. His maverick reputation gave the company an edge. He drew customers, investors, and global attention without spending a cent on advertising.

A mentor doesn’t just say “This is how you should show up.” They show you how they did it. What worked. What didn’t. And what actually matters at the level you’re playing at.

Practice alone doesn’t create impact; deliberate practice does. This is where you focus on improving specific micro-skills, receive real-time feedback, and track improvement over time. It’s about knowing what to adjust and how.

Many senior leaders believe that if they just keep doing great work, their impact will be recognized. The hard truth? Leadership is as much about perception as it is about performance.

McKinsey's research on executive transitions shows that ineffective communication strategies are a major barrier to leadership success. Leaders often have the technical expertise but fail to influence and inspire, which stalls their career trajectory.

Leadership is a journey for all of us. And there’s a magic that comes with taking time out to reflect on the things that will make a difference. Coaching leaders is my way to invigorate, challenge, encourage them to shake off whatever is holding them back – through offering a non-judgmental space where they can be themselves – and keep striving to become more of themselves in their lives.

It might be easy to dismiss what a leader goes through, after all they did sign up for it. But this in no way minimises what they actually go through in order to lead. There are countless cases where vulnerability and being humane are touted as the best thing for a leader to be, but ultimately in all situations they are seen through the power lens. That isn’t always a pretty place to be in. Having a coach, who is firmly in your corner, can help you tremendously to walk on this tight-rope.

There is nothing like a perfect mentor. Different mentors bring out different aspects in us and help us grow.

In a virtual world, where people connect with each other only to be engaged in some form of quid pro quo, meaningful workplace relationships are fast becoming rare. But it is only those relationships where you feel that a colleague cares for you and will stand up for you- that you would find the encouragement to come to work every day and give your best.

When it comes to mentoring, sharing gender related frustration is a part of the process but the group keeps each other invested in spite of everything else that’s going on and you delve deep. It’s like Jane Fonda says “It’s my women friends that keep starch in my spine and without them, I don’t know where I would be. We have to just hang together and help each other.

The Personal Brands of founders make for a heady cocktail of realistic and aspirational. These founders are emotionally involved in their own brands and that of their organization, but only a genuine, consistent and relevant brand resonates with stakeholders. Always get inspired from the best. 

Entrepreneurial innovation is a globally thriving sector; and both men and women get penalised if women founders aren’t given their due weightage. Till the time funding women is seen as impact funding, there will be no movement in this sector for women and it will be a loss for the global economy as a whole.

Personal Branding requires self-awareness and also feedback from those who know you. You can start building a brand depending on the clarity you achieve at a particular point in time – but it is a dynamic process.