"From global leadership to transformative coaching, Manisha Singh’s journey is a beacon of resilience and inspiration."

Meet Manisha Singh, a remarkable individual whose career path is as diverse as it is inspiring. Starting as a Chemical Engineer, Manisha transitioned into the IT industry, where she honed her skills in people management at renowned organizations like Dell, IBM, and Unisys. A significant turning point came in 2007 when Manisha discovered her passion for coaching. This pivotal moment not only reshaped her professional trajectory but also laid the foundation for her impactful coaching practice. Today, as an independent consultant and coach, Manisha combines her extensive experience with a deep commitment to helping others unlock their highest potential."

1. Background and Career Path

?- Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to your current career path?

I started out as a Chemical Engineer, graduating in the Y2K era, and soon after, I entered the IT industry. Most of my roles in IT focused on people management, for which I am grateful because they allowed me to understand the nuances of leadership. My tenure with organizations like Dell, IBM, and Unisys gave me exposure to working with global teams.

A turning point in my career came in 2007 while working at Dell. I was leading a team of coaches and had the opportunity to obtain my first certification as a coach. This was one of the best things that happened to me, as it helped me understand the workings of the mind and how to engage with it constructively.

Although I returned to operations and service delivery for several years, the fundamentals of coaching had become integral to my approach. In 2014, when I decided to start my independent journey, I naturally gravitated toward coaching. It kept me connected with the corporate space, allowing me to tap into my experience.

?- What were your initial goals when you started your career, and how have they evolved?

To begin with, my goal was to do well academically and be financially independent. I had no idea what my calling was, but as a little girl, I was always clear that I wanted to be in charge of my own finances. With time and experience, clarity emerged, and I understood that what excites me the most is supporting people in the pursuit of their highest potential. To date, some of the happiest moments of my professional life have been when I have made a difference in people’s lives by being their thought partner, helping them discover their zone of genius and their path to getting into that zone.

Coaching and consulting allow me to do what I love the most – see the genius in the person in front of me, help them see it, and use their strengths to accomplish their goals in a way that is fun and inspiring.

2. Challenges and Overcoming Them

?- What significant challenges have you faced in your career, especially as a woman in your field?

When I began my journey as a mother, my vision was to create harmony between work and life. Being in a global role, none of my teams operated from Bangalore. I enjoyed the role, however, with long work hours spread across different time zones, I couldn’t find a way to enjoy my journey of motherhood while managing the complexity of my job. It felt like handling the highest level of complexity both at work and in my personal life, not to mention the rollercoaster ride my body was going through.

I decided to quit and start my journey as an independent consultant and coach. I grew my practice at my own pace. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but it has been incredibly fulfilling. The learning has been immense, and in hindsight, I am grateful to do work that aligns with my natural abilities and brings me deep satisfaction.

?- Can you share a specific instance where you had to overcome a significant obstacle or setback?

The most significant obstacle for me was my academic journey. My father excelled academically and in sports, making him a role model for me. Doing well in studies was very important to me. However, while I could grasp concepts quickly, I faced challenges with spatial awareness and coordination. Certain concepts in physics and engineering drawing would confuse me thoroughly. To add to the challenge, my handwriting deteriorated when the volume of writing increased and time was limited, especially during exams. This triggered severe anxiety in me as a student.

I could barely finish any of my exam papers. While most students would complete all the questions, I would be lagging behind due to my slow writing. Thankfully, whatever I managed to complete earned me good marks, but the entire process was painful. I also struggled with sports due to my issues with spatial awareness and coordination, which added to my frustration.

The clumsiness that accompanied my disorder made me feel very awkward socially, adding to my existing challenges. It was much later that I realized I had a developmental coordination disorder (dyspraxia), which can often coexist with other learning disabilities. This explained why, despite all my efforts, my handwriting was barely legible and I couldn’t write quickly.

This challenge, however, brought with it the gift of empathy. Given my own struggles, I developed a high degree of empathy for others. It is a gift that I deeply value.

3. Achievements and Milestones

?- What achievements are you most proud of in your career?

Unlike my academic life, my career has been far more rewarding. Given my struggles in academics, I was used to putting in a lot of effort, and this effort was recognized throughout my corporate career. I had some wonderful opportunities to learn and grow and, above all, to meet incredible people—connections and relationships that I deeply value.

If I look at my entire career, including my coaching career, here is what I am most proud of:

• Reinventing myself and setting up my coaching practice
• Writing and publishing my first book The Tenth Story. My book is a curation of real life stories of women who have grown through adversities
• Cultivating a habit of writing consistently.

- Is there a particular project or initiative that you believe significantly impacted your career or your organization?

1. I have fond memories of a contest I launched while at Dell called "Need for Speed." The contest aimed to encourage technicians to develop proficiency in dismantling and reassembling Dell desktops. I can’t say if it impacted my career, but it definitely had a positive impact on the skills of my team.
2. Coaching was initially leveraged by the UK teams at Dell. I was fascinated by the concept. On one occasion, when the UK team visited our Bangalore office, I took the initiative to meet them and understand what coaching entailed. I loved the concept and volunteered for any coaching-related initiatives. This was a turning point in my career, as my subsequent role was to manage a team of coaches and get certified as a coach myself. It is a skill that has been an integral part of my life ever since – now for over 17 years.
3. About seven years ago, I tried translating my love for stories and conversations into a project called 100 Conversations. Through this project, I wanted to understand the stories of women who felt they had lost touch with the version of themselves that nurtured, cared, and celebrated their feminine side. I was curious to know what came in the way of women taking care of themselves. The project was well received, and many women generously shared their stories about their relationship with self-care. It was heartwarming to see how men participated in the project by referring their wives for a conversation. I blogged about each conversation and posted the stories on Facebook so friends and relatives of the participants could appreciate and cheer for them. It was amazing to see encouraging comments for these women from their family members, childhood friends, and colleagues.

This initiative helped me understand how our personal stories shape our experiences and vice versa. It laid the foundation for my work on my book,?The Tenth Story.

4. Work-Life Balance

?- How have you managed work-life balance throughout your career, and what advice would you give to others struggling with this?

My advice would be to look at balance as a verb. What balance means to us keeps changing with each phase of life. Checking in with ourselves on what balance means during each phase helps us reassess priorities and make choices accordingly.

Building a rock-solid support system of friends, family, and staff helps a lot. My house help and my cook have been my biggest source of support when it comes to creating balance.

Having open conversations within the family about our ambitions and priorities helps enlist family members. My husband and my daughter understand my priorities, and their support has been incredible.

Last but not least, be gentle with yourself on days when not everything on your list gets done. Taking care of my well-being helps me stay balanced.

5. Mentorship, Sponsorship & Support

?- Have you had mentors, sponsors or supporters who significantly influenced your career? How did they help you?

Absolutely. I have had superb mentors and coaches. Right from creating space for me to understand my strengths, make the right choices to lending me a voice in rooms where I wasn’t there myself, I think my mentors and sponsors have been instrumental in my growth.

Relationships with my mentors and sponsors have survived over decades and what I value the most about them is the honesty with which I get clear advice, the courage and confidence that they instil.?

?- How important do you think mentorship, sponsorship and support is in career development, especially for women?

I think mentorship and sponsorship are crucial for growth and career development. At each stage of our career, we need guidance from someone who can see beyond our current vantage point and is genuinely invested in our growth.

As women, our journeys are nuanced—not only due to motherhood but also when the empty nest syndrome and menopause add emotional, biological, and psychological complexities. There are phases in our careers where we need an extra pair of eyes, ears, and an amplified voice to help us.

That said, these are relationships that need to be nurtured over time. Mentors and sponsors need time to understand us, our needs, and our credibility. Therefore, it is important to be willing to nurture these relationships with dedication and commitment.

6. Diversity and Inclusion

?- In your experience, how has the landscape for women in your field changed over the years?

I see a distinct positive shift when I compare the current landscape with how things were when I started my journey. There is much more awareness of the value that women leaders bring to the table.

There is also more support in terms of resource groups within organizations, drives for diversity, and leadership programs for women with a focus on mentoring and sponsorship. It is heartening to see the dynamic changing.

Another positive shift I see is the increased awareness about feminine leadership traits versus the single-minded focus on the command-and-control style. Conversations around feminine leadership traits like empathy, emotional intelligence, vulnerability, patience, and compassion are creating relatively better work environments than we saw two decades ago.

?- What do you believe companies can do better to support diversity and inclusion in the workplace?

Companies need to take the next step and move from merely “supporting” diversity and inclusion to making it an integral part of their culture. Having policies is not enough. Firefighting and driving quarter-on-quarter goals sometimes take away the focus on building culture. Initiatives and programs become part of the annual agenda rather than a “way of working.” A culture of psychological safety, open-mindedness, meritocracy, and inclusivity will lead to a diverse and thriving workforce.

7. Advice and Insights

?- What advice would you give to young women starting their careers in your field?

• Build a solid support system – don’t hesitate to spend on hiring help. Set aside time to build and nurture relationships with those who are genuinely invested in your well-being and success.
• Keep learning. Invest in yourself – attend workshops, get a coach, find a mentor, and go to conferences. Don’t solely depend on your organization to spend on your professional development.
• Build solid relationships with at least a few trusted colleagues who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
• Make physical and mental well-being a priority. Build emotional resilience.
• Be open and vocal about your aspirations (at home and at work).
• Focus on building financial independence. Start investing early on so that you don’t have to work for money and can live and lead fearlessly.

- Are there any resources (books, courses, networks) you recommend to professionals aspiring to grow in your industry?

Here are some books that have helped me grow, as a coach, as a person and as a leader

• The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
• Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. Mc Raven
• Unlocking Potential by Michael K. Simpson

In terms of courses, I liked Embodied Leadership – a course offered by the Strozzi Institute. I also enjoyed the Narrative Coaching Course offered by The Moment Institute.

8. Future legacy & Sisterhood

?- Looking forward, what goals or objectives do you have for the next phase of your career?

As I look ahead , here are my goals and objectives for the next phase of my career:

• I would love to curate leadership programs focused on:

- How do you hope to influence or inspire the next generation of women in your field?

Through my coaching and writing, I would love to nudge young women to rewrite the rules of leadership and define success on their own terms. Whether they decide to take a break, not take a break, take up lateral roles and build breadth, or develop subject matter expertise and develop depth - letting women decide, what is right for them and how to lead. It's about embracing our vulnerabilities, owning our strengths, and leading with a sense of purpose and compassion that transforms not just our careers, but our entire approach to life.

9. Personal Growth and Learning

?- Can you share a lesson or piece of wisdom you've learned that has significantly influenced your personal or professional life?

Here is a three-fold mantra that one of my mentors had shared with me. It has stayed? with me ever since :

1. No matter who you have in front of you, there is always something you can learn through every conversation.
2. There is never a bad decision in life. Once you have made it, make it the best decision of your life.
3. Don't work for money, work for passion. Make sure, you create other sources of income so that you are not tied to what you do just because of money.

- How do you approach continuous learning and staying updated in your field?

For the last ten years, I have made sure to have my own coach. I am part of several coach communities focused on continuous learning and being in a stimulating environment committed to growth. I also enroll in various programs to keep my coaching toolkit current and updated.

Over the years, I have developed the practice of making notes from insights gained during the coaching sessions I run. This habit helps me develop deeper insights from my sessions and challenges me to become a better coach.

10. Impact and Contribution

?- What impact do you hope to leave on your industry or community?

I would love to contribute towards making leadership more soulful by bringing awareness to the fundamental qualities at the heart of leadership competencies. These qualities include observing non-judgmentally, patience, respect, humility, creativity, engaging with emotions constructively, staying present, nurturing curiosity, open-mindedness towards various perspectives, foresight, empathy, connection, tenacity, and flexibility.

Through years of coaching, I have come to realize that these qualities not only bring more depth and dimension to coaching, they also contribute to a culture that feels safe, inclusive, and nurturing.

11. Being CEO Ready

- What are top 3 skills or experiences that you believe are important for women to be CEO Ready?

I believe the top three skills or experiences crucial for women to be CEO ready are :

• Managing change
• Risk Management
• Digital Transformation

These skills not only develop skills like strategic agility and financial acumen but also lay the foundation for leading with impact and handling complexity. In addition to these, building a solid network is fundamental in navigating the challenges of leadership and amplifying one's influence.

?- What is next big step in your life to being CEO Ready?

Given my role as a coach ( I don’t aspire to be a CEO myself), being a thought partner to aspiring women CEOs excites me. Creating programs, and writing about topics that contribute to creating a work culture and societal change that supports women and their aspirations will give me a sense of fulfilment.

12. Experience with BAGGGEL

?- How has being a member of BAGGGEL impacted or added value to your career or personal growth?

BAGGGEL has contributed significantly to my learning. I love that this platform has also given me an opportunity to contribute by tapping into my skills and interests. I love playing a role in the awesome events curated here.

?It has connected me with inspiring women leaders, some of whom have become good friends. Our stimulating conversations spark new ideas and keep me thinking about how we can add value to emerging women leaders and positively influence the evolving corporate landscape.?

Can you share a specific experience or aspect of BAGGGEL membership that has been particularly influential for you?

?The BAGGGEL CEO Ready conference left a deep impact on me, inspiring me to consider areas where I'd like to be a trailblazer. The conference featured amazing speakers and mentors who shared their experiences and insights, which was incredibly influential for me.

Thank you.