Lift as you Climb.

Over the last few days, I have been writing about some of the pioneering work we are doing across Unilever South Asia with women in STEM and women in the frontline. However, a more important journey precedes and underlies the work in these areas – investing in our women leaders to build them as #equityadvocates and leaders who script the change we see.

Today, I wanted to share my own reflections around how the organisation took a bet on me, which made me resolve to pay it forward. Early in 2011, I was heading Leadership Development for Unilever South Asia and was given the opportunity to go to London for a four-month project at our global head office, 100 VE. I was a new mother with a young toddler and while the work was incredibly exciting, a part of me was confused about whether it was the right decision for me and my family. I remember reaching out to my line managers and some of my mentors, who sat me down and had honest and practical conversations about how I should think about the opportunity. They encouraged me - beyond just professional advice - to build a strong support network at home, at work and in London, and gave me the confidence to accept the assignment and supported me through every moment of this period of change and personal adjustment. That experience was truly invaluable and, in some ways, prepared me to take on a longer expatriation and ultimately to where I am today, leading the People function for the largest FMCG in South Asia. My career has been a joint production; the outcome not only of my effort but truly a culmination of the support that I've had from my parents, family, line managers, teams and mentors.

Ten years later, I am a firm believer that investing in women leaders cannot be left to chance or serendipity, it needs to be done in a systemic manner. At Unilever South Asia, these are a few principles that I follow and encourage the organisation to follow as well:

• Make iconic & visible appointments: In HUL, over a decade ago, we appointed our first woman Regional Manager in sales without any experience in running a sales area before that stint. The company saw in her potential for bigger, better things and this stint would add to her leadership. Of course, this was supplemented with a rigorous onboarding process to ensure that she was able thrive in the role. It gives me immense pride to say that the iconic appointment paved the way for others, and today, at the Area Sales Manager level we have 43% women representation.
• Take bets on talent, with a safety net: For every appointment, bring a balanced slate of candidates into the succession mix. And look for women candidates who have learning agility for the role, even if they don’t have the experience profile. Our first female factory manager didn’t have manufacturing experience but had the willingness and hunger to learn, and decided to raise her hand. We took a bet on her with a clear understanding that this stint would make her a well-rounded Supply Chain professional. At HUL, today one out of three managers in supply chain is a woman, and this is largely because of the work we have started a decade ago on taking bets on young talent.?
• Create a platform of mentors for women leaders: Some women tend not to seek out mentors informally and wait for formal relationships; others are happy reaching into their network of friends and line managers to use as a sounding board. Having seen the benefit of having great mentors at different points in your career, while the onus is on the individual, I believe that the organisation needs to actively facilitate mentoring moments and relationships that women can benefit from at different times to help realise their full leadership potential– personal transitions, career advice, whether to raise their hand for something, bringing performance edge etc. Over the years, I personally have a trusted network of 4 -5 mentors and sponsors I reach out to as a sounding board for most sticky points in my personal journey.
• Build a network of senior women leaders: All employees, men and women, want a leader who can help clear the path and be an effective career sponsor. And leadership is not an easy one to muster, especially if you are a new leader. Creating a network of senior women leaders who share stories of mentorship, coaching and being equity advocates for their teams can be invaluable for women stepping into leadership.

As a woman leader, I have made the choice to proactively connect with young women leaders, with a lens of sharing my story and getting them to reflect on the many acts of mentorship, choices and kindness that have got them where they are today. And then put the onus on them to invest in other women leaders and pay it forward!