Sensitivity, fear & breaking stereotypes at ETGBS 2020: How women leaders handle work-life balance, financial freedom

Female speakers at the ET Global Business Summit highlighted their contributions at home and work, and the importance of financial independence:

A medal is a medal is a medal
Paralympians may have different standards compared to able-bodied Olympians. But the medals that either win are the same, said Deepa Malik, the first Indian woman to win a shot-put medal at the Paralympic Games.


Paralysed chest down, Malik has a will that is spirited and strong. It came through in her remarks where she highlighted the need for people to change their mindset towards Paralympics, and consider it a mainstream sport. She said that according to statistics, the Paralympics squad always won more medals as compared to the able-bodied squad.

Your money, your life
Speaking as she was a day before International Women’s Day, Cherie Blair (barrister, lecturer, and writer) wanted women to focus on one thing: Being in charge of their own money. It’s something she realised when she was a child.


“My father left my mother when I was just 8. My mum had to find a way of somehow supporting the family,” she said. “And that’s when I learnt the lesson; that when a woman is able to make and control her own money then she has the power over her life, the power to make decisions about her life and the life of her children.” Blair said that this time in her life showed her first-hand how important it was for a woman to be financially independent. “I am particularly passionate about gender equality because I know from growing up in working class Liverpool. No one could have imagined that a girl like me would end up living in 10 Downing Street.”

What fear teaches
We spend a lot of time thinking about success, but no one tells us how to deal with failure. Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi of the Indian Navy, who successfully led the first all-women Indian crew to circumnavigate the globe, did not have any serious failure. But she said it was important to be prepared for it.


During the Southern Ocean circumnavigation, Joshi and her crew faced many challenges, including a deadly storm close to Cape Horn, near Chile, known as the Everest of the oceans. They were traversing into sub-zero temperatures. “Our faith in our capability, our boat and our preparation kept us going [at times like these]. The sea opens up your perception of situations. As you face nature and your fears, you realise your true capabilities,” Joshi said.

Who says sensitive is a bad thing?
Not Ashu Suyash, CEO, Crisil. “We need to nurture certain traits and not be saying women are high-strung, emotional, or look at it as a problem,” she said. “Studies show that an emotional quotient [EQ] has gotten workplaces to progress more and it is a skill that is being taken up in leadership programs for everyone, especially men. It tells you that sensitivity is important. It’s because we are all human beings. We recognise the human and catalyse that towards progress, be it at home or the workplace.”


Suyash’s words were meant for homemakers as well. “I believe EQ is equal to happiness. When women are happy, the family is happy and you produce the next generation of happy people.”

Breaking the gender stereotype
Indian wrestler Babita Phogat gave credit to Bollywood movies like Dangal (based on her life and her sister Geeta’s) and Sultan for taking the sport to mainstream audiences. She also urged women to break free of the yoke imposed by tradition. “


Women need to break stereotypes, move out from the kitchen, drop their ghoonghat and change the traditional mindset,” she said. “Women need to fight for their rights.”

Phogat also hopes to use her new role in politics to “make a change for the people who have given her love and respect”.
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