Leadership, imposter syndrome, diversity and COVID-19

Wholesome Chats—Episode 3, Shilpa

This article serves as a hybrid of a script and list of questions from episode 3 of my podcast, Wholesome Chats. You can either read through the questions or listen directly to the podcast episode.

Covered in this episode:

• Leadership
• Imposter syndrome
• Diversity
• Generational challenges
• COVID-19
• Self-care

Introduce the episode

This podcast is a passion project of mine, I’ve been aiming to increase the frequency with which episodes are released—however, I’ve been quite particular with the quality of the recordings and the order of the guests I have.

As always, the aim is to bring along guests that have taught me something important, not to talk about the things which they taught me specifically but to explore how they think and discuss pertinent subjects.

In this episode we will explore leadership, imposter syndrome, diversity, generational challenges, COVID-10 and self-care. We’ve quite the agenda, so buckle up.

Introducing the guest

I’m lucky today to share the podcast with one of the women I admire most and have learnt a great deal from.

Shilpa is the director of a local branch of Samaritans, Samaritans has thousands of volunteers and supports millions in the UK that need it twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year. While directing an organisation of volunteers, she is also a CEO in her professional life and the list of amazing things she invests her time in is too long for me to do it justice.

As a guest of the podcast, she is here today as a human with an opinion on any subject that we discuss today, not in an official function representing the charity or the organisations she works for, her opinions are her own.

Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today, Shilpa. In your own words could you tell us who you are, your background and what you believe leadership is.

Opening questions

You wear multiple hats in your life, I’d like to start with those that entail some level of leadership:

• What was your first ever leadership role?
• Talk us through the journey that got you there.
• What did you struggle with the most at the time? If you feel comfortable sharing.
• How did you overcome those challenges?

Personally, I see a lot of young people who clearly demonstrate leadership traits—but wouldn't necessarily describe or see themselves as leaders. In my experience so far, I often find that more often than not it’s young women who struggle the see the natural leadership traits in themselves.

I’ve experienced imposter syndrome at multiple points in my career and continue to do so every now and then. It’s something I want to learn more about and understand whether others experience it and where it originates from.

Imposter syndrome:

• Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome or a feeling that you may be caught out as not being the best for a role you were given?
• How did you work around that if you did? If not, what helps you remain confident?

You and I have spoken about diversity and the massive opportunity there is for there to be more representation in leadership positions pretty much everywhere.

On diversity, equity and inclusion:

• What are some of the steps that you take to ensure that you’re being inclusive as a leader?
• What do you feel are some of the greatest challenges for a diverse workforce today?
• What unique challenges do you think exist for minorities trying to get into leadership positions?
• Which of those challenges do you believe can be overcome with the passing of generations?

You’ve pulled off an incredible feat in the past year, one that I believe in some sectors would earn you some kind of medal—that feat being working in the healthcare sector during a global pandemic.

I know you’ve been out directly in the fealt working with patients, but is it fair to say that you have played a role in supporting the pharmaceutical sector throughout COVID-19?

On COVID-19:

• What would you say is the greatest lesson you’ve taken from working in healthcare in the past year?
• I’m curious to understand the differences between how it felt for Shilpa the human and how it felt for Shilpa the CEO throughout this pandemic, were there any differences?

Wearing so many hats and making the world a better place as you currently do, I imagine taking care of yourself is something you have to be quite deliberate about if you’re to make sure it happens.

On self care:

• What are some of the routines you have in place to help you support your emotional and physical wellbeing?
• What advice would you give to anyone starting a leadership role on the subject of self-care?
• What advice would you give to women starting leadership roles on the subject of self-care?

Thank you for making the time to speak to me today Shilpa, it’s so incredibly appreciated that you made some time from you busy schedule to be here today. Last but not least, I will ask you the same question I ask every guest of this podcast:

• What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your life, that is worth sharing? (something unique to you)