Nirupama Subramanian

Category: Others

  • The Diversity Candidate

    The Diversity Candidate

    Sometimes, the pressure to prove it, to be the role model for an entire gender is so strong that the ‘diversity hire’ performs below her potential

    ‘The problem is not with her leadership style. Everyone knows that she is a diverse candidate, and they don’t take her seriously’ a senior Human Resource leader said of a potential coaching client.

    The organisation had a mandate that two positions on the management committee had to be filled by women. It was a good step that served the agenda of diversity, but it seemed to have backfired on the woman. She had to work twice as hard and be doubly mindful about every step- just to prove that she had not been a wrong hire. Sometimes, the pressure to prove it, to be the role model for an entire gender is so strong that the ‘diversity hire’ performs below her potential. Sometimes, she becomes demotivated by the lack of support and exclusion by other colleagues This, in turn, affects her performance and gives the old guard an opportunity to say ‘I told you so.’

    In 2022, most people in the working world acknowledge the importance of a diverse and inclusive culture. Yet many well-intentioned efforts do not have the required outcome. There is backlash from existing structures and sometimes even from the minorities whose cause has been championed.

    How can organisations ensure that the people who have been hired as a part of the legitimate organisational need to have a diverse workforce are set up for success rather than failure?

    Communicate the benefits of D&I to all

    It is important for all employees to see Diversity & Inclusion as a business imperative and not a warm touchy-feely HR initiative. There is enough research to support the fact that a diverse workforce enhances the profitability of the organisation. Deloitte’s research across 50 global companies showed that high performing teams are both cognitively and demographically diverse. Mckinsey’s 2019 analysis found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25 per cent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile—up from 21 per cent in 2017 and 15 per cent in 2014. It is important to make sure that such researched inputs and information are shared with all employees. D&I is as much a business issue as Six Sigma, Lean or Digitalisation. Companies are not doing it just to be nice but to stay profitable.

    Design sound recruitment practices and policies

    Diversity Hiring is often misunderstood to mean ‘Just go and hire some women or persons with disabilities since we have a target’. It is actually about designing a hiring process that provides an equal opportunity for candidates of diverse sexual orientation, gender, race, and other minority groups to take part in the interview process and get recruited. Humans are inherently prone to bias and high stakes processes like job interviews are rife with all kinds of biases. Organisations need to actively share the hiring policies and reasons why the pool needs to be broadened. Whether it is including more campuses to recruit from or redefining job descriptions or adopting a blind hiring policy, the focus needs to be on the process of hiring as much as the outcome. If all employees are aware of the stages and principles of hiring, it brings legitimacy to the hiring process and makes it easier for any new hire to assimilate into the system.

    Embed Inclusive values and mindsets

    It is not very difficult to hire diverse candidates. Including the minorities and enabling them to succeed is yet another important task that cannot be left to the good nature of others. People naturally resist and resent those who are different and those who are perceived to have received an unfair advantage. The same behaviors are seen in colleges where the ‘quota’ candidate is treated shabbily and excluded from mainstream activities of the merit-based students. It is important to reiterate core values of respect, belonging and inclusion – not just once a year but daily. Leaders need to role model inclusive behaviors- asking the minorities for their inputs, inviting them for informal get-togethers, calling out bad behaviors by others instead of ignoring or laughing off offensive comments.

    Provide allies, mentors and coaches

    In her book, My life in full, former Pepsico CEO, Indra Nooyi credits her success to the many male mentors and allies she had during her career. As an immigrant woman of colour, she found this support to be invaluable. As the numbers increase, support cannot be left to chance. Organisations need good mentoring programs and active allies to welcome, nurture and groom diverse talent. I have coached a CEO who was moving to new geography- even though he was the leader, he would be the first Indian boss in that country. The organisation wanted to set him up for success- so they provided local culture training as well as leadership coaching so that he could succeed in the new role. Until D&I becomes a part of the organisational DNA, it is important to provide some mentoring and coaching support as a part of the onboarding process for new leaders.

    Invite open dialogues about differences

    ‘I do have reservations about hiring young women. Three of my earlier hires quit when they got married or became pregnant. But I can’t talk about this to anyone. It won’t be politically correct.’ A hiring manager of a large ITES company confided in me during the break of a workshop. Many managers do hold biases and often they believe that they are justified. Not just about women but about people from certain institutes or geographies or cultures. Women are frustrated about mansplaining and prejudices they encounter and confused about their status- diversity candidate or genuine hire? There are no safe spaces to discuss and talk about these ‘unmentionable’ topics. Some companies consider it unprofessional and after all, no one wants to be seen as prejudiced or narrow-minded or as a victim. In the absence of open dialogues, the biases fester, frustration mounts and passive-aggressive behaviors become common. As attritions and conflicts increase, there is a strong temptation to go back to the same old-same old ways of doing things. It is important to hold discussions and dialogues and not just canned unconscious bias training to the surface and acknowledge everyone’s fears and fancies. Talk, Share, Listen and be heard. It will not immediately resolve issues but will begin the healing process.

    There is no easy path or quick-fix solutions to change mindsets and cultures that have been around for long. Leadership commitment and intentional actions are required. As systems and individuals commit to these five actions, everyone can reap the benefits of a diverse, inclusive, equitable workplace.

    The original article appears in Business World here- http://bwmarketingworld.businessworld.in/article/The-Diversity-Candidate/28-02-2022-421581/

     

  • Thriving in Isolation during the Pandemic

    Thriving in Isolation during the Pandemic

    Twelve days ago, I tested positive for COVID 19. I removed myself from the rest of the family- my husband who was already isolated in our bedroom after testing positive and my daughter, mother and cook, who were spared. I retreated into my 100sq ft study, made a bed out of a comforter on the rug and prepared to be separated from everything and everyone else. Fortunately, my symptoms were mild and I did not need a hands on care-giver. My husband had been through his worst and was already on the road to recovery when I went into isolation.

    Isolation is a bleak word.

    Isolation is vulnerability-a straggling baby deer who has been separated from the herd by a cackle of hungry hyenas.

    Isolation is punishment-a rebellious prisoner thrown into solitary confinement in a dank dark hole.

    Isolation is a stigma- the deviant, cast out from the tribe, banished from everything known and loved.

    Isolation is never pleasant. Yet, it has never been more necessary than during the current Pandemic. We are already in a world where social distance is the norm, where physical disengagement from others is an essential condition for our own survival. During the lockdown months, we drew into ourselves, sometimes voluntarily, often unwillingly, hibernating in our homes, waiting for the summer of our discontent to pass. When the rules were relaxed, we rushed to greet others, like liberated prisoners of war, as though the lockdown had been just an unnatural pause in our constant journey towards connection and closeness with others.

    The human condition is essentially a struggle between two deeper needs pulling us in opposite directions with equal force. The poet philosopher David Whyte calls it ,” Our often exhausting desire to belong with our fellow humans and our longing for solitude, for being left completely and utterly alone, trawling the deep riches of an inner peace and quiet.”

    In the beginning of the isolation, I felt these forces. I constantly checked the phone to see who had messaged, which of my fellow humans showed care and concern, who connected and who had switched off. I wondered whether to inform some colleagues and friends about my condition. I wondered what the rest of my family was doing. I waited for phone calls that never came.

    My significance, it seemed, depended on the world outside the room where I had sequestered myself and it was imperative that I access this world as often as possible to assure myself that I still existed.

    Yet, the world carried on perfectly well without me.

    It was this beautiful indifferent world that permitted me to discover the other side of isolation. It is not an easy or pleasant time for everyone. I cannot compare myself to those who have been severely infected by the Corona virus, those who need to be hospitalized and those who walk the dangerous tightrope between life and death. I can only speak about the experience of being sick and alone, yet well enough for self- care.

    Some of us are more naturally inclined to being on our own. The introverts will be more at ease, less prone to bouts of FOMO and more comfortable with their own presence. Others will find it a challenge in the beginning but can soon find their steady beating heart in the center of anxiety and bewilderment.

    Netflix and naps help but we need more to get through long periods of isolation. Here are some of the things that I found to be useful to navigate this period.

    Clean and clear your space

    I would put away my bedding every morning after I woke up. I appropriated a broom to sweep the floor. My medicines were laid out neatly in a corner and I placed my cutlery and napkins on a little mat. My study is also my workspace and I made sure my desk was clean. Treat the surroundings like a sacred special spot for meeting a very important person- yourself.

    Pay attention

    I was fortunate to have a window in my room. This window overlooks the garden eight floors below. I could see the varying shades of green; bright on the cut grass, the mossy greens of the hedges and the dappled viridescent shrubbery that grew by the gates. I noticed the way the sunlight blazed on the blooming hibiscus flower in my neighbor’s balcony and how the same light also illuminated a trapezoid of dust particles on my brown leather couch. Attention is its own reward. Pay attention to the words in the book you are reading. Pay attention to the words that come crackling to you from across the ether. Pay attention to your breath. Attention is a rare and pure form of generosity to yourself and others.

    Create a routine that allows you to break it

    It is difficult to find the equilibrium between productivity and presence, the perfect balance between doing and being. I found myself struggling in the early days to find things to do that made me feel worthwhile. Yet, I also found pleasure in the luxury of idleness, of getting up late without thinking about what next, who next. I formed a routine around meal times and family times. I allowed the rest of the time to flow unchecked by the clock or calendar.

    Redefine isolation as solitude

    This was my vipassana retreat. My responsibility to myself and others. I choose not to think of it as a punishment meted out by a cruel virus or a social imposition to curtail my personal freedom. It is a measured response to the body’s urgent demand to slow down and find a peaceful spot to rest. When the body needs recovery, it enlists the support of the spirit. The spirit agrees to curl up quietly in a corner and just breathe, allowing nature and time to work their magic on the living cells. Give the body and soul time and space. Hold back the dark forces of despair and loneliness. Solitude is a gift in a busy relentless world. Be gentle with yourself. Allow kindness.

    I have not felt a rush to be creative. Newton apparently used the enforced solitude of the Plague to firm up his scientific theories. Thoreau could write his best work, all alone in the cabin at Walden Pond. I do not expect to emerge a genius after the isolation. It is perfectly fine to just be in one place, do nothing much and go nowhere. This is what I will do for the remaining days of the quarantine.

    This is what I will remember- “Going nowhere is not turning your back on the world; it is about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply. “ Pico Iyer

  • Leadership Lessons from Snorkelling

    Leadership Lessons from Snorkelling

    When I was 13 years old, my swimming instructor, possible exasperated at my lack of effort, pushed me into the deep end of the pool. I still remember the feeling of choking, the thought that I was going to drown, the sheer panic and helplessness. I hated that coach and completely stopped the swimming lessons.
    It took me 30 years to get back into a swimming pool. I am still a nervous swimmer with little confidence and less stamina than a six year old child in water. I have a fear of the deep and only venture into pools where I can stand and touch the bottom with my feet. When I walk on a beach, I make sure the waves never reach above my ankles.
    So, there was no way I was going to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef. Ever!
    I had always been fascinated by the life that lived in the sea. Watching Finding Nemo a few years ago, made me curious about the creatures of the reef. But, I was more like Marlin, Nemo’s fearful father, scared to venture beyond the safe limits of my swimming pool, content to dream about doing it someday, one day..
    Last week, I found myself on a Catamaran in Australia, heading towards the Outer Reef. There it was, the great Pacific ocean, shining under the tropical sun like a brilliant blue portal to another world.
    The reasons to avoid going into the sea were plenty.
    – I could always see the corals through the window of the submersible vessel or Observatory- dry, safe and secure.
    -I had never been snorkeling. I would not be able to do it. I could barely swim.
    -I would make an utter fool of myself in the water.
    – It was too tedious to change into the lycra suit, wear flippers and masks and then change back, shower etc etc
    -Besides, I would look fat in the lycra suit.
    – I had allergies and wouldn’t be able to breathe properly.
    – I could get attacked by a shark.
    – I could get stung by a jellyfish.
    But when I reached the platform on the pontoon at the edge of the great reef, I realized that I would probably never get this opportunity again. I am a leadership facilitator who helps people overcome fears, a coach who motivates others to come out of their comfort zones. Here I was, taking the easy way out, playing small, frozen in the grip of some inexplicable terror.
    “I am going in,” I said to a crew member on the boat and strode purposefully towards the bin that held the flippers.
    The life- guard showed me how to fix the snorkeling mask and assured me that plenty of people who didn’t know how to swim had been able to snorkel. I put on a life jacket over the body suit and agreed to stay within the roped off enclosure.
    It took me a few minutes to get off the diving platform. I dithered by the edge wondering if people were watching me. Actually, no one cared.
    At first, I sat and just put my head into the water, getting used to breathing with my mouth. Then I slowly swam into the water, still holding on to the rope.
    I could breathe! I was not drowning!
    I put my head down into the water and almost gasped at what I saw. A magical turquoise world lay beneath the water. The large cabbage coral and boulder coral were castles in a fairy tale kingdom. Yellow fish darted in and out like little sparks of pixie light. Anemone and seaweeds danced gracefully to ocean music. A shoal of black and white zebra fish swam briskly, a guard of honor before a regal parrot fish with a fine pink and green pattern. My fear ebbed away and I was lost in the beauty of that wondrous underworld forest. I let go of the rope and floated on the surface of the water, without taking my eyes off the ocean floor. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. Seeing the corals in a film was one thing but experiencing it with your own eyes, feeling the water around you and being a part of the ocean was completely another.
    I reluctantly came out of the ocean since it was time for lunch. After half an hour, I was ready to go in again. I swam off the diving platform without holding on to the rope. I swam quite blissfully for the next few minutes, this time noticing more, allowing the beauty to seep in deeper without the underlying current of anxiety.
    As we headed back to land, I felt as though I had been through a transformational experience. This was almost like going on a Hero’s journey- the call to adventure, the initial fear and reluctance, meeting the mentor in the form of a helpful life- guard and then overcoming my own inner demons to embrace the new experience. I came back not with just a visual treat but treasures that would serve me in life and work.
    What had I learnt about overcoming fear and doing what scared me most?
    Fear is usually all in the mind due to some long- ago experience or irrational beliefs.
    There are always 10 sensible reasons to not do it and just 1 big one to go ahead.
    It is okay to feel scared but that is not an excuse.
    It is okay to ask for support and admit what you don’t know. People will usually help.
    There is a difference between courage and recklessness- so take precautions and prepare before plunging in.
    But you need to let go of the rope, the crutch, the shallows and strike out on your own.
    There is a whole new beautiful world waiting for you at the edge of your comfort zone. This is the world where the magic happens, where dreams come true.
    I now feel more confident, more powerful not just about snorkeling but about handling other challenges, about tackling things that scare me. The memory of having conquered one fear will always act as a positive motivator, nudging me to explore my edges.
    Maybe, scuba diving next time?

  • A child is born

    Winner of a Highly Commended Prize in The 2006-2007
    Commonwealth Short Story Competition

    It was a hot dull night in May. The air was heavy as a blanket and moonless sky loomed like a cobra’s hood over the small mud hut. A man crouched outside the hut, his hands clasped around bony knees, forming an ungainly question mark. He was waiting. Inside the hut, his wife heaved in pain as the midwife’s fingers probed and prodded her swollen belly. His mother watched impassively, fingers clicking over prayer beads. Soon, the midwife scooped out a tiny whimpering infant.

    “Girl”, she mumbled.

    The man outside the hut cursed loudly. The mother-in-law hit her forehead with her open palm and sighed. The young woman sank back on the hard mud floor and tried not to feel anything. If the news had been otherwise, the midwife might have stayed back to coax a new sari from the mother-in-law or wheedle a few rupees from the man. Instead, she quickly finished her work and slunk away into the night like a criminal.

    The mother–in-law finally spoke.
    “You know what has to be done.”

    The woman who had just become a mother knew what had to be done. She knew the women in the village did it in many ways. Some used the poisonous red berries or the sickening sap of the oleander tree, others rolled a sari into a tight smothering ball and some made offerings to the river Goddess. She wished her own mother had done it years ago. Then, she would not have seen her parents, already burdened with debt, sell their buffaloes and pawn their belongings to pay for her dowry and marriage, that too, to an impoverished farmer whose own few acres were already mortgaged to the moneylender. Girls, she had been told since childhood, brought only tears and unhappiness to others and into their own wretched lives. She knew that a son who carried on the family name conferred immortality to his parents.

    The mother-in-law made as if to take the infant but the woman said, “I will do it”. She wrapped the baby in an old rag and willed some strength into her aching limbs. It was a long way to the river. She walked through the inky blackness, stumbling across the stones, till she heard the steady hum of the waters. The river seemed placid, with no hint of the secrets and small bodies that lay within it.

    The bundle in her arms moved and though she had sworn not to see its face, the woman found herself staring into a pair of huge dark eyes. The infant let out a hungry cry and the woman quickly clasped it to her breast, more to dull the loud noise it made in the quiet night. She gasped at the touch of the small mouth against her skin and sat down abruptly on the river bank among the reeds that bordered the waters. After a few minutes, she put the child down. Her fingers worked swiftly, tearing the reeds and plaiting them into strong strands. The reeds were young and wet, so she used three in the place of one and twisted them to form a basket, just the right size for a new born baby. She sent up a prayer to the Gods as she placed her daughter in the basket and pushed it into the gentle currents. She watched till the basket was out of sight. When the first fingers of sun stroked the earth, river and trees to light, the woman stood up and began the long walk back.