Women leaders across different fields are creating benchmarks of success. Travel Trade Insider spoke to a few of these amazing women to know what makes them so ‘special’.
Meeta Gutgutia, Co-Founder, FNP (Ferns N Petals)
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. As a woman entrepreneur, I have faced many challenges and obstacles throughout my career. However, I have learned that leadership also means being able to adapt and improvise in the face of adversity. It means being able to think creatively and outside the box to come up with innovative solutions to problems. I believe that effective leaders must also be able to communicate clearly and transparently with their team, in order to build trust and a sense of collaboration.
For me, leadership is about empowering and inspiring others to achieve their goals, while also being able to navigate the inevitable challenges that come with being an entrepreneur.
The measure of good leadership has got nothing to do with title or position. It baffles me how many people still believe that society will automatically show respect and start to listen once an individual attains a C-suit title. Instead, it is all about the influence which has to be earned. It has to be gained through behavior and accomplishment.
Leadership is a learned behavior and this is developed over time. One has to engage and create an environment of respect and collaboration where a unified vision, mission, passion and objective drive the team. I have observed and experienced that the employees who build the team will willingly go that extra mile out of sheer respect for the leader and respect has to be achieved by creating a culture of employee engagement and team alignment.
A prudent leader should possess the ability to listen, welcome feedback, seek knowledge and evolve with changing times; evolution in terms of technology, product, innovation and customer experience; all this while upholding a work-life balance for oneself and the team.
Q. How do you celebrate Women’s Day?
A. I believe every day should be Women’s Day. There shouldn’t be a single day set aside to honour women’s contributions. Having said that, I favour recognising the accomplishments of the women who have paved the way for me and my contemporaries. I take time to think about the progress made in the quest for gender equality and the work that remains to be done. Women’s Day is an opportunity for me to assist and inspire other women, whether through mentorship, networking, or simply recognising their successes. Women’s Day should serve as a reminder that we all have a role to play in making the world more egalitarian and fairer.
Shruti Seth, Bollywood and Indian Television actress
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. Leadership for me is basically someone who can lead by example, be willing to learn, and someone who encourages new ways of thinking and being. A person who is approachable, empathetic, and happy to share the spotlight with the team. The idea behind being a leader is to be someone your team is proud of and would like to follow.
Leaders are expected to be communicative, inspiring and motivating, passionate about their beliefs and values, patient, dependable, and dedicated. They have the ability to bridge the gap between traditional and modern thinking, using their creativity, energy, and compassion to make a real difference. Leadership involves pointing the way, sharing the glory, but also accepting the fall if things don’t work out.
Q. How do you celebrate Women’s Day?
A. Every day is a Women’s Day in my opinion. Of course, we celebrate all the women in our family and social circles on this day, but I don’t think there should be a separate day set aside for either men or women. Now that the world is changing and even men are taking care of household chores and women are leading the company, both have their own responsibilities and roles that they must live up to.
On Women’s Day, we do take a moment to recognize all that a woman does, but I think it’s more important to recognize their efforts at that very moment than to wait for a special occasion. Every day should be a day to celebrate the accomplishments of both men and women.
Sadaf Syed, Founder, Hands of Gold
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. To me, leadership is being in a place where you move ahead carrying everybody along toward a common vision or goal. You push yourself beyond your comfort zone and still go-ahead inspiring others to do their best. Managing the delivery of your brand vision, either directly or indirectly, building and coaching the team every day to make them stronger is also the primary meaning of leadership to me.
Q. How do you celebrate Women’s Day?
A. I am not a formal fan of celebrating the day. I believe this is the day when women should look back at their personal and professional journey, let the feeling of having made it this far embrace them and believe that they will make it ahead too. Women should pat themselves on their backs every day and know that they have it in them to deal with anything that comes their way. Women must also appreciate and let the women around them know how their support has been fulfilling in the journey.
Arpita Katyal, CEO, Roperro
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. Being a leader has its own unique challenges, but it has also provided me with an opportunity to challenge societal norms and inspire others to do the same. When I started my business, I wanted to be a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially other women, by demonstrating resilience, creativity, and the ability to overcome obstacles. One thing that I focus on is being authentic, transparent, and inclusive. It is important to listen to and consider the perspectives of others, build a diverse team, and foster a culture of respect.
Ultimately, for me, leadership means taking ownership of one’s vision and working towards it with determination, while also empowering others to do the same. As the saying goes, “When you empower a woman, you empower a community,” and I live by this motto!
Q. How do you celebrate Women’s Day?
A. Women’s Day is an occasion that is very dear to my heart. It is a day to honour women, which is why I begin my day by spending quality time with the two most important women in my life- my mother and grandmother. We don’t do anything over the top; we just spend time together and I pamper them. After this, I dedicate my time to the women in my team, as it is important to continue to support and uplift the women who have worked so hard for our brand.
We tend to go all out, celebrate, and enjoy the day while watching a movie. This time, we are also working on our new Women’s Day collection, which will be dedicated to all of our organization’s female employees. They played a huge role in designing these pieces. This collection is especially close to my heart as the inspiration came from my very own team. And last but definitely not the least, I spend time with myself, journaling, and meditating.
Akanksha Sharma, CEO & Co-founder, CITTA
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. To me, leadership is about making decisions with empathy. I have learned that from my parents, who have successfully created and continue to run a successful company. My family’s indefatigable work ethic inspires me to do my best. Rather than being someone who scares off her team, I try to be an approachable and understanding leader. I believe it is very important while leading a team that there are no inhibitions when anyone wants to raise concerns or come forward with new ideas. Leadership is about nurturing my team at all steps to the fullest of my capacity, with empathy.
Q. How do you celebrate women’s day?
A. I owe a lot to the amazing women in my life. My mom’s conviction and support allowed me to take that leap into entrepreneurship at the young age of twenty-one. That’s why we make it a point to celebrate Women’s Day at the CITTA office. Every year the celebrations vary, but the idea is to make the women in our team feel special and appreciated for their contributions. This year too, we have planned an office lunch. We have also planned a little surprise for our team, hopefully, they will like it!
Monisha Gupta, Founder, Craft House at The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa
Q. What does leadership mean to you?
A. A leader thinks about the team and its success. She or he knows how to work independently as well as within the team. A leader is eager to learn, adapt and guide – someone who takes decisions and is open to criticism. A leader has to be visionary and wise. She or he has to also create and articulates a clear vision. A leader has to establish achievable goals and provide the team with the knowledge and the necessary tools to achieve the objectives. A leader has to be motivational, one who is disciplined, and responsible. Leadership is believing in equality and not only implementing it as per convenience.
Q. How do you celebrate Women’s Day?
A. International Women’s Day is a woman’s rights day celebrated to bring attention to issues like gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. I believe every day should be dedicated to the women in our lives. We believe in and work towards fulfilling our corporate social responsibility. Craft House continues to promote rural artisans, women empowerment, and the use of eco-friendly materials.
At Craft House, we celebrate the power of women every day. We have interactive sessions, freedom of putting up ideas and exploring individual creativity and talent. With all due respect to men at Craft House, our team and associates are majority women and continuously work towards women empowerment.