Neha and getting her life back

Hey, Nihal, how are you?

Hi, Lynne, I'm doing very well. Happy Monday. How are you?

Happy Monday. I'm fabulous. It's spring turning into summer here. So things are great.

I can't believe this. We're getting through a pandemic and yet, you know, I can enjoy more of the weather, the kids. I know, I know.

It's— this whole pandemic has caused us all just to pause and reflect, which has been great.

Yeah, I'm definitely in that mood.

So thank you for doing this interview for me. I just would love to get some feedback on the program, if that's okay.

Of course, of course. I'd be happy to.

So let's start with when we first spoke. Where were you in terms of your career, your stress level? What was going on?

I remember that day clear as heck because it was late and, and I was just done with the day. Work is stressful in product management and I just recently changed jobs and that energized me a little bit from my previous job. It was an energy dump. Yet I was like starting to go down again with my energy in the new place. I was not feeling empowered. You know, my husband and I've got two beautiful kids. They're too young. So there's always a stress of like getting through the day, making them follow the routine. We were also looking for a home and nothing seemed right, even though nothing was wrong really with my life. I had a job. 2 small kids, supportive husband, but I didn't feel the energy or the drive, you know, that every day I want to go to work and I want to do these creations.

Right.

And I shared that with you and you showed me that this doesn't have to be like that. And I was like, I was thinking it'll take me years to get to that path. And then you stepped in and you said, oh no, it doesn't have to be years, you know.

Right.

It's like on purpose, with purpose. The first meeting, I'm like, is that even possible? Can I listen?

Yeah, I love it. So is that why you decided to join the program? What were some of the key reasons you said, all right, I'm in?

Oh, well, first, the energy you brought in and the motivation and just, you know, after a few minutes of talk, you were able to tell me that it doesn't have to be like that. And I was like, I finally have a safe space. It's not like being a woman. I was going through certain emotional phases. It was just like I was struggling with work after, after kids and, and I love product management and I wasn't getting a lot of help with it. And so it was, I was losing my best self. So you helped me. You know, I could feel that you can, you would listen and you would help me bring out the best in me and you would help clear out the stress and bring out the clarity. So, and the purpose, why, and I wanted to feel again why I was in this job. So I could tell after the first week that this was the place I wanted to be.

Oh, that's awesome. So clarity was one of the things you were able to gain from the program. What are some, what are some of the other just really key takeaways that you've had?

Oh, I'm— I know languages, right? But languages is different than communication and learning to communicate, understanding other people, how they communicate. And it has nothing to do with you, but the fact that that's how they communicate, it's a game changer, right? It helps you talk to leadership. It helps you bring your team in. And I'm a big culture person. And I, and I, I get very worried when the teams are not talking to each other, or I sense some negativity between the teams. So understanding how people communicate, where can I— how can I say the same thing differently so I'd be heard and feel empowered to do certain things with the team or with the leadership. Game changer. One other thing that— actually, there's a lot that you've talked. Being self-aware and being in the upper part of your brain while making decisions, keeping the facts and the emotions aside and seeing problems for what they are and not for a lot of things we say in our heads to ourselves.

Right. The stories.

Yeah, there's a lot of stories we tell ourselves. Oh, that brings me to stories. Being able to sprinkle stories when you communicate so that they stick better with your teams. Hear the emotions behind the people's needs. So that's, that's really key in product management. So everything, a lot of the other things make you a great person, a great communicator, but like being a good product manager, bringing out the passion in me. I learned so much great stuff in the past few weeks.

That is fabulous. That's fabulous. So tell me, have people noticed a difference or are you carrying yourself differently at work?

Oh, absolutely. I'm not as worried, right? When I shut down my computer at night, I feel satisfied. I know what I have to do next. And when I do find myself still in situations where, oh my God, what did I do? I feel trapped. I remember to do the techniques or the tools that it gave me and, you know, come out of that fear and take it one day at a time. And I think people are noticing the difference because people have seen how, like, I've started being recognized in certain scenarios with certain projects, and I'm just making so many better decisions. I'm delegating to my team. I'm not taking it all on myself because no one can be. It's not fair. So, and my team, I'm doing great with my team, like connecting them, doing these connectivity examples with the team have made me— starting everything with a positive note. Right. The team views me as the glue between them.

Oh, that's wonderful. That's awesome.

Yeah. I can't stop talking to you.

No, you're becoming a leader. You are a leader with your group.

I feel empowered that no matter now, no matter where I go, I will be I will always be a leader. Nobody can take that away from me.

Amen. Exactly. Bingo. So one of the questions I get a lot, a lot of, a lot from a lot of folks is group coaching. What are your thoughts on really the benefit of having these group sessions?

Oh, they're the best. So it's, there's a ton of trainings available online, right? You can listen to a lot of things. You can do a lot of one-on-ones with people, but the groups, group coaching, one, I realized that I'm not alone in a lot of situations and that helps me feel better. But then also how people react to those different situations helps me empathize with people, helps me think through, oh yeah, that other person said this and I was thinking I had all these stories in my mind, but actually, you know, they might be going through this thought process or they might be triggered. So It has helped tremendously and the burst of ideas that we get when we're all together. So I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the group coaching thing.

Awesome. So if you were to, let's say, bump into somebody on the street and they're saying, I'm thinking about the Inspired Product Leader program. Should I join? What would you say to them?

Just join. Just join. You know, do yourself a favor. And just join.

Awesome.

Just do it. Just do it. You know, there's no question because like there are, you know, the best thing I love about you is you hear everybody, right? And then you let others speak. You've given everybody, even in the group coaching session, you give everybody the time to speak and that helps us learn even more. So you have your main important point to, you know, to share, and then you let everybody else share their stories or how they react. So that brings out, that makes us, forces us to think through and talk it through our fears, through our confusions and everything. And so I don't think I would have seen this. I have not seen this in any other programs. A lot of them are just, you know, join us online. I've got this great tip for you. And all of those are techniques and tools and and softwares that can probably do product management better, but they're not bringing out the best in you. So I have yet to come across a program like that, and I'm like eternally grateful to you.

Oh, thank you. Awesome. Neha, you're a rock star. You are climbing that ladder and you are so present and so engaged. Thank you for your support.

All thanks to you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We will talk soon.