In this episode of Out of the Clouds, Anne has a compelling conversation with Debjani Biswas, a chemical engineer turned executive coach and best-selling author.
The episode begins with Debjani recounting her privileged upbringing in India and the profound influence her supportive family, especially her father, had on her academic and professional journey. Despite the societal expectations of the time, Debjani’s father encouraged her to pursue a path in engineering, a field dominated by men, thus setting the stage for her future endeavors in breaking gender barriers.
As the conversation progresses, Debjani delves into her experiences of cultural adjustment and bias after moving to the United States. She reflects on the challenges she faced in the corporate world, particularly as an Indian woman in engineering, and how these experiences shaped her transition to becoming an advocate for workplace inclusivity. We hear her concept of being “miserably successful” (which is also the title of one of her books), where she discusses the stress and dissatisfaction that can accompany traditional measures of success. Debjani’s story emphasizes the importance of finding joy and purpose in one’s career.
Debjani shares anecdotes about the support she received from her family, particularly her son, which played a crucial role in her decision to write books and give keynote speeches on inclusivity. She also credits her grandfather, a renowned scientist, for nurturing her intellectual curiosity, as well as her sisters for taking diverse career paths, demonstrating the varying influences within her family.
The episode also explores Debjani’s unique approach to executive coaching, which empowers leaders and redefines success beyond conventional metrics. She discusses the importance of executive presence, active listening, and the core competencies outlined by the International Coach Federation (ICF) in fostering a supportive environment for clients. Her journey into coaching, prompted by a perceptive manager, underscores the value of recognising and nurturing one’s innate abilities.
Towards the end of the episode, Debjani emphasises the power of storytelling and imagery in challenging societal biases and fostering inclusivity. She shares her personal practices for mindfulness and intentional living, including yoga, meditation, and morning journaling, which help her stay grounded amidst challenges. The conversation wraps up with reflections on the importance of connection and joy in both personal and professional life, leaving listeners inspired by Debjani’s journey of transformation and her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in the world.
A profound conversation with a trailblazing change maker. Happy listening!
Selected links from episode
You can find Debjani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debjanibiswas/
Her consultancy: http://www.coachieve.us/
Debjani’s books are:
Unleash the Power of Diversity
#Us Too, Bridging the Global Gender Gap
The IIT – https://home.iitd.ac.in/
The IIM – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Institutes_of_Management
The story about Archbishop Tutu on a flight to Nigeria: https://blogs.ubc.ca/tiffanyt/2016/04/18/my-favourite-archbishop-desmond-tutu-story/
told here as well https://www.news.uct.ac.za/in-memoriam/desmond-tutu/-article/2006-10-02-tutu-stakes-new-claim-for-steve-bikos-legacy
Yoga kryias https://www.yogapedia.com/definition/5022/kriya
The Artist Way, by Julia Cameron
The Shambhavi Mahamudra https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/wisdom/article/what-is-shambhavi-mahamudra
IEEE conference https://www.ieee.org/conferences/index.html
Debjani’s choice for what song best represents her is Flowers by Miley Cyrus.
Here you can find the Out of the Clouds playlist containing the songs chosen by the guests who answered the question: ‘What Song Best Represents You?’
Debjani’s current choice for favorite book is Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
Tenzing Norgay, the second man who climbed Mount Everest
The Hymalayan Mountain Institute
Out of the Clouds website: https://outoftheclouds.com/
Out of the Clouds on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_outoftheclouds
The Mettā View website: https://avm.consulting/metta-view
Anne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annvi/
Anne on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@annvi
Anne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-v-muhlethaler/