-
Influence in the Workplace: From Self-Promotion to Shared Purpose
Influence is often defined as the capacity to affect the character, development, or behavior of an individual or entity. In the workplace, influence shows up every day — in decisions, conversations, and the way people rally around ideas. Most of us care about influence because we want to be recognized as leaders, gain promotions, or take on larger roles that advance our careers. That’s a natural and understandable motivation. Yet, it’s also inherently self-focused. The Paradox of True Influence Dale Carnegie, the legendary author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, offered a counterintuitive insight. He said: “By appealing to a person’s deep-seated desire for appreciation and by framing…
-
Behavioral Feedback is Like a Bug Report: A Software Engineering Approach to Leadership Development
Summary: As a former software engineer turned executive coach, I often see parallels between debugging software and improving human behavior. Engineers follow a disciplined process to identify, investigate, and fix defects in code. Yet, when it comes to behavioral change, we often skip that rigor. In this post, I share how leaders can approach behavioral feedback with the same thoughtful curiosity used in engineering—starting with awareness, followed by investigation, and then meaningful change. The Problem with Behavioral Feedback in Leadership “Speak up more.”“Be assertive, but don’t hurt relationships.”“Don’t undermine others.” You may have heard one or more of these phrases—perhaps in a performance review or a quick conversation after a…
-
The Surprising Key to Strategic Leadership: Pausing
The Busy Leader’s Dilemma “My days are filled with back-to-back meetings; my inbox is a mile deep, and I am always behind,” Adrian, a senior director at a Fortune 100 company, told me during one of our sessions. He was constantly firefighting, trapped in a cycle of reactivity. Despite the appearance of productivity, Adrian felt stagnant. On top of it, his manager asked him to be more “strategic.” To Adrian, that felt like being asked to do more when he was already at capacity. If you are reading this, chances are you’ve had similar moments. You want to be a strategic leader, but you feel like there’s no time to…
-
Computer Science Graduates: How to Thrive Beyond Hiring Freeze and Layoffs
Computer science (CS) graduates face some of the highest unemployment and underemployment rates among recent graduates. While the unemployment rate is reported as 6.1%, the underemployment rate is also relatively high, at 16.5%, according to some contributors on Reddit. Since the pandemic, the number of entry-level hires in Big Tech has plummeted, leaving many young professionals and their families disheartened. If you’re one of them, you may be applying to hundreds of jobs only to get automated rejections. It’s frustrating and demoralizing. It makes you question your worth. But here’s the truth: while the tech landscape is changing, your skills as a computer science graduate are more valuable than ever. You just…
-
Executive Presence for Analytical Leaders: Balance Your Strengths and Show Up with Impact
Why Analytical Strengths Can Become a Barrier? What makes a great engineer or technical leader? The answer is usually one word: analysis. Analytical thinkers excel at breaking down complex problems into manageable parts, modeling them in real-time, and identifying gaps that others might miss. This superpower is what makes products reliable, systems scalable, and innovations possible. But here’s the catch: the very strengths that make you an outstanding engineer or technical expert can work against you in senior-level business settings. In high-stakes meetings with executives, your natural problem-solving mindset can unintentionally diminish your executive presence. This article examines why analytical leaders often struggle with presence, offers guidance on shifting your…
-
Beyond Geography: Why Lasting Change Requires Deeper Work
Leadership Lessons from the Movie Pretty Woman. In the 1990 movie Pretty Woman, there’s a memorable exchange between Edward, a wealthy businessman, and Vivian, a prostitute he has hired for the night. When Edward suggests that he would arrange a luxury condo for Vivian, which would “get you off the streets,” Vivian responds with a line that lingers: “That’s just geography.” Her response cuts to the heart of transformation. Moving from the streets to a penthouse would not, by itself, change who she was, how she saw herself, or the deeper challenges she faced. Vivian understood that true change goes beyond shifting external circumstances—it requires inner work, identity shifts, and…
-
From Exhaustion to Empowerment: How Jessica Transformed Her Leadership Mindset
Discover how a high-performing woman of color shifted from exhaustion and burnout to strategic, confident leadership—and built a healthier, more fulfilling life. When Jessica began her coaching journey, her life looked flawless from the outside. She was the go-to person for her team and manager, the reliable high-performer who delivered no matter the challenge. Her open-door policy was legendary, and her team respected and liked her. But behind the scenes, Jessica was running on empty. She was consistently the last one to log off, the “cleanup crew” for any messes, and the person who quietly took on extra work to ensure quality. This self-sacrificing pattern extended beyond work into her…
-
Integrate Inspiration and Assertiveness – Increase Your Leadership Impact
Summary/TL;DR Leaders often feel they must choose between being inspirational or assertive, but real leadership impact comes from blending both. This article shares the story of Kumar, a senior director known for his warmth and positivity, who struggled to hold cross-team peers accountable. Through executive coaching, he discovered that inspiration and assertiveness are not conflicting traits but complementary strengths. By combining clear communication, early alignment, and trust-building, Kumar unlocked greater influence and effectiveness across teams. If you’re navigating cross-functional challenges, this story offers a roadmap for leading with both connection and clarity to drive meaningful, sustainable results. A Leader’s Struggle to Cross-Functional Team Influence Kumar, a senior director at a…
-
Leading Through the AI Adoption: Why Mindset, Culture, and Quality Matter More Than Tools
Thoughtful experimentation—not hype—will determine long-term success. “AI is doing 30% of development work,” said one tech CEO. This bold claim, recently made by the CEO of a major tech company, was crafted to catch headlines—and it did. It sounds like progress. It sounds like a leap forward. But when I spoke with VPs and directors at the same organization, a different story emerged. Behind closed doors, they expressed confusion and growing pressure. The top-level messaging didn’t align with operational realities. Teams were left asking: The message is unclear from the top leaders. How do we make sure the AI output is validated? What does quality look like? Who is responsible…
-
From Abrasive to Authentic: Helping Tech Leaders Close the EQ–IQ Gap
–Executive coach Sharmin Banu helps tech leaders turn intensity into influence, driving greater business impact. (This PR article was initially published in about 30 different news outlets in the US. Here is one such link.) In today’s high-pressure, complex, and ambiguous business world, even the most brilliant leaders can hit a wall—not because they lack intelligence, but because their communication style erodes trust. Bluntness, though well-intentioned, often alienates teams and limits growth. Leadership isn’t just about delivery—it’s about influence and empowering others to achieve collective brilliance. That’s why Sharmin Banu, a Seattle-based executive coach and former Microsoft engineering leader, helps high-achieving professionals shift from friction to collaboration, without losing their edge. “People…
