Author: Nirupama Subramanian

A few years ago, I was exchanging cards with another participant at a conference.  My card described me as Facilitator, Consultant and Coach – all of which were accurate and, in my mind, adequate. The young man’s card read CEO- Great Learning Company (name changed). I was impressed. “How many people do you employ in your organization?” I asked. “Oh, I am the only employee, but I...

A few months ago, it was election time  in my daughter’s school. In the fray for 5 positions on the council were 9 boys and 3 girls. “It is a hopeless case. I don’t think there is any point standing for the elections,” confessed my daughter. The boys will win.”  “How can you say that? Don’t be defeatist, I am sure you have a good chance’,...

  Reena’s story I am the Service Delivery Manager for a team in a leading ITES company. My customers are in the US.I have to take client calls and attend virtual meetings during late evenings and early mornings. I have a small baby at home and I want to spend time with her. It is  becoming very difficult to manage both. I feel I have no control...

I recently enjoyed reading The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.The book not only tells the Ramayana from Sita’s perspective, it also brings into the light certain neglected characters from the epic. The woman characters are well fleshed out and we can connect to the emotions and motivations of Kaushalya, Mandodari and Urmila who existed only as footnotes in the story of the Great Hero. As someone who works in the...

Over the last few days, I found myself doing something that I don’t usually do and don’t usually want to do. Giving  Advice. As a coach, I have learnt that giving advice or telling people what to do is a big No-No. We are supposed to let people discover their answers themselves, to dive deep into their inner resources and emerge with powerful insights about the next...

Perhaps it is because my work and my writing is in this area, perhaps it is an extension of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but I see many more mentions of women and women-oriented issues in the media today. The past year has repeatedly forced me to ask myself the question- What does it mean to be a woman in the world today? The world still seems unsafe...