Leading Without a Playbook: Playing (and Changing) the Game For Working Moms

Last month, I was humbled to be named one of the Top 100 HR GameChangers by GoProfiles. It was an unexpected and deeply meaningful honor, mostly because I never set out to be a game changer. My goal has always been simple: to help people perform at their best so the business can perform at its best. When I received the news, it wasn’t just a moment of celebration but also a moment of reflection on what it means—and what it takes—to be a game changer.  

I’m quickly approaching my four-year anniversary as Chief People Officer. My work anniversary always holds special meaning because my first day at G2 was also my son’s four-month birthday. When I think back on the past four years, I am incredibly proud of what the Employee Success team has achieved in this time. But I’m also just as proud of all the other roles, titles, and positions I hold in my life—mom, caregiver, wife, woman, Indian American, and daughter of immigrants. It’s all of these identities combined that shape who I am, how I lead, and what I prioritize in the workplace—and perhaps that is why I’m willing to do things a little bit differently and blaze a new path for myself and hopefully for others.

Before G2, I was a leadership coach. For me, being a game changer is closely tied to one of the Conscious Leadership principles: candor. This is the commitment in which “I say what is true for me. I commit to being a person to whom others can express themselves with candor.” In other words, to lead effectively, I have to share my truth, not just the facts, but also my feelings and lived experiences. 

So here’s my truth upon reflection: I have to change the game, because I know from my own experience that the game is not currently set up for working moms to thrive. I’ve only ever been a Chief People Officer as a mom. I've navigated this role through postpartum, a second pregnancy, and now parenting two young children. Many times I’ve felt myself crumble under the pressure of wanting to be present for the demands of my job—and the demands of all my other roles too. Often, I find myself depleted of energy while trying to fill everyone’s cup but my own. IT’S HARD. 

When I shared my truth with G2’s Conscious Leadership coach Heather Frick, I also confided in her that I felt like I was complaining. But Heather reminded me of an important responsibility of leadership: to use the privilege and honor of my platform to help change the narrative for future working mothers. In doing so, I give implicit permission to other women following in my footsteps.

In the spirit of candor, I speak openly about my journey and call other mothers into my experience because when I first took on this role, I searched for voices of women in the C-suite with newborns—and found, embarrassingly (but honestly, not surprisingly), almost nothing. I speak on this because  I have a duty to consider parents and caregivers when shaping our people strategy, and I’m committed to ensuring women—especially moms—know they can succeed here. This kind of radical candor, spoken from the C-suite, might just be the most game-changing act of all.

Over the last four years, I’ve experienced incredible milestones—both personal and professional. Personally, my oldest just turned four, and I recently got to return to the ashram where I first learned the practice of meditation over a decade ago. Professionally, G2 crossed $100 million in ARR, we opened a new office in Bengaluru, and became one of the few in our industry to adopt global pay transparency. We’ve also been awarded a number of notable workplace awards, including most recently "Best Workplace for Women in Tech" by WomenTech Network, which we are especially proud of. 

But the moments I’m most proud of have been the quiet ones—when other moms pull me aside to say that my voice has helped them feel seen and gives them the confidence that they can do it too. That’s what fills my cup and fuels me to keep pushing for change. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there playing all the roles they hold - you are changing the game in the present and for future working moms as well.