What will your legacy look like when you look back?

COVID-19 & India. In Conversation with THP-India's Ruchi Yadav.
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Last week, I had the honour to host a conversation with Ruchi Yadav, Head of Strategy and Programs for The Hunger Project in India. Ruchi is one of my favourite leaders, who despite the trauma of Covid-19 in India, remains focused on confronting new realities with a solution mindset and work geared to sustainable futures (you can see a great summary here).

Ruchi references in this conversation the ‘invisible enemy’ within people that causes panic, fear and distress. Many of you would relate. The people and business issues to be navigated in the past year have often been ‘invisible’ initially and unexpected. As Ruchi describes them, ‘shadow pandemics’ - the new or amplified issues that will be faced in the future, because of what is happening right now.

There are so many leadership lessons in this interview relevant locally and globally. 

Many of my clients thrive on getting A LOT done! Workhorses who can churn through phenomenal amounts of work, and who have teams willing to follow their lead.  As the chaos outside continues, the one thing in your control is you. Remember to take a breath and reflect on your achievements and the lessons learned.  It may be the perfect time to connect with yourself and others by asking:

‘How am I / are you feeling?’

‘What has been happening?’

…and as Ruchi says, “begin the build back together, building their agency, and their voice”.

“Shifting mindset isn’t like shifting Mt Everest”. It can be moved with support, connection, and relentless communication.  It is the one thing you can control that can help others lift out of the fog of feeling helpless as you tackle your ‘shadow pandemics’.

May you walk tall going forward, clear on your desired legacy, with this belief shared by Ruchi:

We have a long way to go but we are ready.

PS: If you want to support the work of The Hunger Project in India, you can donate here.
I welcome a conversation if you’d like to know more about their work.