Assertive men — strong! Assertive women — aggressive!

We're often expected to ‘carry the culture’ while also driving business results. Men are often assessed on both their current performance and their potential, whereas women are evaluated primarily on their output. Labels, sisterhood, succession planning, broken rungs—there’s so much that women should boldly address. Kavita Mehra, General Manager of Dell Technologies’ India Centre of Excellence, unravels all these nuanced constraints and biases that women leaders have been facing, but are now bravely conquering. And she urges women leaders to be unapologetic because they have earned their seats, and to raise their voice, sometimes literally.

- Pratima H

Is it fun, easy, tough, or tricky being a woman leader?

Being a woman leader can be all those things: fun, tough, inspiring, and sometimes, tricky. Each day is different. Some days, you feel invincible, capable of conquering anything. Other days, the weight of expectations or a mismatch with your values presents challenges. On good days, the support systems in place make it all flow seamlessly. On others, even with visibility, you may still feel the need to prove your worth.

The journey can be tricky as it requires navigating nuances and building your playbook along the way. If you'd asked me this 20 years ago, I might have pointed to a promotion or a major launch as a proud moment. Today, what I hold close is the resilience I've built, especially while managing personal loss and showing up at work, with empathy and strength. That journey is deeply human, and I know many women leaders share it.

KAVITA MEHRA General Manager, Dell Technologies' India Centre of Excellence

A 2024 KPMG report notes that nine per cent of organisations still have no women in Leadership roles, and 17 per cent have seen no change or a decrease in the number of women leaders. However, women's drop-out rates have marginally declined in 36 per cent of organisations over the past five years and significantly decreased in 13 per cent. How do you interpret these trends in the context of your own experience and what you observe among your peers?

There’s clearly some momentum building, but the pace and consistency of progress vary widely. At Dell Technologies, we've made significant strides, not just in representation but in creating a more level playing field when it comes to development, pay equity, and internal mobility. But that’s not the norm everywhere.