Shayanta Paul’s Post

Speak up for sure but also learn how to put your thoughts forward

While I've often considered the advice I'd offer my younger self, I've come to appreciate that I wouldn't be the person I am today without having faced the very experiences and challenges that shaped me.   I had the privilege of reflecting on and sharing my biggest lessons during a recent CNBC interview: 1. Challenge yourself to learn new things every day. Embrace change both professionally and personally – remaining adaptable opens doors to new opportunities and growth. 2. Take bets on people. Prioritise progress, not perfection. Give a chance to people who have the mindset to learn and the courage to try. 3. Speak up. To be genuine is to encourage great ideas, and leaders have a responsibility to create a supportive environment where everyone feels empowered to share their perspectives openly. 4. Find out what’s important to you and be intentional. Ensuring my wellbeing and driving continuous learning are my top priorities in life, and I ensure I allocate time for them, whether it’s exercising regularly, or carving time out to learn about AI. 5. Be humble. Recognise the privilege of having the opportunity to make a difference, either through giving back to underserved communities or being a part of transformative initiatives. Our biggest lessons not only shape us but also propel us forward. They fuel growth and the foundation upon which we build our future endeavours, and I hope my experiences can serve as learning opportunities for those around me as well.    Watch the full interview here:

One of the biggest lessons I learned early in my career is the importance of falling in line. As a 21-year-old recent college grad, I thought that being a leader meant 'taking the lead' and 'sticking to your guns when the going gets tough.' Little did I realize that if everyone were a leader by this definition, nothing would get done since everyone would want to be the driver and decision-maker. To be a leader, one also needs to learn how to follow and fall in line when appropriate. Check out the three valuable lessons (and stories!) I learned while working for the NYC city government, a big law firm, and Google 👇 #leadership #career #jobs #productmarketing #product #marketing #google https://lnkd.in/gT2FZXMH

Many students come to me yearning to make an impact, but they don't know how. What they also don't know is that they could be making an impact far greater than they can imagine. Often it's fear, lack of skills and support that's holding them back. Power Your Public Presence in Media, on Stage & Beyond on May 17th in NYC is the answer to these challenges and many others. Only 5 spots left! But let's not hear from me. Let's hear from actual participants of this groundbreaking 10-person learning intensive. 😀 Rachel Hanfling's Power Your Public Presence event in NYC helped me see how I want to impact the world. Tammy McLeod, President of Harvard Chaplins 😀 Attending Rachel's event in NYC significantly boosted my public presence and directly contributed to my success. Julian Rabinik, Photographer and Health Coach 😀 I came away from the day with greater confidence and improved clarity of my message. This was a valuable investment in my improvement as a speaker. Debbie Boyd, Activist and Tech Executive 😀 Amazing people. I loved it all. Christine E. Leon, Certified Life Coach Having taught everyone from complete newbies to Shark Tank contestants to Harvard grad students and even those terrified to speak on a stage, I assure you having a powerful public presence is a skill you can learn and master. Growing your public presence in media and on stage is the bridge between where you are now and the impact you want to create. It's your legacy, Rachel. Come learn from my insider's knowledge and results-driven media and speech training methods at Power Your Public Presence in New York City on Friday, May 17. There are only 5 spots left. I will train you to hone and focus your message through practice and coaching; and help you craft your public presence plan, a step-by-step process that supports your growth. Life is short. Your legacy can't wait. Comment below or message me for details. #mediatraining #publicspeaking #publicspeakingskills #impact #influence #NYC #NYCevents #mastermind #training #professionaldevelopment #publicity #leadership #speakingskills #keynote #events #legacy #messaging #yourmessage

This is a conversation you don’t want to miss! Creativity and Innovation are in high demand no matter your role, and Director of Creative Works at Google Abigail Posner is masterful at helping each of us find our creative edge. She is credited as a leader who “humanized digital” at Google at a time when everything was so data driven. When she came to the company she brought in anthropologists to dig deeper into the WHY we do what we do with tech. Her ability to see beyond technology and uncover the best way to leverage our humanity is exactly what we need as people grapple with HOW to balance tech with their roles now and beyond! #ai #businesstransformation #ExpansivenessEdge

Redundancy is not the end— How to turn a setback into a comeback？ Facing redundancy or setbacks can be challenging, but these moments can also be an opportunity for growth and self-improvement. Instead of letting such situations bring you down, use the time to focus on yourself—pick up new skills, reconnect with your network, and strengthen your mindset. Remember, confidence is key, and challenges are just opportunities in disguise. How to turn a setback into a comeback？ The [Work For Yourself: Self-Leadership Program] by JPC can help you achieve key milestones during your career transitions and transformations. Schedule a free 45-minute consultation with JPC to learn how it can work for you: https://lnkd.in/g4Egf-Yj

Massive congratulations to Alexandra Whitehouse who has been accepted in Yahoo Academy’s Class 2024 which selects 30 emerging leaders every year from over 200+ applications 🎉❤️ I’m super happy and so massively stocked for Ali!! There’s also some little anecdotes I was super keen on sharing around this. I sent Ali a quick note on April 3rd. Short. Quick. Snappy. I’m not much of a flowery texter. Especially when I trust someone to just know where I’m coming from. Even when she replied, I just posted a little thumbs up. “I don’t need to say more. She’s got this, and she’ll smash it” were my thoughts. Now, I may or may not have had a big hand in prompting Ali to apply for the Yahoo Academy program - I’m sure she had it under her radar from miles away. Yet, I take it upon myself to always shout mates out for opportunities I know are just destined for them and I just know deep down in my gut that they would be great fits for those opportunities. I’m a born cheerleader who’s for far too long closeted herself in the corporate scene because of the fear of being culturally inappropriate (I’m an expat in Australia, the land of Tall Poppy Syndrome) or not having the right professional etiquettes. And the reason why I’m writing this to my LinkedIn network is simple: ❤️ When you see an opportunity you know someone will be a great fit for or just know that they’d benefit so much from it, just push them to apply. ❤️ Especially women who are the most prone to self-reject because of imposter syndrome. ❤️ Give yourselves permission to bring your authentic selves to work, especially when you have a psychologically safe cohort. (Which I’m lucky to have. This one’s a self-reminder.) ❤️ We often get bogged down into our own daily desk routine that we forget to shout out the amazing people around us. P.S. iProspect Australia creates space for this to happen at its weekly All Staffers, and it does help facilitate an internalisation of the same in one’s life 360 degrees. Go Ali!

3 things I learned early on, that ended transforming my experience at work. 1. Being curious 🤔 → Take the initiative to ask questions, test your understanding, fail and learn. 2. Asking smart questions 🤓 → Don't ask things that are easily verifiable. This makes your team leaders life easier and when you truly have a question they know it is because you need their knowledge and experience. 3. Using the internet 🌐 → Most times instead of turning to a colleague for a question, creating the habit of searching online will: save a lot of time, not distract your peers and make you more independent. Curious to know your thoughts? 💭👇

I used to believe that only FBI agents, Presidents and CEOs get to learn the undercover secrets of how to be an excellent speaker. I was 6 at that time. And I recently moved to Boston from Hong Kong. It was the first time I’ve seen snow. it was also the first time I was made fun of as a speaker. “You can’t speak English” “What are you saying?” “I can’t understand you” I was the only Chinese kid in the school. I was often by myself. I was shy. I didn’t believe I could be a good speaker. But I knew one day… I wanted to be successful.  I wanted to make lots of money to support my family and buy them a house. I wanted to become a leader. And any leader must have good communication and speaking skills. As I grew up I learned everything I could about how to speak better I learned how to speak with confidence. I learned how to tell stories. I learned how to speak off the cuff I learned how to help people unsee their beliefs I learned how to offer hope to people I learned all of this …. …So I could become a better leader ...And therefore I could grow a bigger business …Then I would be able to send money to my parents and buy them infinite houses Your turn now. If you master your communication and speaking skills, what could that do for you? Get that promotion? Feel confident from the inside out? Be a thought leader? Earn more money? Be a better team leader? Wherever you are as a speaker, you can do better. This is your push. The question is… Do you want to and believe you can? If your answer is YES, then I have three things for you: Thing 1: Recently I’ve posted Part 1 of The Speaker’s Handbook - The Ultimate Guide To Developing As A Speaker, go read it or reread it here: https://lnkd.in/eQPTBnAs Thing 2: Part 2 of The Speaker’s Handbook will be coming out soon. Get ready. Thing 3: If you want the full support, strategies, skillsets, and secrets on how to develop a full circle of speaking skills, our 8-week cohort, The Influential Speaker Program is about to open for enrollment. Do you want to know more about it? Msg below or send me a DM.

If you work in tech, you probably know your stuff. That's *not* the same as knowing how to communicate what you know effectively. A lot of my clients are smart, capable experts in what they do -- and they stumble when it's time to present their ideas to someone else. Especially if that someone else is in a senior position, or isn't as familiar with their tech specialty, or if they are emotionally attached to the outcome (making a sale, convincing leadership to sign off on an idea, demoing work at the end of a project, etc.). How do you get past this? One of the best things you can do is to shift your mindset from you to your audience: move from "what's in this for me?" to "how can I help them?" How can you educate them (on your work, your achievements, the stakes of a decision)? How can you provide value for them (by sharing an idea, guiding a choice, helping them use what you've built)? How can you give them a great experience (by preparing, by practicing, by showing up confident to help them feel confident in you)? How do you help yourself communicate what you know when the stakes feel high? --------- Registration is now open for my July cohort of Presenting Your Ideas With Confidence. We're bringing the heat in July 🌞 by focusing specifically on leaders (and aspiring leaders) in tech, so you can use these vital touchpoints to advance your career, build your influence, and increase the impact of your work. Just click the link in my bio and get ready to boost your career 🚀 and have fun doing it!