Um So without further ado, I'm just going to kick off this uh this presentation called Networking for Support. Um This is kind of a uh a love letter as it were to the people that I work with and all the people who are on this call.Um It started very much with a conversation. I was actually having uh with a multitude of people in the organization, but specifically these four about what it means to actually, you know, progress in your career where you started the things that you have learned, the things you wish you could have shown other people and the things that on a bigger stage like this, we can impart to so many people and help them with their careers.

Um So I'm going to be starting from a very personal place just because a lot of the people that I've brought here with me are part of my journey. And I learn best by seeing examples of things, but also getting to see the people who have impacted, you know, specific people instead of just reading what a definition is of something. So I'll start with, you know, myself 12 years ago. Like I said, I've been working in an industry for about 12 years. Uh, probably a little bit more than that. And I had moved to the UK, which was a really big change for me because as most of you can tell my accent is not British, um, I try, it's not gone very well, but this is my accent still and for the most part and I think that this is something that isn't just something I've gone through.

But I do think that this is something that a lot of women within industry go through very early on in their career. But I came to this country and I felt absolutely invisible. You know, you start your career after university, not really knowing what you want to achieve what you want to accomplish, or maybe you have a whole bunch of ideas and you're like, I'm gonna be able to take this to an organization and really just hit the ground running and get started.

But the things that you don't realize are sometimes you also need to find your identity as a part of that too, to be able to set that, that framework, that foundation for you to be able to, you know, move to the next stage or even know what to ask for. So a little bit about me, uh and my invisibility because I feel like it's good to start from a place of authenticity. Um For me, I, you know, I came out at a very young age as being bisexual and I married a man much too. I'm sure my parents, you know, happiness, but at the same time they were very accepting. But it was something that when I, when I moved here it wasn't something that was very, you know, well communicated that that was still something that was different. That, that was something that was acceptable to be, you know, bisexual and still be part of the queer community and be accepted that way. So for a lot of parts, it was almost like being married to a man was something that was, it made me not as gay as I could be, which sounds crazy, but I'm sure that some of you probably understand what I'm talking about. Um So it made me invisible to that community, but also to the community of people who saw me as a heterosexual woman. Um being a woman. I'm sure again, a lot of the people on this call, like you've, you've gone through the invisibility of what comes with gender.

You start out very early on in your career. Uh You walk into rooms where you may be doing a presentation, they expect that you're the person who's actually bringing coffee, bringing the paperwork, they're, they're going to be going through on that specific, you know, topic that they're covering or maybe it's something where you're automatically judged for being one of the only women in that room as well.

Um But what's more than that is also the fact that I'm mixed race. Um Two things for me is I'm Moroccan Italian. One of those things probably comes out more than others. So I get a lot of the invisibility of where my heritage comes from. So, again, a lot of those different things you struggle with being in your early twenties and you're looking at, you know, who am I? How do I present myself within an organization? And what you're taught from a lot of movies growing up is that, you know, you find that one person who's like the one person you should seek out, who is the person that you really want to be, that person will solve all of your problems because they've already figured everything else out.

And this is a, a really big uh again, disclaimer that this is not something that happens on the regular, this is a very rare occurrence. And if that person's got everything figured out by the time they're at like 20 plus years, they're probably lying to you because you never stop learning as a part of this journey that we're on. The other part of it is that again, you walk into rooms, not feeling senior enough. And I want to go through the progression of what a lot of this looks like from the viewpoint of allyship to mentorship and sponsorship. But then go through them, each with one of the individuals that it represents that really uh for me in my career, I've been very, very fortunate working at synopsis because before working here, I hadn't really had a lot of uh visibility into different groups of people who could actually be this person or these people for me or that I could be this person for them.

So, just because I don't wanna put like, you know, a whole bunch of descriptions up on the screen, I'm just gonna run through a little bit of what the the tenants of sort of, you know, allyship, mentorship and sponsorship are. So we're all speaking from the same page, but essentially, um allyship is the learning and relearning on how to best support the less privileged uh positions within society or organizations. They may be due to marginalized, you know, being a part of a marginalized group. Um So really, you're starting, you're starting to show more solidarity in your understanding of what that group is going through without being able to empathize with what that group is going through. Mentorship again, comes from a place that's a little step above that, which is giving guidance based off of the learned experience that you have and giving that to people who have less experience in that space. Um This can be personal, this can be professional. Um This can also be something that's very transactional. It doesn't have to be a lifelong mentor. It can be someone who you meet in a meeting you might like, I've been trying to learn this for 10 years and this person is actually gonna take me under their wing for about six months. I'm gonna have a, a crash course in that thing.

Um The other part of it is uh sponsorship and that's when you get to a specific level within your career where there's such a, a large power disparity between the person that you're advocating for and the person that you want to have seen to be visible by an organization. And one of the biggest things that we'll talk about today is really the progression of how we look at when you start your career. A lot of it is being invisible and trying to get that visibility for yourself. The more senior you get it starts to become a have they heard me? Am I heard now as much as it is being seen because you intrinsically become more seen over time. So with that, I'd like to introduce again, my mentee, Nike Owens show AKI one who is my ops manager, Frank Morris, who is my mentor and Lekh Me Na, who is again an icon for me within the organization just because of what she imparts to so many women within synopsis, but also what she gives to her wider community by being the the role model that you want to be looking for within that space.

So without having to listen to me for the rest of the conversation, I'm going to start going into some of our panelists, um, and letting you hear a little bit about their experience and, and what these topics mean to them and how they've looked to address them within their career.

So, Nike, I'm gonna start with you. Um, and you've come off of me already a really strong start. That's better than what I did this morning. Um So I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about, you know, what mentorship and allyship mean to you specifically being 12 years into your career, you know, um being a woman of color, you know, working in an organization that's starting to support a lot of things within inclusion and diversity.

There are a lot of different layers to, to both of those things, but tell us a little bit about like your background and meeting where you are now. Sure.

Sure. Um So you heard my, my bio um in the intro, in the introduction when I introduced to uh all of us, but um a few things for you to know about me that are not um in my bio is that I am a working mother and wife um trying to navigate this crazy place. Um And in achieving, you know, some of my professional goals and, and just really trying to continue with drive and ambition to, to reach the goals that I have. But in doing all of that, I'm also very much um, a work in progress and, um, some of the things that I'm working on, um, are one unlearning, some of the self defeating habits, um, that I've had throughout my life. Um, one being like shrinking, shrinking myself, um, when I step into a room, you know, in order to fit everyone else's expectations of what they think and who they think I am. Um, another thing that I've been working on, um, is learning how to value myself and show up as my authentic self when I step into these rooms.

Um And then lastly, you know, practicing the, the art of showing up and taking up space and having a voice and sharing my voice and, and what I have to say and all of those things are progressive works in progress. As I stated, that are the fruits of nurturing and building the relationships that we're kind of talking about and that we're here to discuss today. Um So you ask kind of what it's been like for me, you know, what my journey has been like and it, it, it first really, it's just that I'm still on it, you know, it has been a trial, it has been a glorious experience, but it has also been very difficult and challenging, um especially as a black woman working, you know, in a space such as this.

So you heard, you know, in my bio that I come from a training and development background, you know, And about five years ago I decided that I needed to pull it together. Um And so I went back to school, got my bachelor's degree as a single mom of two and um reached out, tried to figure out networking. I didn't even know what that was and how you do, how you do it. Is there a manual somewhere? Where are the instructions? How do you network? And so having to navigate that and figure that out and realizing that actually, you know, there are people already in my life that can serve in the various roles in, in, at the various times, in the right places and times in my life that I needed them to do that. And um that has made the world of difference in me getting from point A to point B to where I am now um in my career. And so, one of the amazing things that I'm getting to experience now um working at synopsis is that we are engaging in a mentorship program that Mattia you designed.

Um And, and luckily, um I, as part of that program, I'm assigned to a mentor and I get to, you know, engage with you on a regular basis and we work through those things that I'm mentioning that we're working on and we talk through what my goals are, how I'm gonna get there. And, you know, as you described it, kind of the definitions, if you will of each of those, you know, you showing me from your experience and showing me the way. So one of the huge and kind of silly um nuggets that I really wanted to share today is really around just this element of synchronicity that exists in me, just being here um to talk about this. So it's kind of full circle. So as I was thinking, you know, about my, my situation as a mentee, you know, being in the position that I'm in. Um you know, and saying, and telling you all and sharing with everyone that I'm here because of that unique combination of individuals that I have had in my life, as you said, for a season, a reason for a season, you know, who have been there to support me um in one or more of those areas, you know, a, as an ally, as a mentor, as a sponsor, I've experienced, I've experienced all of it.

Um But when I decided to transition into tech as a non technical professional, those things were absolutely critical in, in me being able to do that. So I'm not going to bore you with all the details of my transition and tell you this long drawn out saga. But the simple nugget really um that I've taken away from being in this seat that I sit in. Um it is, is the magic that happens when you surround yourself with the right people at the right time. Um And, and putting yourself in a position of perpetual learning. It is invaluable. Um And so I'm here today to really share with you all that you can contribute as well. Um uh imposter syndrome, I'm gonna say it, I don't know if we've been talking about it in this conference yet or not, but it's, it's something that is very real and, and runs deep, um especially in high achievers and, and I'm sure many of you here can relate to that as well.

Um And it can be especially debilitating with the added layer of lack of representation in the spaces where we are, where we don't see anyone that looks like us or we don't hear anyone that sounds like us. Um And it is a resilient beast that shows up, you know, when we talk about building these relationships and we wonder, OK, you know, a, a as, as I enter a relationship with a mentor, I try to build that relationship as a mentee or what can I do to, to sponsor or I need someone to sponsor me to help me get to point B.

But what do I have to give in that relationship? We often talk about that is that these are two way streets, they go both ways. So, so the best way to nurture that relationship is to, is to engage in that take and give that give and take. But when the imposter syndrome jumps in and you're like, but what do I have, what, what do I have to offer? You know, and so I had to deal with that a lot. Um But being encouraged to stretch um and being advised by people like Mattia, my mentor and others in my life um to do things that are uncomfortable, despite feeling that way, I've learned to recognize that regardless of where I am in my career or what my expertise is. Um or what specific room I'm in at the time that I have something to contribute. And, and so do you? And so, um and Mattia asking me to be a part of this discussion and being on this panel and bringing me to this panel to represent the role of mentee, you know, my, my fight or flight response kicked in. I was like, what? No, I, I absolutely not. What can I possibly add to the discussion? And it troubled me for some time, but I know now that the entire exchange and experience up to this point happened so that I could use my own experience and my own realization to share it with you all.

And then I'm actually right where I need to be in this moment. So the point is is you don't have to have a phd in whatever or you know, any of that to add value somewhere. You, you absolutely can add value to that relationship and build that relationship by just being your authentic self and sharing whatever perspective and expertise that you have and you bring that to that relationship. Um And that is, I think a huge part of the magic that happens.

Uh and in that give and take and um I hope that, you know, Mattia can, can agree with that and express that while we're working on things and while she's teaching me and showing me the blueprint of how to get to the places where I'm getting to that, when we're having those conversations, there are learning and things that she's taking from me, from my unique experience and my perspectives on all of those things.

And I think that is what makes it work and, and it just is, it's really amazing and I'm just super grateful to, to have people like that and people like Mattia and, and those on this panel to be a part of my journey. So I just want to say that, you know, I guarantee that you all have more to offer than you think if you're questioning, if you're questioning your value or what you can bring to a, into an engaging relationship such as a mentee mentor or sponsor um or an ally. Um But don't, don't let that get in the way of, of you doing those things. Um Because there's someone out there, I'm sorry.

Oh,

because there's someone out there that, that needs you. Um And you are definitely somebody somewheres, you're someone's goal and I just really wanted to impart that all to you all today. Um And that's, that's pretty much it.

Well, first of all, I think we can just close there. Thank you, everyone. We've come to see you guys talk. This is really fantastic. Um No, but like I, I really resonate with a lot of the things that you said too because, you know, as we've discussed before, these are not things that you put to bed, you know, when you get to a certain stage in your career, you and I have had very, you know, a very similar time in industry together, but we've had very different experiences within industry and working in technology, especially as people who tend to be like, you know, less technical, I won't say non technical because you're more technical than you give yourself credit for.

But I think that, you know, there is definitely a divide there and I think that there's a lot of a lot of work that you've done to get to this point of knowing that your value of being in this group and your, your need to be here is definitely something that's felt by everybody as well because it, it's so important that you're here and it's also so important that within your first year of working in a large organization that you're recognized in this way because you are internally as well.

So,

and thank you, this is an incredible opportunity. And honestly, if you had told me a year ago that I would be on the stage with this group of amazing individuals talking to all of you. I would have called you all insane. But here we are, you know, and, and like I said, now I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be. So, thank you.

Awesome. Thanks Nike and a great segue to show as well. So, uh she is one of those people who told me, you know, when I first started a synopsis that I was, you know, going to be representing this organization one day in a really big way. And I didn't think that she meant this. So, of course, I couldn't take her out of the equation when I finally got here because she was the person who told me to begin. But essentially, you know, choa as an ops manager, you know, she's been through, you know, almost twice of like the, the duration of the experience that I've had in an industry that's very difficult working with, in consulting and especially within, you know, a lot of spaces that don't really accept having more senior women within leadership.

Um And she's broken a lot of barriers in that regard and to a lot of people as well as a role model in that space. And really, you know, the thing that I love learning from sh is what she's still learning all the time because like Nike said, it is a constant learning cycle. So, you know, sh within the time that, you know, you've been an office manager, you've been a mentee, you've been a mentor. Like what are some of the things that, you know, you wish that you had known before? You took on some of those roles that you want to impart to others?

Well, thank you, Mattia. You know, I've learned so much from you as well and everyone really on my journey and I would, I would say the thing that I would want to pass on the most is that we are constantly learning every single day and that's from everyone you come in contact with. So it doesn't matter what level you are. You know, it's, it's the entry level person that you do an intro for when they first join your organization. If you take the time out and you are actually your authentic self and you look at that person as a person, as a human, not just a, you know, a new coworker or some someone that's joined, but really take the time to get to know this is a, a beautiful soul with all these different, you know, facets of life that I can also learn from.

You will enjoy the journey a lot more as well because we are constantly on the journey. It's never ending and there's so much to learn from everyone. So I think um Nikkei had so many good nuggets in there, you know that I'm trying to hold on to as well. Um So great job Nikkei, but once you kind of, I think also overcome the impostor syndrome that is very real, um especially for high achieving people, like you said, and you learn that you do have something to share with the world and you do have something to impart on everyone.

Um and, and you realize it is all a give and take. So the more that, that you can give to others, you'll be very surprised at how much you can also get from everyone you come in contact with. So what I really, really want to impart today is that you don't have to be a formal mentor. You don't have to be a formal mentee. You just need to show up your authentic self, you know, and I wish I knew that 20 years ago, like I can actually go into work and just be myself and learn and um treat people the way they want to be treated, the way I want to be treated, but just really show up as a human, right?

Not try to fit into any mold, but just be myself, show up, learn, um treat people with respect and kindness. You will be so amazed at how far you can get just being

yourself. Absolutely. And I think like you, you touched on like something that's really important as well, which is when you see something where you know, you're constantly aware of the things around you, right. Of, you know, people being in a, a less, less of an ability to be their authentic self at work or if someone's saying something to them where there's again a power disparity or like any type of thing that creates that vacuum for someone to act in that way. It's really important to call that out in front of other people as well because that's the way that you also pave that forward for people. And that's something that, you know, you and I have talked about even within our, our own space because it's really important for other people to see, especially other women saying things like that's not OK. You can't say that the amount of times where in our career has been show and I have talked about this before where we've been referred to as that girl or the girl who did. And it's like, well, I hate to tell everyone we're both over the age of 18. Um So we were, we are no longer girls, we are very much women and it's, it's that type of thing of just re educating people on that journey as well.

So like if you see something being present enough to comment on it, I mean, what's, what's one of the last things that you, you want to talk about as far as like something that you think would help people who want to be better mentors or better sponsors to, you know, more junior staff.

Um So as an ops manager, you know, you also have to realize that you are mentoring people every day. It's not in your title but, but your people are the people that you're here to inspire, to dream more, to do more, to say more. A part of the saying more is if you see something and it's not OK, then that is within your, you know, almost um you need to be able to say something to pave the way for others, right? So just like you and I have talked about a lot, um I really respect that in you that you've been able to stand up for, for what you think is right in order to make the world and the company and the corporate system a better place for other people. So I would just, you know, leave it by saying, remember that as a mentor, if you are trying to be a better mentor to be authentic, listen to people, actively listen to what they're saying and then know that you are there to inspire them to dream, to do to be the best version of themselves.

And that's not necessarily the best version that's laid out for you in any type of structure.

Absolutely. It's not very well defined for individuals. Is it? Exactly? Thank you very much. So, yeah. No, all really, really great points and you know, speaking of inspiring, you guys are just laying this out for me really well. So Thank you for the segues um Frank. So, um as I put at the very beginning, I was, I, I had didn't say this in my bio either, but I was raised by a lot of very strong, independent women. Um And my grandfather who is a confirmed feminist. Um So he always wanted to have all women in his life. And I was very much looking for a mentor, like I said, at the beginning of my career, who looks like me, who sounds like me, you know, who very much comes from a very similar background, who can show me the path forward. So naturally, I picked Frank Morris because he is all of those things. And then some, but in my experience of working with him as a mentor, I have never been so impacted by someone's honesty and the ability to be present and the awareness of the words that he uses the way that he conveys certain messages to people because people will carry that for years regardless of where they are in their career.

The fact that even though we don't share a gender, at least I'm not sure. So I'm not going to assume we don't share a gender. It's not something that he's completely oblivious to what that means for me and my career, which helps both of us to learn from each other to be more inclusive from that perspective. Because there are a lot of things as well that again, as a man I've never experienced before. And yes, men still have, you know, they still have issues with being their authentic selves and being able to show up for work and having allies as well to be more vulnerable and more open. But, I mean, Frank, you've been in industry for, you know, 25 years, which is pretty incredible. So you've obviously learned everything, but what were the things that you're still working on as a part of your leadership?

Sure. Thanks Matthew. And thanks for the lovely intro, I think, look, just to cover a few things the first point I'll raise and, and, and Niki mentioned it earlier around imposter syndrome. Uh I still have it today uh All, all the time, right? When I'm working with things and, and that's part of being linked to, to recognizing that we are always learning another theme that we've heard uh today from, from many people on the panel and I'm sure you'll hear it for the rest of the day too. Um You know, I think for me, there's a few things to, to pick up on these things. The number one is the sort of cycle that people go through cos everybody's different. Everybody's story is different in terms of how, how we approach, whether it's life or work or anything else. But actually, there's a lot of similarities to the process that people go through and typically it ranges from learning to fit in or trying to fit in depending on the situation that you're in, at the beginning of careers and so forth all the way through to evolving your skills and then suddenly appreciating that you're outstanding at something.

Um, and the key to that is doing that without being arrogant or overconfident about the way that you address that. Uh, and then suddenly becoming comfortable being good at something and then being able to share that with others. And that's kind of the cycle that, that people go through and it, it's different, but it's very similar for most people. But the thing that's consistent with all of that is it's typically done with the support of others. And, and it's always required whether it's mentors, peers, other people like you different to you, et cetera to support you through that journey. And for me, you know, one thing I, I've genuinely learnt is that, you know, you have to recognize that you don't always have all the answers yourself either for yourself or for others. So, in our relationship, Matthew, I, you know, one thing that's fantastic about it for me is I learn very quickly. I don't have all the answers. And I'm constantly learning through the discussions that we have. And it, it's great because, you know, I get to re recognize things that I just don't know the answer to, but then I can work on it and we'll work together on the answers to certain situations you'll pose me a problem then and I'll be sitting there thinking, well, I should have the answer to this, but I probably don't.

So let's work on this together and we, we'll work things through and I think that's what's amazing for me that I'm always learning through that journey, not just with you but everyone on this call, but many others as well. And as you start to do that, you become, you know, a team of two. And then as you embrace more people, instead, you become a team of 34. And suddenly things start to, to just evolve. So for me that always learning piece, that sort of slogan that comes with that is, is absolutely incredible. And along that journey, you start to give back more as well because everything that we share in terms of our learning is now cascaded across all the people that we interact with. So that's number one on that kind of piece. Uh You talked about honesty being important as well and you know, having that perspective and honesty about how something is handled or how it could be handled differently, I think is key for me being able to have that honest discussion. Uh and give true examples of, you know, when we saw this situation, this is what happened. How did you feel those kind of discussions?

For me again, I'm constantly learning from that too because how you handle that with each individual again has to be different uh for that person. Um I guess the other learning, I think I, I in all of this is that there are some downsides to uh mentorship, allyship and all those things as well. And um it's in my nature to want to try and help as many people as possible. But there's also recognition you have to take sometimes that you can't always help everybody. So there are situations that come up, Fortunately not for anyone on this call uh that you're working with. But there are situations through my career, you come where you think you can help everybody but you can't. And, and that's because individuals have to want to take, help, improve themselves, et cetera. And they have to have that recognition that you're the right person to help them too.

It could just be the wrong person uh engaging with them so you can't force it I think is the other thing that, that I've really learned over the years as well. And sometimes you need to walk away in a really positive sense out of those things too. So recognizing when you can and also where situations are not, not so appropriate. So I think those are the sort of key takeaways that I'd have from there. I'm conscious, I want to give some time to lecture me to speak as well. But you know, those are the key things that I would take away in a very short period of time No,

thank you very much. And yeah, verbosity is not a problem on this, on this call for any of us. So I appreciate you leaving some time as well. Um I think like you, you mentioned something that I think Lakshmi is very good at as well and I do want to draw that, that connection as to why she's also here. So um like again, I can confirm Lakshmi has never been my manager, Lakshmi has never worked directly in the same team as me. She's a manager within my ecosystem of senior management that I work with. Um But what I've seen of her is what I'd expect from senior leaders and I see this in, in both Lakshmi and Frank, it's really about recognition without reward. So when you become more senior and you're looking for the support that you need, sponsorship becomes less of a thing. And what you do more at that point is helping people to, you know, leverage their relationships and bring them along your journey to help them to navigate things better.

And one of the things that I remember her doing when she hit her first year, this past women's day um was actually reaching out to all of the people who had impacted her career during the first year without expecting any responses from that email. But it was the most beautiful email of just thank you. Thank you for showing up. Thank you for being a part of my career, you make an impact on me and a lot of people don't see that as when you get to a senior leader that you know, those things happen so that you have that connection. So let me for you, obviously, you're at a stage in your career and we've just talked about that. Now, the upward sort of visibility is not as much of a, a thing so much because you're comfortable with where you're at. But as far as figuring out where everyone else is around you, what would you, what would you say to other senior leaders to help them to be better mentors or better sponsors?

Sure. Uh Thanks. Thanks, Ma ma Matthew. You, you have really spoiled me with a lot of good words. Thank you for that. Uh All right. So, um I, I share one example uh in my career, uh how it, or rather in my mindful journey, how the mentorship turned out to be uh an important thing for me and, and really helped me in growing uh in my space. So I grew up uh in a small village in the southern part of India uh where I did my schooling in a local uh school and, and went to a university where I found a lot of them, all of the people who have been um have studied outside, have studied outside of India and, and uh all of them are speaking English and I've, I've never spoken English uh even in, in my entire 12 years of my life before I went to that university.

So I was like, oh my God, how am I going to survive? So I had uh uh I would say the, my first mentors for my uh dad uh himself, he was the one who taught me to dream big. He was the one who taught me to be show up in the room and express yourself. Language is definitely one thing that you can learn. It is just a medium of, of expressing. And you can always do that, you can learn that and grow up, right? And, and he was there understanding what I wanted to do in my, my career in my education and help me to think the way that I wanted to shape up my career uh at that point in life. And I was 17 years old and that thought process is something that really instilled in me throughout my life. Um And, and being confident about what I have to talk about and uh dream of and yet uh be clear about what I need to achieve no matter uh uh if I'm in a different uh different um uh geographically different region or I'm in a different room where I, I, I'm the only one in that room.

So that was the mentorship. Uh I got from my family at that point and then you're talking about 25 years, 2530 years of back uh when uh that this happened. And as mentors uh 12 things that I wanted to, to um uh tell you one, listen, listen, listen, you have to be a patient listener to be able to understand the other person's view, what they are looking for and uh then provide your right uh guidance on that. And, and remember, you are not there to give them solutions, you are there to give them options and for it is up to them to choose what they want to want to do depending upon what their objective. The final decision definitely is theirs. Of course, that's a major objective that you need to set. You are not there to give them solutions. You are there to give them guidance options. Rest is their choice. Now, the second thing treat the people again um uh related to what, what the first point to treat the people the way that they wanted to be treated. I think sh I also mentioned that uh valid point don't assume because you came from a certain background, certain upbringing, certain career path doesn't mean that the other person would want to uh go in the same direction. So I'll give an example of one of my mentees.

So it was during the time when the COVID was at the peak, it was the second wave was, was at the peak and she just got married. Um And um the natural thing for many people who would, uh, uh, expect is that? Yeah, she just got married and everything is uncertain now. She doesn't, she won't be, should not be considering a new job for her. Right. And you know what she came back to me with, she said, hey, uh, Lakshmi iii, I realized that life is too short. I wanted to leverage what is in front of me to the full, less that I can. Um, Despite the fact that I just got recently married, I have a great career uh in, in where, where I am today, but I wanted to shake it a little um a little and see what I can get uh to the fullest. So, of course, uh from a thought tho uh thought process and the schools that we have all come from, we may thought that's, that's not about she, she should be taking decision. But as a mentor uh considering what she, how she wanted to be treated, I was giving II I was fortunate enough to give her uh the pros and cons what, what is good, what is not? Um And then she took the decision to move on.

Uh And she's, she's doing pretty well today, right? So these are the two things that I would uh uh uh uh recommend all the mentors uh to, to keep it.

That's really awesome. Thank you so much Lakshmi. And I, I can't underscore the, the second part that you were saying as well that everyone is very individual and has very individual needs and to approach it in that way, I think, you know, one of the things that we were talking about for our key takeaways and I'll, I'll start to close it down here and I know that we haven't had a lot of time for, for Q and A, but you've all been super supportive.

So thank you so much for all of this. Um The one thing I'll say is for organizations and for those of you in organizations who are looking to impart or share or instill any of the things that you've learned here, they're constant conversations, we're part of a larger technology community. All of us, I've seen people, you know, share some of your, your linkedin background as well. Um Please feel free to reach out to us and connect on linkedin. But at the same time, you know, these are things that as an organization, we start to think about more globally, but really, you can start to work on a lot of it individually and on a much smaller level and see that grow the same way that Frank was talking about that radiating out, you know, as you're starting to build a lot of those relationships and build a lot of that networking.

So again, don't think that one person is going to solve all these, these issues or, you know, give you all the answers to everything, these poor people are people that like, I constantly look to as, you know, bellwethers and, you know, signposts for what I need to do within my career as much as they do, you know, looking this way as well, which is very flattering because you never expect things like that.

But I think that that's something to just be very aware of. You are always seen and someone could be looking at you for those answers or how to act or how to progress their career. So just again, show up where possible be as authentic as you can be. But really, it's just about being aware of the people who need you and how much of yourself you can give to those people. So thank you so much for attending our panel. Thank you so much to the panelists for coming today, especially show and Nike where it's very early for them in the morning on the East Coast. Um We really, really appreciate the time that you guys have given to us and the overrun. So thank you, Anna. We uh we appreciate the little bit of

thank you so much for this fantastic discussion. I really was writing down so many golden nuggets. I really love what you say about showing gratitude without receiving anything in return. And I really love that and especially to people like in Lakshmi's case, uh that, that she wanted to show gratitude to people who helped her advance in her career. And that is so beautiful. I think we should not. Definitely and always we should remember the people who help us get ahead in our career and our people right now are thanking you in the chat. They said it was very inspiring and great panel, great advice, such a panel. Thank you all. Very inspiring and congrats, mate. You on your excellent moderation. Thank you very much everyone. Thank you for being here. Thank you for showing up your authentic selves today. I think it's originated with people. We need more conversations like that. So thank you so much for bringing this wonderful discussion to our conference conference.

I'm truly great for that. And if you want to uh to work with people like Nikai Sh Frank Lakshmi and Matia, make sure to drop by synopsis booth and maybe these people could be your mentor and help you grow professionally, so stay with us. Uh And yeah, make sure to connect with them also here in the people tab on linkedin and yeah, ask for your advi for, ask for advice and just say thanks. Thank you very much everyone and have a great day. Bye bye

bye bye.