Perfect.It's a real privilege to be part of 2024 women in tech summit, I'm really excited to learn from each of you and share what I have learned as well. I'm talking from you from beautiful Canada. So cheers to everyone for joining us from around the world. Let's take a moment to appreciate how lucky we are to be here today, especially given the challenging times we are living in. As someone who loves seeing others succeed. I'm really excited to be here with all of you. Today, I want to talk about my journey from a small town. To engineer to leadership in the bustling tech hubs of North America, career insights, and lessons learned. So let's get started and deep dive into our discussion. Alright.

I hope we can all take parts of our stories and use them in our lives and careers for those not here. Remember, this Mr. Hood represents women in leadership and technology. If you are seeking the mentorship, remember, we can all mentor newcomers. Today, I want to share my journey and personal insights, especially for those that are in their careers. I'll discuss the challenges I have typically faced particularly with work life balance and how I have overcome them. My goal is to offer better ways to manage these challenges and shed light on struggles each of us, experience in the real time world. I consider myself as a technologist first who also happens to be a strong leader this mindset has set me apart in my career while I have had the privilege of being coached by great leaders in soft skills.

I often lack guidance in technical aspects. I aim to be hands on leader working alongside my team troubleshoot and solve technical issues. My career has been more like riding a wave than climbing a mountain. I have faced challenges with work life balance, understanding my uniqueness and navigating being a woman in technology. Sharing these challenges is crucial as many of us have likely faced similar struggle. In the early days, I focused on excelling as an engineer pursuing certifications and taking an extra task. However, being one of the few women in the room led me to feel pressure, to fit in my changing, my appearance, and behavior which left me feeling undervalued.

When I was promoted, I worked even harder to prove myself sacrificing my own personal life for my job. This imbalance, took a toll on me, and I struggle to find harmony between work and personal life, especially after becoming a mom, mom. And I hope, this pretty much resonates with many of you who are here today. Transitioning into roles where I could design solutions and work closely with clients brought me fulfillment still work life balance remained a challenge, particularly after having a kid. As I moved into leadership, I battled imposter syndrome, questioning my own qualifications over time. I learned to embrace my uniqueness and lead authentic authenticity. I have also prioritized work life balance setting boundaries and making time for myself outside outside of work.

My career has been a journey of growth and learning with its fair share of challenges and successes. I encourage everyone to pursue their passions and leverage their unique skills and experiences to make a difference in the world of technology. So, I would, well, my journey as a tech evangelist was not planned or straightforward. Let me give a quick introduction of myself I'm Nelima Mangal based out of Greater Toronto area, and I bring nearly 2.5 decades of experience in the IT industry working across diverse regions, spanning, North America, Europe, APAC, India, and Brazil. I have done my masters in computer science from Iowa, United States, and also an active member of Fort Council and MIT Sloan CIO community. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of contributing to the success of both startups as well as large corporations leading delivery efforts on multi $1,000,000 projects across various engagement models, delivering, critical capabilities at renowned companies like Apple in Cupertino, California AT and T in Atlanta.

Wells Fargo in, San Francisco, Scotiabank in Toronto. ADP in US and Canada exceed 1 net cash in Canada. I'm very passionate about using tech to solve real world problems, and I'm a big supporter of of women in tech. I'm also a strong advocate for women in tech. Posting a podcast called the power of women in the world of tech and have recently authored the book. Climate succeed which got featured in Forbes Council Executive Library. My journey from a small town, to prominent tech cubs in North America reflects my passion for using technology to address, real world problems. I also enjoy meeting new people learning new things and exploring different cultures. So I wear multiple hats from being a passionate advocate for women in tech to a devoted volunteer, wife, mom, mentor, champion of DEI.

Family is at the heart of everything I do, and I take immense pride and being a proud mom. Each of us have a unique story by sharing. We can inspire each other, and thank you for being part of this journey. Let's connect. Alright. So let's deep dive into our top 5 principles of leadership. Well, what leadership means to me. Having spent more than 2.5 decades in the IT sector steering teams overseeing projects and confronting the challenges posed by the technological landscape. It's fair to say that I have had my share of both failures and successes. And from both, I have emerged with many learnings, leadership or doesn't occur in a vacuum. Leadership isn't about destination. Leadership isn't about succeed success. It's a multi dimensional journey that includes a fair share of success and failure.

I would like to share my top 5 principles, which has really helped me in my career journey. People, number 1, people tend to remember your latest accomplishments. So it's important to keep up a strong consistent performance. A collab to a collaborative workplace requires the establishment of a proficient and balanced team. 3, your reputation is crucial as it influences trust and the willingness of others to listen and act on your advice, for definitely, you need to stay optimistic in the phase of challenges, to effectively inspire and lead a team. 5, while talent is important, a character plays an equally significant role in achieving success. As employer promotes candidates who possess the right values, a positive attitude, a hunger for learning, and who fit the company culture. I firmly believe that these, 5 principles, consistent performance, a teamwork, reputation, optimism, and character form a critical foundation for a successful leadership career. Okay.

So now I would like to deep dive into 10 actionable strategies. To drive your success. 1, actively think about your next project now. Be intentional in planning for your future experience and growth and don't passively wait for opportunities to land in your lap. Start by setting short term goals that lead you towards your long term objective. As you reach each milestone, celebrate, and allow your growing confidence to carry over into your next endeavor. I discovered that the more deeply I involved myself in a project, the more creative and idea generating I became. So invest thought cycles into making sure that your projects are leading you in a direction you want to pursue. 2, don't be afraid of failure.

Back in school and early in my career, I was studious, but timid. I worried about what my peers would say if I contributed ideas or asked questions in the class. But failing and seeking answers are both the story steps in the learning process. If some things on your mind speak up, your idea might be accepted or rejected, but both are okay. Embrace failure as that's when you really discover success. 3. Absolutely negotiate. Well, I didn't know, until I came to North America. I discovered the power of negotiation when I came to North America. I was keenly aware of my status as an immigrant. And at first, I was afraid of being thrown out of the country.

As I became more comfortable with life in the United States, I started seeing it as a place of opportunity. This new mindset helped me begin to value myself, my skill set, and my time which I channeled into my building negotiation skills. And I've been using them, to shape my career ever since. Artful negotiation takes time, practice, self confidence, and instinct. So start working on it now. 4. Find an advocate. Well, growing up, we are taught that hard work will be rewarded I found in my career that this hard work isn't just the case. It is who you know as well as what you know that will advance your career. The thick industry, my stomping ground is, still dominated by men, and I have needed to overcome plenty of obstacles especially as an immigrant.

I've become frustrated watching perfectly qualified, talented women become disillusioned and leave the industry never to return. Women succeed, when they support each other. And if you are the only women in the room, then turn to a male ally. Find yourself an advocate who has your best interest in mind and vouchers for you behind closed doors? 5 you may look different from your peers, but you have just as much value. I have I myself sat in many meetings where I have been the only brown skinned woman in the room. It can feel lonely, but every time I feel like an imposter. I remind myself of all the hard work and the sacrifices that got me here.

Regardless of the path, we take to reach our destination. We are all sitting around the same table with our own shared commitment. To the project at hand. As a leader, I recognize and celebrate that everyone has their own unique perspective. All are valuable, and we need to create a supportive environment where everybody feels comfortable enough to speak up. Success 6. Success will come and go, and that is okay. Success is, definitely not a solid destination, but more of a feeling you feel that sense of pride and fulfillment when you achieve something and then it disappears, but the ebb and flow of success is normal. The key is to use each success as a building block for the next one and let your learnings motivate you to rise to another challenge. As my career has progressed, I have realized it is not about that ill user feeling of success. It is about building the life solid enough to withstand the currents.

So surround yourself with loved ones, and you can do anything. Do not compare your success to others. You are the only one who can define your success. I'm a goal oriented person. My leader superpower is my ability, my ability to motivate my teams to unite and focus on achieving a common objective. I feel a sense of a comp accomplishment when a project's milestones are achieved and when my team is able to collaborate without me, your feeling of success might come in a meeting or a goal, or it might be triggered by a new position with a corner of office or something else entirely, you get to decide.

8, it's not giant leaves that count. Sometimes your dreams can feel so far away. You know what you want and have a plan to go get there, but life can get in a way. Break down your dreams into smaller goals when you achieve each goal celebrated. 9 dreams have absolutely no end. The wonderful thing about dreams is they have no expiration date and they often materialize when you la least expect sometimes in an unanticipated form. To achieve them, relax, and work on yourself. Nothing else. The impact of the work you are doing today may not be fully realized for weeks Even months, remember that life is a journey.

Enjoy the process and learn from the learn from it. Last but not the least, it's never too late to start a new journey. When I was working in the United States, I shared rights with someone who had been in the armed forces military for 15 years. Despite having no prior experience or knowledge of the IT, that 3. He boldly became a developer and excelled his bravery in trying something completely new. Was incredibly motivating. Reminding us that a should never be an impediment to reaching our goals. It's never too late to start over. Success is not about an elusive nation, but rather than the journey, celebrate the small steps and your own unique victories Strive to chart and embrace the path that leads to your fulfillment, a narrative written by your personal definition of success. So that wraps up for today's session. I also host a podcast, the power of women in the world of tech, launch on international women's day in 2021.

The mission of, this podcast is to uplift and inspire women and girls in the tech industry at every stage from the classroom to the boardroom, the podcast aims to empower them with insights, stories, and strategies for success If you're interested in being a guest, please schedule a discovery call or directly register.

You can reach out to me on LinkedIn. Last year fall, I also got an opportunity to publish my book, which was pending for nearly 15 years I'm not a journalist, author, or, a scholar, but after meeting numerous women, in North America facing their own challenges, and listening to their struggle, that's how client leads succeed, got born.

If you're interested, you can reach out to me on LinkedIn, or you can have your own copy. Okay. As we wrap up, I sincerely want to press my gratitude for your presence and participation. I hope you found today's sessions enjoyable and insightful as I certainly did. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn if you're interested. And I would like to conclude with small note to all young aspiring women, go out and pursue your passions with confidence, break barriers, shatter goals, glass ceilings, and show the world what you're made of. Believe in yourself. Embrace your uniqueness and drop the room with your presence. You could make a difference in the world since you are strong and capable. Your voice matters and your unique perspective can bring fresh ideas and innovation to any field you choose.

Thank you once again, and I wish you a fantastic day and week ahead. And Have a fantastic conference.