Think of a CEO of a leading real estate services firm, and you hardly picture a lady with an affable disposition. Yet Gagan Singh, CEO, Business & Chairperson, JLL, epitomises the perfect balance between the achiever go-getter and a poised woman. An inspiring example of breaking all stereotypes, Gagan has worn several hats in 30 years of her experience across the apparel, exports and hospitality sector.
Always striving to be a person who matters and inspires, she never really felt the brunt of being of a lesser gender, so to speak. “It’s not about being overtly ambitious”, she points out, “it’s more to do with delivering with all your worth when opportunities show up. If you add value, gender doesn’t matter”. Leadership ability, in her opinion, is what took her to the top. She acknowledges that leading men is a little different. It requires being gender neutral. It is critical that you don’t act like a man, because you aren’t one. What works is integrity, transparency and inspiring others.
She believes in preserving inherent strengths of a woman and bringing them to the table. “Women are stronger in so many ways”, she muses. On the other hand, she cautions against being a high-maintenance woman who expects doors to be opened and chairs to be pulled out for her.
Being the only woman in her team many times, she always made it a point to be “one of them”, although she discerns that there is a thin line between being friendly and being misunderstood. Conducting yourself professionally is what essentially gives you the respect you deserve, she feels.
Almost as a blessing in disguise, she owes her fast-track growth as a professional to a number of challenging situations she was put in during her career. Taking on every tricky situation steadfastly, she rose up to the occasion every time. She feels that was easier for her being a woman, an innate facilitator and multi-tasker.
Gagan, who also heads the gender diversity focus for JLL India, is an ardent advocate of mentoring and nurturing talent, especially women talent as they tend to fall off career path easily when they are going through vulnerable phases of their lives like marriage and childbirth. Organizations have very few options to choose purchase zithromax from when it comes to bringing women to boardroom, even when they do want to. Gagan urges women to push themselves more and not get too comfortable in their cushy jobs, if they manage to continue and if they enjoy working.
Enjoying is the keyword for Gagan, it all boils down to enjoying, be it work or personal life. Gagan enjoys theatre, interior design and travel. She is also a trustee of the Salaam Baalak Trust, a Non-Government Organization (NGO) dedicated to working with street and working children and is the founding Vice President of Youthreach, an NGO. A mother of two grown-up daughters, she absolutely loves her time with them, though she never bought into the idea of working woman’s guilt. “Children may grumble at times but they thank you later as they see a strong woman in you who stands for herself and the best appreciation is when they aspire to walk on your footsteps”, she shares proudly.
It is never easy for a woman as she is the primary caregiver in the family, she figures, but the will always finds out a way. Gagan takes care of her 85 year old mother-in-law with an equal ease with which she presides over board meetings. Her secret is to prioritize and delegate. She believes in running some minor risks by not micro-managing. “It’s all about trade-offs,” she says, “Know what you want and it should be worth the effort. The locus of control lies only within ourselves.”
Gagan looks forward to a brighter future for professional women in India and globally as she thinks there is a lot of awareness now. “While there is shortage of talent, organizations are also waking up to the significance and value of women in workforce. It’s up to women now to raise their hands and do their best!”, Gagan feels.
“That’s where platforms like Biz Divas have a very important role to play. I love Biz Divas for the infectious energy it emanates apart from some amazing work it has done. The fact that women are becoming more and more intolerant of not being treated with dignity only adds up to the need of the times!” Gagan signs off on an optimistic note.
