Meet Priya Nalkur

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Priya Nalkur. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Priya below.

Priya, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I want to take you into a room that’s all too familiar to me. I’ve walked into countless spaces where I was the only person who looked like me—sometimes the only person of color, often the only South Asian woman. It’s not just a physical experience. It’s emotional, and at times, isolating. When you’re the only one in the room, there’s a weight you carry—a subtle, or not so subtle, pressure to represent an entire group of people, to carry the torch for diversity.

I remember a specific moment in my career when I was part of a firm that refused to acknowledge its diversity problem. I was one of two people of color in the whole organization. I decided to raise the issue to the leadership team, and their response was not surprising, but still disappointing. They asked me to solve it. Not only did they assume I’d be honored to take on the burden of fixing their problem, but they also expected me to do it for free. Their “compensation” for my efforts? I might get prioritized on their staffing decisions.

It felt like another layer of unfairness—another reminder that being the only one in the room meant being seen as the diversity representative, instead of being seen for my talents and potential. I wanted to develop my entrepreneurial skills, to grow my business acumen because I saw the writing on the wall. I knew that if this firm continued to ignore its diversity issues, it would not be a place where I could thrive in the long term.

So, I made a choice—a difficult, but ultimately life-changing one. I chose to invest in myself, not in their problem. I chose to walk away from the unpaid labor of “fixing” their culture, and instead focus on building my own vision of a truly inclusive, high-performing workplace. And that choice paid off. I left the firm, and founded the RoundTable Institute, where we coach leaders, teams, and enterprises to create cultures where everyone—no matter what they look like—can thrive.

Being the only one who looks like you in the room isn’t just about surviving or fitting in. It’s about leveraging that difference, making it your strength, and knowing that you have a vision worth investing in. For me, being the only one taught me the power of standing firm in who I am, even when the room didn’t see my value at first.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the President of the RoundTable Institute, where our global group of coaches and facilitators works with leaders, teams, and enterprises to create high-performing, inclusive leaders and workplaces. What excites me most about this work is the impact we’re having, not just on businesses but on the individuals who shape them. We’re helping people understand their own potential to create environments where everyone—no matter their background—feels valued, understood, and empowered to perform at their best.

What’s special about what we do is that our work is deeply human. We’re not just checking boxes or meeting diversity metrics—we’re helping cultures evolve to become more kind and high-performing. I believe that leaders have a profound ability and responsibility to shape the world around them, and at the RoundTable Institute, we focus on unlocking that potential.

In April 2024 I released my first book, “Stumbling Towards Inclusion: Finding Grace in Imperfect Leadership,” which discusses how leaders can overcome the obstacles they face in being the best leaders they can be. As more and more people have been reading the book, we’ve been facilitating many meaningful conversations with leadership teams about who they are and who they want to be (and what’s stopping them from being the best they can be). One initiative I’m especially proud of is our expansion into leadership retreats, which offer leaders a truly immersive experience that blends leadership development, potential maximization, team development, and radical truth-telling. While we have facilitated these retreats across North America, my dream is to offer “Destination Leadership Retreats” in adventurous, beautiful environments around the world. My first experiment with this vision was earlier this year, when I had the honor of facilitating a retreat at the Rocky Mountains National Park. These retreats allow leaders to step away from their day-to-day responsibilities and dive into deep, transformative conversations while pushing their physical limits in stunning environments. It’s leadership development on a whole new level, giving people a chance to grow personally as well as professionally.

What I’d like folks to know about my brand is that we’re committed to creating leaders and workplaces that are not only diverse but truly inclusive, and high-performing. Why? Because I believe that making meaningful contributions in your work life yields deep and lasting fulfillment, and it’s a way we can each individually change the world for the better. We’ve seen firsthand how transformational this work can be. Whether we’re working with an executive team, facilitating an offsite, or coaching one-on-one, we’re helping to build the kind of workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Ultimately, my mission is to guide leaders through their own stumbling blocks so they can build teams and cultures that leave a lasting impact. It’s meaningful work, and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to do it.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

It will come as no surprise to anyone seeking self-improvement that the three qualities that were most instrumental on my journey were decisiveness, self-awareness, and sense of humor.

Luckily, I’ve been decisive my whole life. I take one look at a menu and know exactly what I want (and it’s always the best meal). I have an idea and I go for it. I don’t waver and I rarely doubt my decisions. I like to see how they turn out. If they were “good” decisions, then I can build on them. If they end up being “bad” decisions, well I’ve learned something and can repair the loss. I know that decisiveness is easier said than done. Fascinatingly, 70% of leaders would rather have a robot make their decisions, and 85% of business leaders have suffered decision distress. So how can you cultivate decisiveness if you’re not already inclined to make fast decisions? First, get very clear on what you want. Second, accept that the decision you make may not be the right one, but that you can repair the damage. Third, take a risk. And finally, practice, practice, practice. Notice how you make decisions and journal about it or talk with your coach about it. The better you understand yourself, the better you can improve.

I have been building my habit of self-awareness since high school. I can look back on countless entries from my “Dear Diary” days and see steadfast themes of the person I am (focused, disciplined, and impatient) while also seeing important lessons I’ve learned along the way (for example, to yield to my softer, warmer side and not feel the need to be overly direct). I’ve had wonderful coaches, mentors, friends, and teachers in my life ask me hard, reflective questions (What do you want? What’s preventing you from having it? Who do you need to be to get it? What’s the worst case scenario? Best case scenario?) so I can learn who I am and leverage my strengths. Surround yourself with people who will build your own understanding of yourself, and get in a daily reflection habit like journaling, walk-and-talking, or meditating.

Finally, though I don’t necessarily consider myself a characteristically funny person, I have a great sense of humor. I can laugh at myself and my mistakes; I can bring levity to a tense situation; and I can appreciate others’ humor. I’m not saying I don’t lose my cool sometimes, but it’s exactly in those moments when my humor has helped me to gain a new perspective and understand that a disproportionately negative response won’t help me. My number 1 hack for developing a sense of humor is to just start laughing more. You can laugh at anything. In fact, there are laughing clubs around the world, and they exist because we know how good laughing is for our health. Just laugh at life, and enjoy it.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

In October, 2023, I went out for a walk. I didn’t give myself a route or time limit or purpose. I simply wanted to take a break, so I went. I came back 18,750 steps later and felt completely rejuvenated. I felt invincible. And I realized that if a simple 2 hour walk could change my life so significantly, then I wanted to do more of it.
Since then, I’ve walked at least 10,000 steps each day. My walks are now more purposeful: they are a chance to reflect, dream, listen, sing, and create (and sometimes dance, which my neighbors will attest to witnessing). I sometimes bring a friend with me or talk to a friend on the phone. Sometimes I listen to a book or podcast. It’s a time to connect with myself, nature, or someone else. It’s the magic pill I take every day that has improved my thinking, health, and relationships. And because it is such a healthy habit, it has encouraged me to be healthy in other aspects of my life, too. I am a healthier eater and communicator. I can even say that walking in my neighborhood has made me a better citizen: I pick up rubbish, take in neighbors’ trash cans, meet new people, and contribute to community upkeep. Walking 10,000 steps a day has been by far my biggest area of growth in the past year.

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Brandon Hill

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