We recently had the chance to connect with Neelu Kaur and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Neelu, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I like to ease into my day as I am not someone that jumps out of bed with a zest for life! I start with gratitude, silence, fresh juice or tea and then begin the process of getting ready and moving into the demands of the day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am an author, speaker and organizational psychologist and my work focuses on helping organizations unleash innovation by elevating every voice. My book, ‘Be Your Own Cheerleader’ is all about self-advocacy in the workplace. I believe that when people have the skills to speak up and share their shiny bright new ideas, all organizations will be more innovative and ultimately more competitive. Often the most brilliant ideas don’t come from the top – these ideas come from those on the ground lifting up their sleeves and doing the day-to-day work. My work focuses on helping organizations create cultures where people feel safe to speak up and I help individuals understand why it’s so challenging to speak up and provide actionable strategies they can implement immediately to be their own cheerleader at work and in life!
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
Growing up in an immigrant South Asian home, I was raised to believe that if I wasn’t good at math or science, I wasn’t smart. I am not good at math or science but I”m really good at a whole host of other things. I believed as a child that I wasn’t smart and now I know this to be completely and utterly wrong. We all have strengths that may not fall into the stereotype and that is perfectly ok!
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
As an entrepreneur with my own business for 12 years, there are multiple times where I have felt that I should just give up. The peaks and valleys of entrepreneurship are not for the light hearted. On the days it feels impossible, I connect to my big WHY, which helps me stay the course.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Humans are complex. We all have the ability to turn up and turn down the dial on certain aspects of our personality and we also adjust based on who is in front of us. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE is a mantra I live by. When I am speaking in front of a group of investment bankers my message may sound different than if I’m presenting the same message to a small tech startup. The public version of me really depends on my audience. I’m still authentic to who I am but I have learned that as a master communicator, you need to meet people at their bus stop. You can’t expect them to come to yours.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I want to be remembered by a version of quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson – “Neelu did not go where the path lead, she instead went where there was no path and left a trail” I want to be remembered for my work in self-advocacy and empowering people (specifically women and underrepresented voices) to speak up, share their ideas, and stand out in whatever circle they reside.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neelukaur.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neelu.kaur/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelukaur/
Image Credits
Irina Peschan
Trish Alegra-Smith
John DeMato
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
