We recently connected with Jaya Mallik and have shared our conversation below.
Jaya, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
The most effective path to becoming successful, despite often being the only Woman of Color in a room, has comprised of holding true to three things:
1. Maintaining integrity in my work, treating others with kindness, and only speaking honestly.
2. Being aware of what my superpowers are and capitalizing on those. In my case, my superpower is being strategic – that is as natural to me as breathing. When I learned that and began to own it, my career began to thrive.
3. Making career decisions that aligned with my values. I took time to closely examine what values were important to be as an individual. I then started making career decisions by asking myself, “Does this role align with my values as a person?” – regardless of title, compensation, or organizational reputation. When I began doing this, my career began to blossom, and I found that my authentic leadership style began to develop and was embraced as well.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
As a first-generation American, I drew deep inspiration from my grandparents, survivors of the Partition, imprinting in me a commitment to community well-being and a collectivist mindset. The impact of the 9/11 tragedy and a personal incident where I faced discrimination before my 16th birthday heightened my awareness of isolation. I responded by homeschooling, withdrawing from my community, and eventually earning a scholarship, igniting my quest for a more inclusive and compassionate world.
Growing up in both affluent suburbs and the inner-city environment, where my parents worked, I developed a passion for education. Teaching predominantly Black and Brown students in Title 1 schools near DC became my vehicle to address generational disparities, bringing immense fulfillment. After overcoming postpartum depression, I transitioned into Learning and Development, navigating roles from startups to corporate settings, fortifying my dedication to empowering individuals. This journey led me to champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) after observing inequities, marking a pivotal shift towards creating more inclusive and equitable environments.
At the end of 2023, I decided to leave my full-time role as a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leader in the corporate setting and fully immerse myself into my DEI coaching and consulting practice. I am proud of the work I have accomplished in the corporate setting, creating more inclusive and equitable environments for Big Tech and Healthcare Tech companies. But I wanted to pivot my career and spend more time supporting underrepresented women in advancing their career in settings where they were highly underrepresented. I also wanted to work with a broad spectrum of organizations that were excited to continue investing in DEI work, meaningfully integrating it into their culture, business practices, and initiatives.
I now offer two flagship group coaching programs: The Rising Leaders Program, which provides leadership and career development to underrepresented women in corporate settings, and the Active Allies Program, which coaches white-identifying individuals who seek to become authentic allies out of a bystander mindset and into active and authentic allyship roles.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The most important skill that has served me well throughout my journey is the ability to foster and build community wherever I go. I credit my grandmother for teaching me how to do this. It has been critical to how I lead and serve others and made me effective at what I do, both as an educator and a DEI practitioner. If you are able to foster community, you are able to build safe spaces for people to build consensus, safely disagree, take strategic risks, innovate, and contribute ideas. All of these contributions help make organizations more effective and, ultimately, better over time. To build community, I have always approached people with an attitude of openness, humility, and empathy. If someone is looking to build these skills, I actually recommend traveling, especially into cultures that are not your own, and respectfully engaging within other cultural norms, asking questions, and keeping an open mind. It will help you develop a respect for different ways of living, values, norms, and will teach you to flex your ways of communicating.
The second skill that has been very impactful in my journey is the ability to be strategic. This is also what I call a superpower – something that comes naturally to me. All of us have a superpower – something that comes as naturally to us as breathing. I would consider each of us contemplating what that might be – your superpower doesn’t have to be the same as mine. However, being strategic has served me well because it allows me to understand how systems, organizations, and structures work quickly, without needing to understand every small machination. I am able to quickly spot patterns and trends and analyze them so I can troubleshoot them and find solutions along with a team. This has served me well because I can work with others to act quickly. If you’re interested in building this skillset, I recommend working on consciously zooming out of problems you might typically overanalyze a small component of and see if you can spot a larger problem across a larger project, plan, or system. Try to do this consistently over time to build your strategic muscle.
The third quality that has served me well is the willingness to fail fast. I am not an individual who will ruminate on a solution for too long. I am willing to try something, see if it works or not, and if it doesn’t, I will learn from what worked and didn’t work, and try again. This requires the willingness to set aside attachment to a particular outcome, and to embrace a growth mindset in the process. To me, this is the most fun! I love to learn what makes something work or not. It’s all part of the process to get to the best outcome.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always happy to collaborate with like-minded professionals and organizations looking to move further into their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) journey. Whether you’re just getting started, or hoping to unlock the next level, I’d love to connect! I offer customized strategic planning, training, speaking, and coaching partnerships. I am wholly committed to working in partnership to create more inclusive and equitable communities, no matter where I go.
If you’re interested in learning more about my practice, please visit: https://www.jmallikconsulting.com/
I can also be contacted by email at: [email protected]
I look forward to getting to know you!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jmallikconsulting.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmallikconsulting/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayamallik/
Image Credits
Rising Leader Testimonial – Pictured: Krysta Johnson, Kaitlyn Elting, Sadaf Lakhia
