An Executive & Leadership Coach for leading corporates, and Mentor & Advisor at multiple start-ups, Gowri S Ramani, CEO & Leadership Coach, GROWWITHGOWRI, has over three de-cades of a rich career with a variety of different roles in top-tier technology and telecom companies globally. She was one of the early women in the technology industry in India who started in 1985 as a programmer and ended as CXO and global VP in GRC product company based out of the U.S. Her ability to pivot and create successful new careers at critical stages of her life & career is something that sets her apart from others. She has gone from be-ing a banker to a technologist to a quality management expert to a change agent to now an Executive Coach for CXOs and senior leadership teams. As a Lifelong learner, Gowri went back to school (ISB) at the age of 50 to join the Founding batch of PGPMAX. She has three Masters degrees, and as a coach, has undergone 500+ hours of formal training in five years in her journey to become a Master Coach. She is continuing to find new things to learn every day and setting an example for many aspiring women leaders of the country. Let’s hear more about her inspirational journey from the dynamic leader herself.

Tell us about your expansive and diverse professional journey. What led you to become an executive & leadership coach?

I started as a banker, straight out of college in 1981, which I did not find challenging or fulfilling. Fortunately, I got a break in the IT industry in 1985, when I was hired as a Systems Engineer by CMC (now a part of TCS). During my 11-year stint at CMC, I had the opportunity to lead the development and implementation of very complex systems like the Scheduling software for the London Underground and a Command & Control System for the Indian Defence agency. I immensely enjoyed the creative problem-solving and precise world of technology for over a decade before making the next pivot in 1997, when I joined HP Telecom group as a Program Manager and had to make a lateral shift to a quality management function. My 12 years as a leader of complex technology projects helped me to lead HP’s first software center successfully through a Level 5 SW-CMM implementation worldwide. This led me to be invited to help HP’s clients like GM and other centers globally and create a new business line for HP in a year making 10+ million dollars.

"You are never given a dream without the ability to make it happen"

In my next pivot (from 2006 to 2017), using the skills I had gained by driving change for implementing quality management systems within HP and its clients, I worked in many global companies as a corporate facilitator and change agent at the enterprise level. The change programs typically involved creating and integrating new functional teams within companies, and driving change across the organization using these teams. In 2017, I decided to take a final break from corporate life. Being a corporate facilitator taught me to be a great listener, use the power of influence instead of positional authority, use empathy to connect with individuals and enable finding solutions that made life easier for them, synergize ideas from multiple perspectives, and many other skills. A lot of these skills are critical for a good coach and that realization led me to make another pivot and get trained to become an executive coach.

Tell us about your leadership coaching approach.

I use a blended coaching methodology that is built on my 30+ years of direct hands-on business leadership experience, coupled with the coaching skills that I have learned while going through my master’s journey. I am trained in Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching methodology, Emotional Intelligence, Narrative Coaching and am also a Certified Systemic Team Coach. All these, I blend into my offering either for individuals or teams. My approach is based on Reflect, Reframe, Re-imagine – Reflect on the past, beliefs, passions, and dreams that define you, and use the expanded awareness to Reframe the present and Re-imagine to create a more fulfilling future.

What are some of the most critical challenges you have encountered while switching from being a business leader to becoming a leadership coach? What has been your success mantra?

Being within a well-running organization provides a buffer where many things are taken care of and one can focus on the expectations of their role; one is working within a team and is leading many people, who look up to you for guidance and leadership. As an entrepreneur, every little aspect of running a business becomes your responsibility and it becomes overwhelming at times. The lack of a team that follows you and not being part of other teams can lead to a sense of loneliness. You are suddenly responsible for bringing in clients steadily and your circle of influence gets shrunk drastically. It was quite challenging to get a sense of influence on a larger scale, especially at the beginning of starting on my own. My success is due to my ability to pivot when I face a setback or see a new opportunity and see it through once a decision is made.

In light of your various leadership experiences, what would be your advice for aspiring women leaders? I joined the technology field in 1985 when women were not expected to be ambitious and take on leadership roles. And this thought was driven by societal expectations that women should prioritize family and not their careers. I was too, criticized for my own careers choices but I kept the criticism aside and led a very successful professional life and at the same time raised a wonderful son. So, my advice for aspiring women leaders would be – never give up on your dreams and not limit yourself based on others’ definitions of you.

Gowri S Ramani, CEO, Grow with Gowri

Gowri is a Master Executive & Leadership Coach, one of the few with both ICF-MCC and EMCC-MP credentials. She coaches CXOs, Senior Leaders & Leadership teams in global corporations. She has recently completed a 2-year term on ICF Global Credentials & Standards Board as a Director and is also a Mentor Coach and Supervisor to other coaches in their coaching journeys.

 • Awards & Recognition: Community Leadership Award from Carnegie Mellon University