#Superwomen2020 Leadership roles and boardrooms in the industry are still missing women: Abhilasha Padhy

Abhilasha Padhy is one of the superwomen 2020 winners and thinks that women still have to go a long way in shattering the glass ceiling.

One f the key changes that the industry needs to undergo is interventions to bring about behavioral change, and the need for Feminist leadership, firms Abhilasha Padhy,  Co-Founder & Joint Managing Director, 80 dB Communications. She shares her journey so far.

How
would you define a Superwoman in today's day and age? 

There is no definition for a Superwoman. Every
woman is a superwoman. Each one of us doing our jobs, running our businesses,
keeping our family safe and healthy is super!

One
quality that you think every superwoman has and that helped you win Social Samosa
Superwomen…

Confidence in her dreams, and grit and
determination to achieve them, is what every Superwoman has, and that is what
has helped me achieve the tag too.

How
successful have women been in shattering the glass ceiling in the Media &
Advertising field? Does the 'boardroom inequality' phrase still stand
true? 

The media and advertising industry have changed from how it was ten years ago. While the general attitude and behavior towards women have changed for the better, in shattering the glass ceiling we have a long way to go. Leadership roles and Boardrooms in the industry are still missing women, and this needs to be fixed.

Also Read: #Superwomen2020 Industry should break myths, misconceptions & address gender neutrality on a broader scale: Kanchi Shah

What are the key changes this industry needs in order to make workplaces gender-neutral, safe, and nurturing?   

Interventions to bring about behavioral change, and the need for Feminist leadership. I first read about Feminist leadership in an article by Srilatha Batliwala. This is not about more women as leaders. This style of leadership is collaborative, relational, consensus-building, open, and intuitive. The underlying ethos is that an organization is only as safe and as empowered as the most vulnerable in it feel. Adoption of this will truly transform our workplaces.

 One
Superpower you wish you had? 

Create more time for myself.

 The
'Superwomen' you diligently follow and who inspired you... 

Sherly Sandberg. More than her corporate avatar, it is her book “Lean In” that changed my perspective about life, my career, and the importance of being assertive, to move towards a leading rather than the following role. The book, and the associated movement, encourage women to do this.

 One
tip to women out there attempting to scale heights... 

Believing in yourself because it gives you the confidence to ask for what you want - this could be a new role, support from peers and seniors, access to information, or capital.