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How did a woman of color who grew up in poverty in Tanzania overcome leadership self-doubt and go on to become a tech leader and Vice President at IBM, even though she was a single mother and battled imposter syndrome?
She changed her mindset and found her voice.
When Shelmina Abji started her career, she struggled with negative mental chatter and fear of speaking up due to self-doubt. She learned to recognize this as the “voice of fear” and to amplify her “voice of courage.”
This gave her empowering reasons to overcome leadership self-doubt and take action.
If you want to build your skills and competencies to advance your leadership and career, but you have negative mental chatter, fear of speaking up, and want to overcome leadership self-doubt. You will love this compelling interview.
Join me and Shelmina today in one of my most important and impactful interviews. You will get actionable tips for any leader to advance, especially if you are in tech, are a person of color, or have negative self-talk.
Shelmina Babai Abji: A Journey of Empowerment
Shelmina is a renowned speaker, author, and former IBM VP who has dedicated her life to fostering gender equality in leadership. From humble beginnings in Tanzania, she embarked on a journey to break barriers and create opportunities for herself and others.
Starting her career as an underrepresented woman in the male-dominated tech industry, Shelmina rose through the ranks, becoming one of the highest-ranking women of color at IBM. Her leadership transformed teams and businesses, delivering over $1 billion in annual revenues and fostering high client satisfaction and team morale.
Driven by her passion for gender equality, Shelmina now speaks at global platforms, including TEDx, and mentors women to achieve their full potential. She serves on the advisory board of Girl Up, a global initiative empowering girls to lead the charge for gender equality.
With computer science and mathematics degrees, Shelmina is a product of extensive leadership training at IBM and Harvard, positioning her as a sought-after expert in leadership and empowerment.
Women’s Leadership Success #130 Summary: How to Overcome Leadership Self-Doubt
- Overcoming poverty and pursuing education.12:07
- Shelmina shares her inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Tanzania to becoming a successful author and leader.
- Determined to lift her family from poverty, she led them to pursue higher education in India and the US despite financial challenges.
- Overcome leadership self-doubt and fear of speaking up in the workplace.16:42
- Shelmina shares her story of overcoming mental chatter and imposter syndrome to pursue a career in technology.
- She shares their experience of feeling undervalued and unworthy in a predominantly white and male-dominated workplace despite her achievements.
- Shelmina overcame her fear of speaking up by recognizing the voices in their head and learning to overcome them, ultimately creating unique value for their company.
- Recognizing and developing inner strength to lead.22:04
- Feed your voice of courage by recognizing and amplifying unique problem-solving ideas.
- Recognize and harness the power of your internal voices to choose empowering responses to external stimuli.
- Showing worth through contributing value to the organization, building competencies, confidence, relationships, and personal branding.
- Overcoming barriers for women of color in leadership roles.28:20
- Sabrina Braham, MA, and Shelmina discuss the importance of self-worth and value in personal and professional growth.
- The internal and external barriers to a woman of color scaling the corporate ladder include fear of speaking up and lack of representation in leadership roles.
Listen to Part II of this podcast on How to Develop Leadership Influence Here
Actions For Traction to Overcome Leadership Self-Doubt
- Identify skills or experiences critical for success in your desired role. Then, volunteer for projects or assignments to help build those competencies through on-the-job development. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand.
- Have career development discussions with your manager. Share your aspirations and discuss opportunities to gain exposure through stretch assignments that align with your goals. Managers are often happy to support development.
- When a challenging project comes up that no one wants to take on, view it as a growth opportunity and volunteer. The most rewarding experiences often come from difficult assignments.
Book Your Complimentary Leadership & Career Advancement Session with Sabrina Braham MA MFT PCC
If you’re ready to overcome leadership self-doubt, elevate your leadership, supercharge your career, and boost your income beyond your expectations, it’s time to schedule your complimentary Leadership & Career Development Session with me.
I’ve worked with over 300 managers, directors, VPs, and C-Suite leaders, and their success stories speak for themselves (see my 41 LinkedIn client recommendations here).
As a seasoned executive coach specializing in leadership and career development, I understand women leaders’ unique challenges, including confidence, compelling storytelling, and navigating the complexities of corporate politics. My mission is to empower professionals like you to master the art of successful leadership, unlock your full capability, and achieve career advancement at a pace you never thought possible.
With my guidance, many clients have seen their promotions happen three times faster, accompanied by a significant increase in their income ranging from 20% to 50% or more.
During our complimentary session, I’ll share three proven strategies to bolster your impact, boost your confidence, and set you apart from the competition. These strategies will advance your career and accelerate your income growth.
Let’s explore how I can tailor my expertise to your unique needs. Even if we determine it’s not the perfect fit, you’ll leave our session with actionable ideas to position yourself as the obvious choice for your next promotion.
Are you open to a quick call to discuss your career aspirations and how I can help you achieve them?
Book Your Complimentary Leadership and Career Development Session on My Calendar Here.
Sabrina Braham MA MFT PCC
