#144 | From Small Town Dreamer to Global Strategist: An Inspirational Journey with Baishakhi Connor

10/13/24 • 49 min

What if your childhood dream was so big, it seemed impossible? Listen to Baishakhi Connor's extraordinary journey from a small town in India, where she dreamt of becoming the President of the United States, to her impactful career spanning four continents. Discover how she found her path through the software industry, pursued engineering and an MBA, and navigated the complex process of moving to the US. Baishakhi's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, as she now thrives in Australia in high-level strategy and finance roles, all while balancing her personal life as a foster mom and step-grandmother.
Reflecting on her experience, she shares invaluable insights on overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome. In a candid conversation about career growth, Baishakhi shares practical advice for migrants and tips for effective self-representation. She emphasizes the importance of genuine relationships and authentic networking, revealing how saying "yes" to new opportunities can be life-changing. This episode is packed with wisdom on redefining success, maintaining personal well-being, and thriving as a woman in leadership.
In this episode we discuss:

0:00 Journey of Cultural Diversity and Leadership
9:08 Mother's Influence on Courage and Aspirations
15:10 Navigating Career Challenges Through Relationships
25:03 Navigating Career Challenges and Success
34:37 Navigating Career Growth With Work-Life Balance
49:08 Building Resilience for Career Success
And more...

Connect with Baishakhi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baishakhiconnor/

Work with Baishakhi here: https://topmate.io/baishakhiconnor

To find out more about The PMO Playbook: https://thepmoplaybook.substack.com/

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Learn more about podcast host Fatimah Abbouchi
...

0:00 Journey of Cultural Diversity and Leadership
9:08 Mother's Influence on Courage and Aspirations
15:10 Navigating Career Challenges Through Relationships
25:03 Navigating Career Challenges and Success
34:37 Navigating Career Growth With Work-Life Balance
49:08 Building Resilience for Career Success
And more...

Connect with Baishakhi here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baishakhiconnor/

Work with Baishakhi here: https://topmate.io/baishakhiconnor

To find out more about The PMO Playbook: https://thepmoplaybook.substack.com/

Support the show

Don't miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe.

You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/

Previous Episode

#143 | Transforming PMOs into Strategic Powerhouses with Laura Barnard

Ever wondered how to transform your PMO into a strategic powerhouse? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Laura Barnard, a trailblazer in integrating PMOs and project management with organisational strategy. Laura shares her extensive experience working with industry giants like JP Morgan, LinkedIn, IBM, and Amazon.

Reflecting on the evolution of PMOs from the chaotic early dot-com days to today's strategic assets, Laura sheds light on the transition from technical roles to project management and the essential advice for balancing personal and professional lives.

Moreover, we discuss PMO leaders' challenges in proving their value to executives and the necessity of continuous value delivery through agile-based methodologies. Laura emphasises the importance of alignment with business goals, effective reporting systems, and addressing the human element in transformational efforts.

In this episode, we cover:

16:04 Evolution of PMO Leadership
23:25 Improving PMO Impact and Value
32:18 Strategy Alignment for Project Success
38:29 Prioritization and Executive Communication for Transformation
44:26 Organizational Change Management Collaboration
49:51 Embracing Organizational Change Through People
1:01:24 Driving Accountability and Progress Through Reporting
1:04:42 Simplifying Decisions and PMO Leadership
1:13:11 Journey to Sharing PMO Strategies
1:24:57 Inspiring Action for Impact Drivers

You can find Laura at:

https://pmostrategies.com/

Her book is here: https://www.amazon.com/IMPACT-Engine-Accelerating-Strategy-Transformation/dp/1774584522

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurabarnard/

Support the show

Don't miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe.

You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/

Next Episode

#145 | Mastering Leadership and Innovation: Insights from Tech Entrepreneur Jordan Green AM

Jordan Green AM is addicted to applying bleeding edge technology to solve real world problems, more than 40 years in strategic governance roles and driven to discover disruptive business models. Jordan fosters solutions that change people’s lives.

As engineer, executive, founder, director and investor for over 4 decades Jordan has helped start, build and grow technology-based ventures in Australia, Europe, Asia and the USA.

We cover how embracing different perspectives can transform team dynamics, the risks of entrepreneurship, and integrity in founder-investor relationships. We challenge the modern narrative of entrepreneurship and venture into the world of angel investing. Governance and board dynamics also take center stage.

In this episode, we discuss:

0:00 Collaborative Leadership in Tech Ventures
9:07 Founders' Guide to Team Values
16:16 Investment and Leadership in Tech
26:37 Angel Investing and Founder Ambition
31:17 Investing in Startup Success
36:13 Business Returns and Governance Options
42:12 Director Pay and Board Structure
52:53 Effective Board Governance and Strategy Integration
1:00:13 Consulting and Strategy Implementation Challenges
1:14:16 Navigating Challenges in Small Business
and more!

Learn more about the 2024 upcoming awards and register here: https://www.pearcey.org.au/community/event-rsvp/?event_id=55

To connect with Jordan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordangreen/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/axletree-capital/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/melbourneangels/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pearcey-foundation/

Support the show

Don't miss out on exclusive access to special events, checklists, and blogs that are not available everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter now at www.agilemanagementoffice.com/subscribe.

You can also find us on most social media channels by searching 'Agile Ideas'.

Follow me, your host, on LinkedIn - go to Fatimah Abbouchi - www.linkedin.com/in/fatimahabbouchi/