JOIN USChronicling the lives of 24 women stalwarts including Nita Ambani, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, Priyanka Chopra, Zia Mody and Mira Nair among others is Gunjan Jain’s book titled She Walks, She Leads.Each of the 24 chapters feature extensive interviews with the protagonist and have views and comments by their professional associates, friends and family members.
In an email interaction with Metrolife, the author who is currently enrolled in a General Management Programme from Harvard Business School talks about her soon-to-be-out book published by Penguin Random House, and what inspired her to interview leaders from different fields like films, sports, business and banking.
How did the idea to interview leaders come about?
In the last few years the profile of the Indian woman has changed. They hold high-profile jobs, run successful industries and institutions and reign at the top of creative vocations. Yet, their path is strewn with hurdles that men do not traditionally face. They are up against gender discrimination, a patriarchal workplace, coupled with household responsibilities. For these aspiring women, every success story they read or hear about boosts their resolve to carry on through the tough moments in their own lives.
I did not want this book to be simply research-based. Interviewing the women and the people in their lives would lend the stories a personal voice which would connect better with the reader.
Though I knew interviewing so many towering personalities would be a huge task, I also knew that it was the best way to go about it.
How did you select them?
I think it would be more appropriate to say, they chose themselves. Their lives, their achievements — and disappointments — their world view, all came together in the final selection in the last three years. My original list had more than 150 women and I wish I could have retained them all but of course that was not an option. I made up my mind from the beginning that I would not let my own predilections lead my decision, but instead I let the content dictate the course. I did not use filters like field of work, age or experience to finalise the list and the result is an eclectic list of the final 24.
How did you approach them?
Everyone assumes that gaining interviews with these women must have been the most difficult part of the process. But, you would be surprised by how approachable they were. I assume that they believed in my book and in me and thus agreed to meet me.
Which is your favourite story from the book?
There are so many that it’s almost impossible for me to choose. One of my favourite ones is where Nita Ambani talks of her first interaction with her would-be father-in-law, Dhirubhai Ambani. He and Kokilaben had seen the young Nita dance in a stage performance and were keen on making a match between her and their older son Mukesh.
They found her details, and the very next day Ambanis called the then Nita Dalal’s house. When she answered the phone, he asked to speak to ‘Nita’ and introduced himself. Convinced that it was a prank, she replied “And I am the Queen of England” and hung up. This occurred a couple of times before her father advised her to hear the caller out. And the rest, as they say is history. This story appeals to the romantic in me.
A lot of stories on women leaders have been published. How is yours different?
The book is unique on two counts. One, the women featured in it are not from the same field of work, background or age bracket. Two, the book includes insights of people in the lives of these women. Their spouses, extended families, friends, colleagues and mentors have all contributed their voices to these stories.
What was the most challenging aspect of the entire process?
Editing. Every anecdote and every comment in every profile was dear to me. And to edit down the profiles to restrict them to a word limit was heartbreaking. It was a real dilemma — what to retain? What to leave out?
Is there a story behind the title?
I deliberated a lot over the title. I wanted it to convey the values that these women embodied. At the same time, I wanted it to have a lyrical, almost poetic sound to it. And, I think ‘She Walks, She Leads’ does all that. And, it conveys the fact that to become a leader, to reach the pinnacle, it is imperative to tread the path, irrespective of the difficulties that block the way.
What’s next?
I do have an idea for my next book and I will be starting on that pretty soon. But it is still early days to divulge more about it.