Naveen Balkhi is a Wonder Woman who coaches CEOs around the world.
“Whoever you are, old, young, female, male, healthy, or unhealthy, what matters is what you put your hearts and minds to.”
According to her, the illiterate of this century are not uneducated people. But they are those people who cannot unlearn and relearn.
“Learning keeps the darkness of uncertainties at bay.”
We, humans, see the world through our personal lens, which is our perspective, not as the world already is. One must focus on two things, Tarbiyah and Taaleem, and not just copy and paste things from here and there.
Naveen is an avid believer in the acronym PRSVAL, which means purpose, role, service, values, authenticity, and legacy. But according to her, it means Paagal, Raastay, Subah, Valay, Angaray, and Lagao.
She says that the purpose is what helps you connect with your organization and the people around you. Our lives are structured around our purpose since it motivates us and this is what makes us unique. A leader’s role is to create energy, momentum, inspiration, and hope. If your actions inspire someone else, then you are a leader. Be clear about who you are serving besides you both in good and bad times; it can be colleagues, friends, or family. To serve them better, you need to know their needs. A mentor helps talent navigate people through rough waters because not everything is as it seems. Our job as a leader is to create a safe environment for everyone to do their best.
Talking about Values, she believes that our values drive us.
“Tell the truth and do what’s right.”
What’s important to you in the way you live is what your values show. Take some time to identify your values. Being driven by values is doing right, not just knowing or saying what’s right. Even when you are under pressure, do what is right and believe in yourself. If we surround ourselves with people we trust together, we can do what is right. Know when it is time to say no and exit. Have the wisdom to know the difference between what you can and cannot change.
Coming to the third letter of the word, Authentic, she says that being authentic is consistently being the best version of yourself. Authentic people are deeply connected to each other and their purpose. Be vulnerable, and talk about things with your colleagues. Legacy is not something you think about at the end of your career. Use opportunities to build a legacy throughout your career. Think about the legacy you want to leave right now. It is an intuitive sense of making something bigger than ourselves.
Naveen Balkhi Legacy
Further talking about legacy, she gave the example of her own paternal and maternal grandmothers and her mother. Naveen Balkhi’s maternal grandmother, Azra Qamar, was a political scientist and an intuition unto herself. Naveen Balkhi got her education in 1943 when it was a taboo. At that time, nobody wanted to be around Naveen Balkhi. Her story is about poise, grace, forgiveness, financial management, and the right spark at the right time. Naveen Balkhi’s story signifies the quote, ‘he who has a why to live can bear almost any how.’
Naveen Balkhi talked about her paternal grandmother, Kaneez Fatima Balkhi, who is a poet and writer. She wrote the book, ‘Meri Zindagi Kay Lamhay’. Her story is about courage, resilience, contentment, and creativity-ing. She resonates with the quote ‘the meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.’
Then Naveen Balkhi talked about her mother, Tanveer Qamar Raza, an educationist who ran her own school. Her story is about being who you are, setting firm boundaries, being disciplined, loving yourself, and loving other people.
Legacy helps us decide the kind of life we want to live and the kind of world we want to live in. We may not be Jinnah, Einstein, Faiz, or Rumi. We may not be an Ayesha (RA), Marie Curie, or Fatima Fihri. However, that does not lessen our dream to have a purpose.
The forms your legacy can take are your children, grandchildren, business, an ideal, a book, your community, or your home, some piece of yourself bringing benefits to others after you go. Most of us are trying to do the best that we can.
Everybody should create their own BoD (Board of Directors) of 4-5 people who can counsel you, guide you, and give advice. They will show you your worst in the mirror and push you to be your best.
“Start with yourself, be the leader that you are meant to be, and be the change you want to see in the world around you.”
Since Naveen Balkhi is a coach, she has some amazing tips for us regarding giving interviews.
There are three stages to giving a great interview.
- Prepare a list of 10 examples, stories, projects, and experiences.
- Be familiar with what the organization is looking for. Prepare with the STAR-E to show your suitability. STAR-E stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result, and Evaluate. This is the method the interviewee uses, so you must be prepared for it
- Practice with a friend, family member, colleague or mentor.
Lastly, stay firm and believe in yourself. Be the best version of yourself, not just today but forever. Leave behind a legacy that people will remember even when you are gone!
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