At Moxy, we believe in inspiring action by highlighting real stories of real women. Meet Aisha Chaudhry: Head of Business Excellence & Verticals (APAC) at Siemens. From her early dreams of becoming a wedding planner to her pivotal experiences at Siemens and Oxford, join us as we uncover her insights on overcoming imposter syndrome and the power of speaking up against unconscious biases.
Introducing Aisha Chaudhry
Can you briefly share about yourself, your professional journey and the most important milestones that have shaped your career?
I remember as a kid, I used to dream about becoming a wedding planner when I grew up. I loved the idea of being able to help create an experience for someone and tailoring their special day to suit their unique style and their story.
So when I landed my first job in HR and then Marketing, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to plan and execute events, as well as convey our company’s story. My career began at a local Bank, before moving to Siemens where I’ve spent the last ten years. I’ve been fortunate to have been given an opportunity for a different role and responsibility every 2 to 3 years, across two countries, so it has been far from boring. While I never really made a career out of becoming a wedding planner, I have taken my love for creating experiences for our customers and team members with me in every role.
The first milestone that shaped my career was being posted to our Headquarters in Switzerland for two years - I won’t sugarcoat it, it was terrifying in the beginning. I was in my 20s and had to convince my much more experienced peers that I deserved a seat at the table and I had value to offer. It was a pivotal experience for me because it taught me the art of persuasion at the workplace and I think it's a skill that is very necessary in the corporate world. I worked on projects which allowed me to engage with colleagues from around the world and I think that helped shape the way I work today, especially in navigating the complexities of a global environment.
The second key milestone was the decision to take time off work and further my studies. I took a sabbatical and was able to fully immerse myself in a one-year MBA program at the University of Oxford, where I met and learned from classmates from 97 different nations across various industries. Our class brought together doctors, artists, bankers, consultants, entrepreneurs and more. It was an opportunity to recalibrate a lot of my thinking around topics like leadership, culture, technology, inclusion…and more importantly, engage in discourse with classmates with vast and varying experiences.They say ‘think outside the box’, and I feel my time at Oxford forced me to do this and allowed me to bring home a different perspective.
What challenges have you faced as a woman in the workplace, and how did you overcome them?
It would be the imposter syndrome that so many of us women experience. I work in an industry which is male-dominant and over the last few years, our company has made significant efforts to provide more training and leadership opportunities for women at the workplace. And while that has been truly amazing, and I was able to gain immensely from this, I sometimes couldn’t help but feel that I was being offered specific positions or opportunities purely based on my gender. Naturally, that heightened my feelings of imposter syndrome and made me doubt my capabilities.
I don’t know if I have completely overcome it…but what has helped is surrounding myself with the right people. Friends, colleagues, leaders, who will lift you up and support you through your journey is critical and I have been fortunate to have found these people both in my personal and professional life. Some words of wisdom I really liked came from a speech by Reshma Saurjani, Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code. She was constantly asked the question - How do we overcome imposter syndrome? She reframed it and suggested that instead of ‘fixing ourselves’, we try to fix the culture around us. It is normal for us to feel that we do not fit in because some of these workplaces were “built by, and for people who don’t look like me”. She closed her speech eloquently with - “Make our case, lead our movement, pursue whatever it is we want to pursue. Live as if impostor syndrome were just two made-up words on the page. Because they are.”
Reflections on unconscious biases at work
Have you ever been told you are too emotional or bossy at work? What did you do?
One specific occasion does come to mind when I was told I was “making a big deal” out of nothing. I remember going from feeling exasperated to incredibly embarrassed. I thought I had let my emotions get the best of me and should have just “let it slide”. But I felt the need to speak up as it was a matter based on unconscious bias of a male colleague and would have led to me and my team being sidelined from an important meeting. Raising my concern, even if it was probably perceived as being overly sensitive, paid off in the end - not only were we asked to join the meeting, the team also saw value in our participation because we brought a different perspective.
I am aware that being able to speak up can be terrifying and I’ve had my fair share of keeping silent because it’s just the “easier thing to do”.
It is so important to have leaders who create a safe space for us to voice our concerns and encourage a culture of speaking up without the fear of negative consequences.
I feel like there has been a shift in energy in the last few years at Siemens, and I think it is driven by the company’s desire to break free from any sort of hierarchical thinking and embrace a culture that effectively listens to their employees, adapts to changes and retains top talent. Siemens was recently ranked fourth in a ‘Best Employer in Singapore’ survey by Statista. It was a massive jump from 63rd place just two years ago and I think it is testament to the efforts the company is making across not just driving and supporting diversity and inclusion; but also creating an environment that encourages us to speak up…because they want to hear what we have to say.
Who is a great female role model that inspires you?
My big sister, Sarah. She is a full-time mother to my two beautiful nieces and part-time make-up artist who built her own brand. What inspires me the most about her isn’t her ability to manage an entire household, while planning activities for her kids or tending to her family - but her ability to ask for help when she needs it. I think there is so much humility in knowing when you need to be supported and having the courage to ask for it. She probably doesn’t realize it, but her vulnerability allows those around her to let down their guard and it is such an important trait to have as a mother, and as a leader.
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Thank you for sharing your insights with us Aisha! And to our readers, thank you for joining as we uncover insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, advocating for inclusivity, and the power of speaking up against unconscious bias at work.
If you wish to share your experiences, join the movement on Moxy Movement to make your voice heard! And if you are an employer looking to get some help on how to bring retain female talent, contact us to know more here.
In case you also missed our latest post on practical approaches to building inclusive workplaces, read it here.
