zenithschoolofleadership

Zenith Leaders Reviews

  • country

    UAE

  • Joined Zenith

    July 2025

  • Leadership Milestone

    Communication Intelligence Graduate | Z5Q Leadership Member

  • Designation

    Product Lead | Enterprise Scale Product Delivery and Development

  • Leadership Experience

    Leading cross functional teams | 15 plus Years of Experience

  • country

    UAE

  • Joined Zenith

    July 2025

  • Leadership Milestone

    Communication Intelligence Graduate | Z5Q Leadership Member

  • Designation

    Product Lead | Enterprise Scale Product Delivery and Development

  • Leadership Experience

    Leading cross functional teams | 15 plus Years of Experience

“ I realised working hard and delivering results wasn’t enough anymore. I needed to learn how to become visible and stay composed while doing it.”

When Capability Isn’t the Issue - But Impact Is

As Vice President & Product Lead at Axis Bank, Saritha Nair was used to managing responsibilities, both big and small and she consistently delivered results. Everything looked fine on paper, but she knew something was off.

Meetings left her emotionally unsettled, not because she lacked preparation, but because her point of view wasn’t being received with the clarity or conviction it deserved. Her ideas were heard but they were never really recognised and implemented. Nothing major was wrong, but deep down, she felt she wasn’t truly valued or respected enough.

The Moment That Forced the Mirror

In March 2025, during a performance review, a line stayed with her longer than the discussion itself:

“At your level, Saritha… impact matters more than output.”

It wasn’t rude feedback. It was clear and direct and that’s what shook her.

For the first time, Saritha saw clearly that effort and results alone were no longer enough. Something deeper needed attention not her competence, but how she showed up under visibility.

That moment changed something for her. For years, she had put everyone else first. This time, she chose differently. She decided it was time to focus on herself.

Soon after that incident, she came across a video by Gurleen Ma’am. It made her pause. It gave words to thoughts she had been carrying for a long time but couldn’t clearly express.

Entering Communication Intelligence

Very early in the journey, she realized this was not about speaking more, sounding confident, or improving presentation skills. The real work was happening much before she spoke, the way she was thinking and processing internally was impacting her communication and composure on the outside.

During her one-on-one sessions with Gurleen Ma’am, Saritha began to see patterns she had never noticed earlier. She realized that in important conversations, she was carrying the pressure of being heard, which was affecting her clarity. Her mind was busy reacting instead of staying present.

Saritha shared that Gurleen Ma’am’s feedback and framework helped her understand that the issue was not ability or preparation. It was internal noise, overthinking, emotional reactions, and the constant need for validation  that was weakening her communication.

“I realised I wasn’t lacking knowledge. I was just not steady inside,” Saritha shared.

As she began applying this learning, her internal communication became calmer and more structured. And naturally, her external communication started to change.

She wasn’t trying to sound confident anymore. She was learning to stay steady.

The First Shift: Marginal Adjustments, Real Consistency

Saritha learnt and began to apply Marginal Adjustment framework with discipline and consistency in her daily routine and rituals. For the first time, she was able to stay consistent.

She realised that even the smallest internal shift, practiced steadily, created unexpected external impact. This became the base for outcome-driven communication – not reactive, not emotional, but anchored.

The Second Shift: From Over-Explaining to Direction

Earlier, when things became stressful, Saritha would start overthinking and over-explaining, especially in meetings with many stakeholders.

But recently in a critical inter-departmental meeting where deadlines were tight. Senior leaders were in the room and there was an issue that brought everything to a standstill. In this situation instead of reacting emotionally, Saritha led with the Communication Intelligence framework and structure.

She invited perspectives. Consolidated inputs. Then articulated two clear paths – Plan A and Plan B.

The room was not just aligned but happily surprised.  A senior leader closed the discussion with a decisive statement:

“I agree with Saritha’s approach.”

The meeting ended with clarity and a defined call to action.

For Saritha, this wasn’t just a successful meeting. It was evidence of a deeper shift.

From Emotional Reaction to Intentional Response

For the first time, Saritha noticed that having emotions did not require thinking emotionally.

She learned to stay calm and think clearly, even when emotions were high.She learned to pause before responding. And she learned to speak with a clear outcome in mind.

Her voice became more centred, communication more deliberate and her presence more grounded.

This shift was visible to her team, her supervisor, and her family. But most importantly, it was undeniable to herself.

The Identity Upgrade

Saritha emerged as something far more powerful than what she expected out of herself when she entered the program:

Today’s Saritha is an outcome-driven communicator who leads with calm authority in moments that matter the most. 

In just 14 weeks she is grabbing every opportunity to be seen, speaking and presenting among senior leaders and eyeing for promotions she once felt out of her reach. 

Her identity shifted not dramatically, but decisively. From someone whose ideas were often lost in delivery to a leader whose clarity now directs conversations.

In leadership roles, this shift makes a real difference. And for Saritha, it marked the beginning of a new way of leading centred, intentional, and deeply self-respecting.

  • City

    Dubai

  • Joined Zenith

    July 2025

  • Leadership Milestone

    Communication Intelligence Graduate | Z5Q Leadership Member

  • Designation

    Automotive Parts Manager | Manufacturing & Operations Sector | 20+ Years Experience

  • Leadership Experience

    Plant reviews, cross-functional coordination, operational decision environments

More Stories You'll Love