Renu Misra Shares Her Message To Women On International Women’s Day

It’s International Women’s Day, and there’s nothing more exciting than shedding the light on some successful, influential, and inspiring women. Today, we present to you our interview with a very successful leader who not only was able to reach some of the highest positions in her organization but also was able to achieve even bigger success in a different region across the globe. Renu Misra CEO of GROHE MENA, shares with us her career journey, principles, and her message to women all around the world.

1. How was your career journey?

I have learned on the job as I have worked in various industries and functions throughout my career, from finance, commercial, human resources, IT, supply chain, and management roles in the last 25 years.

My experience across India and the larger MENA region with 40+ countries is insightful. Every country has its unique characteristics and there is learning in meeting people & being intuitive about the perspectives they bring in. I consider understanding and appreciating the diversity of thoughts as a starting point of any learning. Being inclusive is key to growing into an empathetic leader & I believe this critical experience made me one!

Change is the only constant & the agility and resilience that it brings along to manage change is a key skill for any leader. It supports in developing a solution-based approach for the challenges, especially in a region that is volatile as the Middle East, North and West Africa.

2. As the Leader of MENA, LIXIL EMENA, you are leading a vast region; in India, too, you were leading the company across an equally diverse and massive region. What are the similarities between these two regions, and what’s different in terms of challenges?

Every region has its own unique culture, language, way of living, beliefs, or challenges. The first step for every leader is to understand the culture of its people, and then it’s easy to adapt. That’s where leadership and values come into play. You must be part of the culture to be able to lead!

India is where I was born, and thus despite all challenges – it is my comfort zone. In every new role – anywhere in the world – you must prove yourself. I always believe that one is as good as one’s last project - you are remembered by the milestones achieved and the impact that you created on your teams.

A similarity in India and MENA has been the role of women and the work on gender diversity. A global phenomenon where I have personally spearheaded inclusion at every step. It is not just about orientation, color, religion but also about the inclusion of thoughts & appreciation of differences that can co-exist! Both regions have more to achieve & improve in this field & I believe that leaders like us have a responsibility to spearhead it for the next generation of leaders and pave the way!

3. What pushes you to inspire your team every day?

I believe in walking the talk, knowing that affirmative actions are vital in leading and influencing my team’s behaviors, performance, engagement, and satisfaction. I appreciate the positive impact of inclusion on innovation in the organization.

I’m a huge sports fan and was an athlete back in school. Many of the core values of sports, whether healthy competition, hard work, resilience, or the need to support each other during tough times, are integral to approaching solutions in the business. This creates a healthy culture based on a strong foundation of the team, which is engaged, committed, and passionate. It enables a great sustainable business. As a leader, I have an empowered team that is ready for new challenges and it’s my role to motivate, engage, recognize & reward efforts for them to achieve milestones.

4. What advice do you have for anyone looking to follow in the same footsteps?

There is no shortcut to hard work and being consistent. You must be passionate about what you do as that brings out the best in you. Look for new opportunities to learn & develop your skills continuously, don’t be shy of taking risks and jumping right in with all you have. Even if you are not successful at each attempt, each failure would provide a valuable lesson.

Work with your team as part of them and lead with empathy. Leadership mustn’t be taken as a privilege but as a responsibility to grow the tribe!  Be the change that you want to see in the world … influence, motivate, inspire colleagues to take the path and be successful.

5. What has been the biggest challenge you had to overcome?

As a woman, work-life balance is the biggest challenge. When you aspire to grow in your career and also want to have a family, you would need a break or pace down in your career to bring up children.

To be able to constantly prove your commitment to work and deliverables can be daunting with traditional leadership. It does take time and effort for the change to happen and like many other women balancing objectives, for me was tough in the beginning. But then it was rewarding in the end, to go through the experience of bringing up two children along with a full-time role.

You have to merge work and life seamlessly so you can enjoy what you do at work and home. I can say that it’s never perfect, but with the right support from your partner, it can be achieved. More than often, women have to work harder to prove their worthiness and that must change. It’s time that we talk of diversity, inclusion & equity with the intent to get more women in the workforce.

6. What is next for your team?

We live by “do what you love”. We share positive experiences that bring the team to their full potential. Being a future fit is in our DNA and at GROHE/LIXIL, we constantly strive for it. We have a great and talented team working across different channels and markets across the world and are fully supported by committed partners.  The combination of Great Products, People, Partners makes us a great company to work for.

The next is to continue to be a great place to work in every market, maintain our foundation, work with respect, and enhance our people's opportunities for growth.

7. A message you would like to say on Women’s Day.

We can create our destiny and build a great future. Believe in yourself and your abilities, trust that you can push the limits & achieve what you set your eyes on!  We have the unique ability to carry intelligence and empathy in every situation & offer a different perspective. We must continue to motivate & inspire many more and grow the tribe!