Layers of Leadership: Cultivating Quality Decision-Making with Priya Nalkur

Join us as we explore how we can peel back the layers in our careers so we can make better decisions. Priya Nalkur, Ed.D. is the President of RoundTable Institute LLC and Author of Stumbling Towards Inclusion.  You’ll learn how your early life experiences can shape your career. Priya's experiences growing up as the only person of color in her community led her to feel excluded. A kindergarten teacher helped her feel included, planting the seeds for Priya's work helping leaders foster inclusion. Here are the main highlights from the interview: 1. Decision-making framework relies on self-belief Priya relies on congruence between head, heart and gut when making decisions. She only moves forward if she is confident her team can recover from mistakes through learning and growing together. We also talk about having different types of decision-makers around us to offset our weaknesses. 2. Mindset cultivation is a daily practice Priya consciously cultivates mindset each morning like hygiene, focusing on impact and contribution goals based on her day's interactions. An open, willing body language reinforces her mindset. You’ll also learn about how you can nurture your mindset so you make an impact in the world on your terms. 3. Diversity of perspectives prevents echo chambers Priya reads widely and consults diverse experts to challenge assumptions. She coaches clients to understand perspectives opposed to their own for wiser decisions considering all angles. I love the story that she shares about how her kindergarten teacher was so impactful in her life. 4. Frameworks provide structure but not answers While frameworks structure Priya's work, some experiences defy categorization. She accepts uncertainty and that readiness comes at its own pace, guided more by curiosity than rigid structures. 5. Leaders set the tone for trying without fear of failure By modeling vulnerability through owning mistakes, leaders show trying ideas is valued over perfection. Together, teams can review learnings openly to continuously improve through experimentation. You can learn more about Priya over at The Roundtable Institute. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn. As always, if you have any questions or want to submit a guest for the podcast that you think would be amazing, just reach out to me on the Dig to Fly website, and I’ll do my best to get them on. If you enjoy the interview, please take 30 seconds to rate the Dig to Fly podcast on your favorite platform. Thanks!