BELONGING
HOW TO FEEL
“POWERFUL AS YOU ARE” Ruchika T. Malhotra
Bestselling author of Uncompete and Inclusion on Purpose and founder of Candour, Ruchika T. Malhotra continues to redefine workplace belonging for leaders seeking meaningful cultural transformation. Through her keynote speaking, writing, and strategic consulting, she challenges systems not built for all people while offering a clear roadmap for structural change. In this interview, Malhotra reflects on her relationship with belonging—how it has supported her and emphasized the importance of diversity. Shiwon Oh: What types of support and solidarity helped you pursue your passions and become the Ruchika everyone knows today?
Ruchika T. Malhotra: I wouldn’t be here without mentors and sponsors who advocated for me in rooms I wasn’t in. Friends who reminded me that who I was–an immigrant, a mother, a woman of color with a non-western name, was perfectly acceptable as a leader wherever I went. Colleagues who shared resources, not just advice. And most of all, other women of color who didn’t just uplift me, they challenged me to take up space, to lead, and to stop apologizing for it. That kind of solidarity is what sustained me. SO: How has your sense of belonging helped you overcome barriers and build confidence? RTM: Belonging is not only about finding a place, it’s about feeling powerful as you are. When you feel like you belong, you stop performing and start leading. For a long time, I was trying to fit into systems that weren’t built for people like me. I even accepted having my name mispronounced. But once I found communities where I could show up fully, as a woman of color, an immigrant, a mother, a builder, everything shifted. I started trusting my own voice. I stopped second-guessing myself. And I began to realize that the barriers weren’t personal, they were structural. That understanding gave me the confidence to challenge them. SO: What does it look like to diversify our support net-
work? Why is this important now more than ever? RTM: It means looking beyond proximity and comfort. Too often, our networks reflect people who look like us, think like us, or operate in the same spaces. Diversifying your support network means intentionally building relationships across lines of race, gender, generation, industry and geography. It’s not just morally right. It’s strategically smart. In a world that is changing fast, homogenous networks are fragile. Diverse ones are, historically, stronger together. SO: Why should women leaders prioritize nurturing a diverse community for their personal career growth? RTM: Because leadership is a relay. No one rises alone, and if they do, they don’t stay there for long. When women leaders build and invest in diverse communities, they gain access to new ideas, honest feedback, broader influence, and stronger allies. They also signal something powerful: that success is inclusion. That shift is not just good for personal growth, it’s how we create a movement where we collaborate and uncompete. SO: How can leaders foster an inclusive, intersectional culture of belonging in the workplace? How does this lead to greater success for all? RTM: Start by listening deeply, especially to those whose voices have been sidelined. Then act on what you hear. Inclusive, intersectional cultures don’t just happen because you care. They happen because you build accountability into how decisions get made, who gets promoted, and whose work gets recognized. It means examining your biases, redistributing power, and being willing to be the change. In my last book, Inclusion on Purpose, I introduced the framework for leaders to move from good intentions to meaningful action. That means: Be uncomfortable, Reflect on what you don’t know, Invite feedback, Defensiveness doesn’t help, Grow from your mistakes, and Expect that change takes time.
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