Need to overcome our perfectionist tendency: Anshu Sarin

Anshu Sarin, CEO, Keys Hotels

How easy or hard was it for you to reach your current position?

It's been a mixed bag of easy and rough days, happy and discouraging, fun and mundane. What I did do was to keep moving, knowing all will be okay.

What are the typical obstacles faced?

Managing expectations and perceptions was a huge obstacle; until I realised that I don't need to manage them to move forward in life. Also, we often want a lot out of life and all of it together, which does not happen. Time management and delegation are important aspects I play by.

What tips would you give young women managers to overcome the challenges?

Be Confident! By believing in yourself and your purpose, and never second guess either of the two. Being gender agnostic in your thinking is a good start as only then can you expect it from others. Chances of facing gender disparity are high. One may not like it, but these are the cards that you are holding, so play them well.

Don't be too hard on yourself and don't judge yourself by what someone else thinks of you. We need to overcome and stop getting paralyzed by our own perfectionist tendencies. I often recommend reflection when you get really stuck. It might be a shorter pause, such as a few deep breaths or a longer activity like a walk or just binge on Netflix!