When she first set foot in the United States, Ekta Vyas never dreamed she'd transform entire organizations with her courage, resilience, and strategic vision.

In this episode, Rebecca speaks with Ekta, Chief Human Resources Officer at Keck Medicine of USC, who has faced and overcome immense adversity to carve her place in the world of HR leadership. Ekta's journey, beginning from her dream of becoming an Indian Administrative Services Officer to relocating to the United States, is filled with moments of vulnerability, persistence, and remarkable courage.

Throughout our conversation, Ekta transparently shares the challenges of navigating workplace politics and presenting bold visions as an emerging young leader. You’ll also hear her valuable lessons in diplomacy, patience, and the art of persuasion to drive transformational change.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Challenge the status quo and take calculated risks to drive transformational leadership.
• Blend positional power for decision-making with personal power to build trust and authenticity.
• Turn seemingly impossible challenges into triumphs through persistence and hard work.

Things to listen for:
(00:00) What it takes to be a transformational leader

(03:03) How to navigate academic equivalency

(13:04) Why courage and bravery are crucial traits in leadership

(15:45) How to conquer Stanford's toughest HR Challenges

(20:28) Challenging the status quo fuels success

(27:12) The role of personal power in effective leadership

(37:06) How to integrate cultures in transformations

(43:57) Valuable lessons from a transformation expert