Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: Vandana Singh of Axtria On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

…Be empathetic and exhibit inclusive behaviors with all team members — being in the minority, I understand how it feels when a leader doesn’t exhibit these behaviors.

As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Vandana Singh.

Vandana is a Principal in Axtria’s Commercial Excellence organization. She leads the Integrated Resource Planning Center of Excellence at Axtria, which focuses on enabling omnichannel customer engagements in the pharmaceutical industry through innovative products and analytical solutions.

Vandana has more than 20 years of experience in various strategy, operations, and analytical roles within the life sciences industry. She joined Axtria from Bristol Myers Squibb, where she held a variety of positions with increasing levels of responsibility and led the insight generation and recommendations for re-branding of the company during the BMS-Celgene integration. Prior to BMS, Vandana worked at Sanofi-Aventis and ZS Associates in multiple field force effectiveness roles.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

From my early childhood days, I was surrounded by engineers and scientists who devoted their lives to making a difference in society. My father was a renowned scientist and an engineer in India’s Defense Research & Development Organization and was known for his expertise in computers and Artificial Intelligence, which was an emerging field at that time. He was shot dead by a terrorist when he was working in India’s Northeast region; I was 22 years old at the time. My grandfather, who was a lawyer, also played a very active role as a freedom fighter during India’s non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi to gain independence from the British.

I was surrounded by neighbors, relatives, and siblings who had a scientific bent of mind and who had a strong desire to make an impact on society.

It is this passion to make an impact and work for the greater good that has brought me to my current career path. From a young age, I was drawn to problem-solving for real-world issues, which led me to pick Engineering as a field of study.

My foray into the life sciences industry was accidental. After college, one of my early jobs was in a management consulting firm that exposed me to the pharmaceutical industry. I was exposed to how real-world decisions were made using data and analytics and loved the mathematical and human side! I also loved that I was using my analytical skills to help bring medicines to patients with serious illnesses.

Since then, I have been in various strategy, operational, and analytical roles across the industry, which eventually led me to my current role at Axtria. Axtria has disrupted the life sciences industry with its unique ability to leverage the power of data, cloud-based technologies, and AI/ML to enable analytics at a global scale. I’m excited that I’m part of the Axtria team that is helping shape this change!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

I joined Axtria in May 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had just started. Like other businesses, the pharmaceutical sales reps were impacted significantly during this time as they could not meet with their customers in person. All pharmaceutical companies were revisiting their customer engagement models. They needed to start engaging with their customers using digital methods, along with face-to-face interactions, as much as possible. At Axtria, we quickly rolled up our sleeves and got down to work. We knew that the sales reps could benefit from data-driven guidance on the optimal mix of in-person and digital interactions for each customer by accounting for customer preferences as well as other factors. We rapidly developed a multi-channel call planning capability in our proprietary Axtria SalesIQTM platform — in 4 months! I was really amazed at the speed with which we moved from idea to execution and was very impressed with the collaborative mindset of all Axtrians coming together to make this happen!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Since I started at Axtria during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had to learn how to build a connection with my team virtually. There have been several moments of learning the etiquette for virtual calls, muting/unmuting at the right moment, and learning when to turn on or turn off the camera in meetings — that have led to some funny moments. One key thing I learned during this time is to have empathy for others on these calls, and not assume that what works for me in a virtual setting also works for others. I also learned the importance of building relationships through deliberate 1:1 virtual connects, which go a long way in building trust and collaboration.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

Axtria stands out for its rapid innovation and its ability to build products that enable analytics at a global scale. I shared the story of the multi-channel call planning capability development earlier. There are several other similar stories where we have helped our customers with consulting services and analytics that help them make business-critical decisions.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I am currently focused on enabling omnichannel orchestration and associated business process changes in the pharmaceutical industry. Traditional methods of reaching customers using multiple disconnected channels with a high frequency don’t work anymore. The pharmaceutical industry must start with a focus on the customer’s expectations and needs and then orchestrate various communications accordingly to provide the best customer experience. This is easier said than done. We are tackling this from various angles — data integration, AI/ML-based analytics, and an end-to-end operational process redesign to help our clients.

This will help pharmaceutical companies bring medicines to patients in a more efficient and effective manner.

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

Even though there has been some progress in hiring women leaders in STEM, the rate of change has been too slow. I think the problem starts at a very young age, where school-age girls typically do not see STEM and tech subjects as cool. This leads to fewer girls entering college in these fields, hence fewer STEM women in the workforce. This problem is further exacerbated when women enter the workforce in a male-dominated culture and feel like they do not fit in.

To solve this problem, we need to have a multi-pronged approach. We should ensure that women and girls in STEM are portrayed as role models and being cool in media and pop culture. Women leaders in STEM should take an active role in mentoring and collaborating with younger women. We should also educate men on becoming aware of their biases and promote inclusive behaviors so that women feel more comfortable in the workplace.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

STEM and Tech companies have been known for their innovation and rapid pace of change. Many times, this leads to long work hours and early morning/late evening collaboration between team members. Working women (and dual-career couples, or single dads) often juggle kids and work — leaving early to pick up their kids from daycare or dropping them off in the morning at the school bus. This means that they may not be available for an early morning or a late evening meeting at certain times. However, they are equally productive as their male counterparts. It’s just that they work at different times based on their kids’ schedules. They should not be viewed as being less productive just because they work at different times during the day.

Most companies have recognized this issue and have a flexible working schedule policy. Companies no longer judge employees based on what hours they work but rather evaluate them on the quality of their work.

Another issue women face is that they are not viewed as confident enough to be promoted to leadership roles. This perception also stems from stereotypical images of a male leader taking charge and giving direction to the team. Women often operate in an empathetic and collaborative manner, which is now being recognized as a better approach to energize and motivate team members. So, by creating awareness of different leadership styles, companies can remove barriers to women’s growth in the workplace.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

There are several myths related to women in STEM that I would like to dispel.

The first myth is that girls and women do not have a “math brain” — which we all know is not true, but many people still believe that based on stereotypes.

The second myth is that women and girls in STEM are not feminine or cool — again, this is not true, as we all know.

The third myth is that women leaders are not viewed as assertive or confident in the workplace.

As I mentioned earlier, a lot of these myths can be dispelled by (a) more STEM women being portrayed as role models and being normal/cool in pop culture and media, (b) making people aware of biases or stereotypes they may have, © women leaders being more visible at the workplace and outside.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

5 leadership lessons that I have learned from my experience as a woman in STEM are:

• Be empathetic and exhibit inclusive behaviors with all team members — being in the minority, I understand how it feels when a leader doesn’t exhibit these behaviors
• Prioritize your efforts — you can’t do it all. Be comfortable with hiring or getting help
• Speak your mind and lean in — do not hesitate to speak your mind.
• Be in the present moment — when at work, give your 100% attention to work; when at home, give your 100% attention to home.
• Be comfortable in who you are — do not compare yourself to others who can devote more time to work or home. Understand that life is a juggling act for everyone.

What advice would you give to other women leaders to help their team to thrive?

I would advise other women leaders to feel comfortable sharing their perspectives, being empathetic, and creating a culture where everyone feels included. Instead of putting on a façade to fit into a stereotypical leader image, I have realized that being your authentic self brings the best results.

I have had men and women on my team. I have realized that this approach creates an environment where every employee can thrive and deliver the best results.

What advice would you give to other women leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

When you have a large team, you should ensure that you are visible and approachable to all team members. While you will work more with your direct reports, you should have periodic connects with 1 or 2 levels down, and ensure that you connect with your broader team members during coffee chats, lunches, or town halls. By having a good pulse on your organization, you will also be able to prioritize how you spend your time developing your team members and ensuring quality deliverables.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

While I have had a lot of help and advice along the way from various family members, mentors, and friends, I feel most grateful towards my husband, Dharmesh, for supporting and guiding me throughout my career journey.

Early on in my career, when I had my first child, I was working in a very demanding job. Meeting the demands of both work and home seemed very challenging, and I wanted to quit working. I remember telling him one night that I was going to send in my resignation. He sat me down and asked me to think it through again. He convinced me to find another less demanding job for a few years instead of just quitting and staying at home. There have been many more similar moments in my life, such as the time when I was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had other health issues. Each time, he has stood by me and showed me that it is possible to have a fulfilling career and a happy and healthy family life. To this day, we have a great partnership at home in taking care of our children and household chores so that both of us can thrive in our careers.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

One of the main reasons I continue to strive at work and home is because I want future generations of girls and women to see that it is possible to have a fulfilling career and a happy family life. I continue to mentor younger women and inspire young girls like my daughter, to pursue their passions.

I am also a board member for a non-profit organization called “South Asian Pharmaceutical Council” which provides mentorship/networking for pharmaceutical professionals and supports charitable causes in South Asia. In the past five years, we have raised more than 500K USD to help women/children impacted by HIV, and the elderly that have been abandoned by their families. I have also helped my daughter raise funds for cancer research through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I am a very active member of my college’s alumni association and have recently mentored current students through panel discussions. I have led fundraising efforts for my college as well.

I hope that even at work, I have inspired people to follow their passions and challenge the status quo.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

If I could inspire a lot of people to start a movement, I would like people to spend more time physically interacting with their family and friends and less (or zero) time on social media and electronic devices. This will benefit society greatly by promoting true, authentic conversations and remove the focus from image building on social media.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite “life lesson quote” is from an Indian Hindi movie, “Om Shanti Om.” Its English translation is as follows:

“If you desire something with all your heart, then the world will conspire to make it happen for you!”

I have always felt this to be true. I have been very driven by my passions from a very young age. I have not always known the path that will lead me to achieve my dreams, but I have received help from unforeseen quarters that have helped me along the way.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

If I could have a private breakfast or lunch with someone, I would pick Elon Musk. I’m amazed at his ability to dream big and execute and would like to understand how he does it!

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.