Step Up
Women’s Journey to Identity, Success and Power
- Sailaja Manacha - Psychologist, psychotherapist and a leadership coach
Principles of Management
Step Up is a transformative journey that provides women with the necessary tools to become powerful leaders. It is an ‘inner journey’ to reveal commonly held beliefs that women have of themselves and others, as well as patterns of behaviour and choices that form the lens through which they see the world. Being aware of this allows them to look at the world differently and make impactful changes in their professional lives.Borrowing from the well-known frameworks of Generative Leadership (GL) and Transactional Analysis (TA), the book provides an inside-out approach advocating potent practices that can create effective leadership.
Through her book, Sai takes us women on a journey that challenges the unconscious, the beliefs and the not-so-obvious in life and at the workplace. With self-reflective tools aplenty, she compels the readers to introspect, reflect and truly transform into who we can be. This book is a must-have gem for future women leaders.
SELPH—explained beautifully and in such simple articulation. In Step Up: Women’s Journey to Identity, Success and Power, Sailaja Manacha has very succinctly presented how our history and past life build us as a person. A book that will peel the layers of fear and constraints, and bring an honest mirror in front of every aspirational leader (gender agnostic)—you won’t be able to put it down. This book is an asset for every professional who aspires to grow and may not have the privilege of a coach. Real-life examples, probing coaching questions and a bouquet of best practices will empower every single reader.
This book is a reference book for every leader—woman or man— who wants to develop as a leader. It gives you a deep understanding of the factors that make you an effective leader. It gives you a toolkit to understand and peel away layers of your biases, opinions, judgements and your own inner voice that stands in the way of developing as a leader. The unique feature of this book is the set of practices that help you to reflect and develop in your personal journey of leadership. To get the most out of the book, you need to have the discipline to practice the methods. Try them. They work!
Sailaja has written an inspiring, practical book that will enable women leaders to expand their leadership impact. She has laid out several powerful distinctions that most leaders have perhaps never seen or practised. She has presented these ideas with passion and a strong commitment to building women leaders. I strongly recommend that existing and aspiring women leaders engage in the practices in this book.
What a labour of love and delivery of magic! Sai is that rare blend of a sincere seeker who has done the hard work of her own inner transformation, and is a top-notch psychotherapist and transactional analysis expert as well as a highly experienced leadership coach. Her practice wisdom draws from real-world cases transforming the lives and leadership of hundreds of Indian women; and this much-awaited book arrives just as women in India and around the world are ready to STEP UP to become the ‘game changers’ they are called to be at this pivotal time. I will be sharing this oh-so-sensible and precious guide for the journey, widely.
As a Managing Director and CEO, I do see that in businesses within India as well as globally we still face a great challenge regarding diversity. Especially when it comes to females in decisive management positions, the gap becomes even bigger. This book will definitely provide women some special and very interesting additional views and aspects on their way to possibly perform much better in the future. How much it will finally lead to the desired success at the end then still depends on the respective application which is unique for each person.
The psychology and leadership blend of the book takes care of the professional and emotional quotient of women. The ‘inner work’ approach is important to inspire and support more women into being effective leaders. The book will surely guide several women and organizations to create impactful women leaders ... it’s what our world needs.
Step Up is propulsive, challenging you to commune with multiple dimensions of your inner being—body configuration and sensations, emotions, inner messaging, practice and the store house of historical experiences that sculpt you. Step Up is transformational, challenging you to dismantle your inner barriers and emerge from the margins to the centre to be the change you want to see. Step Up especially challenges women to interrogate stunting gender stereotypes towards exercising voice, agency, creative power and leadership. Step Up draws its ‘pulsating with life, change-maker, easy-to-identify-with’ trademark from the lived realities of its author—a practicing psychotherapist—and her coachees, brought alive through personal narratives and soulsearching tools. The book grasps you—a must-read for anyone seeking to make a difference, anywhere, at any scale.
Step Up uncovers real challenges that women face while navigating their careers through easy-to-relate examples from Sai’s years of coaching experience, and offers an insightful practice-oriented approach towards a powerful transformational experience. This book is a must have for any woman who wishes to unleash her unique self and be an impactful leader in her world.
Step Up is a powerful book and an essential read for women who are ready to design their future and reach their fullest potential. Sai beautifully weaves experiential stories with practical strategies to guide women to enhance their awareness of self-limiting barriers and beliefs, and break through to create a more expansive mindset. This book provides insightful, clear strategies and practices to expand leadership capabilities, skill and presence, empowering women to find their voice and step into their power and potential.