Leading with Empathy & Vision in the Evolving World of Tech

By: Praveena Bhimavarapu, Senior Vice President and Country Head, Maximus India

Praveena​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Bhimavarapu is a global technology leader with over two decades of experience driving large-scale IT transformation and modernization. As a devoted promoter of Women in Technology and Diversity & Inclusion, she is constantly bringing new ideas, collaboration, and the use of an inclusive style of leadership to the tech industry.

During an insightful interaction with Charulatha M, Senior Correspondent at Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Praveena shared her enlightening viewpoints on women’s leadership — emphasizing the fact that empathy, authenticity, and inclusion are the main drivers for a more human, balanced, and future-oriented world of work.

To explore her full insights and leadership journey, read the following article.

In today’s fast-changing tech and finance world, what unique advantages do women leaders bring to the table that makes leadership more human and future-ready?

I believe women leaders bring an innate ability to make leadership deeply human; balancing empathy with execution and compassion with clarity. In my experience leading tech teams, I have seen how women naturally create environments of trust, collaboration and psychological safety – where innovation doesn’t’ just happen faster, it happens with purpose.

As we move toward a future defined by AI, automation, and constant change, these qualities are what will make leadership not only future-ready but sustainably human.

How did you see leadership styles change when more women take on decision-making roles, especially in the tech industry?

When more women lead, leadership is more balanced and authentic to take holistic decisions. The focus shifts from control to connection – from hierarchy to harmony.

In my career, I have seen myself change my approach when I saw inspiring leaders both men and women, taking control and making key decisions for themselves and for the organizations. The big revelation was the right outcome and impact is gender agnostic. That being said, more women taking on decision-making roles will train the next generation of leaders in tech industry.

Many people talk about "bring their authentic self to work." What does the authenticity in leadership mean to you and how do you practice it daily?

Authenticity in leadership for me is like purity of air and water. It can’t be faked nor given. It comes with strong belief system of morals and ethics. I don’t’ preach until I practice myself. I operate based on the values of personal character of who I am and to the organization I belong to.

I try to be consistent with my tone, behavior, words and expressions each day which is a conscious choice for me as we always get distracted and disturbed by external and internal factors. So even when I am not there in the room, the team should know what my approach would be for a given topic and what they think about it should match.

How has being a woman influenced the way you connect with diverse cultures and workforces globally?

It’s difficult in the beginning as we try to fit into the new culture or fail to understand theirs. Having worked with multiple regions, I now understand that the challenge is on both sides and that everyone will have the same problem first. So, I have found a way out is not to assume but to ask when in doubt and be empathetic to others as well.

Inclusion often sounds like a corporate buzzword. What subtle everyday gestures make women feel seen and valued in the workplace?

Being inclusive is not that difficult to inculcate in the workplace if one does that at home first. We are the reflection of the society we live in, and I must say that we should not be treated differently unless out of respect, health or by qualification. The inclusion at work is to focus on removing unconscious biases vs changing the value of the women.

LAST WORD: Advice for Aspiring Women Leaders

Self-doubt is good, but the truth is that every butterfly starts as a cocoon. Focus on the current goal, educate yourself, evaluate the situation, engage with the system that can help you, and, last but not least, execute your plans! And you will ROCK!