UNLEASHING A NEW ERA OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE LEADERSHIP LANDSCAPE
Do you think being an entrepreneur means it is an easy way to earn money while being one’s own boss? We would like to give you a reality check… An entrepreneur’s journey is a never ending roller coaster ride. Those who choose to start their own ventures often encounter situations full of thrilling highs and painful lows. But still, they emerge victorious even amid the most unfavorable situations. This is why we try to voice the journeys of such heroes who faced tremendous odds but became successful with their single-minded zeal, especially women entrepreneurs!
Here, we are talking about the journey of a woman with an invincible spirit, Dr. Anju Chawla. She is the founder of EQ Advantage, a venture offering training, coaching, mentoring, and assessment. After diving into her entrepreneurial journey, we must say it is quite an adventure. She is in quite a dynamic and competitive industry where several gender biases lie.
In conversation with our team, Dr. Anju Chawla shared that despite numerous hurdles, she learned how to surf the unfavorable tides and reach the top with persistent zeal. There is so much to learn from her success story and get food for thought to ponder over.
The biases women face in entrepreneurship
The training and development sector in which EQ Advantage is making strides with its unique services is pretty competitive. When Dr. Anju entered this industry, she was hit with a realization that her gender would be the factor defining the way people perceived her. Though this industry is all about the power of knowledge, there is an uncomfortable truth that people consider male trainers more competent than female trainers. However, there were also many well-established male leaders who collaborated with her and supported her journey.
Her initial foray was all about making her identity in the space while fighting this bias in the space. “It was a tough pill to swallow. I wasn’t going to let my gender be the reason I didn’t succeed. In this journey, several male counterparts collaborated with me, offering their support and advocating for my cause. I kept pursuing my dream with a pure heart, and the results are quite evident now,” she mentioned.
Building Authentic Relationships
Dr. Anju is a brave heart who can’t just give up on her dream after getting bogged down by external biases. Then she decided to start using her strengths in favor of her business success: building meaningful relationships. “Authentic relations are not established on a transaction basis. I am not fond of business-card-exchange kind of networking. For me, it was about truly understanding my client’s needs, gaining their trust, and being the partner they could rely on,” she shared her networking strategy.
She never tries to train anyone. It is always about helping a leader get a better and evolved perspective of leading people. Her efforts are always about helping her clients. She made it her mission to be the person who truly understood the nuances of her clients’ businesses and could solve their problems. This deep understanding of her client’s attitude as well as their respective businesses allowed her to provide solutions that could meet the client’s requirements.
Building these deep, meaningful connections didn’t just keep her afloat; it propelled her forward. Her reputation as a reliable and knowledgeable expert began to spread, and soon, the biases that had once stood in her way became nothing more than distant memories. She has not just become another leadership trainer but earned the reputation of a trusted advisor.
Transitioning from Struggles to Success
One of the most powerful lessons Anju learned in her entrepreneurial journey is that success is rarely about overcoming a single barrier. It’s about creating a network and environment where your strengths can shine. That’s exactly what Anju did. What helped her in this pursuit? Persistence. She made sure that every person she worked with knew she was there for the long haul—not just a flash-in-the-pan consultant. Through her consistency, she began to break down not just gender-based biases but also any doubts about her capability.
Dr. Anju is known for sticking to her principles no matter what. She has always been in consistent efforts to make herself a brand that is synonymous with trust, expertise, and genuine value. With the growing success stories, her credibility has witnessed an upward trajectory. So far, word-of-mouth referrals have brought her big clients and partnerships in bigger projects. Now, she is proud of the fact that her identity is no longer tethered to her gender but to what she delivers to the clients!
Embracing Emotional Intelligence
Now, let’s talk about the big breakthrough that sparked the creation of EQ Advantage: Emotional Intelligence (EI). Dr. Anju was way ahead in adopting EI even when it wasn’t a trendy buzzword. She always knew that it was the gamechanger that could transform organizations, individuals, and industries. For Dr. Anju, the inclusion of emotional quotient in leadership is not just an add-on but an essential factor. And why? To this, she responds that the world out there is extremely tech-driven and empathy and human connections are declining at a faster pace.
If we didn’t focus on emotional intelligence now, it would be a disaster for future generations. “Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It’s what allows us to be better communicators, better leaders, and better team players. My mission is to make EI accessible, understandable, and impactful for all.
The world needs it in this highly competitive and tech-driven space. It is only when the leaderships across the world have great emotional intelligence that the world can live in peace and witness prosperity,” enunciated Dr. Anju.
Introducing EQ Advantage
EQ Advantage was launched in 2023. It was the most promising venture by Anju as her brainchild. And it’s a whole new way of approaching personal and professional development. But here is a twist. It is not a typical coaching firm. No, Anju’s business goes beyond just offering advice—it’s about providing customized solutions that make a real difference.
Through EQ Advantage, Anju offers:
- Emotional Intelligence Assessments: Get an in-depth understanding of your EI and how it impacts your decision-making, leadership, and relationships.
- Tailored Training Programs: Designed specifically for companies or individuals, these programs aim to enhance EI in practical, actionable ways.
- One-on-One Coaching & Mentoring: A personal approach to developing EI, helping leaders and teams improve their communication, conflict resolution, and self-awareness.
- Masterclasses and Workshops: These aren’t just theoretical lectures—they’re real-world, hands-on opportunities to implement EI strategies and see immediate results.
Anju’s approach to EI isn’t about teaching it as a theory but embedding it in the day-to-day. Her belief is simple: the more people develop emotional intelligence, the better they become at handling stress, managing teams, and building strong, resilient businesses.
Insights on women’s future in business
When we asked Dr. Anju Chawla about what she is planning for the future ahead, she replied that she is excited for the future. She is also quite positive to see women coming to leadership roles in large numbers. Yes, the leadership landscape is shifting, and the powerful emergence of ‘womepreneurs’ is something worth many glances. “With powerful role models like Falguni Nayar, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and Indra Nooyi leading the charge, it’s clear that women are changing the rules of the game.
This is more than just inspiring, as it’s evidence that women don’t need to just fit into business but transform it. I always advocate how women are inherently collaborative, empathetic, and resilient, which are the qualities that are essential in today’s rapidly evolving business world,” she concluded. As she looks to the future, she’s confident that women will continue to lead, innovate, and transform industries. After all, success is not just about what we achieve but who we become along the way.
