In transforming a community’s shared needs into a mission-driven organization, Vandana Kumar navigated challenges of change and fostered team buy-in. This conversation highlights the importance of clarity, empathy, and adaptability in leadership, offering valuable lessons for leaders at all levels.

This is To Lead Is Human — listen to learn how you can uplevel your leadership and shape cultures of accountability, respect, and candor.

Guest Bio:

Vandana Kumar leads the India Currents Foundation as Publisher and CEO. Established in 1987, India Currents is the oldest newsroom dedicated to covering the Indian diaspora of 5 million, the fastest-growing population in the United States. Vandana has won the Asian American Hero award from the County of Santa Clara and the Leadership in Business award twice from the California Legislature Assembly. Under her leadership, India Currents also won the Community Impact Award from the Asian American Journalists Association in 2024.

Host Bio:

For more than 30 years, Sharon Richmond has partnered with C-level executives from mid-size and small, fast-growing companies who want to up-level their leadership and build companies they are proud of. Clients accelerate their leadership by embracing mindset and behavior changes, building self-awareness and self-management skills, and focusing on the three things all leaders must ensure: focus, energy and delivery.

Sharon’s purpose as an executive coach is to help leaders 10X their impact by leveraging the power afforded by their roles to build organizations that are forces for good, both economically and socially. She also advises CEOs on shaping organization culture and leading change.

Sharon has taught leadership at Stanford GSB, where she now helps leaders increase influence, manage conflict, and prepare to build high-performing teams.

To see a list of Sharon’s clients, please visit LeadingLarge.com.

Resources or websites mentioned in this episode:

Mirasee
Sharon’s website: LeadingLarge.com
Vandana’s website: IndiaCurrents.com
Vandana’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vandana-kumar-3473851/

Credits:

Host: Sharon Richmond
Producer: Andrew Chapman
Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario
Executive Producer: Danny Iny
Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely
Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio

Music credits:

Track Title: Escaping Light
Artist: Aaron Sprinkle
Writer: Aaron Sprinkle
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

Track Title: Bright Future
Artist: Be Still The Earth
Writer: Marshall Usinger
Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION

Special effects credits:

24990513_birds-chirping_by_promission used with permission of the author and under license by AudioJungle/Envato Market.

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Episode transcript: Building a Community Around a Common Purpose (Vandana Kumar) coming soon.