Episode #27
Episode 27: Human Google, Authentic Leadership & Courageous Conversations by Smriti Behl
Some people walk into a room and immediately make things feel easier. Smriti Behl is one of those people. Known affectionately as the “Human Google”, Smriti is the person people go to when they need an answer, a connection, a blocker removed… or apparently someone who can organise food AND entertainment for a party with two days’ notice. But as Smriti puts it, she doesn’t know everything. Her real gift is being a human connector, staying curious, connecting the dots and bringing the right people together. And honestly? She is a ray of sunshine to be around. But don’t mistake that warmth for an unwillingness to have the tough conversations. One of the things I admire most about Smriti is her approach to feedback. She’ll give it when it needs to be given, but she’s equally willing to turn the mirror back on herself. She creates space for her team to tell her what she could do differently as their leader. She asks what they need more of from her, takes them for informal coffee catch-ups when something feels off and creates the psychological safety for conversations that many leaders unintentionally avoid. That takes courage. We also get into something Smriti and I could probably talk about for hours: timing, intuition and those moments in life that somehow unfold exactly as they’re meant to. Smriti shares the career “no” that ended up changing her direction. When she wasn’t given permission to attend cloud training, she studied in her own time, often while her one-year-old daughter slept, she earned the certification anyway and walked away with a lesson she has carried ever since: Sometimes you need to stop waiting for permission and back yourself. Authenticity, Self-Trust & Looking After YOU Authenticity is another big thread running through Smriti’s story. As she has progressed, she’s learned to trust herself more, what feels right, what matters to her and when something doesn’t align with who she is. She doesn’t believe becoming more senior should mean becoming a more polished, corporate version of yourself. We talk leadership without the polished corporate mask. Trust without losing accountability. Why empathy and performance can absolutely coexist. Speaking up when something doesn’t sit right. And why being the leader doesn’t mean being the smartest person in the room or having every answer. The Upsides? ✨ You don't need to know everything to be a brilliant leader. ✨ Curiosity and connection can be genuine leadership superpowers. ✨ Giving people freedom, context and trust can unlock incredible performance. ✨ Receiving feedback can be just as powerful as giving it. ✨ Your warmth and humanity don't need to disappear as you become more senior. ✨ A “no” might just be redirecting you somewhere better. ✨ And sometimes the biggest thing holding us back is waiting for somebody else to give us permission. This is a conversation about leadership, courage, connection, intuition and staying completely yourself while doing it. And I reckon we could all use a little more Smriti energy in our workplaces. ☀️ ✨If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who might need to hear it, these are the conversations that remind us we're not doing life or leadership alone. Reference Links Books: The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett https://stevenbartlett.com/the-book Courageous Me by Kim Payne https://kimpayne.com.au/book Start with Why by Simon Sinek https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why Get in touch with Smriti: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smritibehl/ Where to find me: Website: Sharon (Shaz) Daly www.techtoexec.com.au LinkedIn: Sharon (Shaz) Daly https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-daly/ Instagram: @techtoexec https://www.instagram.com/techtoexec/ Facebook: TechtoExec https://www.facebook.com/techtoexec/ Join the COMMUNITY https://techtoexec.com.au/techtoexec-community/
