Archana Mohan  and I talk about some of what is intangible or invisible in a room with a team like the assumptions we make about others and the ones we make about ourselves. Archana is an experienced leader and author of The Through Line, and someone who has spent a long time thinking about identity, character and what it actually means to lead. We talk about labels and boxes, about the difference between fitting in and belonging, about character as the imprint we leave on the world. And she tells a lovely story about her daughter who pointed out to her the difference between a compliment and a comparison. We touch on what that reveals about how we've all been trained to measure ourselves.

Archana Mohan is an executive leader, writer, and podcast host exploring the connection between who we are and how we lead. She serves as Chief Operations and Technology Officer at Navera Investment Management, where she works with boards and leadership teams to strengthen organisational resilience, governance, and long-term strategy. Her path has moved from classrooms to boardrooms. She began her career in education in New York City, advocating for neurodiverse students, before spending more than two decades in financial services helping organisations navigate complexity and change. Alongside her executive work, Archana writes and speaks about leadership, identity, and judgment in uncertain times. She is the author of The Through Line and host of the podcast Where We Place Ourselves.