Mamta Saha has earned her stellar track record as inhouse L&D lead and independent consultant with over 15 years of immersion in multiple global matrix commercially-focused businesses and bespoke consultancies. Mamta is a Business and media psychologist with regular contributions on the BBC and Sky News for her views on life stories, the Asian community, diversity, including gender roles equality, the invisible barriers that stop people from getting ahead, professional development, and politics. She is a British Indian, is based in London and Dubai, and has three children. We spoke to Mamta about the South Asian community and her latest TedTalk.
Please speak about your TedTalk. How is it related to the South Asian community?
TedTalk is related to the South Asian community, because often we have the can do attitude that just keeps going. Stopping, and being reflective, and pausing and also just taking stalks of how we are doing is considered luxury and a weakness sometimes. So, the ability to be able to stop and reflect and look at what did go right and what could be better, and also to look at those thoughts and face them, is a very powerful thing. It’s a gift that we can give ourselves. South Asians are connected as a community, which means it’s not about “I”, it’s about “we” and my talk is very much focused on the “I”. But in a way it’s not selfish, it’s selfcare, it’s emotional. It’s focused on emotional hygiene. If we want to be stronger, for the collective, we need to start at home, with ourselves.
What are your thoughts on imposter syndrome? Many South Asians may not even know about it.
Imposter syndrome is our inner voice that tells us that we don’t deserve the things that we are getting, if they are good things. We can often doubt ourselves that we don’t deserve it, or this must be a mistake, or one day they’ll find out that I’m no good. It comes down to lack of self believe and lack of self love, self care and recognition. We really must celebrate our successes as a community and individuals so that we can avoid any sort of negativity about our success.
What is it that we as a community need to nurture our mental health in a time when there's so much work and societal pressure?
I think it’s really important that we focus on mediation, yoga and writing. We need to deepen our emotional vitality and be mindful and appreciate things in our life as opposed to rushing through things and people that exist around us. Go out for a walk in nature, appreciate the smell, the freshness, the flowers, the colours, and really be present to all the greatness. This will help us to nurture our mental health and not be in a rat race, where there isn’t even a rat race.
Please give some tips to our young readers who may or may not know how to cope during a pandemic and are about to step into the real world which is going to be way more competitive than it used to be before the pandemic.
Build mental resilience so that you’re less likely to be threatened and realise our own potential. Write down your strengths and read them. Create a vision board. Look at it everyday and revise it. Know that your future is in your hands. Don’t underestimate the value of relationships. Think about the company you keep. Are they aligned with your values? The company we keep will be reflected in the work that we do.
