Self-Advocacy
Methods you can use to be successful in your career
Shailvi Wakhlu is an Author, International Keynote Speaker, and Technology Leader. She is the former Head of Data & Analytics at Strava and Komodo Health. Her sixteen-year data and engineering career has included companies such as Salesforce, Fitbit, and a software startup she co-founded. Shailvi’s self-advocacy expertise comes from being a practitioner at tech startups and large companies across three continents.
Wakhlu speaks on self-advocacy and data at twenty-five or more global conferences and Fortune 500 corporate events each year. She also teaches online courses on these subjects to a global audience.
Wakhlu offers individual and group coaching. She has helped hundreds of people grow their self-advocacy skills and reach important career milestones faster. She is also an investor and advisor to several high-growth startups.
Wakhlu grew up in India and studied Computer Engineering at Illinois Tech in Chicago. She loves to travel and has visited thirty-two countries. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Govind, and their sixty plants.
A few articles:
- Get a “Yes” for your Job Promotion Proposal
- Effective frameworks for 1-1s: Learn more about your team
- 10 Simple Steps to a Breezy Job Hunt
A few talks:
- Getting Comfortable with Self-Advocacy (Nov'22)
- No Woman Left Behind: Planning for Intersectionality (Nov'20)
- Choose Inclusion podcast - discussing DEI&B (Oct'20)
- How to #HumbleBrag Effectively (Aug'19)
- Women in STEM (Jul'15)
Get a “Yes” for your Job Promotion Proposal
Many people face challenges advocating for themselves at work, especially when asking for a promotion. Under-represented groups especially can be deprived of guidance on how to strategically approach this critical process.
I propose a simple and effective 3-step framework to help you own your narrative.
Effective frameworks for 1-1s at work
The best way for a manager to keep a pulse on their team satisfaction and engagement, is through effective one-on-ones. It’s a great space to build a trusted relationship, where you listen, absorb and act on the topics they bring up.
Sharing some of my top 3 frameworks that I've experimented with in my 6+ years as a people manager.
10 Simple Steps to a Breezy Job Hunt
What sounds more exhausting than starting a job search? If you are unsure where to begin, follow along with my 10-step guide which can help make the process feel more structured.
Searching for a better fit is ultimately an investment in your current and future happiness. And the pursuit of happiness should never be a chore!
Getting Comfortable with Self-Advocacy
Speaking at the Stretch Conference in Budapest Nov'22
Sharing the importance of Self-Advocacy, and practical tips on how to do it.
This talk was aimed at leaders who want to learn more about Self-Advocacy and want to better support their teams with it.
No Woman Left Behind: Planning for Intersectionality
Speaking at the Finding Ada Conference in Nov'20
When we think about gender issues, we cannot ignore intersectionality. Women face all the challenges that women in STEM usually do, and also face additional challenges based on their race, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, education etc.
We have to actively prioritize creating a plan to support all women.
Choose Inclusion podcast - discussing DEI&B
Discussion with the Choose Inclusion team in Oct'20
Sharing my thoughts on prioritizing DEI&B, while being the only woman (and a WOC) on an Engineering Leadership team.
We have a responsibility to ensure that the products we build as a company aren’t causing harm. There are many ways to expand the focus on biases across intersectionalities.
How to #HumbleBrag Effectively
My talk at Write Speak Code conference in Aug'19
My thoughts on the importance of self-advocacy, and how to go about doing it well for the sake of your career.
Many people are shy of accepting praise and highlighting their professional achievements to the detriment of their career success. In this talk, I highlight the specific ways to phrase your wins and position your thinking to not get left behind due to a lack of perceived value.
Why Women should opt for STEM
My video at the WomenInSTEM conference in Jul'15
My thoughts on why women should opt for STEM, and how they will succeed in it - as shared at the WomenInSTEM conference in Dubai.
As a lifelong #WomanWhoCodes, I've had a fantastic time in this field. Here's hoping many more women come along for the ride!