Every year when International Women’s Day arrives, our conversations naturally turn to celebrating the achievements of women. The day reminds us of remarkable progress, yet also of the journey that still lies ahead.

For me, however, this day has gradually come to mean something more personal.

It is not merely a day of celebration. It is a day of remembrance and gratitude.

A quiet moment to acknowledge the many women whose presence, influence and silent strength shaped my life; often without any intention of teaching, and without even realising that they were shaping my understanding of leadership and humanity.

Long before I encountered leadership theories, management frameworks, or organisational models, I had already begun learning my first lessons in leadership at home.

From my mother, who taught me that strength often resides in gentleness.

From my sisters and cousin sisterss, whose resilience and warmth shaped the emotional landscape of our family life.

From my wife, whose balance, wisdom and quiet counsel have often brought perspective to my own thinking.

And now from my daughter-in-law, whose ideas and aspirations remind me that every generation must reimagine the future with courage.

Looking back today, I realise that many of the principles I speak about in leadership forums were not discovered in books. They were absorbed through lived experience.

 3 E Framework

Over the years I have often spoken about a simple leadership framework; the 3E principle: Empathise, Empower and Engage.

Interestingly, the more I reflect, the more I realise that women have been practising these principles naturally for generations.

Empathise

Modern leadership discourse increasingly recognises empathy as a core leadership capability.

Yet empathy has always been quietly present in the everyday wisdom of women.

Empathy is not merely about understanding another person’s emotions. It is about sensing what remains unspoken. It is about recognising vulnerability even before it is expressed.

In families, communities and organisations, women often hold together the invisible emotional fabric that sustains human relationships. They notice the subtle shifts, the quiet anxieties, the small signals that others might overlook.

Leadership, in its most humane form, begins precisely there; with the ability to feel before one decides.

Empower

History reminds us that women have not only nurtured families; they have transformed societies.

India’s journey has been shaped by extraordinary women who challenged barriers and opened new pathways. Leaders such as Indira Gandhi demonstrated how determination can shape national destiny, while pioneers like Savitribai Phule ignited a social awakening by championing education for women.

Coming from Odisha, I have also been deeply inspired by the contributions of leaders such as Nandini Satpathy and the tireless social commitment of Malati Das.

There are many others. Their journeys remind us that empowerment is rarely about occupying positions of authority. It is about creating possibilities for others.

True empowerment multiplies leadership.

 Engage

During my professional journey, particularly during my years with Indian Oil Corporation and interactions across the broader oil and energy sector, I had the privilege of working with many exceptional women colleagues.

What consistently impressed me was their ability to build genuine engagement.

They listened deeply before responding.

They created spaces where people felt encouraged to contribute.

They fostered collaboration without imposing authority.

In complex organisations, engagement cannot be commanded through hierarchy. It grows through trust, respect and authentic human connection.

Many women leaders demonstrate this instinctively.

Today, one of my ex-Colleagues reminded me of the small card, I used to send personally as Director (HR) to all the powerful women colleagues on IWD Day. Though I felt good on hearing this, but an immediate thought flashed; “Should I have limited to that one day only?” I am not sure.

A Quiet Influence

As I pause to reflect today, one thought becomes very clear.

Many of the ideas we describe today in management classrooms; empathy, empowerment, engagement, have long existed in the lived experiences of women.

They may not have articulated them as frameworks or leadership doctrines.

But they practised them every single day.

Often quietly.

Often without recognition.

Yet always with grace and strength.

So today my thoughts return to all the women who shaped my journey, so as for many others, in our families, in our professional lives, and in our society.

They did not merely influence our paths.

In many ways, they quietly helped shape the leader we continue to strive to become.

For that, we must remain deeply grateful.

Perhaps that is the enduring lesson women offer to leadership itself:

That the most powerful influence is often the one that speaks softly, nurtures patiently, and leaves behind a legacy of humanity.

To the women who empathise, empower and engage, not as a theory, but as a way of life: My deepest respect and gratitude on International Women’s Day.