The Executive Connect Podcast

Welcome to the Executive Connect Podcast, where Melissa Aarskaug engages in insightful conversations with a diverse array of guests, exploring leadership, prosperity, and personal growth for the new generation of leaders. 

In this episode, Melissa sat down with Avni Trivedi, a seasoned leadership professional with over 17 years of experience in technology sales and operations. Avni shared valuable insights on leadership challenges, decision-making, conflict resolution, and the importance of empowering teams. 

 

·         Cultivating Trust: How to unpack the challenge of trust-building in leadership, highlighting the time, and humility it demands—crucial for those stepping into new leadership roles.

 

·         Decoding Data-Driven Decisions: Why you should push for a meticulous, data-driven decision-making process. Avni shared a concrete example from her stint at Lucien, stressing the significance of data analysis for effective decision-making.

 

·         Proactively Navigating Conflicts: Learn about strategies for conflict resolution, emphasizing proactive relationship management. How to encourage team members to build collaborative bonds and prevent conflicts, with transparent communication as the linchpin.

 

·         Strategies for Balance: Melissa and Avni discussed the imperative of pauses in the whirlwind of business. They spoke about how to understand the team's core values, foster stability amidst chaos, and champion a healthy work-life balance.

 

·         Empowerment in Action: Avni shared insights into recognizing and empowering team members, and how to advocate for transparent, authentic leadership that fosters a psychologically safe environment, coupled with an innovative approach to succession planning.

 

In closing, Avni emphasized the infinite game of leadership, encouraging leaders to invest in people, culture, and long-term goals. She underscored the importance of transparency and authenticity in leadership, promoting an environment where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered. 

 

Thank you for joining us on the Executive Connect Podcast, where powerful stories shape meaningful connections!

 

If you have any questions about today’s show or have a topic you’d like us to cover, reach out to me at executiveconnectpodcast@gmail.com.

 

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About today’s guest:

Avni Trivedi was most recently the VP of Global Solutions Consulting at Ellucian, an ed tech B2B SaaS company, where she led a large global team. Prior to that, she was the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Americas region at Intel Corp, driving over $10B in revenue for the company and their key OEM customer. 

 

Avni is from Mumbai, India, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Business. She is currently building her Sales consulting and Fractional CRO business and is heavily involved with professional networks such as Austin Women in Tech, Social Venture Partners, and Executive Council Network.

 

 

About Melissa Aarskaug:

I’m an energetic executive with 15+ years of experience steering companies to new heights of growth and scale. An engineer at heart (I started my career as an engineering manager on one of the world’s largest concrete bridges), I’ve become a trusted leader and business builder in the technology and cybersecurity space.