Rashmi Sharma is driving high performance by blending ancient wellness wisdom with AI-age leadership

In today’s world, progress, ambition, and recognition have become the pillars of a fulfilled life, often measured by the rapid pace of our achievements—both personal and professional. This relentless drive, while inspiring, places immense pressure on the leaders who guide us and shape the paths we follow. Amid such unyielding demands, where does this leave our leaders and, by extension, ourselves? The answer often lies in burnout, a silent epidemic in the age of ceaseless hustle. In response, a powerful shift is emerging: a return to wellness, not just as a fleeting trend but as a reconnection with age-old practices that anchor us to our inner selves. As AI (Artificial Intelligence) accelerates the pace of change, the balance between modern ambition and timeless wisdom becomes more critical than ever. Rashmi Sharma, a visionary advocate for integrating ancient wellness practices into leadership and the workplace, recently shared with Masala how this transformative approach is reshaping leaders, workforces, and the future.

Your career spans multiple industries and continents. Could you tell us about your upbringing and how those early experiences have influenced your approach to leadership?

I grew up moving across seven diverse cities throughout four corners of India, and the change was not merely geographic but cultural, lingual, and philosophical, too. This had a deep impact on me. My father was in banking at the time, while my mother was a homemaker who was also professionally working in the fields of education and banking. They would always make change feel very exciting. They were also adventurous and great at building communities wherever they went, so as a result, my brother and I got exposed to rich, diverse environments growing up.

When you’re constantly adjusting to new environments as a child, you develop an innate ability to thrive in various situations–skills that are invaluable in today’s dynamic world and difficult to learn from textbooks.

Recently, I’ve spent the past decade in Southeast Asia across three countries, along with my husband and son, further expanding my worldview. It made me confident about cultural complexity and gave me the ability to connect cross-culturally – whether I’m working with C-suite executives in Singapore or emerging leaders in Thailand.

A key aspect of your work is leading effectively without compromising personal well-being. When did you first identify this as your mission, and what inspired you to pursue this path?

It was during the Covid-19 pandemic, while handling employee well-being at Unilever, that I truly saw how stress and burnout could impact leaders – and, in turn, entire organisations. I witnessed performance coaching sessions often shifting into well-being discussions because that was the core issue that needed to be addressed before anything else.

Reflecting on my own global experiences, I realised that many corporate professionals still lack awareness of how to achieve high performance through the tools of well- being. This insight deeply resonated with me and inspired me to explore the topic further. Over the past few years, my dedication to this has only grown.

I built an online newsletter community of over 500 members, advised well-being start-ups, and delivered professional talks on mental wellness. I also hosted a ten- episode podcast that allowed me to dive deeper into these issues with corporate professionals, and the conversationsonly reinforced what I already felt – there’s so much more we can do. That’s why I am dedicating time to amplifying this message and empowering leaders with the tools they need to thrive.

Being recognised by People Matters Magazine as one of the top HR professionals is a significant achievement. What has the journey to this point been like, and how do you continue to push boundaries and set new aspirations?

It’s indeed been a very rewarding journey and I am very grateful for my global career. Not just in terms of the awards and recognition (which are always encouraging) but in terms of opportunities. Over the years, I’ve worked with leaders across continents, collaborated with brilliant colleagues, and led impactful business transformation initiatives across companies like Unilever and Coca-Cola. I especially value my consulting experience, where I worked with CXOs across industries like IT, Media, Telecom, and FMCG. This allowed me to merge my entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to scale initiatives, which has been incredible. As for the future, I have always pushed the boundaries to pick up projects that will allow opportunities for growth – my leadership and wellness platform INNERGY. CLUB™ is an example of that, which is aimed at helping leaders tap into their ‘inner energy’ to thrive.

Having spoken on prominent stages like TEDx, The Economist, the Corporate Innovation Summit, and UN Youth Speak, you’ve reached over 200,000 people across nine countries. How did this journey unfold, and where do you draw your insights from when preparing to addressleadership, growth, and wellness?

My strength is pattern recognition across these various facets of life, then simplifying these insights to empower people. For example, I enjoy jazz dancing, and my TED Talk was a culmination of my creative pursuits: dancing, leadership, writing, and speaking. I’d written an article about leadership lessons from my experience as a jazz dancer across the world, how I needed to learn how to ‘follow’ in order to ‘lead,’ which then became my TED Talk. I read extensively, dance, write, and speak professionally. From this, I’ve had opportunities to meet leaders across industries and the key issues holding them back. I’ve even been an amateur theatre actor and a national finalist for a beauty pageant in India, all while also working on leadership development in my day jobs at Unilever and Coca-Cola. And lastly, being naturally curious about how people thrive holistically has helped me.

From Unilever to Coca-Cola, and even the TEDx stage, your career trajectory is incredibly diverse. Which pivotal moments or decisions do you consider to be most instrumental in shaping your journey?

I can think of three points that, in hindsight, challenged me and shaped me. First, moving into a global role: I’d worked across the U.S. and the UK before, but stepping into a role that spanned Southeast Asia was an entirely new challenge. On paper, we often group SEA as one region, but in reality, it couldn’t be more diverse. The 11+ countries differ drastically in language, culture, talent dynamics, religion, demographics, and even histories. Navigating these complexities required a whole new level of leadership agility and cultural sensitivity. Secondly, being invited to deliver a TEDx Talk: I had no idea that my effort to learn jazz dance would culminate in a leadership TED Talk which resonated so much with people. It was definitely a turning point that helped amplify my voice to larger stages. Finally, leading wellbeing in Unilever: Coincidentally, around this time, I started leading wellbeing for Southeast Asia. Little did I know how critical this area would become.

How are you building on your expertise in leadership development further?

By building a new way to help leaders perform better! Let me further explain. A few years back, during a training I organised in Singapore, our British leadership expert introduced breathwork techniques to a room full of senior leaders. The impact was incredible! But the irony wasn’t lost on me. Here was a Western expert advocating practices that have been woven into our culture for ages, and it was fascinating.

Sometimes we need to see our heritage through a different lens to truly appreciate its power. These are not just feel-good, they are powerful tools for decision-making, emotional regulation, and peak performance in the corporate world. This moment sparked the realisation that we’re sitting on a goldmine of Eastern wisdom that could revolutionise how we approach leadership and performance. Over the last few years, I have had an opportunity to speak and interact with thousands of people on this topic – whether it’s via my newsletter, podcast, keynotespeaking, or working closely with Southeast Asian leaders in the corporate world. I see a gap in how heavily Western leadership models dominate corporate spaces and also as potential tools for mental well-being. I think there is another way to approach it, and I want to bridge that gap.

Fast forward a few years later, I am creating INNERGY.CLUB™, which empowers and elevates leadership performance by blending science, spirituality, and energy modalities. The name plays on ‘inner energy’ reflecting our unique approach that blends ancient Eastern wisdom with modern leadership practices.

With your extensive experience working with professionals at all stages of their careers, what advice would you offer young professionals looking to strike a balance between personal well-being and achieving leadership success?

Nowadays, it’s become the norm to seek validation from external markers – trends, titles, and possessions. I notice in my workshops that young professionals feel pressured to achieve everything at once, often at the cost of their own wellness. But let’s be honest, stepping away from it all or slowing down isn’t a practical solution. It’s not about abandoning ambition; it’s about sharpening your skills to achieve more with better work-life harmony.

I would suggest:

1. Go beyond time management to energy management: Attention and energy is the new currency. Your ability to focus on things that matter will differentiate you from the rest. For an extended career, it is even more important to take care of your well-being – physical as well as mental health; continue to do that.

2. Self-awareness is the best leadership tool: When you truly understand yourself – what energises you, what drains you, what triggers you, and where your boundaries lie – you can achieve balance while pursuing your career. Invest time in discovering that.

3. Be a lifelong learner: We are going to live longer livesthanpastgenerationsthankstomedicalscience. To stay relevant, keep your skills updated and find your unique mix of passion, values, and skills that will set you apart.

As an entrepreneur who developed a digital AI coach for early career managers, what role do you envision AI playing in reshaping leadership development?

By the end of the decade, there will be two kinds of leaders: those who utilise AI in their businesses and others who are out of jobs. AI will be like electricity; it will power everything from writing to driving cars, but leaders will still play a critical role. Change will be even faster, and solutions to business questions will rapidly change as well. The digital coach I developed was targeting this – quick, just-in-time learning for new managers.

When I do sessions on AI and leadership, I reinforce the ability to exercise refined judgment by assessing long-term pattern sensing through a combination of experience and intuition. AI will likely replace the rest, except this.

Leaders who succeed will be the ones who have better judgment. I touched on this back in my 2018 TEDx Talk, but it’s even more relevant now, with AI becoming a bigger part of our lives.

It’s not about knowing all the answers, it’s about making the right calls, even when the world feels unpredictable.

Outside of your professional commitments, you’ve clearly embraced many creative avenues. How do you express your creativity in your personal life? Are there any personal projects or creative activities you’re currently immersed in?

My creative outlet is writing and content creation, especially around leadership topics, which I share on social media. Recently, I got featured as one of the Top 50 Creators on LinkedIn in Thailand, so now I think I will be more deliberate! I also enjoy jazz dancing when I can. Not surprisingly, I am an active explorer of fitness and wellness modalities. My goal this year is to perfect my push-ups and explore more breathwork.

You’re always exploring new opportunities. Looking ahead, what exciting ventures or initiatives are you most passionate about and focused on pursuing next?

As mentioned, I’m working on building a leadership and wellness platform called INNERGY.CLUB™. It is meant for growth-seeking professionals who want to explore innovative modalities to enhance their leadership performance.

Most of us are not aware of the scientific proof of alternative holistic interventions. For example, art therapy, sound therapy, breathwork, and such are scientifically proven to show improvement in resilience and trauma symptoms. The company brings these ancient, science-backedmodalities to leaders; helping them explore new dimensions of resilience, self-awareness, and holistic growth. Given all of my experience in corporate leadership, I truly believe this would be a game-changer. This mission of blending innovation, teaching, leadership, and wellness into something truly impactful keeps my creative spirit alive and thriving.