Latest / Serious Lady Business / Engineering Confidence: Leadership from the Factory Floor with Nashay Naeve
Transcript
- Leslie Youngblood (00:00) Welcome back to Seriously Lady Business. I'm Leslie Youngblood. And with us today is Nishae Nave. And we are talking engineering confidence, leadership lessons from the factory floor and beyond. Nishae, thank you so much for joining us. Nashay Naeve (00:16) Happy to be here. Thanks Leslie. Leslie Youngblood (00:18) Yes, you have built such an incredible career, engineering, manufacturing, global business leadership, industries that are very heavily male dominated still to this day. What first drew you into that world, Nishay? Nashay Naeve (00:34) Yeah, you know, I had always loved math and physics, solving problems. I honestly didn't think that much about gender dynamics until I was kind of in in the space and I realized that I was, you know, the only woman in the room. but I I grew up fascinated by how things worked. not just conceptually, but actually what the engineering behind it was. And what ultimately draw drew me to manufacturing is because that's where everything comes together. You know, you put the the pieces together of the widget and it it goes. So Leslie Youngblood (01:09) Yeah, I love that. Was there an early moment in your career where you became very aware that you were the only woman in the room? Nashay Naeve (01:18) Yeah, it's funny because even from the beginning, I guess I don't remember not being the only woman in the room. you know, I in school as an engineer, engineering student, I was in most cases the only woman in my in my group when we were doing group projects. and it just stopped feeling unusual because it was just it was pretty consistent across Leslie Youngblood (01:42) Mm. Yeah. You know, I was just I've been reading Emma Greed's new book, Start With Yourself. And there's a really interesting part of the book where she talks about how she was the only young black female in the room a lot of times. And she looked at it as her advantage because people would look to her for her opinion on things to and she was like, Yeah, and realize, this is a A benefit to me. Like I need to take advantage of being the only woman in black female in the room and make sure my voice is heard and that I'm saying good things and the right things and participating because it has this ripple effect through all the other dynamics in the future of any woman that comes through. Was that your perspective too on handling that, Nay, Nashey? Nashay Naeve (02:31) Yeah, I certainly not initially. In initially there's a little bit of intimidation. I was a little bit scared to speak up, but over time and as I established my own self confidence, I also tried to really leverage being the only woman a to my to my advantage because people remember what you say typically you are, and they they notice you, so that can be really leveraged in that way. Leslie Youngblood (02:57) Yeah. Yeah, I do think a lot of times where maybe sometimes it's not imposter syndrome. It's just that we become so acutely aware of our otherness in that way. And it's not that we don't belong there. It's just sometimes maybe forces our us to step up and like, no, I have to, I'm getting noticeed now and I have to lean into this and I have to, you know, push forward and and do all those things. And not only were you Incredibly successful in doing that. But then you also traveled or not traveling, you worked internationally in China, which is like a totally different culture. On top of being the only female in the room, tell us a little bit about what took you to China. Nashay Naeve (03:44) Yeah, so I always wanted to learn a different language. being an American we're we're blessed with the fact that we already speak English, which is kind of the global language, but I always wanted to learn another language because I felt like when we when somebody can understand us but we can't understand them, we're really left at a disadvantage. So I decided to really dive in and learn Chinese. I went to China during my undergrad experience for a year and I became pretty fluent in the language, but I really wanted to dive a little bit deeper and master it. Further. Leslie Youngblood (04:21) That's okay, I mean you picked Chinese, not Spanish, not French, not Italian. Was that because of your interest in business and in manufacturing and engineering? And you're like, okay, China's becoming this global superpower and I need in I wanna be in the no walking into these rooms on this. Nashay Naeve (04:39) A little bit yes. At the time when I was selecting a language, there were they called it the BRIC countries, which is Brazil, Russia, India, China were emerging economies. And I decided that I really wanted to learn one of those languages. at the time India, China were growing the fastest and I learned that India English in a lot of cases is the common language, so it made the most sense to study Mandarin. Leslie Youngblood (04:58) Yeah. is I mean and Mandarin is not easy. I know English is not easy, but I also know that Mandarin is not easy and there's so much nuance, you know, to learning any language, let alone Mandarin. Was there like do you surprise people now by walking through them and like knowing like I feel like that there has to be a moment almost like in a movie where there's two people talking Chinese and they don't know that you know or Mandarin and they don't know that you know what they're saying and you can just jump into the conversation and they're like, okay. Nashay Naeve (05:35) Yes. Well, I mean I have been in those cases where there's a little bit of a shock factor when people hear me speaking, so Leslie Youngblood (05:40) Yes. I love that. I love that. That like 'cause it's like don't underestimate anybody. Or but also has to be so cool for them too, because again, not I would have to I would love to see the statistics, but not very many people choose Mandarin to study as their second language. So I think that is so awesome. And just outside of, you know, being immersed in a new language and a new culture, what did living and working in China how did it shape the way that you think about Leadership and communication and even business globally, Nache. Nashay Naeve (06:14) Yeah, it really taught me to think about different perspectives because language can also influence the way you think about things. and communication is really deeply cultural. So sometimes we in the US might value directness and speed, and in China, you know, sometimes it's more the relationship, the context, that matters just as much as the content itself. Leslie Youngblood (06:41) Fascinating that must have been to learn that because yes, we're so Amer so American that way. I'm sorry, continue. Nashay Naeve (06:50) yeah, and I mean the Chinese language itself, they break things down differently. So like I'll give you an example. The word computer in Chinese is Dia Nao, which literally means electronic brain. So it's it's really interesting and it makes you think a little bit different about the word itself and and the meaning behind it versus something very abstract. Leslie Youngblood (07:06) Whoa. That is so cool. That's a a reason why I love language like that, where you're like, what? I mean, it is an electronic brain. Hello. I just that is fascinating. And then especially too, as you said, and I think that it's so important in travel in general. I think everybody should be required to travel and get out of your bubble and learn about the world just as a human being. But then to do it and have this business perspective. And so then you're layering Nashay Naeve (07:23) Right. Leslie Youngblood (07:44) I on top of that, where okay, not only am I learning about different culture and interaction and communication, now it's how you know, this culture does business and how it's so very different from the way that we do business here in the United States. And and then how do you navigate that to get to and bridge those types of things? And how does it make you a better human? It at the very least it makes you a better human, but now it's making you a better. Business person, what an incredible asset for you. Did you expect it to change you and shape you in the way that it did, Nashey? Nashay Naeve (08:21) No, I I mean there's things that I learned there that I I didn't anticipate certainly. Like in business context as an example, a lot of times if you're in a formal business dinner in China, there's actually particular seating that the guests and the hosts should sit and they typically sit at a round table. So there's a lot of nuance that if I didn't live there and I differ didn't really experience the culture in that depth, I would never have known. Leslie Youngblood (08:49) Wow. So where are guests supposed to sit at a table? I I wanna know. That sounds so fascinating. Nashay Naeve (08:54) Yeah, so the main host, or like the person that takes the bills typically sits in the at the front of the table right across from the door. So if you're sitting in that seat, you should expect the the bill at the end of the table. Leslie Youngblood (09:07) Right. So then then if you don't want that bill, don't sit in that seat. But that's true because you want to see the server and you're like the bill person and you wanna don't wanna be hiding. You want to to take that. That is so cool. What like what's something else that people would be surprised to learn about how to navigate business internationally and specifically what you learned in China? Nashay Naeve (09:11) Exactly, exactly. Yeah, like in China relationships matter a lot and so a lot of the deal sim similar to the business or the the restaurant discussion, a lot of the deals really do happen over the dinner table or over a glass of drinks. So it's it's just really interesting and a little bit different than how we have experience business here in the US. Leslie Youngblood (09:46) Mm-hmm. Right, maybe that's golf. There's a lot of golf that happens over here in the United States. I I would prefer I mean, I love golf, but dinner parties and the relationships. And I feel like there was an man, maybe you can help me out with the name. I cannot remember his name, but it was his autobiography business book, the guy who created Blackstone, like the giant PE like conglomerate, and he talked about a lot, like he's done so much business in China and the different ways of navigating business in China. And how it is very relationship driven as well. Yeah, it's so it's so neat. I just you know, it the we are a business is global, right? And you have to be able, if you really want to be a player in business, I think whether you are hyperlocal or you have aspirations of gl world domination potentially, to understand the nuance behind doing business and to not just charge in thinking that you Nashay Naeve (10:24) Yes, absolutely. Leslie Youngblood (10:51) know everything and being open to those types of interactions and relationship dynamics. I just think that's that's so so cool. and then, you know, factor in to being a woman and you're in engineering and manufacturing, what are some assumptions that you feel, Nache, that are still made about women in those industries? Nashay Naeve (11:11) Yeah, I think one assumption is Sometimes I feel as a woman that we have to every time we enter the room we have to re-establish our technical credibility and we have to reprove ourselves consistently. When in some cases our male counterparts might get the benefit of the doubt. like me as an example, I have an engineering degree and an MBA, as well as a master's of science from from Qinghua University. and so I shouldn't have to kind of prove myself every time, but I think that's an Leslie Youngblood (11:21) No. Yeah, did you ever feel pressure to change parts of yourself in order to be taken more seriously in some of those corporate leadership spaces? Nashay Naeve (11:54) Yeah, definitely early in my career I f I did feel feel pressure. I always felt the need to fit in and adapt to the environment, maybe communicate in a different style, minimize emotion. but over time I realized that authenticity is really a leadership advantage. And people respond a lot better when you're beyond authentic and you're really being yourself. so when I started speaking my mind, being a lot more direct than Leslie Youngblood (12:13) Mm. Nashay Naeve (12:24) what I had been, I s I really was able to drive a lot more impact. Don't get me wrong, I still like to listen. I like to heal hear everyone's perspective. but yeah now I'm not worried about speaking my mind. Leslie Youngblood (12:29) Yeah, why? But that's it's but that's different. Like I think that's important though, because good leaders do listen and want to hear other perspectives, but they also are have like that confidence in themselves and knowing that being true to themselves is their greatest superpower. And I know we hear this and hear that all the time, right? Like just be yourself and be yourself. Like we told it from a young age. And then with like in b the business world and navigating our careers and No matter how strong of a sense of self that you have, you maybe think, well, maybe I should be more like that, or maybe I should strive to be more like this, until you if you're lucky, you realize, no, shame on me. Like I need to be myself. That this that's what's setting me apart from everybody else. And I like, why? Why do we do that to ourselves? Like it's the it's the easiest thing and the hardest thing in the world, right? Like we don't want to fear of rejection or fear of judgment or fear of Nashay Naeve (13:28) Yeah. Leslie Youngblood (13:35) not being successful as our authentic selves, but it's just that simple and that hard, I guess, though, right? Especially as women, right? Because we do, and especially in a male-dominated field where you want to prove yourself and demonstrate your knowledge and, you know, and your the validity of you being there, right? And so it's just that authenticity game is just Nashay Naeve (13:42) Yeah. Right. Leslie Youngblood (14:05) You know, that big, big lesson I think, is totally important that a lot of times we may brush aside or consider trite. Like, yeah, I'll be myself. Okay. Right? Like tell my k your kids that be yourself and be yourself. It's like you still have to p we still have to remind ourselves, no matter how old you are, to go into a situation and be yourself. And that's your greatest superpower. what are some other qualities outside of being your authentic self, Nache, that you think women bring to maybe manufacturing and industrial environments specifically that are undervalued. Nashay Naeve (14:41) Yeah, I think collaboration, collaboration is one that like it's hard to put a value on it, but when people are working together, building alignment, there's a real, real power in fostering collaboration. especially in manufacturing where success depends on operations, sales, engineering, finance, all moving together. Leslie Youngblood (14:55) Mm. Yeah. Nashay Naeve (15:04) another one is even like more of a personalized approach or empathy. Empathy, I think, is one that really gets us to underestimated as well. but understanding what motivates people is very, very important, especially when you're leading team teams through change. Leslie Youngblood (15:09) Mm. Yes. my goodness, a hundred percent. Is there an experience that or an example you can think of specifically, Nishay, where you had to use one of those qualities to navigate a difficult challenge or project within your career? Nashay Naeve (15:38) Yeah, most recently I was brought into a company to help really turn turn around the operations and really run a tr run a transformation. And so being able to c build collaboration and alignment really helped the whole team focus on the end goal. And we all came together as a team and were able to really drive the results. So I think that was really helped me certainly in my career. Leslie Youngblood (16:04) Definitely. I think in times like that, that is a very precarious position to be in because you are the new person coming in and you're changing things and people don't like change, even when they know it's gonna help and it's gonna be for the better. And I will never forget when my mom was working, she's retired now, but she was working for a dentist. and he ended up retiring her and had an office of other women that were probably around her age at the time, so maybe sixties. And a new dentist came in and brought bought the practice and he implemented so many changes. Like I think they were still doing charts with actual folders. And this new young dentist, as any new young dentist would, brought in like a computer program and made probably like process changes or whatever. And All the ladies were pissed. Like it was so dramatic. And from me listening, I was kind of like, of course, sympathetic to my mom and these women, right? Like, that must be tough. And that, but in my mind, I'm like, you have to get with the times. Like, hi, like, of course, he's gonna change things. I don't know what you're expecting. And he even gave them the book, Who Moved My Cheese? I don't know if you heard of that book. Nashay Naeve (16:58) Ha ha ha. Yeah. I don't know that one. Leslie Youngblood (17:22) It's like essentially the mice that when the cheese gets moved, they figure it out and keep going instead of like sitting there like whining like somebody move my cheese, right? It's it's so it was kind of like kind of like a passive aggressive move on his part. But also I read that book and I feel it's a good book. But from if it had been maybe a woman dentist or somebody that had a little bit more of a collaborative mindset or an empathetic mindset, he would have maybe sat back and said, Hmm. These are women who are probably about to retire themselves, who've been doing the same old, same old with this old doctor for years and years, and it's probably gonna be difficult. And I should maybe try to have some sympathy and we should maybe talk about this more or whatever. And he did it. And I'm I cannot remember specifically, but I know that almost maybe every single woman that worked there like left because they were so frustrated. And it's like, and then you gotta deal with training new people. Nashay Naeve (18:19) No. Leslie Youngblood (18:20) Right. And so that's a really tough thing. And like what a gift that you had to be able to navigate that because it is not easy whether you're in a small dentist's office or a big organization coming in and implementing big change to have those skills as a female leader coming in and to understand and to be able to lead in a really important and effective way makes you sh invaluable to any organization. So I love I love love that example. What advice would you give, Nache, to a young woman entering a heavily male dominated field for the first time, maybe like manufacturing and engineering today? Nashay Naeve (19:01) Yeah, the first I encourage everyone not to self select out. You know, it's it's really a rewarding career and It's not worth it to just because you're the only female or people don't look like you to self-select out. So I would really encourage everyone to stay in the room. Like we talked about earlier, it might feel intimidating, but when you use the only woman in the room as your advantage because people will hear you. So find Leslie Youngblood (19:33) Yeah. Mm. Nashay Naeve (19:39) A couple people that can advocate you for you when you're not in the room. Because there are you you can't be everywhere, and so it's important to find people that can really help share your story and share your value when you're not physically there. The last one is really don't overfocus on fitting in. I think really being yourself and being authentic is so important to help establish your own credibility. Leslie Youngblood (19:45) Mm. Nashay Naeve (20:09) So don't focus on fitting in. Leslie Youngblood (20:12) Yeah, I love that. That's great advice. You mentioned ad find an advocate, and I think that is so important. And thinking of advocates and even mentors, was there somebody that became your mentor or anybody that you have mentored over the years within this space that's changed your perspective on on navigating the industry? Nashay Naeve (20:35) Yeah, both. Like I've had a many different mentors over the years and I find it very valuable to have a s one have a sounding board, so I might have a really good idea or what I think is a good idea and having someone to bounce that off of and add their perspective really helps create, you know, better ideas in the end. and then also to as I na have navigated my own career using mentors to understand like Like what do career paths look like or what how could my career what would be a good next step for me that's been very valuable as well. Leslie Youngblood (21:13) Yeah, and I would love your perspective on this too. I'm sure that those relationships came about naturally in a way where you were working with this person, it was a relationship that sort of became a mentor mentee relationship. And I think so much whether you're 24 or 44 and you're like, I yeah, it's a mentor. Like and you feel like you have to knock on somebody's door. Will you be my mentor? Like, can you help me? And it's just not Like that. It's just something that should happen like organically that you realize, I this person is really helping me out and full of insight and advice for me. And I guess they're kind of my mentor. And that's been my experience where I'm like, yeah, I feel like that's kind of a mentor to me. how lucky am I? Because it's not, I need a mentor. I'm seeking a mentor, right. And so if somebody's listening now that knows they need a mentor or feels like, it would be great if I could find a mentor and I just haven't, what would you tell them? Nashay Naeve (22:14) Yeah, so first I think There are certain network industry networks or other networks, like women in engineering is one example that comes to mind. some of the companies have their own networks as well. And I've been able to find find mentors that way where it's really there they do pairing and they're they match it more systematically. But also just look within people that you are in roles that you maybe. Leslie Youngblood (22:22) Mm. Mm-hmm. Nashay Naeve (22:46) aspire to be and that are already in your network and just s kicking off the discussions is also another way to find mentors. Leslie Youngblood (22:56) Yes, that is a great idea. And I would also like to say from personal experience, if to have somebody reach out to you, even on LinkedIn, not trying to sell you on something, but just wanting to connect with you and talk to you and maybe learn from you would be a welcome respite from all the garbage that comes through on LinkedIn in those. I'm like, no, no, leave me alone, please. But if it was somebody that's like, let's chat, I love what you're doing. And it was a real human, and you could tell that it wasn't some Nashay Naeve (23:14) Yeah. Leslie Youngblood (23:25) veiled sales opportun sales like speak, right? Because people want to help. And you know, and it's not that and I would say also too, like to not just single out women in this space. Like if there's a guy that's you're like, wow, he's really accomplished a lot in this that's industry that I am really all about and I would love to maybe wha what's what's the harm in like doing it right? Because I think also too, it's wonderful to be Nashay Naeve (23:40) Yeah. Leslie Youngblood (23:52) To help other women rise up and pull up and we should do all those things, but also to not discount the men because the men also probably recognize too, if they're good men, that there is a problem and that they want to see more women rising up within engineering and manufacturing in those spaces as well, because they know how much better comp product company the world is when we have everybody in that diversity at the table. and so, you know, it we have so many tools to at our disposal or even like DMing on Instagram. I know that sounds crazy, but I mean if there's like an a content creator that you think is, you know, you want to take a page from, I think you'd be surprised. And it and it just reminds me too of like when I was first starting Serious Lady Business and I was like cold DMing women I would just find on LinkedIn, like, will you come on this little podcast? I swear it's real and please don't think I'm a weirdo. But also like who cares if you think that I reached out to Sally Mueller Who is co-founder of Woman S and she was like this targeted executive, this like incredible like CPG brand. And I was like, she's never gonna get back to me. And she did. And she was one of my first guests on the show, and she was so incredibly lovely. And I always think about that whenever I get nervous about reaching out to people, like people, good people will get it. And if they don't, then they're not for you. And I think that, you know, especially within, you know, the male dominated spaces, reaching out to people, if they're not like if Nashay Naeve (25:10) Right. Leslie Youngblood (25:18) They're not gonna be for you if they don't respond in the way that you would hope. And that's okay. Move on, right? Like leave it and keep moving. And I want to come back to, you know, speaking of with that mentor and reach outs, you mentioned women in engineering as a group that you're a part of that really like helped connect you to mentors and advocates, Nache. Tell us a little bit about how community has helped like those and like that has helped you navigate being. you know, a rarity in an industry that you love. Nashay Naeve (25:49) Yeah, I mean for me it's always helpful to kind of see people like go through the same career path that you might be going through. And what I find interesting is when I when I think about different fields that there aren't very many women. When I was growing up, medical field was really it wasn't that common to see a female doctor. But now it's pretty uncommon not to see a female doctor. So we can definitely change the demographics within industries and I think just seeing more people Leslie Youngblood (25:58) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Nashay Naeve (26:25) in these spaces do these jobs, it is more inviting for people as they're thinking about next career steps. Leslie Youngblood (26:32) Yeah, you can't if you can't see it, you can't be it. Right. And it's just such a magical thing when you can crack somebody's brain open in that way. And it's truly life changing just by being part of those groups and sharing your story and, you know, like the ripple effect. And it's so again, like so simple. These simple things, these simple like phrases that we grow up with. Be yourself and Ripple the ripple effect. Like it means so much in business and your career path too. Like you have no idea how profound of an influence you could have on somebody that you don't even know that will never even like come into your like five feet of like peripheral space. It could be a post you share, it could be a a s something you say on a panel, it could be an email, it could be just part being a part of a group and them seeing, and sh That's cool. She's and she does that. And I wanna be part of a group where there's women like that and there. And every little bit of that matters and is important to drive to drive the collective forward, right? Like it's so much bigger than us as individuals. Like there really is power in those communities that we have n will never even know like the true power of communities like that. So I love that. And you mentioned women in engineering. Are there other communities in the shade that you would recommend to women getting started in you know engineering and manufacturing. Nashay Naeve (28:00) There are a lot of different communities. I don't have them all top of mind, but I encourage you to just search the internet and find communities that most resonate with you. It might be industry alignment or or something else. Leslie Youngblood (28:14) Yeah. Or if you don't see one, start your own. Right? Like you can do it. We that means you're needed more than you realize. Now, Nishay, you've had such an incredibly successful career. What does success though mean to you now compared to earlier in your career? Nashay Naeve (28:16) Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so when I look at success now, earlier in my career I'd say I was really very achievement oriented, you know, trying to get to the next role, just being transparent. so I was really trying to to look at the next role and what what is what's next. But now for me success is more about the impact I'm making. So the impact I made make more bla broadly or the impact I'm making to the organization. Leslie Youngblood (28:50) Yeah. Yeah, I love that. That's wisdom. That sounds like wisdom. I love that. And so we ask this of every guest, pretty much on serious lady business, Nache, what's one thing the highlight reel never shows about building a business or a career? Nashay Naeve (29:17) So I think y there's a lot of uncertainty along the way and that's something that really isn't highlighted. So everyone likes to celebrate the turnaround or the big win, but nobody celebrates or nobody talks about the eighteen months of hard work that it took to really get there. making the hard calls without complete information or even carrying the weight of people's livelihoods. so I think even senior leaders don't have everything figured out. So it there's a lot of hard work that goes into th those big wins. Leslie Youngblood (29:51) I am nodding my head so hard right now. And I that is something too that I've realized from the outside. And you're seeing all the highlight reels, right? And obviously you know you don't really know what goes into it. The h the long nights, like the financial concerns, keeping the lights on, but also the decisions that had to be made by those individuals. you think, they're just making these decisions and are like getting shit done. And it's like, no, they are probably shitting their pants, second guessing themselves, and wondering if they made the right choice or if this is the right thing. So much more than we realize. And I think it kind of takes like that, not like the air out of the balloon, but it takes like It shows you what's real like when you know that or when you realize that, it makes you feel like, I can do it too. Like if I'm uncertain about this job or I'm uncertain about this decision, that's totally normal. It doesn't mean that you're making the wrong move. It just means you're moving in a direction. And that's a wonderful thing. So I I just, you know, it's again, people just see, like you said, the highlight reel, like, wow, and they achieved this, they exited and Nashay Naeve (30:58) Yeah. Leslie Youngblood (31:06) they're on that panel and da-da-da-da. And it's like, no, they probably are still making decisions that keep them up at night no matter what, because that's what it takes. you just can't stop, right? You can't let that stop you. So I love that. I think that's fan fantastic. Thank you for sharing, Nishay. And as we wrap up our conversation, Nishay, I would love to have you share where our guests can follow up with you outside the podcast. Nashay Naeve (31:31) Yeah, absolutely. check me out on LinkedIn. I also have a website, Nashaynave.com, so would love to connect. Leslie Youngblood (31:40) Perfect. And we will also make sure to drop those links in the show notes. Nache, thank you so much for joining us today. You are a badass trailblazing for women in industry, manufacturing, engineering. We love to see it. And we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to talk some serious lady business with us. Nashay Naeve (31:58) Excellent. Thanks Leslie. Leslie Youngblood (31:59) Thanks, bye.