One of the stories I took home from my conversation with Dr. Shanila Laiju was about a car journey. After a long day at work, her husband and children would pick her up, and the ride home became their time to talk, listen and catch up. It was an ordinary part of the day that meant a great deal to her.
I was fortunate to host the first-ever She Leads Summit at the Baby & Kids Expo 2026, where I interviewed Dr. Shanila, Group CEO of Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres. Our conversation took us beyond her professional achievements to the decisions, difficult days and relationships that helped her build her career.
As a working mother, I found plenty to take away. Here are five lessons that stayed with me, plus one reminder for anyone struggling with other people’s opinions.
✦ 1. You can love your children and want a career
For mothers returning to work, “mum guilt” can really get in the way. We worry about what we are missing and whether pursuing something for ourselves comes at our children’s expense.
Dr. Shanila offered a reassuring perspective: children can be happy, loved and well cared for while their mother builds a career. They can also grow up proud of her work and the commitment it took to do it.
What I took from that was permission to stop treating ambition as something that needs an apology. Wanting meaningful work does not diminish how much we love our families.
✦ 2. Make the time together count
Those journeys home were precious because everyone had a chance to share their day and be heard. Even when work ran late, the family found a way to connect.
Her story made me think about how easily we measure parenting by hours. Being physically present matters, but so does the attention we give when we are together.
It’s important to protect those everyday opportunities for connection. A car ride can become something a child remembers when we give it our full attention. No phone calls or mental to-do lists to distract us.
✦ 3. Let people support you
Dr. Shanila spoke warmly about her husband’s support, particularly after difficult days at work. He listened when she was upset and encouraged her to keep going, return the next day and trust what she was capable of.
That kind of support matters a lot. There are days when we need someone who will let us talk honestly about how hard things feel, then help us find the confidence to try again.
Her experience reminded me to value the people who make our work possible. A partner, friend, relative or mentor who listens without judgement can make a difficult stretch feel much less lonely.
✦ 4. Being capable does not mean never crying
There was room in our conversation for tears, frustration and moments of wanting to quit. Hearing a successful CEO acknowledge those feelings was reassuring.
We can put enormous pressure on ourselves to appear composed, especially when others depend on us. Admitting that something hurts or feels overwhelming can seem like letting people down.
Dr. Shanila’s story reminded me that a hard day does not erase our ability. We can acknowledge it, accept that we cannot please everybody, seek support and decide how to move forward. We can still do work we are proud of without pretending that it always comes easily.
✦ 5. Help other women grow
One of the strongest messages I took from our conversation was about responsibility to the people coming after us. Reaching a senior role gives a woman the opportunity to make someone else’s progress easier.
Dr. Shanila mentors women and has initiated and supported a mentorship programme that combines interactive learning, individual coaching and peer networking to help women develop as leaders.
She also spoke about being available for advice. For me, that is where support becomes practical: making time, sharing experience and helping another woman understand how she can progress. Representation matters even more when it comes with opportunities for others.
✦ Keep going despite the naysayers
There will always be people with opinions about how much you work, how you parent and what you should want. Her message was to keep sight of your goals, your family and the work you are trying to build.
I left our conversation thinking about how much energy we spend trying to look as though we have everything under control. Dr Shanila’s openness gave us a more useful picture of success: a woman who had difficult days, accepted support, treasured time with her children and kept developing the people around her.
That is what I hope other mothers take from her story. There is room to care deeply about your family and the work you want to do. You deserve support as you build that life, and, when you can, the chance to offer it to someone else.
