We celebrated our third anniversary by hosting Sogand Zakerhaghighi as our speaker on January 24, 2021. Sogand has expertise in wellness coaching and shared tips on how to re-energize yourself. We spoke to her about leadership and wellness.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I would say that my leadership style is collaborative. I love working with people to focus on their passions and their strengths. I think that we can all win and I work to inspire folks to think the same.

How would you define your leadership path to wellness?

I had to do a lot of healing to get to where I am so I’m always encouraging others to heal as well. We all have trauma that has created our internal voices and once we process and heal from that trauma, we can really step into our holistic wellness.

Why do leaders need to learn about wellness?

Wellness is crucial because it’s the foundation for everything. It really does play an important role in the everyday lives of folks. It impacts their own life, their significant other(s), their friends, and their professional relationships.

Why is lifelong learning important for leaders?

We are habitual creatures living in a curious world. Lifelong learning helps us navigate life from an understanding standpoint - the understanding of ourselves as well as those around us.

How can leaders develop their self-confidence? How did you discover your own self-confidence?

I really feel like healing from the past and prioritizing yourself is a great way to discover self-confidence and perfect it. I put myself first in every avenue of my life and I teach others to do the same now.

What is the best practical advice you can give to another leader?

I would advise my fellow leader counterparts to truly make a commitment to themselves. I would ask them to forgive their past, align with their present-self and move towards their future-selves with compassion and self-mercy.