Interview with Dr. Maha Gingrich

11/3/2021: Transcription

Eden: “As a woman who has reached success in a professional setting, what advice would you give to young women who are pursuing a career in a competitive field?”

Dr. Maha: “Well, I think the most important thing is, do you actually like the field you’re in? Because, once you like the field you’re in, there’s a sense of passion that has to kick in. And if it’s just a day-to-day, kind of, just because you need a job you got a job? That is not going to inspire you, that is not going to self-motivate you to do things beyond that you should do. So it is extremely important that whatever career you pick; you are going to pick a career that truly is going to ignite that passion that’s inside you, for whatever that job is.

“Once you have that, then what happens is you really want to make a difference. You are not sitting here saying, oh, I want to be a CEO of this company. You could do that, of course, but I think it’s through your actions, that is, through the implementation that you’re going to do, based on what is it you want to achieve. I think that is going to speak for itself. And then the enthusiasm that you’re going to project is going to speak for itself. And then you want to learn more about it, so the effort you’re going to put in to learn the field, the effort you’re going to put to get involved in this field, all that is going to come together very harmoniously. And then, depending on how you’re going to execute that, that is what is going to allow you to be successful.

“So it’s extremely important that you don’t pick it just because someone else told you to pick it; I mean, they may have good advice for you, but to make sure that you really feel passionate about that.”

Eden: “Thank you very much, awesome. Janani, I’m going to let you give her the second question.”

Janani: “Alright. So I understand that you’re the founder of Dances of India Stage Production. What drove you to create this and how have you seen it influence the surrounding community?”

Dr. Maha: “Well, originally I was one of the founders of Festival of India. And when we did that, the mission was to attract not only Indians but also non-Indians to show the richness, the culture, of India. And, as time has passed, it has become more of Bollywood, which is only part of the culture of India, not all of the culture. At that point in time, I’ve decided that it’s time for me to create true dances of India. That means we are going to project, not only share, the beautiful culture of India in its purest form, the authenticity of the dances. And not only just present, we are not only just going to come on the stage, do, and leave. It’s important that you actually educate, you share the history, you share the origins of that particular dance.

“My passion that is really the root cause of Dances of India is to also share the similarities and differences in the international platform. That means there are so many international dance forms that are out there in the world, and they actually are influencing each other. There are similarities in the dance forms, there are similarities in the cultures, there’s similarities in the ways we dress up, there’s similarities in the ways we actually celebrate our festivals. The family, cultures, dress-up, there’s so much. But at the same time, all these countries also have their own uniqueness. There are different. So, how do you celebrate those differences and so connect each other with the similarities that we have? So that is my primary passion, and so Dances of India, I brought it to life to make sure that we not only showcase the authenticity and purest dance forms, classical dance forms, folk traditions that we have, tribal traditions that we have in India but also connect them to the world. But it takes research, so that is the reason that has ignited that passion I was talking about in me, and you’ll make it happen when you have that passion. I hope I answered your question.”

Eden: “Sounds Great, thank you! My next question is that you hosted a television show called Charlotte: A City of International Success. What do you think makes the city of Charlotte stand out the most?”

Dr. Maha: “I grew up in Charlotte, so I have seen Charlotte grow from a very small city to a city where, because of the airport and also because of the past mayor that we used to have—Mayor McCrory—they have started these entire international investments. It was very important to show Charlotte—even though it's a family-oriented southern city—how international companies are truly coming to Charlotte to invest and become part of the fabric of the community. So the international investments that were here, the CEOs that are here, and almost 1800 companies that have invested in the charlotte region, along with German companies, Japanese companies, Chinese companies, every aspect of the world was looking at Charlotte to make sure that it became a part of the community. It was important, first and foremost, to let the world know that Charlotte welcomes the world and all the companies that are here. All the new cultures that are becoming part of the Charlotte culture, and how do you recognize them, how do you give their success stories and then become a model for the rest of the people who are aspiring to become what they are? So, that's how the show got started. I think you have a follow-up question on that one?”

Eden: “Thank you.”

Janani: “That was really interesting because our group is not only centered in North Carolina, but we have people all over the United States, and some people international too, so it's really interesting to see how such a small city, or such a story, can make such a big impact. Especially in dance, it's really cool to see that improvement. So my next question would be, what strategies could you give to young people who are passionate about making changes in the community?”

Dr. Maha: “I'm sorry, strategies?”

Janani: “Yeah, like what tips or how would you educate them in trying to make changes in today's world? How would you guide them in doing that?”

Dr. Maha: “Okay, see change, I usually joke about it. Change is going to be inevitable, like say from the vending machine right? [laughs] So change is a very subjective term. Because what does it mean by change? What change is for you might not be a change for somebody else. And the topic you are passionate about might not be a passion for somebody else. And the perspective that you're going to see, might not… (recording froze) ...I think there is a gap. I call it a gap. When you see that there is a gap in society, no matter what that gap is that you think should be changed, that gap needs to be filled, in order for us to have a holistic community. So it is extremely important. What I'm seeing is, how do you communicate that? The primary thing for your success is to make any kind of change that you think is of value to our community to be successful, stay integrated, stay harmoniously together, achieve something as a community, not as an individual.

“In order for you to do that, the primary thing is going to be your communication skills. It's extremely important that you do not see somebody else as if they are doing something wrong, and you are going to come in there and make it change, make it correct because your perspective is not the perspective of the other person. That is where I see most of the younger people going wrong. What they do is, they think they are 100% correct, and they're trying to change the world. What does that mean? And the perfect example is what happened just now in the elections. They thought it was a great idea to do change and require all these things for parents because everybody is making decisions saying that is the best thing for you. And we are a democratic community, we are a community of individual thought processes, community of families, community of generations.

“It is extremely important that when we think we are going to change something, what does that change mean? Is that a change that only satisfies your vision, is it a change that truly is going to completely, positively affect the community, are you involving people? When you want to make a change, it should never come from one person, it should never come from a small group; it should always be inclusive of a discussion. Even if that discussion is hard, that communication has to occur. You need to ensure that you share your epistemologies with these people. You have to share where you're coming from, and then you have to be willing to listen to what they have to say. And when you stay neutral, it's amazing how wonderful things can happen. Because you're allowing other people to give their thoughts, you're allowing other people to give their ideas. Because your intellectual capital does not exist with one person or five people, intellectual capital exists when you bring a community together who have general interest, common interest, to better that community. So it's extremely important that you actually tap into that intellectual capital that you have, and then go ahead and share your vision for change. And then see how the responses are, and see very clearly, without any personal agenda, where they are coming from and what that means. There's always a common ground. The only time you will not have a common ground is when you're not listening to people, when you don't understand. When you're hearing them, but you're not really listening. So change is, yeah, it's good, but what does that mean? Is it for you, or truly for the betterment of the community?”

Eden: “Thank you very much. That was very inspiring and I think that it's definitely something that our generation today—we are just so passionate about these changes and making those big steps forward, and we don't really take that time to first think about the importance of communication and the power that it has. For my next question, what are some of the challenges that you have faced as a woman in a leadership position, and how have you overcome those obstacles?”

Dr. Maha: “Yeah, there are many positions that I have held. For example, construction. [laughs] I had to go into a construction management situation to balance millions of dollars of budget. I didn't know anything about construction. I didn't know anything about all of the terminologies that they are going to use. And, you go into a situation, obviously, you were placed there because somebody has trust in you. When you go into these kinds of leadership positions, positions where you probably don't have as much knowledge as you should, there are 2 things that have to happen. One is that you prepare. That means I went ahead and got a huge manual, and I read it all for two days, staying up ‘til two or three in the morning, understanding the jargon, the language, the terminology that people are using. And then, you use your logic, your experience.

“Never go into any meetings, as a leader, not having the knowledge of why you're there. And never go into a meeting where you're going to go in and show what the problems are. What you have to do is always address what the problems are and come up with solutions. You not only present a problem but you present solutions. You should present plans A and B at least. In order to be a true leader, you need to be humble. When you go into any of these leadership positions, if you say, “I know everything,” you already are going to have issues.

“So the challenges that I have faced are while I’m growing up, right? Because when you're growing up you don't have that kind of experience unless you have a mentor. I strongly suggest, you always find a mentor that you can actually confide in and will never be against you. They won't judge you. Always find a mentor to make sure you can bounce off your thoughts. And who can give you a true, honest opinion about who you are, what they are thinking, how you are presenting yourself. What is the language that you are using? What is the body language you are using? What is the communication style you are using? How is that being projected?

“The glass ceiling that people always talk about for women, does it really exist? Well, I'm going to go in both directions. First thing is, it only exists if we step into roles where we think we have to prove ourselves. Because in the process of doing that, what happens is that we are not really listening; you're not strategically thinking about the situation at hand. The second thing is that yes, the glass ceiling does exist, especially in certain fields. When you pick unique fields, like I said, when I was doing construction management, I was going to give power to the people who knew the details. I was not there to learn construction. I was there to identify the issues and let them make sure they came up with solutions for me. And then you strategize and say would that solution work on a higher scale. So there are many fields where there is a glass ceiling because not many women are in that particular field. When women are not in that field, what happens is the men don't know how to communicate with you. Girls have their own way of talking, right? so, in the same way, so do guys. They have their own language, their own way of dealing with things; their thinking is different. It's extremely important that the glass ceiling does exist, accept it in certain fields, but make sure that you actually are prepared. You have to be part of the room. Do not expect something special because you are a woman. And when that happens, that is when they think they need to give you special treatment because you are a woman. It should never be that way because if you want a job where it is male-dominated, you should be prepared to be part of that group. It's just like saying when in Rome, do as the Romans do. That means, when you are aspiring to be in a particular field, make sure that you become part of that group, and don't expect something unique because you are of different gender, and it goes both ways. Nursing is primarily a women’s field. Nowadays, there are some men trying to get into that field. And it is extremely important for those men to really understand and become part of that group. When you keep that respect for each other, I don't think glass ceilings exist. People will accept you with open arms.”

Eden: “Thank you very much. Very well said.”

Janani: “We only have a couple of questions left, but going back to Dances of India, what are the biggest lessons you've tried to implement the most for your dancers, and why is it important to you?”

Dr. Maha: “I think you have asked a very good question. You didn't ask me about the impact of the audience; what you have asked me is what was the impact on the dancers. And I think what I'm showing more and more through the years is a sense of commitment to something that you decided to do. So, I always tell all my students, and the professional dancers are already there, which means they have committed to it, and they will come at night. They have families, they do full-time jobs, but they never miss their rehearsals. It is the younger people, they think that on the resume you need to have twenty different activities. But to be honest, because I’m on the receiving end in my other profession, what I see is are you actually doing twenty different things and not really doing anything too well. That means you are not focused.

“It is extremely important that my dance students understand many things. One is a sense of long-term commitment, that means they are not scatterbrains, becoming the jack of all trades, master of none. Also, how do you multitask? Where you have a passion for something, but also manage different things in life. Because you have other activities, it could be sports, it could be chess, it could be a club, it could be something professional you are trying to get into, you may have to manage that and commit to that. Because you learn, you learn when you volunteer, you learn when you actually go out and do something. There are a lot of opportunities for younger people to ensure that you not only have a sense of commitment, but also, if you commit to something, you do it right. If you are not able to do it right, be humble enough to back out and not become an issue for the organizer.

“That whole thinking process is—first thing is commitment, second thing is being humble enough to realize you might not be able to, third thing is multitasking, and time management. That is where, especially young people, commit so much and there are a lot of expectations, right? Expectations for yourself, expectations of parents, expectations sometimes of a community. And so when you have all these expectations that you are somehow trying to balance, it's extremely important that you really take care of yourself. So when you start seeing effects, where you feel that sense of stress, when you’re not able to handle it, it's time for you to time-manage. I actually tell my students to list all of the things they are doing and start prioritizing. Is it something you really need to do because you love it? Is it something you're trying to do so that it will help you with your college applications, or for your future profession? Is it something you're just trying to do because you don't know how to delegate? That's why in everything you're a leader? So it is extremely important that you not only become a leader but also a team member.

“When we look at your resumes, we look at it saying that this person is a president of everything, and that means this person does not know how to delegate. Second thing is, they don't trust others. That means you want everything in your hands, you want to control it, and that is not a good sign. All this actually comes through Dances of India, the big production, because we practice for almost six months, so they need to maintain school, college, family, clubs, education, but at the same time, they are also committed to do their best at a professional level, for Dances of India. So I think that is where the communications come in. Each time I see something go wrong, I try to talk to them and guide them. This is a long-term life lesson, it is not just for Dances of India, but it is an opportunity to learn during it. That is something you can apply no matter where you are.”

Eden: “Okay, so I am on our last question here! Sad, but this has been really really awesome. To wrap this up, I understand that your education was very important to you. How has the power of knowledge and learning changed the way that you have viewed the world?”

Dr. Maha: “I think knowledge is so important because ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is going to be the downfall, no matter what it is. I wanted to make sure that I stood as an example that you could have a passion, an art passion, but that doesn't mean that you can also be good in your education. So I got a computer programming degree; I have a bachelor of science, I got an MBS, and I have a Ph.D. in leadership. And I want to be a mentor, but I want to be an example. That way, when my students say, “I love to play music,” and parents go, “Are you nuts? You won't earn any money!” What does that mean, right? And so, I want to be an example, a role model; that way you not only balance your passion, you can do both!

“Education is extremely important to me because I have learned so much. I have learned about computers, business strategies, leadership styles, and people’s communication skills. All that can be applied. Education is something that will go with you when you pass away. That's one thing nobody will ever take away from you. Dr. Maha Gingrich will always be Dr. Maha Gingrich; that's something nobody can take from me. Education is very important in order to be competitive in the world. And also, you can explore so many general [topics]. You know, the first two years of college, you sit there and go, why the heck am I taking this? [laughs] And trust me, at some point in your life, you will actually utilize that knowledge. But it doesn't seem like it when you're taking it. It's really important that no matter what you do, do not compromise your education. In order to be competitive in your life, you need to have education.”

Eden: “Thank you very much, and thank you for being with us today. That was our last question, this has been an awesome learning opportunity for all of us here, and it's going to be awesome for our palette community. We cannot wait to get this out there, and share it with everyone, and give everyone this opportunity that we've had here today.”