In an exclusive interview, renowned peak performance expert and TEDx Speaker Sneha Mandala delves into the transformative journey that led her to specialize in helping corporate and tech professionals achieve their peak potential. With a background in industrial engineering, Sneha Mandala shifted gears early in her career, moving from working with robots to becoming a Professional Credentialed executive coach and speaker dedicated to unlocking the human potential within the corporate and tech spheres.

The pivotal moment that set Mandala on this path occurred during her tenure on robotics projects. The realization that her true passion lay in working with people and helping them reach their zenith prompted a career change. Fueled by a dedication to authentic living, Mandala has since been committed to understanding what sustains success in the long term at work.

Recognizing the detrimental impact of work-related burnout on both individuals and organizations, Sneha Mandala explains that her motivation to specialize in peak performance for corporate and tech professionals stems from the exorbitant costs associated with burnout. Citing Gallup's recent work culture report, Mandala notes that “disengagement is rampant, reaching 70% in the American workforce”. This realization led her to leverage her expertise, offering a holistic approach to address the underlying issues.

Identifying common challenges faced by corporate and tech professionals, she points to overwhelming workloads, inefficient team collaboration, mismatched responsibilities, and a failure to prioritize well-being. These challenges, prevalent in today's work culture, contribute to stress, burnout, and disengagement.

According to Mandala, achieving peak performance involves principles such as autonomy, continuous learning, a sense of purpose, leveraging individual strengths, and aligning core values with organizational goals. These principles create the conditions for achieving a Flow State, where one’s mind and body perform in the optimal state while stress decreases. This state forms the foundation for sustainable success in the corporate and tech worlds.“This topic truly hit home, as we all need to be reminded to find our flow”, says the Chief People Officer at TMRW Sports after attending one of her talks.

Emphasizing a mindset of “exploration and discovery”, Mandala encourages professionals to align with their strengths and authentic selves at work. This mindset, characterized by continuous self-awareness and autonomy, helps individuals strike a balance between meeting expectations and avoiding burnout. Take the instance of Mandala coaching a tech team for a midsized company that was juggling numerous tasks. Through principles of autonomy and leveraging strengths, the team not only streamlined workflows but reported a 20% increase in productivity within a quarter.

As a highly regarded speaker for the world's largest executive coaching organization for small to mid-sized businesses, Sneha Mandala has trained and coached business and tech leaders. She has helped them develop tailored solutions for department-specific needs, utilizing Lean management methodologies to enhance productivity and offer personalized guidance to empower employees to leverage their strengths. One of the executive attendees shared feedback on their experience at one of Sneha’s workshops, “Incredibly valuable content that I have already brought back to my company with plans to completely rethink how we hire and manage people for performance.”

Contrary to conventional wisdom, Mandala dismisses flexible work hours or vacations as a sustainable solution for stress or burnout, as they are only a temporary band-aid. Instead, she recommends achieving a flow state at work. By intentionally entering this state, professionals can not only enhance their performance but simultaneously increase well-being and maintain a healthy work-life harmony.

However, it's crucial to address potential concerns. Flexible hours are essential to recognize the diverse preferences in today's workforce. Some find solace in flexibility. Yet, Sneha's emphasis on achieving a flow state provides a comprehensive perspective on what flexibility means for each individual. For John, a software developer, integrating short breaks for mindfulness during flexible hours resulted in improved focus and reduced stress. The acknowledgment of diverse work preferences ensures a balanced approach that aligns with the evolving needs of today's professionals.

Looking toward the future, Mandala reveals her ongoing work on an AI assistant designed to help employees spend more time in a flow state at work. This innovative approach aims to revolutionize how individuals experience and sustain peak performance in their careers.

As a parting piece of advice, she urges professionals to view their careers as “marathons, not sprints”. As one naturally spends a significant portion of one's life at work, Mandala encourages individuals to make such time spent at work one of “joy and fulfillment rather than a constant hustle and struggle”.

Sneha Mandala is dedicated to assisting others in winning without burning out, and to living a life in which peak performance comes naturally. In a world that often values the grind, Sneha stands as a beacon of sustainable success, embracing effortlessness and guiding others to do the same.