Authentic leadership with Sri Sharma

What does it really mean to be an authentic leader today? In a world of constant change, uncertainty and rapid growth, leadership is no longer about having all the answers. It’s about how you show up, how you communicate, and how you support others to succeed.

In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Sri Sharma, serial technology entrepreneur, who has founded 2 companies that have both sold to private equity, and is now strategic advisor to B2B software and agency scale-ups.

His journey has been anything but linear, and he shared his refreshingly honest perspectives on what it takes to lead effectively across global teams, especially in high-pressure and challenging environments.

This overview captures some of the most insightful moments from our conversation, along with practical reflections you can use in your own leadership development.

Authenticity: Why Being Real Builds Trust

One of the themes that came through strongly in our conversation was authenticity. Sri shared that in moments of crisis or uncertainty, he used to feel that strong leadership meant projecting confidence, even when he wasn’t sure of the next step. But what he discovered was that true leadership comes from being honest.

Rather than feeling like he has to know everything, he shares when he doesn’t have the answer, and what to try next, while still offering clarity and structure to the team. This blend of truthful communication and direction allowed him to build trust and move forward during his own leadership journey.

It’s a great reminder that global leaders don’t need to have all the answers, but they do need to communicate honestly and clearly, especially when the path ahead isn’t fully defined.

Growth Through Doing, Not Just Thinking

Sri’s leadership development hasn’t come from a single course or framework. Instead, it’s been built over time, through doing the job, reflecting, and adapting. He referenced the work of leadership expert Herminia Ibarra, who encourages leaders to “act first, think later”, in other words, to try new behaviours, observe the impact, and learn in real time.

What stood out is how Sri has tested and evolved his own leadership communication skills by watching others, experimenting with new styles, and figuring out what feels authentic for him. It’s a powerful takeaway: you can’t think your way into growth, you have to act and try things out.

Leading Global Teams with Cultural Intelligence

Having led teams across borders, Sri talked about the challenges of managing remote, international teams and how important cultural intelligence is to effective leadership. What works in one country, culture or context doesn’t always translate in another.

By learning to observe and understand team behaviours, he developed what he called a “second empathy”, not only understanding how someone feels, but also what their aspirations are and how to support them in reaching their goals.

This kind of leadership goes beyond task management. It’s about seeing the individual, nurturing their development, and aligning their growth with the goals of the business.

Building Resilience Through Self-Awareness

Resilience is another theme we explored in depth. For Sri, daily meditation has become a practical way to stay centred, build mental resilience, and create space between stimulus and response. That pause, he said, helps him stay calm under pressure and respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.

But perhaps most importantly, resilience also comes from being yourself. Sri shared how, early on, he believed leaders had to be extroverted to succeed. Over time, he realised that trying to be someone else is not only unsustainable, but actually prevents you from connecting effectively with others.

His advice? Find a leadership style that is you, not one that you think you need to be.

Mentoring with Empathy and Purpose

We also discussed mentoring, both giving and receiving it. One of Sri’s early mentors, behavioural psychologist Mike Pegg, introduced him to the idea of empathy in two parts: first, empathy for people and their challenges; and second, empathy for their goals, development and long-term direction.

This dual lens of empathy is incredibly powerful for leaders who want to support the growth of their people while still driving business outcomes. Mentoring, in this context, becomes a key lever for impact and transformation, for the mentee, the leader and the wider organisation.

What’s Next for Sri?

Now acting as a chair and advisor for several high-growth businesses, Sri is now a strategic advisor to B2B software and agency scale-ups. He is focused on helping other founders and leaders accelerate their sales and growth strategy, and value creation journey. 

And as ever, he’s still learning, still evolving, and still passionate about what it means to lead in a way that’s human, honest and aligned.

You can connect with him at: {linkedin}

Reflection Questions for You

Here are a few prompts to reflect on:

• How are you communicating with authenticity as a leader, even in uncertain situations?
• What leadership habits do you have that build your resilience and growth?
• How are you developing cultural intelligence to lead global or remote teams?
  

Next Steps: Strengthen Your Leader Communication

If you’re ready to take action on your growth as a global leader, download my free training resource: Global Leader Impact, to complement this podcast. It’s packed with practical tools to help you strengthen the key communication skills that leaders need now more than ever.

👉 Download it now at culturecuppa.com/leader