Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, and Indra Nooyi on life, love, and leadership

When I recently put down What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey, which was the latest in the series of autobiographies and inspirational books I had been reading, I felt content, driven and grateful all at once. I realised that were was a common thread of emotions that bound the three books: Becoming by Michelle Obama, My Life in Full, by Indra Nooyi and What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey. I was left with similar emotions but different lessons through entirely different journeys. They’ve been my personal guides to understand myself, my purpose, my goals—the larger ones and the not-so-magnanimous ones—and led me to keep believing and growing. Here are some of my takeaways from the stories of these extraordinary women. 

What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey 

The book, with the title on an earthy beige canvas cover, has no image of Winfrey on or inside it. Her message then, seems clear. Divided into various sections such as ‘Joy’, ‘Connection’, ‘Awe’, and ‘Possibility’, the book is a series of anecdotes and experiences that made her certain of some truths of life. Winfrey draws on her identity as a black woman from Mississippi, born at a time when Jim Crow laws still prevailed to revel in the life she has today. She confesses to having too many shoes, giving in to food cravings, going on the craziest diets, falling in love with her body—the whole gamut. She holds in highest regard the people whom she has the closest bond with—Gayle King, Bob Greene, Maya Angelou. And among the myriad of stories she has to share, one passage remains etched in my mind. 

In the section ‘Connection’ Winfrey writes about the idea in all forms—with strangers, with partners, with friends. The last passage sums it all: “When you make loving others the story of your life, there’s never a final chapter, because the legacy continues. You lend your light to one person, and he or she shines it on another and another and another. And I know for sure that in the final analysis of our lives—when the to-do lists are no more, when the frenzy is finished, when our e-mail inboxes are empty—the only thing that will have any lasting value is whether we’ve loved others and they’ve loved us.” And sometimes it’s just as simple as that. 

Becoming by Michelle Obama

In what was a beyond incredible read, Michelle Obama take us through every beat of what her life was, is and what she aspires it to be. She’s taken on multiple roles on her journey—a lawyer, a wife, former First Lady of the United States of America, a mother. Ever since she was a student at the Princeton University, she’s been unafraid to stand out and ask the uncomfortable questions. She chose to leave her job at a law firm to work towards creating more impact. She writes about falling in love, dating, getting married, struggling to keep the marriage going, adjusting to a perpetual public-facing life, and using that platform to be the voice of millions of girls and women in the country. She lays immense emphasis on identity and where we come from. She’s the leader who eats last—the one to represent, to include and to demand equality irrespective of race or gender. 

Her belief of inclusion and being exactly who you are urges us to practice it in every sphere of our lives. “Let’s invite one another in. Maybe then we can begin to fear less, to make fewer wrong assumptions, to let go of the biases and stereotypes that unnecessarily divide us. Maybe we can better embrace the ways we are the same. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about where you get yourself in the end. There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice. And there’s grace in being willing to know and hear others. This, for me, is how we become,” she writes.

My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future by Indra Nooyi 

The former CEO of Pepsi-Co, Indra Nooyi redefined what it means to be a leader of a Fortune 50 company. Nooyi draws on the events of her life that made her who she is—whether it was the time she spent in India as a child, studying at Yale School of Management or her relentless pursuit of excellence during her stint at Pepsi-Co. A number of lessons appear more than striking in this one. Nooyi boldly opens up about the work-life juggle, the responsibilities of being a mother and wife, the constant trading of priorities and leaving the crown of CEO in the garage before stepping into her home. 

Nooyi’s unique transformation of Pepsi-Co as a woman of colour stands out even more. After becoming CEO, one of the key programmes she built was called ‘Performance with Purpose,’ a three-pillar structure of principles to not only lead any organisation, but to imbibe in our day-to-day dealings and values to live by. The three principles are: Nourish the humanity and community we live in, Replenish our environment (reduce our carbon footprint and invest in sustainability) and Cherish the people.