Urmilla Mahabirsingh's Insights

Explore practical insights and leadership perspectives from BES on talent strategy, organizational performance, and future-ready teams.

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Professional Development/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
Elevating Talent Management and Recruitment with Yoga: Cultivating Mindfulness and Wellness
In the demanding world of talent acquisition and management, professionals often face high stress and complex challenges. Yoga offers a powerful tool to cultivate balance, resilience, and mindfulness, enhancing both personal well-being and professional effectiveness. By integrating practices like deep breathing, meditation, and targeted poses such as Mountain Pose or Warrior Pose, professionals can reduce stress, boost creativity, and improve communication. This article explores how yoga can empower talent managers to navigate their roles with composure and innovation, fostering a healthier work-life balance and driving organizational success.
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Leadership/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
Stewardship in Action: Corporate Responsibility and Policy Implications
In this article, Urmilla Mahabirsingh explores what responsible business leadership looks like today. She explains why environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are still essential, even as some companies shy away from them. Drawing from Canadian regulations, climate disclosure frameworks, and Patagonia’s business model, she lays out how boards and senior executives can stay focused, transparent, and aligned with their values. For companies that want to build long-term trust and success, she argues, stepping back from ESG is not an option.
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Future of Work/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
Bringing People Along: Human-Centred Leadership in the Age of AI
In this article, Urmilla Mahabirsingh reflects on the responsibility of HR leaders to guide ethical decision-making in an era where AI is advancing faster than regulation or public understanding. She explores the risks of using AI without proper oversight, the need to actively prevent bias, and the emotional toll of accelerated digital workplaces. She highlights the importance of designing inclusive systems that bring everyone along. The article calls on HR professionals to protect trust, fairness, and human dignity as technology reshapes the future of work.
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Industry Trends/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
From Rigid Rules to Real Strategy: A Diasporic Perspective on Hybrid Work
What if hybrid work isn’t just a logistical issue—but a lens into how inclusion, trust, and leadership really function? Drawing on new research and her own diasporic perspective as a Caribbean-born woman of Indian heritage working in North America, Urmilla Mahabirsingh maintains that hybrid strategy is about far more than presence—it’s about purpose. This article explores how organizations can move beyond mandates and proximity bias to build hybrid models that reflect how people truly live, work, and thrive.
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Leadership/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
Leading with Compassion in the AI Era: Fostering Human-Centred Leadership in a Digital World
Leadership in the AI era demands more than driving efficiency and innovation—it requires a deep commitment to the human element. As AI transforms industries, leaders face the challenge of guiding their teams through uncertainty, adapting to new roles, and addressing anxieties about rapid change. Compassionate leadership, centred on emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusivity, bridges the gap between technology and humanity. By prioritizing mental health, fostering trust, and empowering employees through learning, leaders can create workplaces where technology enhances human potential rather than replacing it. In this era of transformation, it is the compassionate leader who will define a future where progress and people thrive together.
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Industry Trends/Urmilla Mahabirsingh
From Rigid Rules to Real Strategy: A Diasporic Perspective on Hybrid Work
What if hybrid work isn’t just a logistical issue—but a lens into how inclusion, trust, and leadership really function? Drawing on new research and her own diasporic perspective as a Caribbean-born woman of Indian heritage working in North America, Urmilla Mahabirsingh maintains that hybrid strategy is about far more than presence—it’s about purpose. This article explores how organizations can move beyond mandates and proximity bias to build hybrid models that reflect how people truly live, work, and thrive.
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Thought Leadership Videos

Watch recent thought leadership videos on inclusive leadership, workplace culture, and transformation.

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Why Confidence Stops Working at Executive Level

When interviewing for jobs at the executive level, confidence is expected—and so it’s no longer a differentiator. In this short, Jason Murray shares tips on what executive hiring committees are listening out for, which includes evidence of sound judgment and being able to navigate ambiguity.

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The Interview Mistake Strong Leaders Make

When interviewing for executive roles, strong delivery is expected—so it’s no longer what sets you apart. In this short, Jason Murray shares a common mistake leaders make: answering like high performers instead of future peers.

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What Executive Presence Actually Is

In this short, Jason Murray breaks down why hiring committees look for calm, clarity, and restraint, and how presence often comes through in what you don’t say.

Sustainability/Stephanie La

Green AI: The Role of AI in Sustainability

Green AI emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with environmental responsibility, addressing the significant environmental and ethical challenges posed by AI development, such as high carbon emissions, energy consumption, and data privacy concerns. While AI offers transformative benefits, including climate change prediction, pollution monitoring, and public health insights, its rapid advancement often prioritizes speed over sustainability. By adopting Green AI practices—such as energy-efficient algorithms, renewable energy sources, and sustainable development goals—organizations can reduce their environmental impact, align with sustainability objectives, and foster long-term growth while contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.

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Leadership/Melissa Sumnauth

The Importance of Pronouncing a Name: An Act of Inclusive Leadership

Names are not just labels; they are powerful reflections of identity, culture, and history. In this article, Melissa Sumnauth explores the significance of correct name pronunciation in leadership and organizational culture. Drawing on her experience in executive coaching, executive search, facilitation, and people & culture she illustrates how mispronunciation can function as a microaggression and a barrier to inclusion, while intentional effort to say names correctly fosters dignity, belonging, and trust. With practical tools and a call to action for leaders, this article reframes name pronunciation as a vital practice in advancing equity and respectful engagement.

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Urmilla Mahabirsingh's Insights

All Posts

Elevating Talent Management and Recruitment with Yoga: Cultivating Mindfulness and Wellness

Stewardship in Action: Corporate Responsibility and Policy Implications

Bringing People Along: Human-Centred Leadership in the Age of AI

From Rigid Rules to Real Strategy: A Diasporic Perspective on Hybrid Work

Leading with Compassion in the AI Era: Fostering Human-Centred Leadership in a Digital World

From Rigid Rules to Real Strategy: A Diasporic Perspective on Hybrid Work

Thought Leadership Videos

Why Confidence Stops Working at Executive Level

The Interview Mistake Strong Leaders Make

What Executive Presence Actually Is

Green AI: The Role of AI in Sustainability

The Importance of Pronouncing a Name: An Act of Inclusive Leadership