Sonal Naik 
Deloitte
Excellence in Innovation
Sonal Naik says she is honored and proud that women leaders in technology are being recognized for their unique contributions. "It is crucial to raise awareness of the accomplishments of talented women not only to support their cause but to support the next generation of girls interested in STEM. You often hear 'you can't be, what you can't see' and that's unfortunately still true when it comes to STEM talent. Despite progress, the leadership ranks in technology – and in consulting – are dominated by men. As technology accelerates forward, women will be instrumental in bringing an important perspective to the development and use of technology. It is critical that we increase the number of women in the room, especially the number of Black and Brown women because diverse perspectives can help overcome groupthink, leading to more robust systems. But that talent won't just magically appear – we must nurture and encourage the pipeline. The visibility created by award programs like this creates a ripple effect inspiring the next-gen of women leaders."
"Throughout my consulting career, I've been lucky to have unique opportunities building new capabilities and teams starting with just a seed of an idea. I was among a privileged few focused on reinventing the client experience at Deloitte and creating a new way of working with our clients through strategically designed and facilitated conversations called Labs. We innovated the concept and built a capability set focused on bringing the right people, process, and tech together in a curated experiential way. Now Deloitte Greenhouse is a global differentiated asset for our firm and definitely one of my rewarding achievements. What motivates me is the belief that my greatest achievement is yet to come."
One challenge Naik has faced was influenced not only by her gender but her cultural roots as well. "My parents immigrated to the U.S. from India, and the values at that time, especially for women, were to avoid speaking up, being confrontational, or talking about your accomplishments. In other words, keep your head down, work hard, do a good job, and good things should follow. I internalized these values and, for a long time, I didn't advocate for myself. I didn't raise my hand for opportunities that didn't match my skill set 100 percent. Fortunately, I was a quick learner and, over time, I developed presence and improved my confidence. I found that by stepping into stretch opportunities, I could accelerate my growth. So whenever that inner monologue creeps up (even now), I try my best to lean in and trust that I will be better off taking the leap."
Q&A: What would you say is the best advice (consulting or otherwise) you've ever received?
"Years ago, one of my mentors shared that as a leader, I needed to carry two things in my pocket – a compass and a magnet – both are essential. This advice has held true. Not only has it been important to set direction and always stay focused on the end goal but to bring others along the journey. As women leaders, we must sponsor others and use any influence we can provide to collectively increase our numbers and gain equity."
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