Vandana Boolell on Why Rigidity Holds Us Back and How Empathy Unlocks Growth

In the fast-paced world of work, leaders and professionals often believe that productivity depends on sharper skills, stronger strategies, or better tools. Yet, as Vandana Boolell points out, one of the most common struggles she observes in her coaching sessions is something more subtle  rigidity in perspective.

According to Vandana, rigidity isn’t about dismissing the validity of concerns or emotions. Instead, it often signals deeper challenges:
⭕ Difficulty in self-regulation reacting instead of responding
⭕ Inability to suspend judgment and see through others’ eyes
⭕ Struggles with active listening and holding space
⭕ Resistance to introspection and adopting a growth mindset
⭕ Reluctance to admit mistakes

The impact? Ego replaces growth, defensiveness overshadows collaboration, and meaningful connection gets lost.

Vandana shares that she has faced this herself, justifying quick judgments as “not having the bandwidth.” Over time, she realized that this created distance, making her seem dismissive or aloof, when what was truly needed was active listening and curiosity.

Her insight: it’s not a problem of perspective at all. It’s a question of empathy and connection.

“It takes humility and compassion to really see those around you,” she emphasizes. Building trust starts by asking simple but profound questions: “What really happened?” and “What is required of me in this moment?”

The cost of neglecting this is staggering. Gallup estimates that global productivity loss from disengagement amounts to USD 8.8 trillion annually nearly 9% of global GDP. For Vandana, the lesson is clear: “Rigidity is vastly more expensive than compassion.”

Her challenge to leaders and professionals everywhere is two-fold:

• When was the last time you encountered someone who jumped to conclusions instead of beginning with curiosity?

• And more importantly, when was the last time you were curious about yourself?

By shifting from rigidity to empathy, Vandana believes we unlock collaboration, growth, and genuine connection — both with others and with ourselves.

👉 Connect with Vandana Boolell to explore her work in leadership coaching, empathy-driven growth, and organizational transformation.