Recently, in a free-wheeling video interaction with indianexpress.com, PepsiCo’s former CEO Nooyi shared insights on how to enable an environment that allows progress for women while balancing work and family and the importance of balance when it comes to the ‘ideal worker.’
After speaking at length about the various aspects of the Indian economy, the importance of upskilling and much more, Nooyi mentioned her views about the famous “leave your crown in the garage” quote, associated with her mother.
“I think the husband and wife should both leave the crown at the garage.”
She further explained how her mother’s perspectives have changed over the years and acknowledged that she is from a generation born a long time ago.
“My mother is a product of the silver generation born a long time ago, with very traditional values, but my mother today is very different. She believes both husband and wife should leave the crown in the garage and she often tells me, ‘Look you’re born to help people. Don’t get bogged down by too much work at home, go off and help people because people need help.’ I think my mother too has changed and there’s no question that family is family. Everybody should help nurture and develop the family, so when you do have one, everybody’s crown is left in the garage. Everybody becomes a family member when you enter the house with all the attendant responsibilities that go with it.
Born in India, she received her business degree from the prestigious Yale University and then went on to head PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018. She is one of the few women — also the first woman of color and an immigrant – to run a Fortune 500 company.
