Mahrukh Imtiaz Consulting Inc.

Looking for a creative outlet that creates an extra revenue stream?

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝟭 𝗼𝗻 𝟭 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲

We'll get you exactly that through our 5-Step-Podcast-Road-Map

👉 Mindset blocks stopping you from leveling up
👉 Everything from basic equipment and software to recording tips
👉 Launching your show to the world

🎙️ Book it Now: https://calendly.com/mahrukh-m-imtiaz/free-podcast-coaching-and-strategy-session-2?month=2024-03

Founder

As a Remote Leader of HR Operations at EY, I manage a team of 6 and have led initiatives that resulted in significant cost savings and efficiency improvements. 

• Implemented Talent AI for FAQ automation, saving $50 million.
• Spearheaded initiatives resulting in a 61% reduction in unnecessary transactions.
• Managed over 100 stakeholders to ensure accountability and informed decision-making throughout the project.

Leader - HR Operations

In my role as a Senior Project Manager and Consultant at EY, I led initiatives to streamline HR operations, improve decision-making processes, and enhance project efficiencies. 

• Spearheaded a project to streamline the FICA tax escalation process, identifying gaps and facilitating data-driven discussions for improved efficiency.
• Collaborated on the I-9 E-Verification project, presenting recommendations to stakeholders and implementing a successful solution.
• Led project process improvements resulting in a 60% reduction in project risk.

Senior Project Manager and Consultant - HR Operations

• Systemized the Pro Bono process for Americas Corporate Responsibility team, saving $5 million.
• Developed a Diversity Program with a 96% success rate, enhancing engagement for diverse groups.
• Streamlined initiatives in the Talent Team Coordinator community, reducing unnecessary transactions by 47%.

Senior Project Manager and Consultant - Talent Specialist Team

• Led the design and development of the Talent Development Center of Excellence (TD COE) SharePoint site, increasing hits by 76% and enhancing collaboration.
• Supported the implementation of the new Talent strategy “Global Talent Review” with strong problem-solving skills, gaining 84% approval for program implementation.

Project Manager - Strategic Talent Management

• Developed offer letter and job posting templates to enhance recruiter efficiency.
• Led the successful launch of the E-Offers project in Canada.
• Supported the seamless migration to ServiceNow technology.

Associate - HR, Talent Shared Services

Talent Development Associate - HR, Diversity and Inclusion

International Tax Services - Staff 

Cricket Canada

Former player - Canadian Women's Cricket Team

I make Podcasts Fun, Easy, and Stress-Free for you🎙️✦ Project Manager by day ✦ Cricketer by evening 🏏 ✦ Top 10% of Podcasts in the 🌎 ✦ Speaker ✦ Podcast Coach for Busy Lives

A new solopreneur or an ambitious corporate side-hustler looking to start a podcast – you’re in the right place! 

Hey! I’m Mahrukh Imtiaz, owner and host of ‘Spicy Chai’ – a podcast for content creators.  🎙️

In Feb 2021, I aired the very first episode of ‘Spicy Chai’ – my podcast for content creators. 

Today, ‘Spicy Chai’ is ranked in the global 10% of all podcasts! A fantastic achievement at any time, but so much more amazing in just my first year. 

A podcast is an excellent choice if you’ve been looking for:

✔️ A creative outlet to help people with your knowledge

✔️ A way to diversify your income stream

✔️ An idea for a side hustle

Having my own podcast has helped me become a more confident speaker, brought me speaking opportunities, connected me to people with millions of followers and helped me clarify my message. 

50+ episodes in, I now want to inspire YOU to work up the courage to put YOUR voice, YOUR thoughts, and YOUR message out there!

But that’s not all. I thrive in fast-paced corporate environments too! As a remote leader for one of the top companies, I’ve launched an HR chatbot, driven process improvements in HR operations, and designed and implemented leadership and culture programs. 

Balancing a podcast and a demanding 9-5 has taught me how to execute and stay consistent, even with a packed schedule. 

In addition to podcasting:

🏏 I play cricket for Team Canada

🙊 I’m obsessed with my 5-year-old nephew (he’s my best friend)

🥘 I daydream about Pakistani Biryani a little too often!

A podcast isn’t for everyone but ready for your podcast to meet the world even though you are time-starved? I have a value-loaded, free training video where you can learn how to start a podcast today.

👉🏽𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐔𝐑𝐋 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝟏𝟑 𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨: https://bit.ly/3qE9wM2

🏳️‍🌈

Mahrukh Imtiaz (She/Her)

Building ⭐ performance teams that deliver true digital transformation

I’m a technology and transformation leader passionate about turning strategy into meaningful outcomes - for people, teams, and organizations.

Over the past decade, I’ve led initiatives across pharma, healthcare, and digital ecosystems, helping global teams deliver innovation that matters. My focus is simple: connect human insight with technical excellence to create environments where people perform at their best.

I believe transformation isn’t just about systems or tools; it’s about trust, clarity, and purpose. As a coach and author of A Life in Motion, I apply that philosophy to help leaders align strategy with culture, and vision with execution.

I’m always exploring opportunities where I can combine leadership, technology, and coaching to drive organizational growth and help teams create extraordinary results - sustainably and together.

Eduardo dos Santos Silva

🎉 Breaking news:
It’s a new year.

Yes. I know.
Very exclusive announcement. 😄

But before we rush into goals, resolutions, and gym memberships that will expire by February… let’s pause for a second.

Because what we call “the new year” is actually a cultural agreement, not a universal truth.

In much of the Western world, we reset on January 1st, driven by the Gregorian calendar.

Clean slate. New chapter. Fresh start.

But elsewhere, time turns differently:
🪔 In India, calendars like Vikram Samvat and Shaka Samvat tie time to cycles, seasons, and meaning.

🐉 In Chinese culture, the Lunar New Year arrives later marked by renewal, luck, and energy shifts.

🌙 In Islamic tradition, the Hijri calendar moves with the moon, reminding us that time itself is fluid.

✡️ In the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection, repair, and return.

🌍 In Ethiopia, renewal after the rains in September brings the new year.

Different calendars.
Same human need.

We use big, meaningful milestones to reset 
- because our minds are wired for it.

Psychologically, these moments act as mental bookmarks.
They give us permission to pause, reflect, and begin again.

And yes, even though I work mindfully on resets throughout the year… this one is still the most powerful.

So here’s my personal practice, every year:

🕊️ First, I sit quietly for a minute or two.
 I thank the year that passed; not just for the wins, but for everything.
 Flashes of moments. Lessons. People. Growth.

🔮 Then, I visualize what matters for the year ahead.
 Not a to-do list.
 But feelings, directions, relationships, impact.

I don’t force it.
I prime myself.

And more often than not… those things find their way into reality.

Maybe because clarity changes how we act.
Maybe because attention changes what we notice.
Maybe because commitment quietly reshapes our choices.

So if you’re resetting today, you’re not late, dramatic, or naïve.
You’re human.

Happy New Year!
However - and whenever - you choose to mark it. ✨

If you are choosing to pause today, here’s a question worth sitting with:
What do you want to thank before you move forward, and what do you want to invite in next?

Take a moment.
Intention doesn’t guarantee outcomes
- but it changes how we walk toward them.

🍃 A Life in Motion | Growth. Transformation. Results.

No alternative text description for this image

I read it and immediately got the chills.
“This is what I’m doing to stay relevant…”

The second worst corporate, most prejudicial quote ever. 

(what is the first? 🧐)

But why does it make me feel like this?
It takes me back to an executive I’ve met.

That sentence became his mantra 
 -  repeated in meetings and in every communication.

I was younger then, but already curious, so I paid attention:
how did people in the team respond to it?

Take a guess before reading further…
maybe even note your answers down.

...

Now… this is what I saw…

Everything slowly became about: 

📢 shouting about successes
(even when they didn’t exist)

🥵 looking busy and important
 (often wasting company time and money)

🤔talking to people who could promote us
 (instead of clients and partners)

Later, I observed the same pattern with so-called leaders who were:
 👉 learning 
 👉 taking new roles
 👉 posting here
…
 to stay relevant.

Not because they were curious.
Not because they wanted to grow.
Not because they were interested in a challenge or in helping others.

And that's what makes all the difference. 

Staying relevant as a consequence
 = fulfilment as we grow and achieve results.

Staying relevant as a goal
 = surrendering to our fear of loss.

I once had the chance to coach one such leader. And you know what I found?

A wonderful - and scared - human being.

Someone who could lead change,
but decided instead to hang on to one job.

Then got the own identify lost in the process and spent the few next years regretting the things they sacrificed to stay relevant.

That’s what  such culture does to executives.

Who loses?
Themselves first.
Then their teams.
And finally the company - shareholders included.

Have you ever caught your organization 
- or  yourself  - 
 confusing growth with staying relevant?

Let's think about that before jumping into 2026 goals...

Back in Dubai, I have found this interesting machine: it would produce a unique perfume for you based on a personality test. I imagined that industry asking itself "how do we stay relevant?" - when that is probably a bad question to ask. What would be a better question?

To end the year well, I hurt my leg real bad…
That was on December 18th -
last football training before the break.

I couldn’t believe it 🥵

I couldn’t even walk for the first two days.
I still need to walk slowly now,
and I clearly won’t be running for a few more weeks.

That was a first for me -
especially because I was feeling healthy and strong.

Worse: I knew immediately that I’d failed my objective 🎯

My Objective and Key Result (OKR):
Staying healthy and active
→ A minimum of 10,000 steps each month

How was the year tracking?

Before 2025, I’d been beating the 10,000 yearly average for a while.
Even got to 11,000.
But winter months were a disaster.

In 2025?
I made it every single month.
December was even tracking close to 12,000. ❤️‍🔥

And then… gone.

That got me thinking about how I set goals -
and how individuals and companies set goals.

Some goals are designed to be achieved.
(“Easy” goals.)

The problem?
They don’t take us further.
Worse, they can be misleading.

We see them behind layoffs that don’t aim to save failing companies, but to artificially boost short-term profits.

On the other extreme: over-stretching.
What if I set a minimum of 10,000 steps every single day?
I’d almost certainly fail.

There’s weather.
 Sickness.
 Family.
 Work.

Too many variables -
unrealistic, misaligned with priorities.

Those goals don’t motivate.
They break people.

Companies that set them get employees faking results
or disengaging altogether.

So this is how I orient myself when defining goals 👇
Challenging enough that I might fail -
but never to the point of breaking.

(that’s also why vision matters but that’s for another post.)

Some asked me last week about “Word of the year”
or “New Year’s resolutions”.

The first can be helpful 👍 
after I set my OKRs.

The word surfaces from them.
For me, 2026 is INTEGRATION.

The second, I push back on 👎
It’s broad and aspirational,
emotionally loaded,
fragile and vague.

It often invites frustration.

One example here on how it works for me:
Using OKRs kept me active on LinkedIn for 2+ years now.

That’s why in 2026 I’ll increase focus and reduce activity:
Posting twice a week instead of three.
Commenting and engaging one extra day instead.

The number of people I effectively helped will be my key result -
as part of multiplying positive impact as my objective 🙏

That’s how I know I’ll keep contributing here without burning out.

Can I fail?
Yes.
I just did - with the steps.

But in failing, I also saw how close I got.
And inspired by that,
I’ll raise the stakes this year.

That’s how objectives help in life.

Not as a destination.
But as the track of our journey.

What kind of goals have helped you grow 
- and which ones quietly broke you?

Right leg hurt and supported by a compression sock

I wanted to say so much more…
and yet, I couldn’t. 😮

Aytuna, Emily, Vaclav  and I spoke for over an hour about resumes.

What works.
What doesn’t.
The experiences we’ve had along the way.

The thing is -
 I had just been hired. 🥳

Literally the day before.

Not enough time to process it all.
Even less to communicate it properly.

But if I could have said just one thing in that conversation,
it would have been this:

“You’re right. I’ve just been hired 
- and this is mostly what I’ve done.”

What about it, you ask?
🌟 where does a great resume starts
🌟 how to leverage AI, and how not to
🌟 using a blank page
🌟 what intentional networking is
(ok, we deviated from the theme there 🤣)

If you’re curious to go deeper,
jump into your podcast app of choice
and listen to the full episode.

Despite the technical challenges 😧,
we saved most of the good material for you 😁

💬 What’s the one resume tip that really worked for you?

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬?
I don’t think so. 😮
(Before you react, let me explain.)

This question has been on my mind and a recent post by Paulo Barriga helped me connect the final dots on the different forms of empathy and how easily we confuse them.

Let me be clear:
💡 Life is better surrounded by empathetic people
💡 Empathy amplifies individual and collective results
💡 Communities thrive when leaders show empathy
💡 I’d love for us all to be wholeheartedly empathetic

Yes - I’m still team empathy.

The problem is expecting it from others.
Or worse - demanding it.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞?
Empathy is not evenly distributed.

Some people feel it deeply.
Some feel it selectively.
Some understand it cognitively, but don’t experience it emotionally.
Some can perform it convincingly without feeling it at all.

And here’s the uncomfortable part:
When empathy becomes a moral requirement, it becomes a tool.

It can be used to:
❌ manipulate
❌ extract compliance
❌ silence disagreement
❌ blur accountability

Especially in environments where power, incentives, or pressure are involved.

That’s why Paulo’s distinction between cognitive empathy and affective empathy matters so much.

Cognitive empathy can drive progress and coordination.
But when detached from ethics or transparency, it can also enable manipulation.

𝐀 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭
If we truly embrace diversity, we must accept something uncomfortable:
Not everyone will lead - or decide - through empathy.

Some leaders operate through:
🌟 clarity 
🌟 duty
🌟 principles
🌟 responsibility under pressure

They may not feel with you -
but they may still act fairly, consistently, and predictably.

And sometimes, predictability protects people more than warmth ever could.

𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝?
For me, the answer is transparency.

Transparency is harder than empathy.
It doesn’t feel good.
It doesn’t comfort.
It doesn’t soothe.

But it does something empathy often can’t:
It tells you where you stand.

That’s why it sits at the core of good negotiation (Chris Voss knows this well):
Empathy may get a yes,
Transparency gives you a real no 
- and a place to start real conversations.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡
Instead of asking:
“Why aren’t they empathetic?”

I’m learning to ask:
What are they being transparent about?
What are they unwilling to hide?
What trade-offs are they naming?
Where might empathy cloud my judgment?

Because empathy, when freely offered, is a gift.

But when expected, demanded, or moralized…
… it makes us vulnerable to disappointment & manipulation.

𝐌𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
From my leaders, I’d rather have transparency than empathy.
And if empathy comes on top of that?
Thank you. ❤️‍🔥

Curious to hear your take -
Should empathy be expected from leaders, or appreciated when it appears?

Two characters, a man and a robot, discuss empathy. 

Starting 2026 with a difficult book. On purpose.
(apparently this is my hobby now 🤣)

Modern psychology is powerful.
But is it complete? 🤔

This first book review of the year explores why psychology without spirit feels incomplete - and what we may be missing when we over-optimize rationality.

A recommendation from a friend…
and yet I cannot remember from whom!

 (Shout in the comments if it was you 😊)

📘 Integral Psychology, Ken Wilber
📖 Full reflection below

Wait a minute now -
before you go…
I’m curious:

What challenged your thinking recently? 👇

View newsletter: Book Reviews & Recommendations

Intro This is a review of a book that came into my life because I was reading another book. How? I picked up Foundation, by Isaac Asimov, to re-read a

Open article: From Psychohistory to the Soul by Eduardo dos Santos Silva • 6 min read

We talk a lot about “empowering others.”

But there’s a question we rarely ask:
👉 When does empowerment actually work and when does it fail?

A nuclear submarine might seem like an odd place to explore that question🤔 and yet…

This article reflects on "Turn the Ship Around" by L. David Marquet, and on a tension I couldn’t ignore:

Leadership, competence, 
and the uncomfortable role 
excellence plays in trust.

📖 Full reflection below
I’d love to hear your take.

Intro It was on a LinkedIn-triggered intro coffee meeting in Zurich, a slightly cold morning in the middle of a random week last year, that I first ca

Open article: Leader-Leader Works… But Only If You Earn It First by Eduardo dos Santos Silva • 6 min read

Leader-Leader Works… But Only If You Earn It First

Why do I review books for you here?
Because I know how much they changed my life.
But there is a problem…

Three years of reading.
Three years of sharing.

There are too many of them! 🤣 

A summary can turn 200–700 pages into 2 or 3.
But now there are 50+ reviews available for you.

So where do you start?
(that’s a real question I’ve been asked here.)

Thinking about it, I decided to summarize even further.
50+ book reviews.
50+ sentences.

So you can choose what speaks to you,
save time, gain knowledge and 
- maybe - have fun.

If this is helpful, save it and download it.
It’s my gift for you.
Even if Christmas has already passed! 🎁

Can I ask for something in return?

📚 ONE book you recommend -
 with a sentence that goes with it 👇

Book Reviews up to Jan 2026 with Links

I am resharing this on a nice Friday afternoon because…

It made my week 🥰

Thank you!

AI Success Copilot Architect | Neuroscience-Driven Coach | Architecting Mental Wellness in the Age of AI

Book Review - They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you should judge it by where it takes you. 🌍

From Greek Sunsets to Swiss Peaks: The Book That Changed My Gear 🏔️☀️

I started reading "A Life in Motion" https://amzn.eu/d/fhJa4bX by my mentor Eduardo dos Santos Silva while watching the sunset in Greece,  finished at the base of the mountains!  It hasn’t just been a book—it’s been the Promethean fire for my mindset, sparking a total transformation in how I see my own path.

Why this book stands out in a crowded self-development market:
Eduardo has a rare gift for cutting through the noise. Where most books offer "fluff," this one hands you a compass and a blueprint. Using the "Wheel of Life" framework, it takes you from "stuck" to "strategy" by bridging the gap between:
🧘‍♀️ Deep Mindfulness and internal clarity.
💸 Financial Strategy and practical habit-building.

It’s the only guide I’ve found that treats personal growth as a dynamic journey rather than a static goal.

If you’re looking for a reset, here is why I recommend it: 
✅ Action-Oriented: Every chapter ends with concrete tasks. 
✅ Holistic: It connects the "puzzle pieces" of life (health, wealth, and mind). ✅ Practical: It’s a manual for building a life, not just a collection of theories.

I read it to reset my summer; I’m using it to power my winter. ❄️

If you are looking for a sign to get moving, this is it.

#ALifeInMotion #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #Leadership #BookRecommendation #SwissAlps

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