Mounica Veggalam

Mounica Veggalam, Leadership Coach

Most impactful leadership lies at the intersection of:
- Personal growth
- Showing up with strong presence
- Learning to connect and lead other humans

I support leaders to scale their impact and create business results by guiding them through the above areas.

Career and Leadership Coach

Microsoft

I often get asked, “How are you a leadership coach when you haven’t been a manager yourself?”

The leadership I talk about is not strategic or tactical.

It’s self-leadership.

Your career trajectory — whether you reach C-Suite heights, or stay stuck in the middle — it starts with you. With what’s going on inside you.

This is the powerful lesson I realized at Microsoft. 

I observed inadequate leadership, average leadership, and excellent leadership. 

I was in heated design discussion rooms, witnessed managers make technical choices from their insecurities, and noticed the best empathetic leaders lost in overwhelm without any recognition.

I also saw powerful leadership from people who challenged the status quo. And challenged their own beliefs.

They were the people who did the right thing
- even when they’re anxious,
- even when they’re frustrated,
- even when they were at the edge of saying, “screw this sh**”

Your frustrations, disappointments, and resentments are where your growth opportunities lie.

When you understand and transform your inner landscape, your capacity for leadership expands, and you'll see the outside results: the promotion, the better project, and the better titles.

That’s the best way to make an impact in this world.

This is transformational leadership.

If you want to learn to lead your people from the inside-out, reach out and we’ll talk.

I am deeply invested in my personal transformation and leadership. That’s how I’m a leadership coach. That’s how I lead my clients to discover entirely new ways of presenting themselves.

I offer trainings, coaching and deep personal transformation, so you can feel fulfilled in your leadership mission. Send me a private message and we’ll chat.

Software Engineer

Practice Fusion

One of my mentors there asked, “Would you rather teach your kids to be smart or to be kind?”

What if I could do both?

With that question, I realized how starkly I’m drawn to deep philosophical concepts and the nature of the human mind. 

And this realization would set it in years later. But I didn’t know that then.

This internship was my entry into the software engineering world. 

It was incredible, surrounded by brilliant people in the startup culture. This is where I released my first feature into production, had my first exceptional manager, and gave my first talk in front of 200 smart people (I was terrible). 

It paved the way for another incredible role at Microsoft.

I won’t lie— I was arrogant about my IQ and my ability to grasp technical concepts quickly.

But I also had crippling self-doubt and introversion that got in the way of my impact.

Even through all that, a couple of things are common today:
— I value people and human connection. Regardless of my arrogance and self-doubt.
— I’m constantly pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. No matter how scary it is.
— I always look at my side of things. Even when I don’t want to. Especially when I don’t want to.

Today, this helps me serve my clients powerfully, 
— I point to the truth at the risk of them not liking me.
— I can deeply support them in facing the risks and uncertainities.
— I invest time and energy in confronting my beliefs and blindspots, so they don’t have to manage my ego.

It's a deeply rewarding experience.

Software Development Engineer Intern

Life & leadership coach for professionals, leaders and entrepreneurs | Software engineer turned coach & inner-work guide

Hi there! 👋 I’m Mounica. I help visionary tech leaders fast-track their careers so they can create more impact, build stronger teams, and bring their vision to reality, all with joyful life-balance.

I’m a software engineer turned transformational coach. Throughout my career, I was driven and confident on the outside. I achieved accolades, promotions, and patents. On the side, I tried to handle all my dissatisfaction with life through meditation and spiritual studies.

But none of that changed the *experience of life.*

I was always looking into the future for everything to settle down. My conversations lacked joy. I was subtly controlling in my relationships so I didn't break down. I was obsessed with achievement. 

Now I have a general sense of creative joy while taking up big projects. And I'm more present with my family.

It wasn't an overnight transformation (nothing worthwhile ever is). I approach this work from an intersection of developmental psychology (think ontological leadership and Robert Kegan's constructive map) and Eastern non-dual spirituality. 

Here are 3 levels of transformation you can expect through working with me:
1. Embodying your leadership voice & an internal compass, so you show Executive Presence.
2. Holding multiple, often conflicting, perspectives, so you bring a vision you deeply desire to reality.
3. Holding multiple identities, so you find creative joy in every choice you make (and have you ready for non-dual interconnected perception of the world).

This work is not about adding knowledge or skills but creating a *fundamentally different kind of mind* that takes the largest perspective, is more complex, and can handle more uncertainty.

My clients report:
- Influence without losing their ethics or empathy
- Command respect in a room full of brilliant (or skeptical) people
- Have ease, joy, and fun creating the results they want

If you’re curious, send me a DM!

Helping tech managers fast-track their careers with personalized 1:1 coaching.

I help with -
- Making tough career decisions
- Landing the next big role and making a vertical moves
- Transforming into a leader who delivers, impacts, and inspires.

Management skills and Relationships come easy to people managers. But what sets you apart is the Leadership mindset. I help managers become leaders and achieve their career goals along the way. 

The typical titles of my clients include:
- Engineering Manager
- Director of Engineering/Program/Product Management
- PM Manager
- Senior/Principal Engineers/PM

Dave Kline

Become the Leader You’d Follow | Founder @ MGMT | Coach | Advisor | Speaker | Trusted by 250K+ leaders.

Hey, I’m Dave Kline.

I teach leaders how to build All-Star teams and level up their careers.

After decades of leading in pretty intense environments, from Bridgewater Associates to Moody’s Analytics, I know what it takes to be the manager your team remembers (for the right reasons).

Why I can help you is simple:

I’ve been through it.

And to prove it, here’s my background (by the numbers) ⤵️

2: Decades leading high-impact teams in asset management (Bridgewater), consulting (PwC), & financial services (Moody’s Analytics).

4: Years as an entrepreneur. My portfolio includes Skillscouter (an online course & career site), and MGMT Accelerator (a cohort-based management training course).

14: Cohorts of early-career leaders that I’ve taught at multiple companies.

100: Managers I recruited, onboarded & mentored at Bridgewater Associates.

1,000: Performance evaluations with grace and respect for stars and terminations alike.

205,000+: My community across LinkedIn & Twitter interested in management tactics & leadership lessons

385,000,000: My team’s top revenue year at Moody’s.

Now that we’ve covered the why, here’s the how:

- The MGMT Accelerator – an intensive management training course for both new and senior leaders
- MGMT Fundamentals – a course that covers all the need-to-know management basics for rookie leaders
- The MGMT Playbook – a weekly newsletter that gives practical management insights

Through our MGMT courses, my wife Marsden and I have played the assist with over 1,100 leaders so far, who’ve now learned how to:

- Practically tackle the most common leadership challenges
- Build their Management OS’s CODE (Coach, Operate, Delegate, Engage)
- Refine their individual leadership Decision-Making System

With our 30+ years of combined experience, you won’t just get our knowledge.

You’ll get to ask us questions directly and get access to coaching that’s more tailored to your own experience.

We always say – if we could do it like a dinner party, we would.

If you’re interested in leadership advice (that doesn’t just sound nice but actually works), drop me a follow – I post daily.

And if you like what you see, our MGMT courses could be just what you need to level up.

DM me if you’re interested.

Co-Founder

We created the MGMT Accelerator to help managers rapidly develop into trusted leaders by combining the art & science of management. 

This 4-week program consistents of eight 90-minute modules where I share the tactics I learned leading high-performing teams for 25 years. During each session, we tailor those insights together to build your personalized management system together. 

You'll learn alongside ~50 peers and become part of an expert community of more than 300 alums.

The soft skills are sometimes the hardest.

Which is why they're so valuable.

Think about the best person you worked with.
- The one who quietly set the standard.
- The one who made everyone else better. 
- The one you'd want to bring with you.

What made them stand out?

Yes, they were good at their job. 
But there was something more.

It was how they showed up. 

4 Underrated Career Skills:

1. Raise the Energy of the Room
→ Make others feel more capable, not less
→ Add enthusiasm when it's absent
→ Choose optimism

2. Be Enjoyable to Work With
→ Create calm in chaos
→ Blend excellence with enjoyment
→ Become everyone's "go-to" resource

3. Keep Your Commitments
→ Replace "I'll try" with "I will"
→ Build trust through reliable delivery 
→ Promise carefully, deliver consistently

4. Lead Regardless of Title
→ Tackle the problems others avoid
→ Take initiative before it's obvious
→ Make decisions that prioritize progress

The truth about these skills:

They're 100% your choice.
Only 1% do all 4.

And that's your opportunity.

Simple ≠ Easy
That's why it works.

And yes, AI is changing everything. 
Including making these skills more valuable.

⬇️ Which skill has helped your career most?

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more
♻️ Share to help others grow

What do I want to be when I grow up?

Most people never answer this question.

And it costs them everything.

- Years spent in jobs that drain them.
- Promotions they chase but don't actually want.
- Sundays filled with dread instead of anticipation.

Here's the uncomfortable truth:

Most people drift through their careers hoping clarity will arrive.

It doesn't.

You wake up at 35, 45, 55 wondering how you got here.
Wondering why you feel successful on paper but empty in reality.
Wondering if it's too late to change course.

The cost of not answering this question:

You optimize for what others value
-> Not what you value.

You build skills that impress people
-> But don't fulfill you.

You climb the ladder
-> That's leaning against the wrong wall.

You spend decades becoming excellent at work that doesn't matter to you.

And here's what makes it worse:

You know something's off.
You feel the misalignment.
But you don't how to do anything about it.

Because figuring out what you want feels impossible.

But it's not impossible. 
It's just work.

It's a project you attack like any other.

The question "What do I want?" is answerable.

It requires confronting truths the most people ignore.
It requires honest self-reflection that most people avoid.
It requires being intentional when drifting feels much easier.

The work:

You need to understand where your energy actually goes.
You need to identify what work energizes vs. drains you.
You need to uncover your unique combination of strengths.
You need to define your non-negotiables.
You need to articulate multiple paths forward.

This isn't a weekend exercise. 
It's an ongoing practice.

But 30 minutes of guided self-reflection beats 30 years of drifting.

[Swipe through the carousel for 5 AI prompts that guide this reflection]

AI won't tell you what you want.

But it will help you see patterns you're missing.
Ask questions you haven't fully considered.
Clarify options you didn't know existed.

The brutal truth:

No one is coming to save you from a career you drifted into.

Your company won't hand you a personalized path.
Your manager won't figure this out for you.
Time won't magically create clarity.

You have to do the work.

Be intentional.
Ask hard questions.
Demand honest answers from yourself.

Because the alternative is spending the next decade wondering "what if?"

Share this if you're ready to stop drifting and start deciding.

Follow Dave Kline for more on building a career with intention.

What do you want to be when you grow up? 
It's time to find out.

Finally Answer What do I want to be when I grow up

40% of employees are micromanaged.

If you're one of them, read this:

No leader dreams of being a micromanager.
Their bad habits usually come from good intentions.

They spot problems early.
They don't want you to fail.
They genuinely want to help.

The key isn't pushing back. It's understanding why.

And that "why" is fear:
• Fear of failure
• Fear of losing control
• Fear of being blindsided

The best way to calm their fears?

Demonstrate confidence, competence, and control.

But don't just tell them you've got it handled.

Show them.

Here are 7 simple ways:

1️⃣ CREATE A DAILY BRIEF
Send proactive updates before they ask:
• Today's focus
• Progress made
• Obstacles ahead
Close their information gap, and they'll give you space.

2️⃣ DEPLOY THE PREVIEW METHOD
Share work at 70% done.
Label it "draft for early feedback."
They feel included. You avoid last-minute chaos.

3️⃣ SOURCE THEIR WORRIES
• Schedule regular 15-minute check-ins
• Ask what concerns them most
• Align on how you'll address it
Predictable structure prevents random interruptions.

4️⃣ TRACK THE DATA
Document time spent on:
• Original work
• Revisions requested
• Cost of rework
• Final results
Let the numbers tell a story your words can't.

5️⃣ MIRROR THEIR SYSTEMS
Adopt their exact organization approach.
Master it before they need to explain it.
Familiarity reduces unnecessary friction.

6️⃣ CREATE DECISION TREES
Map out your thinking:
"When X happens → I'll do Y"
Get proactive approval, not task-by-task permission.

7️⃣ FIND A BETTER MANAGER
If you've tried everything. 
If you've delivered grea work. 
If nothing improves after 3-6 months.

You might need a new manager. 

It might be harsh, but it's true. 
Life's too short.

The reality:

Most micromanagers are just anxious.
About losing control.
About missing something critical.
About letting their team down.

The solution:

Build systems that address their anxiety.
Earn their trust through consistency.
Reclaim your autonomy.

You can't change their style.
But you can change how you respond.

📌 Worried you're the micromanager?

Check out our free MGMT Accelerator workshop.
Join 322 leaders who have already signed up.
Use AI to build your management profile. 
And a practical development plan. 

December 16th @ 1 PM ET.  

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/erRA2Xbt

It's the antidote to accidental micromanagement.

🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more management insights.

♻️ Share to help others lead more intentionally.

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