Tag Archive for: leadership and inclusion

Neha Singh: Head of Solution Development, PGIM

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Neha Singh“I love working in technology—it’s where problem-solving and innovation intersect,” says Neha Singh. “No matter your role or industry, technology is relevant, shaping how we work, communicate, and access information. It’s ingrained in every part of our lives, and that’s what draws me to this space.”

For Singh, the evolution to a career that is both intellectually challenging and fulfilling has been shaped by her passion for problem-solving and her family’s enduring values. Raised in Minnesota by immigrant parents, Singh credits her family’s resilience and work ethic for shaping her approach to life and leadership. “My parents immigrated from India and worked their whole lives to provide for us. They instilled in me that there’s always a solution to a problem if you work hard enough,” she shares. This ethos of tenacity and responsibility has guided her through pivotal career moments and into her leadership role today.

Technology as a Tool for Connection

Although she now is clear about her purpose and passion, Singh recalls that it took a few false starts to find her way to working in technology. “I graduated in economics without a real idea of what I wanted to do, but I eventually found technology consulting.” The consulting world introduced her to the intersection of technology and business strategy, a space she quickly fell in love with.

“I wasn’t tied to a specific industry. One week, I was analyzing crowd wait times at airports, and another, I was projecting traffic at homeless shelters. It showed me how technology could solve problems beyond just saving time on a report or automating a spreadsheet.”

However, the fast-paced nature of consulting came with challenges. “You’re on the road Monday through Thursday, constantly switching clients, and rarely seeing the long-term impact of your work,” she recalls. These experiences drove her to seek something deeper: a place where she could build relationships and understand the broader business context of her efforts. That search led her to PGIM where she joined as director of Data Strategy Project Management and Analytics.

Now, as PGIM’s Head of Solution Development, Singh is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue making an impact with technology. In Singh’s view, technology isn’t just about tools or processes—it’s about helping people.

“At PGIM, my team’s mandate is to deliver value, not just technology for technology’s sake. We need to comprehend the problem and define how to address it.”

She emphasizes the relevance of technology across all functions and the necessity of making those cross-functional connections to effectively meet their needs.

“We have the opportunity to work with different functions, from HR and Marketing to Sales and Portfolio Analytics, which provides a broader perspective on how business gets done and where opportunities exist for improvement. No matter where you sit, it’s important to connect with different people, areas, and functions to form those value-add relationships.”

Taking Risks and Leaning into Learning

One of Singh’s core beliefs is the importance of taking risks and embracing discomfort. Early in her career, she grappled with the pressure to specialize, but she soon recognized the value of diverse experiences. “It’s about trusting your gut and giving yourself the chance to grow in unfamiliar situations,” she explains. The variety of work in consulting gave her the perfect training ground for this mindset. “You might love one project and be miserable in the next, but it’s all part of building a diverse skill set.”

She emphasizes that this approach applies to every stage of a career. “It’s never too late to learn something new,” Singh states. Singh earned an Executive MBA at Columbia University in 2021 while working full-time at PGIM – a testament to this belief.

“I was already immersed in technology, but I realized my impact would be limited without understanding the business side.”

Singh’s experience in the program, which began just before the COVID-19 pandemic, was as challenging as it was rewarding. “I always reflect on how productive I was during that time. Humans adapt to what’s going on, and I think that phase of my life really demonstrated that.”

Leadership Rooted in Connection and Inclusion

Singh is a leader who deeply values connection and relationship-building.

“It’s all about people for me. I love collaborating with and helping people. I would be nowhere without my team, and leaders who take chances on me and give me new opportunities.”

For Singh, it is also about inclusion and creating spaces for those connections. Reflecting on her time as a consultant, she acknowledges the challenges of often being the only woman or person of color in the room.

“Now, I make it a priority to create an inclusive environment, where everyone feels comfortable. It’s about making people feel like they have a safe space to share and grow.”

This philosophy of inclusion and focusing on the growth and development of others shapes every aspect of her leadership style.

“I’m working on flexing my broader leadership muscles—creating spaces where others can learn without feeling micromanaged. It’s hard for me to step back because I love being hands-on, but I know it’s essential for the team’s growth.”

Acknowledging the impact of leaders who “took a chance” on her and gave her opportunities to learn and develop, Singh hopes to do the same for her team.

Redefining Impact

Throughout her career, Singh’s understanding of “making an impact” has evolved. Early on, she aspired to tackle grand, global challenges, like the ones she encountered during her work with a public health organization in South Africa. “I was working on issues like access to medicine in developing countries, and it gave me perspective on the broader array of problems in the world.”

However, she’s come to appreciate that impact doesn’t always have to be monumental.

“You can make an impact even if you are behind a desk,” she reflects. “Even small contributions, like cutting weeks out of a reporting process, can make a big difference. It’s about understanding the value of what you’re helping people achieve, even if it’s not a headline-grabbing problem.”

Singh points to fostering the next generation of leaders, particularly women, as a way she wants to continue to make a difference going forward.

“The more young people and young women we can help give opportunities and bring up with us is what I want to focus on.”

This philosophy also shapes her personal life. Inspired by her mother’s and sister’s examples, Singh has volunteered as an advocate for sexual assault victims at a city hospital. Though her efforts have taken a backseat since becoming a parent, she remains committed to finding ways to give back. “Helping women has always been a priority for me, and it’s something I want to continue doing in the future.”

Looking ahead, Singh remains focused on growth—for herself, her team, and the business. She also looks forward to spending time outside of work exploring all that New York City has to offer with her husband and two-year-old son.

By Jessica Robaire

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and How to Address Them

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five dysfunctions of a teamHigh performing teams, and the desire for them, is a common occurrence in corporations. While teams and groups are commonly used as synonyms, they are different from each other. Oxford Dictionary defines a team as a group of people who work together at a particular job while a group is defined as a number of people or things that are together in the same place. As common as teams are, it should come as no surprise that some work better than others. Dysfunction in teams is all around. Behnam Tabrizi found that nearly 75% of cross-functional teams were dysfunctional. In his book, The Five Dysfunctions of A Team, Patrick Lencioni describes the most common dysfunctions in a team. These dysfunctions are as follows:

  1. Absence of trust
  2. Fear of conflict
  3. Lack of commitment
  4. Avoidance of accountability
  5. Inattention to results

Lencioni argues that trust is foundational for teams. Without the basis of trust, dysfunctions will not be able to be resolved. Research from the Harvard Business Review found that people who work in places with high trust levels reported 106% more energy at work, 76% more engagement, 74% less stress, 40% less burnout, 50% higher productivity and 29% more satisfaction with their lives compared to those at a low trust workplace. Low trust workplaces often have to deal with, and navigate, office politics. Resolving the absence of trust dysfunction is crucial to resolving the later dysfunctions. Each dysfunction is based on the resolution of the previous dysfunction and cannot be mastered out of order. For example, if your team shows lack of commitment, it is likely that there is also a fear of conflict from some, if not all of your team members. When a member doesn’t feel as though they can disagree and create conflict with a coworker, they will not be fully committed to the solution proposed because they were never able to weigh in their own opinions.

So how can you tell which dysfunction your team is stuck at and what can you do to resolve it? Here are some examples for each level:

Dysfunction #1 – Absence of Trust

Teams with absence of trust may:

  • Not own up to mistakes made
  • Not admit that they can’t do something to hide their weaknesses from other team members
  • Be unwilling to go out of the realm of their job descriptions to help a coworker

What can you do to address it?

  • Have team members be vulnerable and tell the team something about themselves then discuss as a team what you learned. This increases vulnerability between the team and makes it easier to continue to be vulnerable.
  • Focus on everyone’s strengths. Doing this will help team members gain confidence in themselves and their work. This could inspire coworkers to appreciate the strengths and talents of their peers.

Addressing lack of trust can:

  • Lead to quicker reaction to issues, now that mistakes can be admitted more openly
  • Prevent mistakes before they happen if coworkers feel comfortable to ask for assistance on projects
Dysfunction #2 – Fear of Conflict

Teams that fear conflict may:

  • Not listen to understand during a disagreement, rather listen to win the disagreement and argue their point
  • Not converse with a coworker they disagree with and speak behind their backs
  • Let leaders dominate a meeting and leave the meeting
  • Display artificial harmony in which there is no conflict at all

What can you do to address it?

  • Suggest an obviously bad idea and see if anyone in your team argues. If they don’t, there is a blatant fear of conflict.
  • Show your team that having opposing views can be productive and helpful.
  • Have a “devil’s advocate” portion of the meeting in which an opposing view can be argued.
  • Thank team members for bringing up different points of view that may conflict with the consensus.

Addressing fear of conflict can:

  • Lead to quicker resolution of issues
  • Lessen the amount of office politics
  • Allow more diverse views and lead to innovation
Dysfunction #3 – Lack of Commitment

Teams that have a lack of commitment may:

  • Have members who don’t commit to an idea because it’s not their idea
  • Have the false impression everyone is on the same page after leaving a meeting
  • Mean members don’t contribute to the discussion because their ideas differ

What can you do to address it?

  • Ask members if they have anything to add, any other ideas or (especially) differing opinions on the topic at hand.
  • Encourage team members to ask questions for clarification.
  • Set a team goal and have objectives for everyone to commit to.

Addressing lack of commitment can:

  • Help the team understand why a goal is being addressed in a certain way
  • Help members commit to an idea after being heard out about their own
  • Show the main goal of the team and what is expected of team members
Dysfunction #4 – Avoidance of Accountability

Teams that have an avoidance of accountability may:

  • Have peers who won’t hold each other accountable on performance and behavioral aspects
  • Have leave leaders with the sole responsibility of discipline
  • Include members not performing to the best of their ability

What can you do to address it?

  • Start at the leadership level and call members out on their behavioral mistakes and let this trickle down to peer level.
  • Regularly review team members’ individual performance and remind the team of the high standards expected.
  • Have the team come together and share one thing for each member that could be improved to promote accountability between team members.

Addressing avoidance of accountability can:

  • Lead to quicker and higher quality performance from the whole team
  • Urge poor performers to improve performance
  • Take some of the strain off of leaders
Dysfunction #5 – Inattention to Results

Teams that have an Inattention to Results:

  • Don’t focus on the team as a whole when working on projects
  • Attain personal goals more often than team goals.
  • Fail to develop as a team

What can you do to address it?

  • Have regular meetings to review key metrics
  • Keep a scoreboard of some type that keeps the team updated on tasks that have been completed.

Addressing inattention to results can:

  • Increase the amount of team goals hit
  • Increase team work and minimize individualism in these settings
  • Increase development as a team

All of these dysfunctions take time and effort to resolve. You have to start at the beginning of the five dysfunctions and work your way through them all to create a truly functional team. If you find that your team is exhibiting dysfunctions of one stage and they can’t seem to be overcome, try taking a step back and looking at the dysfunction level before it. You may find that your team’s problem lies there. Sometimes moving backwards is the only way to avoid an obstacle (or dysfunction) and move forward. Use these tips and ideas to work on creating the trusting, highly functioning team that businesses should aim for and see if the research done by the Harvard Business Review rings true for you.

By Chloe Williams

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