#18 - Arvashni Seeripat - Why kindness is a leadership superpower

Arvashni Seeripat is the President of Averitas Pharma, an award-winning author, and a passionate advocate for kindness in leadership. Known for her thoughtful perspective and powerful storytelling, Arvashni challenges the traditional belief that toughness is the only path to success in the corporate world.

In this episode, we explore a powerful question: Is kindness a weakness in the boardroom, or could it actually be a leadership superpower? Arvashni shares how she has stayed deeply aligned with her values throughout her career, even when operating in environments where authenticity and empathy were not always the norm.

Growing up in apartheid South Africa profoundly shaped her commitment to equality and inclusion. Those early experiences continue to influence how she leads today, creating cultures where people feel seen, respected, and empowered to thrive.

We talk about making brave career decisions, the value of sideways moves, and the experience of building a career across countries and cultures. Arvashni also shares a powerful question every leader should ask when stepping into a new role: “What am I leaving behind?”

In this episode, we talk about:

00:00 – Why kindness belongs in business

03:26 – The evolution of modern leadership

06:18 – Discovering and naming your core values

11:02 – Growing up in apartheid South Africa

15:26 – How women approach ambition and leadership roles

17:00 – From go-to expert to strategic leader

22:55 – When helping your team can start to hold them back

23:32 – Courageous career moves and self-belief

29:18 – Equality, injustice, and moving forward without vengeance

33:22 – Advice to her younger self: no job too big or too small

36:17 – Be the change you want to see in the world

Arvashni combines deep business insight with the principles of positive psychology, offering a refreshing perspective on what authentic leadership really looks like. If you’ve ever wondered whether kindness has a place in leadership, or how to stay true to your values as your career grows, this conversation will leave you feeling both inspired and empowered.

About the host

Sarah Perugia is an expert women-in-leadership coach and whole-person leadership transformation specialist, dedicated to empowering female leaders to thrive. With over 20 years of experience, she partners with organisations across the globe to develop and retain top female talent, strengthen the female leadership pipeline, and promote gender equality in senior roles. Drawing on her background in acting, neuro-linguistic programming, and Positive Psychology, Sarah empowers leaders to advance their careers, build confidence, enhance performance, and ultimately flourish and thrive. Her offering combines tailored leadership development programmes with one-to-one executive leadership coaching to unlock their full potential.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her work with women in leadership, you can find out more here: https://www.sarahperugia.com/women-in-leadership/

In this show, we cover

Positive Psychology, Leadership, Values-led Leadership, Empathy, Authenticity, Courage, Career Transition, Mentorship, Leadership Principles, Personal Prowth, Professional Development

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!

Contact and Connect

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-perugia-leadership-coaching/

Connect with Arvashni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvashni-seeripat-74b1b1a8/