Akhila Satish is a CEO, board member, and entrepreneur who is passionate about optimizing employee performance and wellness to create sustainable organizations. From neuroscience to venture capital and SaaS to biotech, Akhila’s expansive experience led her to become CEO of Meseekna, a learning and training platform that helps organizations empower their employees to think more strategically and make better decisions.

Below, learn more about Akhila’s journey to CEO, her tips on becoming a better decision-maker, and the importance of being self-aware (without being self-critical).

What has your executive journey been like? 

My executive journey has been unique. I started my career in life sciences research and ended up as the CEO of an organization called Meseekna. I went to business school focusing on entrepreneurship and venture capital and, combined with my love of science, ended up where I am. 

I started my role as CEO of Meseekna about 4 years ago. At Meseekna, we combine innovative technologies with micro-learning to improve human performance. Our technology is unparalleled, and has been evaluated by over 500 peer-reviewed publications and backed by over 50 years of research. It is unique in that it measures not what you think about yourself or your preferences, but rather the how and why of the decisions you make. In other words, how you really perform in the real world. 

What’s next for you?

I currently serve on a private company board and am looking to expand to serving on larger private company boards. I am excited about being in an environment where you need both a scientist and a business expert in the same room. While my background is as a scientist, I have also worked in venture capital and startups, so my expertise falls at the crux of both fields. 

What is the unique value you bring to the boardroom?

First is my scientific background, and second is my ability to find creative solutions in a time of crisis. I am always flattered to be the first call when a CEO needs a friendly strategist to step in, and have filled that role successfully for a number of organizations. I enjoy finding interesting solutions to organizational roadblocks as part of those meetings!

How can we become better decision-makers?

Evaluating yourself in the real world and evaluating your decision-making is tough. On a day-to-day basis, it’s human nature to not want to make mistakes in your decision-making. There is even an immediate course correction that occurs in our brain after a mistake. During the events following that decision, we tend to either chalk up the mistake to ill fate or faulty external variables—when in reality, neither of those things may be true.

The first step is understanding your decision-making style. I recommend people start with an assessment. I then use that information to ask myself questions like “What might be making my decision-making more optimal?” Or “What aspects of my decision-making am I aware of and actively working on?” You may realize that certain personal attributes like being people-centric or calm under pressure are impacting how you make decisions more than you think.

How do you utilize metacognition and microlearning to improve employee wellbeing?

It’s important to think about what elements counteract wellbeing. One big barrier to wellbeing occurs when an employee feels that the organization does not accurately represent their individual mission. This disconnect can lead to a fraying relationship between an employee and the organization. Another element is if organizations aren’t aware of what kind of stress their employees are under, they can’t fix it. There are ways managers can alleviate employee stress, but those tools are only applicable if they know the kind of stress and what may be causing it. 

How did you support your team through the uncertainty of Covid-19?

Truly, my team has been amazing. We follow our own principles of VUCAD stress management very closely. We break stress down visibly as a group so everyone is aware of what can cause stress for each team member. At the start of every week, I personally think about where my team will encounter stress on a daily basis, who will react to which aspects of the upcoming stress, and what we can do to alleviate it. Intentionally pacing my team has been key. 

How has Athena been beneficial in your career?

The Athena community is such an inspiring community of women to belong with. I have been really impressed with the level of questions and dialogue in the Salons. I also appreciate the coaching, which has helped me immensely in understanding how to showcase my strengths. As someone who is on the younger side for board searches, finding an organization like Athena was great because I knew I would be supported.

What advice do you have for rising leaders? 

One of the perpetual struggles of leading is being self-aware without being self-critical. It is a skill that has taken me a long time to understand, and is an ongoing process. Something I love about my work is that I have the opportunity to think deeply about the decisions I make on a daily basis. As a leader, you want and need that reflective time to think about your decisions and why you’re doing what you’re doing. It’s helpful to get distance from your business and assess how you’re doing and where you can improve. There are hard decisions to be made, but making them to begin with is a victory in itself! 

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Athena members can learn more about Akhila’s work with Meseeka in her recent Salon, Assessing Decision-Making Using AI. Try the online decision-making simulation for yourself here.

Athena helps women leaders engage in current and relevant live and on-demand executive learning. Through Athena, you can work with top-tier coaches, network with women on the same path, and access exclusive career and board opportunities. Learn more here.