Breaking the Binary: Leading Powerfully Without Becoming Someone Else
Women in leadership are often asked to navigate impossible contradictions: be confident but not intimidating, collaborative but decisive, visible but not “too much.” These unspoken expectations create constant pressure to self-edit—especially for women of color, immigrants, and working parents—making leadership feel like a performance instead of a path.
This session will explore the double binds that shape women’s careers and share a practical framework for leading with authority without losing authenticity. Drawing from her experiences as a CIO and artificial intelligence leader in the security industry—working through boardroom dynamics, high-stakes transformation and building influence in traditionally male-dominated environments—Priya Serai will offer tactical strategies to communicate with power, challenge outdated norms and stay grounded in who you are.
Attendees will leave with actionable tools to recognize false binaries, navigate bias with clarity and redefine leadership on their own terms—creating space not only for personal advancement, but for the next generation of women leaders to thrive. You’ll learn how to:
- Recognize the “double bind” moments in leadership—when women are expected to be confident but not intimidating—and learn how to respond without self-editing
- Practice practical language and influence tactics to communicate with authority in high-stakes environments, including executive meetings, customer escalation and operational decision making
- Apply a clear framework to challenge outdated leadership norms, navigate bias and lead authentically while still building credibility, visibility and career momentum in the security industry
Speaker
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Priya SeraiChief Information Officer
Zeus Fire & SecurityPriya Serai is the chief information officer at Zeus Fire & Security, where she leads enterprise transformation, artificial intelligence innovation and mergers and acquisitions integration across a private equity–backed security and life safety organization. She holds an engineering degree from Mumbai University and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.
An award-winning technology executive, Serai is a nationally recognized speaker who has presented at TEDx, ESX, NetOne and other leading industry forums on leadership, influence, and the future of security. Her work and lived experience navigating traditionally male-dominated environments fuel her passion for helping women break outdated leadership norms and advance with authenticity and impact.