What if the best preparation for your dream role wasn’t a new job, but doing your current one differently?
In this edition, we explore that very idea with a powerhouse guest: Rubi Khan, an HR leader who’s turning traditional career growth strategies on their head.
Meet Rubi Khan, PhD
Rubi Khan, PhD, is an accomplished HR leader with 18+ years of experience in culture, learning, talent management, and diversity & inclusion.
As the Head of Culture, Learning, Talent & DEI at Luminous Power Technologies, she combines deep research insight with practical business expertise to drive impactful initiatives.
Rubi has designed award-winning leadership programs and pioneered inclusive strategies. Recognised as one of the Top 50 Women in D&I by the Vedica Alliance, she’s also featured in BW HR 40under40 and named Economic Times Young HR Leader of the Year.
Her passion is building future-ready organisations by unlocking people potential and creating high-impact programs. Outside of work, Rubi enjoys writing, reading, and curating engaging learning content.
What the Conversation Unpacked
At the heart of this conversation was a powerful idea: your next role doesn’t begin when you get the title, it begins the moment you start preparing for it in your current role. And few articulate that better than Rubi Khan, who brought insight, clarity, and sharp frameworks for anyone looking to grow with intention.
Rubi began by dismantling the traditional linear view of career growth. For her, preparing for the future isn’t about chasing promotions, it’s about showing readiness through a balance of depth and breadth.
“You have to be a good mix of curiosity and mastery. Go deep into your work, but stay wide in your perspective.”
She introduced the concept of “perform and transform”, a dual focus that defines next-role readiness. Performing is excelling in your current responsibilities. Transforming is about thinking ahead, aligning with the broader business, and actively contributing to change, even without formal authority.
One of the most resonant points Rubi made was about ambition, and the need to articulate it.
“Many professionals are ambitious. But unless you say it, show it, and shape it, no one knows. Silent ambition rarely gets noticed.”
Rubi also outlined the invisible qualities of those who grow from within:
- They are aspirational and resilient.
- They build strong networks across functions.
- They are credible and visible, not just to their manager but to the system.
In her words:
“It’s not enough to be great at your job. You have to be known across the organization as someone who can take on more.”
She pushed back on outdated mindsets in management too.
“Managers need to stop hoarding talent. Letting your best people grow isn’t a loss, it’s leadership.”
That mindset shift, from control to contribution, echoed throughout her examples. In one, Rubi described how a high-performing sales leader was stuck in a comfort zone. With strategic nudging and stakeholder alignment, he moved into a cross-functional role that reignited his growth and brought fresh energy to another team.
One of the most nuanced ideas Rubi brought up was around learning agility. More than just learning orientation, she explained, it’s about velocity, how quickly you can adapt, absorb, and apply new thinking.
“Career growth isn’t about chasing designations. It’s about collecting moments that shape your mindset for what’s next.”
On the topic of visibility, Rubi made it clear that loud doesn’t always mean effective, but substance builds visibility over time. And that credibility, she said, comes from both character and competence.
While Rubi emphasized mindset, strategy, and internal navigation, Abhishek’s strengths-based lens added depth to the how. He described how knowing your CliftonStrengths can help unlock growth without changing your nature.
For instance, someone with Relator as a top strength may struggle with visibility due to discomfort with broad networking. But when that person mentors across departments, leaning into deep, one-on-one connections, they increase their influence authentically.
“You don’t have to change who you are. You just need to use who you are, intentionally.”
Rubi agreed. Growth doesn’t require mimicry. It requires self-awareness, action, and aligned aspiration. And HR, in her view, must serve as the enabler, not the driver, of this growth.
“We don’t push people to grow. We create the environment where aspiration meets opportunity.”
In closing, Rubi left us with a mantra we’ll be printing on our post-its:
- A – Authenticity
- B – Believe in yourself
- C – Credibility through action
In her words: “Don’t chase visibility. Chase value.”
“If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. Do the work. Build trust. That’s how you grow.”
5 Key Lessons from Rubi Khan
- Don’t Wait for the Title, Start Acting the Role
Growth isn’t always vertical. Stretch into new skills, responsibilities, and mindsets now. - Learning Agility Is the New Power Skill
It’s not about how much you know, it’s about how fast you adapt, absorb, and apply. - Ambition Means Nothing Without Articulation
Want to grow internally? Make your aspirations known and visible, quiet ambition doesn’t get promoted. - Managers Must Let Go to Let Grow
Talent hoarding kills mobility. True leadership is building people, not just keeping them. - Authenticity + Credibility = Visibility
Focus less on being “seen” and more on building trust, relationships, and substance.
In Conclusion
This episode reframes career advancement not as a leap, but as a series of quiet choices made every day. Rubi’s approach challenges the idea that you need to switch roles to grow, and instead invites you to transform where you are.
Whether you’re mid-career, on the cusp of something bigger, or guiding others in your team, this conversation reminds us that the next role doesn’t start with an offer letter.
It starts with intention.
[Note: The views expressed by the speaker are their own and do not represent those of their organization.]
