Looking to hear experiences from Women leaders / managers in Tech.
Do you feel equally valued and respected as your male counterparts? Any daily struggles?
I feel a lack of respect in general and while one could argue it might have to do with meritocracy, I know for a fact that is not true (at least when compared to some of the male leaders).
Is it like , as a female, you need to work extra hard to leave a mark/ get acknowledged for your contributions?

True. Men in general keep saying that women bosses are horrible, "bhagwan bachaye women bosses se." Now if we talk nicely, they think they can hit on us or we're flirting. If we're strict and to the point, then we are khadoos and have mood swings.
Also, they keep saying women have pms problems and all, as in they/we get cracking and all anytime anywhere, but males can just do it! I've seen males with more mood swings then women.
Other thing is corporates work on relationships. If your relationship with a colleague is strong, then they'll start gossiping out of envy, and if two males have good relationship, then, it's bro code!

The flirting thing is so common. They ask you whether you are single or married in the first conversation itself. How is it linked to my work? Very few men know how to have professional conversations.

I too feel the same. Whenever you come up with a proposal you need to provide more justification than a male counterpart. People by default think you might not be interested in difficult projects and so many other things

Hnm true ... but best kaam kro koi phltu bole toh oulta jawab do toh tmezz aajati h logo ko. Chutia logo ko sahi jawab dena is very good feeling.

I have been managing teams for three years and I don’t quite agree on this point. My experience with women managers has been pathetic. They didn't understand the work most of the time, lacked empathy, took all the credits and did micromanagement. They taught me what kind of manager you shouldn’t be when you are one. So this is what I do.
1. Have a positive approach towards my team and treat team members as equals, not someone who works "under" me.
2. Try to have transparent conversation on what is going right and where anyone has to improve.
3. Provided I have more experience than any employee in my team, I share my experience every now and then with them. So that there is some kind of relatability and sense of ownership.
4. I don't order people to work. I delegate the work where there's an understanding of responsibility.

Being an approachable manager doesn't mean you are flirty or over friendly. Your personality should be professional, and overall we need to forget about gender blockers when we are at work. Trying too hard because I am a woman, doesnt fit my philosophy. I do what I think is right.

I was impacted in mass layoff this month , which no one had clear justification, but when I saw the people layed off it was 90-10 ratio of females and males.
I have felt the hatred from men till now knowing I am at higher position at probably less age than them and well paid than them .
No matter how hard I tried or proved my self it was all a waste at the end I’m here looking for jobs while they celebrate and enjoy as patriarchy

Similar experience. Have been asked if married or single in first conversation even though I am reserved in nature. More interested in personal life .

How do we work around this?
It does affect my productivity a lot, it's not easy to sit in a room full of men and be treated with a deaf ear, as if they can't hear what I am saying.

In fact, I may be less confident now, inspite being a manager, than I was at a junior level; didn't have to deal with this kind of shit day in and day out. At least you could just shine as an individual contributor and be that.

Add to that managerial politics.