RANI PENDSE

Rani's Chapter:

Don’t Just Open the Door — Change the Room: How to Create an Equitable Environment for Diverse Talent

Rani’s chapter begins with a pivotal story early in her career: pouring her heart into a strategy presentation only to watch her director present it as his own. What could have been a breaking point became a turning point when a senior executive paused the meeting and called on her directly, urging her to speak up. His words stayed with her: “You are invited to the table not just to fill a seat, but to make your voice heard.”

From that moment, Rani committed herself to making workplaces more equitable for diverse talent. She describes the “broken rung” problem — how systemic biases in hiring, promotion, and retention keep women and underrepresented groups from advancing. Her chapter provides a roadmap for leaders and organizations to mend these broken rungs:

• Create equitable hiring practices – shifting from “screening out” to “screening in,” focusing on potential and diverse perspectives.
• Foster growth-nurturing environments – building mentorship, employee resource groups, and inclusive practices that support newcomers to the workforce, country, company, or industry.
• Empower individual development – encouraging employees to define their own value, advocate for themselves, and build networks across and beyond the organization. 

Through personal stories and actionable steps, Rani makes clear that inclusion isn’t just about opening doors. It’s about changing the room so everyone can thrive once they’re inside.

“The biggest barrier to women’s advancement is not the glass ceiling, but the broken rung.”
— Rani Pendse, You’re On Mute

About the Book:

You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector

You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector is a bold anthology by women in tech, sharing unapologetic stories of resilience, exclusion, and transformation. From global leaders to grassroots innovators, these chapters are lessons and rallying cries that challenge the systems holding us back and imagine a more inclusive future. In a moment where AI is reshaping everything, this book reminds us that real change won’t come from technology alone, but from community, care, and collective action.