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f you caught the Devil Wears Prada 2 wave, there is a lot that has changed, and a lot that hasn’t. AI and conglomerates are taking over media houses, but toxic mentorship is still rampant—case in point: Meryl Streep, aka Miranda Priestley, with her dismissive, casual hazing of personal assistants and junior editors. Two decades later, Anne Hathaway’s character Andrea Sachs is still pushed to take the subway back to the office by her boss. Clearly, Priestley has not come across Gen Z interns.
Neha Mohanty’s first manager, Geetha, played a defining role in her journey. She was incredibly patient with her, taking the time to teach, explain, and guide her through every nuance of the work, no matter how many questions she had.
Sounds like a dream Andy Sachs would kill for. While the budding journalist was trying to keep up with her hard-to-please editor, Miranda Priestly, Mohanty’s boss instilled values of integrity, strategic thinking, and resilience, beyond the basic understanding of skills and processes.
“Her calm approach and belief in learning through practice gave me the confidence to grow. Today, as I run my own agency, so much of how I work and lead is rooted in what she patiently taught me in those early days,” recalled the founder & director at StarFishGlobal Communications.
Bhavik Sarkhedi’s first boss didn’t just teach him how to work. He taught him what he wasn’t meant to become. The Indian writer and founder of Ohh My Brand was 22 when he started working—a fresh mechanical engineering graduate at a truck assembly company in Bhuj, Gujarat.
“For 15 months, I watched my boss run the factory floor with discipline, precision, and absolute conviction. He didn’t just show me what great engineering looked like, he showed me the kind of passion the demanded,” he told indianexpress.com.
But somewhere in that process, he realised he didn’t have it.
“That uncomfortable clarity the mirror your first boss unknowingly holds up to you can be more valuable than any technical skill they teach. So I quit engineering, started writing full-time, went on to build seven companies, and published twelve books,” he shared proudly, adding that sometimes, the best mentors are the ones who help you walk away.
Dr Archika Didi, PhD in Meditation and Vice Chairperson, Vishwa Jagriti Mission, concurs, highlighting that the work environment plays a significant role in shaping the smoothness of your professional trajectory.
Mohanty has spent close to a decade working in the corporate world, where she has had the opportunity to work with many inspiring people who influenced not just what she spoke about, but also how she spoke, structured her thoughts, addressed stakeholders, and communicated with clarity and confidence beyond the subject matter.
“Those years refined my perspective, sharpened my voice, and helped me understand the power of thoughtful communication, lessons that continue to influence the way I lead and work today,” she told indianexpress.com.
Dr Didi reiterated that a positive work environment motivates the employees, while a negative work environment can leave psychological imprints leading to stress and anxiety. The role of a good team leader becomes profound here. While a good boss acts as a catalyst for growth, the toxic bosses make us question our worth,” she tells .
When Vijai Subramaniam started his career, one of the biggest lessons he learnt very early on was that real business understanding never comes from classrooms alone. It comes from being on the ground, interacting with customers, handling pressure, making mistakes, and learning how businesses actually function in real time.
The Chairman & Co-Founder of Royaloak Furniture worked in frontline sales roles where targets, customer interactions, and execution discipline were part of everyday life. His mentor taught him resilience, accountability, and the importance of understanding consumers directly.
Micromanagement, gaslighting, or public criticism are some of the common traits seen in toxic bosses. Dr Didi says it creates a persistent state of “fight-or-flight” in employees. The start to question their worth, and very soon, it leads to ‘occupational trauma,’ something I can bet my left kidney Sachs was suffering from.
When this continues for a longer period, Dr Didi explains how it leads to chronic stress, insomnia, and eventually starts reflecting physically. “Drooping shoulders, diminished spirit, and quiet behaviour are some of the common traits seen in individuals who have toxic bosses,” she elaborates. This damage extends beyond office hours and starts reflecting even in their relationship.
On the other hand, a supportive boss or a leader creates a positive work environment. Their accessibility and ease of communication simplify even the complex task. It also helps in building trust in the team that translates into success. Also, it creates a safe ecosystem of work, where they can openly discuss their concern and seek help without the fear of being judged.
Good leadership underpins a strong organizational setup by creating a cohesive work environment where everyone works towards a common goal.
It aligns the organisation’s vision of growth with the employee’s vision that eventually propels the career forward. A good leader plays a pivotal role here. They try to bring the best out of every individual without doubting themselves.
Taking inspiration from his own positive learning experiences, Subhramaniam has consciously created a company culture where young employees are given responsibility along with guidance.
“Across our store network and operational teams, several employees who joined in junior roles have steadily grown into larger responsibilities because they were mentored closely by leadership and given opportunities to take ownership early on,” he shares.
Besides strongly encouraging a healthy learning environment where younger employees are encouraged to ask the right questions, the management team also patiently guides them through experience and practical exposure.
Dr Didi says no matter what, we need to understand that our mental health is sacred. “No job title is good enough to strip off your inner peace, and those who want to excel, need to take charge of their mental well-being as well,” states the expert. Offering a few strategies, she says practising daily meditation can help create inner stability that external circumstances cannot shake. Along with that, she suggested setting boundaries with clarity and courage.
To organisations, Dr Didi says leadership development must include consciousness training. “While establishing an accessible system in the organization can help in overcoming these concerns, getting regular feedback, open sessions, and training at all levels helps in establishing a strong team and a positive work environment,” she said.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
