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Guest:
Japman Bajaj is an award-winning, transformational leader and a true polymath, recognized in 2012 as a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum. A force in technology, entrepreneurship, policy, culture, and service, Japman seamlessly bridges human potential with the systemic structures that support it. He is a passionate storyteller, empathetic leader, and lifelong learner with a unique ability to balance left- and right-brain thinking, creating meaningful impact that nurtures human potential and fulfillment. Japman has contributed to several industries creating an impressive and diverse portfolio: He served as a senior leader at Long View Systems, where he led the Managed Cloud and Infrastructure Services, co-founded and served as Managing Director for Soshal Group, an award-winning digital media agency, and served as a Senior Leader at TELUS, one of Canada’s largest telecom conglomerates. Japman has also made significant contributions to social innovation, managing the Ottawa Innovation Community Challenge, curating at the Global Shapers Community, advisor to the Calgary Arts Development, and sat on the Board for The Trans Canada Trail Project. He also co-led the WeView DEI podcast, and is a published author. Currently, he is the Executive VP at Vametric, where he is redefining human ability, testing, and assessment. The list goes on, spanning both the corporate and social innovation sectors. Whether it’s building businesses or fostering deep social connections, Japman has a rare ability to focus on the big picture while also zooming in on the nuances that make a lasting difference.

About the Episode: 

In this episode I touch base with ELC Board Member, Japman Bajaj, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion, exploring how spirituality can drive service, and influence our daily lives. Scratching the surface of what the Sikh religion means to him as an individual, we talk about how his faith continues to inform how he navigates leadership, trauma, trust building, and so much more. We discuss the personal and communal challenges he faced as a Sikh after 9/11, and how those events have shaped his views on service and wellbeing. Japman confesses that he came to understand the full gravity of his father’s work as a public servant relatively recently, and shares his evolution from believing that policy was in the way, to seeing it as the way in moving the needle forward. We contemplate the hard choices to be made and commitment needed to pursue an elected position, all while battling a system that favors blame, rather than extending grace. Plus, we touch on the transformative power of meditation and journaling in healing trauma and processing life's struggles. 

Key Topics Discussed:

· [00:01:05] Guest/Episode Intro

· [00:05:33] Learning Yourself via Experience 

· [00:09:07] It’s Your Story: Listen to Yourself 

· [00:10:57] Japman’s Throughline 

· [00:12:11] The Unexamined Life w/ a Service Lens

· [00:13:03] Contemplating a Life of Elected Politics 

· [00:14:52] A Little Background

· [00:18:43] To be a Sikh is to be a Learner 

· [00:20:03] The One God is Us 

· [00:20:55] The Saint-Solider 

· [00:24:04] Being Political by Default 

· [00:24:32] Violence against Sikhs after 9/11 

· [00:27:50] Coming From Trauma 

· [00:29:10] Success Born from Struggle 

· [00:30:18] (Pause for a Crazy Cute Story) 

· [00:33:55]  We’re More Alike Than We are Different 

· [00:35:55] The Religious Atheist 

· [00:38:18] How Does Faith Show Up? 

· [00:41:37] Rejecting Institutional Policing, not “Doctrine” 

· [00:45:10] Learning from Mom & Dad 

· [00:45:48] A Life Long Public Servant 

· [00:49:45] Understanding the Gravity of Service 

· [00:52:27] From Target Turban to Strength in Numbers  

· [00:55:55] Understanding the Gravity of a Lonely Kid 

· [00:58:27] Owning up to Ego is part of Leadership 

· [01:00:35] Some Ego Keeps Your Jug Full! 

· [01:05:00] Modern Politics’ Focus on Differences 

· [01:08:15] SPONSOR: ELC (https://www.electedleaderscollective.com)

· [01:08:15] ELC Foundation donors (https://www.electedleaderscollective.com/donate)

· [01:10:40] A Traumatic Event Sets the Tone 

· [01:15:18] The Universe Demands the Headphones Come Off! 

· [01:17:17] Isolation as a Path, Not a Pathology 

· [01:20:25] Everybody Had Something to Offer

· [01:21:08] Hukam, Accepting Reality 

· [01:23:25] The Practice of Processing 

· [01:25:48] We are Dynamic Beings 

· [01:27:] Japman’s Bullet Point Practices 

            · [01:27:16] Find Self Inspired People 

            · [01:27:55] Journaling (Identifying Core Questions) 

            · [01:30:04] Meditate 

· [01:30:43] Meditation Can Be Fluid 

· [01:35:03] Wandering Thoughts Could be the Gift 

· [01:37:37] Journaling is Data 

· [01:41:07] Left Brain - Right Brain Balance 

· [01:44:47] Policy Can Be The Way to Innovation 

· [01:49:30] Distrust Towards the Private Sector 

· [01:55:31] Contemplating Rebuilding Trust: It’s Work  

· [01:57:00] Mistakes Are a Non Partisan Issue 

· [01:59:53] Don’t Be Angry, and Inactive 

· [02:01:25] Open Aggression Towards Public Servants: New Territory 

· [02:03:32] A Simple Question 

· [02:06:15] Internal Lessons: Extend Grace 

· [02:08:49] We All Have Trauma 

· [02:10:00] A Wish for Positive Politics 

· [02:11:38] What is True?

· [02:14:22] Final Question: Start At Home and Seek Home in Others

· [02:16:45] “The Leader’s Handbook” (https://www.healingourpolitics.com/#newsletter) Newsletter

· [02:17:45] Sponsor: ELC (https://www.electedleaderscollective.com)

Key References and Resources Mentioned:

· [00:19:45] Sikhism&nbsp...