Lifting As You Climb: Ambassador Shefali Razdan-Duggal on Service, Sacrifice, and Success || EP.226

2025-12-02

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At nine years old watching a presidential debate, Shefali Razdan Duggal realized something: in America, a peanut farmer and the son of divorced parents could become president. Her mother was cutting vegetables at night, working as a seamstress by day. Politics became the path to help people like her mother. Decades later, she became the first person of color to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, where the Dutch named a fuchsia-pink tulip after her, the first ambassador from any country ever honored this way. But the...

Decades later, she became the first person of color to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, where the Dutch named a fuchsia-pink tulip after her, the first ambassador from any country ever honored this way. But the journey between that childhood revelation and diplomatic triumph involved a different calculation entirely.

"Women of color have to work four times as hard," Shefali states. Her response wasn't resentment—it was a choice. She calls it "weed whacking" for the people behind her.

While serving 90-hour weeks, she operated from what she calls "complete and utter equality" with her entire embassy staff. The result? Her Marines ranked as one of the best detachments in Europe. Her embassy became one of the best-run on the continent. And when women of color visited the ambassador wall and saw her photo next to John Adams, they would start crying.

In this conversation, Shefali explains why ego kills opportunities faster than anything else, how she managed crushing stress without punishing anyone around her, and what happens when you choose to "do something" instead of "be someone." She also reveals why your work may not benefit you immediately—but that's actually the point.

Key Takeaways:

Why working harder (when you shouldn't have to) clears the path for everyone behind you
How to build relationships before you need them
What "lift as you climb" actually looks like in practice
Why starting at the base level with zero ego changes everything
How to manage stress without taking it out on your team
When your work benefits someone else instead of you—and why that matters

About the Guest: The Honorable Shefali Razdan Duggal served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 2022-2025, becoming the first person of color in this role. Born in India and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio by a single mother working multiple minimum-wage jobs, she began her political career volunteering on Senator Ted Kennedy's campaign. The Dutch honored her by naming a tulip "Tulipa Shefali"—the first ambassador from any country to receive this tribute. Her book about her journey from immigrant daughter to diplomat releases summer 2026.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction at Health Conference

02:17 - From Humble Beginnings to Public Service

05:08 - Starting at the Bottom: Early Campaign Work

07:39 - Working Four Times as Hard: Breaking Barriers

09:51 - Lifting as You Climb: Human Rights Commitment

15:15 - Learning Diplomacy: The Path to Ambassador

19:06 - EQ and IQ: Leading with Humanity Under Pressure

26:48 - Advice for Women and What's Next

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