Musings, published a few times every week, are my attempt at sharing diverse perspectives to help us better navigate our lives.
The key theme I explore is how can we progress towards achieving our potential, and thereby become more accomplished & secure. Some of these ideas come from my own experience, while others come from a thorough study of management research & leadership books, perspectives from science, arts, history, and discussions with industry practitioners across sectors & functions.
Respecting BOundaries
For those leading teams, it's important to balance accountability & passion for work with respecting boundaries of personal time.
Tailor the Message
2 weeks back I had a catch-up with a team member. We discussed a host of things & then the conversation treaded towards future opportunities for the individual.
3 Ways to Motivate
Frequently, we use two ways to motivate those around us
1. Reward & praise when they do something noteworthy
2. Punishment or reprimand when they do something that we don't want repeated
Personal Accountability
Some of the best managers I have worked with have taken persona.l interest in my well being
Priortise The Small Steps
Sometimes what we believe to be your best work goes unnoticed, and what we may feel is just about ‘ok’ resonates well & gathers praise. This happens at work, in personal life, and even in what we write on LinkedIn.
Humility to Keep Going
To have a project derailed from the plan is human, and probably happens in many situations both personal and professional. It happens to be the best of us. This is not what distinguishes the successful from the unsuccessful.
Pronouns Matter!
He/ him; She/ her; Them/ they; or any combination of thereof
I knew broadly what this meant, at least so I thought. It meant people were sharing their gender alignment or what they preferred to be addressed as.
Stereotyping
We carry #stereotypes of what makes for a successful career in a particular role.
For instance, to be successful in HR you need to be more empathetic, or people in marketing need to be outgoing, or the finance person needs to be awesome at maths, or to be an entrepreneur you need to be a risk taker etc.
Bring Me the Problem OR Solutions
For decades there has been a well meaning debate on which approach works better in grooming our people and ensuring they freely share their concerns.
A. Don’t come to me with a problem alone, but come to me with a solution
B. Come to me with a problem, it’s my role to help you find the answers
The Gen X and Y Conundrum
The Gen X and Y Conundrum in India
For the longest time (pre 1990), job options were limited in India. Most people worked in the government sector & a few in the private sector. People spent their entire lifetime in one job before they retired. Business options were limited to a select few who either had the capital or were daring to venture out on their own.
The Red Slide
During my analyst days, once we finished a report we would submit its printout to the project lead for review.
The lead would, in a classic teacher style, review the printed version with a red ink pen.
Supply & Demand of Job Market
Supply & demand factors influence market dynamics, & the job market is no different. In the services sector the dynamics vary by experience level.
Email - the productivity Killer
31-38% is the proportion of time professionals spend on official emails every day. This amounts to 2.5-3.1 hours per day!!!
We have many aspirations and thoughts that keep evolving on a daily basis. Sometimes I think to myself what would happen if all we think of in our professional sphere materializes instantly.