Early in my career, I got an opportunity to present to an important stakeholder. But I didn’t grab it… I was worried.: “What if I forget the entire pitch” “What if I make a fool of myself” “After this blunder, my manager might not give me another opportunity” I was stuck in my head. Instead … Continue reading Stuck in your head? Move ahead anyway. . .
Grit
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Practice Loop
Do you carry a quiet pressure at work: To get it right, deliver something near perfection every time? This experiment mentioned by David Bayles & Ted Orland in their book Art and Fear might hold the key for you. A pottery teacher divided the students into 2 group: ▶️ Group A: Was told that they … Continue reading Practice Loop
Are you knocking on wrong door?
I graduated from a good engineering college… and then sat at home for 6 months without a job. While my friends were: • joining their first job • flying abroad for higher studies I was stuck. Not because I didn’t have options. But because I had decided — there was only one “right” option. A … Continue reading Are you knocking on wrong door?
What will people say or think?
Early in my career, this question held me back. It impacted my learning and growth in those years. Here’s a simple analogy. Imagine you step into an elevator with mirrors. There are a few people inside. How many are looking at? It’s obvious right? Most people are busy looking at themselves – fixing their hair, … Continue reading What will people say or think?
We are wired to compete…
Nita walks into her first job. She is capable, and eager to prove herself. The organization speaks of collaboration and teamwork. But inside her, another language is far more fluent. The language of competition. She didn’t choose it. She was raised in it. It began when she was a child, barely able to tie her … Continue reading We are wired to compete…
Dealing with negative feedback
This is your first job after college. After weeks (or months) of training, you are given an assignment that feels real.You are putting in your best efforts. Long hours. Careful planning.And somewhere inside, you want your manager to notice - to feel that you are doing well.One day, your manager gives feedback: points out what’s not … Continue reading Dealing with negative feedback
Stop the chatter
You’re new to the organisation. Still learning the culture. Still figuring out people. One day, you join a Zoom meeting 10 minutes late.Your earlier meeting ran over. You were hungry, so you grabbed a sandwich before logging in. As you join, a senior colleague smiles and says: “Welcome, welcome… glad you could join our meeting. … Continue reading Stop the chatter
Fall like a baby
Guess how many times a toddler falls in an hour while learning to walk? Studies indicate an average of 17 times per hour. Over time, this might add up to 1000’s of falls before the toddler’s walk becomes stable. When a toddler falls, she gets up, takes a few more steps and falls again… Yet, … Continue reading Fall like a baby
If you want to know more about pine, ask the pine!
Yesterday, I was engrossed in a task when my phone rang. The call was from a colleague who tends to follow-up a lot. Even before taking the call, I started thinking: She must be calling to follow up such and such thing. I began preparing my response. When I took her call, what she shared … Continue reading If you want to know more about pine, ask the pine!
Perspectives 