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Sankofa – spring into future stepping on past  

Few days back, I was reading articles on culture. I came across this phrase ‘Sankofa’. It is a Ghanaian expression; it refers to a mythical bird whose feet are firmly planted forward while its head is turned backwards carrying a precious egg in her beak. It represents the old African adage, “always remember the past … Continue reading Sankofa – spring into future stepping on past  

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The HOW and WHEN of Psychological Safety

Psychological safety in organizations is an oft discussed subject today. A key element of psychological safety is the ability to freely share a contrarian thought or idea; disagree with our co-workers, manager, or seniors. To build a psychologically safe workplace, we expect our co-workers and seniors to be open, not wedded to their ideas and … Continue reading The HOW and WHEN of Psychological Safety

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Three questions to leverage the most from an experience

An experience – be it professional or personal – is a strong conduit to individual growth. We all go through experiences like assignments, new projects, leading or being part of a cross-functional team, or even a difficult conversation or negotiation. Irrespective of its outcome, every experience adds to our capability. An honest reflection on three … Continue reading Three questions to leverage the most from an experience

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Incessant Stories We Tell

Every waking moment of our lives, we involuntarily weave stories; stories about people around us, about our context, problems / challenges and even stories about ourselves. Stories are powerful, they influence our behaviors, actions and decisions. This in turn impacts our reality. When we tell ourselves a positive story, our actions are affirmative and energizing, … Continue reading Incessant Stories We Tell

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Learning to Learn 

Internet has truly democratized information. In today’s world of information overload, what differentiates individuals, teams and organizations is the ability to learn, the willingness to learn to learn. Four interconnected aspects that make a difference are: • Am I CURIOUS to understand things that I don’t know, or never knew existed? • Do I OBSERVE others in action, be leaders or co-workers (or even children, family, friends)? • How do I APPLY it to my context –what works, doesn’t work, why so? • Do I have the courage to engage in honest SELF-REFLECTION?

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Disengaged, yet hanging on!

I remember having lunch with a gentleman few months back. It was our first meeting.  After a round of pleasantries, our conversation turned towards his work which quickly became a downpour of grievances – how he had slogged for more than a decade in the organization, but never got recognition, how his career stagnated, how … Continue reading Disengaged, yet hanging on!

Personal productivity – Complex interplay of individual and org culture

Few weeks back, I came down with food poisoning. I was not ill enough to stay in bed, so I decided to go to work. At the end of the day, I was surprised at how little work I could get done. Productivity as a concept has its roots in economy; it is the ratio … Continue reading Personal productivity – Complex interplay of individual and org culture

The 12 hours in Terminal 2

17 -18 Jan 2023 – the 12 hours spent in Terminal 2 Mumbai – will remain etched in my memory. 28 ABGites were set to fly to Colombo for annual Planning and Budgeting meeting. Weeks of thinking, brainstorming, and planning were about to culminate into even richer conversations and final plans for FY’24. The excitement … Continue reading The 12 hours in Terminal 2

Learning or Performing Mode

“Are you in learning mode or performing mode?” I recollect our master facilitator call out every time we began a practice session. We had to say aloud, “I am in learning mode” Initially, I wondered about the difference it would make. Gradually, it became obvious; while in learning mode, we were willing to experiment and … Continue reading Learning or Performing Mode